A Time of Transition, Challenge and Opportunity
SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY, LEARNING CENTRE, ECOVILLAGE
Annual Report 2013/14
FINDHORN FOUNDATION spiritual community • learning centre • ecovillage
The Findhorn Foundation is a spiritual community, an ecovillage, and an international centre for holistic learning, helping to unfold a new human consciousness and create a positive and sustainable future. Founded in 1962, this community and centre is built on the understanding that it is through individuals opening their hearts and minds that a world of peace, compassionate action and cooperation with nature can be created. The Foundation recognises that as each individual begins to integrate the knowledge that we are all part of an interconnected web of life, our behaviour will naturally change and the world will change.
To facilitate this, we offer a wide range of programmes, workshops and events, and a variety of ways to participate, with the aim of creating an environment that enables each person to deepen his or her connection with all of life. We work in partnership with the United Nations, Global Ecovillage Network, Gaia Education, New Findhorn Association, Moray Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise/Moray, Third Sector Interface Moray, and countless others, to offer inspiration and showcase practical applications for sustainable change.
FINDHORN FOUNDATION’S 10 SUCCESSFUL YEARS OF CONTRIBUTION TO THE UN DECADE OF EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT “The stars are aligned for the world to take historic action to transform lives and protect the planet.” Ban Ki Moon The Findhorn Foundation has been an active contributor to the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) since 2005, fostering the Decade’s aim of integrating the principles, values, and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of learning. We create learning environments where participants acquire the skills, attitudes and values necessary to arbitrate between the conflicting drivers of economic growth, planetary boundaries and social justice. Our programmes promote key contemporary competencies like critical thinking, imagining future scenarios and making decisions in a collaborative way. The people delivering these programmes have years of experience of participatory learning practices, motivating and empowering learners to take action for sustainable development in its integrated approach. ESD programmes at the Findhorn Foundation – Gaia Education Design for Sustainability (now in its 9th year, in association with Findhorn Foundation College) and Applied Ecovillage Living (now in its 16th year). The Findhorn Foundation is an NGO Associated with the Department of Public Information of the United Nations and is regularly represented in UN briefing sessions since August 1998 by Frances Edwards and John Clausen.
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Unfolding a New Human Consciousness Our more than five decades of experience and success has established the Findhorn Foundation as a world-renowned living experiment and demonstration centre for sustainable change. Here new models for living in harmony with all of life are developed and refined. The pioneering work of our founders, Dorothy Maclean and Eileen and Peter Caddy, continues in our core principles and practices, while also evolving to meet the challenges and opportunities of the world today.
Holistic Approach to Sustainability The Findhorn Foundation embodies a holistic approach to sustainability that integrates four aspects - spiritual, social, environmental and economic. By developing not just the externals of sustainability such as ecohousing, renewable energy and local food production, but also addressing the inner life of human beings and giving them an opportunity to experience being part of the interconnected web of life, the Foundation has become a unique centre for learning and a potent force for change. Fundamental to sustainability is the building of relationships and the community provides an ideal environment for self-discovery, transformative learning and conscious communication. Practising community values for a month, a week or even a day can often lead to changes that increase self-esteem, give a sense of empowerment and encourage leadership. Community life provides the spiritual and social framework of sustainability upon which our ecovillage and economic activities are woven. Financially dependent upon sharing our learning with others
through our programmes, workshops and events, the thriving atmosphere created within this established spiritual community and ecovillage enables reciprocal learning to take place between residents and guests, who are immersed in how to engage more consciously in daily life. The Findhorn Foundation is a founding member of Global Ecovillage Network, New Findhorn Association, Park Ecovillage Trust, Ekopia Resource Exchange, CIFAL Scotland, and several other initiatives. Currently, the Foundation has 120 members of staff and is part of a growing local community of more than 500 people, and over 40 small businesses and charities primarily working in education, the environment, healing and the arts, who support and practise sustainable values. By encouraging an evolution in consciousness for ourselves as a working community and facilitating this in others, the Foundation continues to play an important and relevant role in the world, in partnership with a widening network of like-minded organisations.
Then look within, for never forget that it all starts in the individual. As you change your consciousness to love, peace, harmony and unity, the consciousness of the whole world will change. Eileen Caddy
LEAP into Web-streaming
I first did Experience Week in 2010 during my gap year before university. I opened up, changing a lot for the better and made many great friends. I have been returning to the Foundation ever since. I participated in the Living in Community Guest (LCG) programme through the spring and summer of 2010 before starting my degree in audio engineering. I subsequently returned as an LCG in Cluny Dining Room in the summers of 2011 and 2012, between academic years. My original plan was to do a placement year as a sound technician at a school in London, but there was need for my help in the Universal Hall. Changing my plans, I continued into the Living Essentials Apprentice Programme (LEAP), joining both the Universal Hall and Cluny Maintenance teams for over a year. It was during this time that I started in web-streaming. One month after graduating in 2014 I became a Foundation employee in the web-streaming team. Alex Wright 2
Some Highlights of 2013/14 Social
Environmental
Economic
• For the second time running, we won the 2013 Kindred Spirit Award in the Retreat/Healing Centre category.
• The completion of Clearwater, one of two new seven-bed guest lodges planned. Fully accessible and with en-suite bedrooms, this beautiful wooden building sets a new standard for energy efficiency and convenience in our guest accommodation.
• With a huge amount of gratitude, we launched our committed-giving programme, the Network of Friends.
• An exciting and successful conference year with several conferences and smaller events, which altogether attracted well over 500 participants. Both EarthSings – Singing for Unity and Wellbeing and Forgiveness – The Great Undoing built upon the interest in and success of similarly themed conferences held in the past. The Conference of the International Communal Studies Association brought together communal scholars and community activists from around the world, and life-long scholar and activist Joanna Macy returned to offer her Work That Reconnects.
• Charles Eisenstein, visionary author, was hosted as a guest speaker for the Transition to Resilience programme. While here, he also gave a public evening talk as a prelude to the upcoming New Story Summit planned for autumn 2014.
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• Ongoing maintenance and upgrading of Cluny Hill, with the installation of a new fire alarm system, completion of the electrical systems upgrade, a new roof over the Dining Room and refurbishment/ renovation of two more guest bathrooms. • Management and development of the Living Machine, our wastewater treatment facility, negotiated with Biomatrix Water, a local company with over twenty years` experience in ecological engineering for waterway restoration and wastewater treatment. • Consultation and exploration regarding the Central Area Development yielded plans for a new Welcome Centre housing the Phoenix shop, the Blue Angel café and aspects of a visitor centre.
• Bursaried places valued at £30,859 were given to 160 participants on our Essential Findhorn programmes, workshops, conferences and events. • Income from the Living in Community Guest programme increased this year by 10.6%. At the same time, bursaries for this programme again decreased, from 5% of the total income last year to 1.75% this year. • Launched in 2012, our 50th Birthday campaign continued into this financial year with over £30,000 received, bringing the total to almost £80,000 raised so far for our new guest accommodation. • A £1,000 donation from the Naturesave Trust enabled us to landscape the area around the new guest lodge to create a peaceful, beautiful environment for our guests.
Changing the World from the Inside Out Learning Centre There can be no doubt that humanity is in a time of transition, facing spiritual, social, environmental and economic challenges which at times seem insurmountable. As a centre committed to providing experiences and concrete tools that help people learn to relate to each other and the world in new ways, the Findhorn Foundation is a beacon of hope, encouraging a sense of empowerment and stimulating learning that is transformative for both individuals and for society as a whole.
Over the course of this year, we further strengthened our endeavours in two areas: our Building Bridges initiative and Findhorn Live. Through the former, launched in 2010, we seek to build relationships with a wide spectrum of people, both locally and further afield. The technology inherent in the latter, our web-streaming project begun in 2011, offers the opportunity for us to share our work with more people all over the world while helping to reduce the carbon footprint on the planet by offering an alternative to travel.
In the period 2013/14, the Foundation welcomed 2010 residential guests, totaling 3,666 guest-weeks, and we offered approximately 20 retreat weeks held on Iona in addition to the over 200 programmes we delivered between our two mainland sites. Participants in our programmes came from 59 countries, 40% were from the UK. Our Essential Findhorn programmes, focusing on community life and our founding principles, continued to be most popular.
Participation in the Living in Community Guest (LCG) programme continued to be strong. 100 people from 20 countries joined LCG in 2013 and while the participant number was lower than the previous year, the income was 10.6% higher. People aged 30 or younger accounted for 15% of the total number of guests on this programme, down from 20% last year.
Achieving Our Goals and Vision As a centre for holistic learning embracing an inclusive worldview, we are committed to sharing the principles and practices of this spiritual community and ecovillage with as many people as possible. The diversity of outreach work engaged in by current and former Foundation staff contributes to us being able to reach wider networks, raise the profile of the organisation and of what we do, and inspire people from all walks of life.
Since its introduction in 2011, the Living Essentials Apprentice Programme (LEAP) has proven to be a success as a staff intake stream. In the first two years, 123 people went through the initial stages of the programme, 50 went through the first six months of Long-Term LEAP and out of those who stayed longer, 12 became staff and eight employees. A review of the programme early this year indicated that incorporating additional intensive learning sessions would ensure that participants have a stronger grasp of our core principles and practices upon moving into staff positions. After devoting several months to development of the programme, in October we welcomed 11 new participants. 4
Building Bridges Our Building Bridges initiative broadens the spectrum of people engaging with the Findhorn Foundation by developing new programmes that are specifically designed to welcome a range of different people. Included now in the programmes we deliver are those for progressive business and NGO professionals, adults with learning disabilities and disadvantaged youth. As well, we create bespoke experiences for private groups of any type. In the 2013/14 year, Building Bridges ran two highly successful events for business and NGO professionals. In June the sixth Findhorn International Forum on Sustainability convened 28 delegates from around the world to meet each other, meet the Findhorn Community and meet themselves in this powerful environment. This programme not only proved transformative for many of the participants, but also created and strengthened links with several organisations that has led to new projects being developed for 2014. In September a group of 12 delegates was convened for the first Out of the Rut event. This programme provided a unique platform for professionals working in the field of alternative economics to reconnect with their personal purpose and co-create new ways forward in this challenging area of work. August saw the third Co-Ability Week that welcomed six adults with learning disabilities and five carers from the L’Arche Edinburgh Community on a five-day experience at the Foundation. This flexible programme gave participants access to some of the best elements of the Foundation and community, including experiencing our group building and group discovery expertise and engaging in explorative activities such as dance, art work and contributing to the community in Cullerne Gardens.
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Building Bridges continues to go from strength-tostrength welcoming an increasing number of people each year to the Foundation.
number of concerts, talks and workshops, as well as to the proceedings of our two major conferences. This year also saw us streaming from Cluny for the first time, thus opening up additional opportunities for people to access programmes and events. Confident that we are on a firm path to continue to develop this new way of sharing our inspiration with an ever-expanding global family, our intention is to offer many more workshops and events via web-streaming in the future. Our website, featuring a full listing of our programmes, workshops and events, online booking and donations, also includes daily inspirational readings, news about community life and an invitation to sign up for our e-news. Over the course of this year 364,472 people from 221countries/territories visited us online.
Using Technology to Share our Inspiration By providing live access to our conferences and events through Findhorn Live, the Foundation has a huge potential both for enhancing the global impact of our work and generating income. This medium creates a multitude of opportunities to connect with a wider audience and reach out to those people who are unable to join us in person, thus enabling more people to benefit from the many programmes and events we offer. We are also able to stream events from other community and business centres in Moray, thus creating new links with organisations in the local area. Building upon our web-streaming successes of the previous year, in 2013 we offered access to a greater
With well over 90% of bookings for Foundation workshops and events being done online, our website is a crucial aspect of our marketing campaign. Knowing from analysis that more people come to www. findhorn.org directly from www.facebook.com than any other site, we were delighted to see that our Facebook community continued to increase, this year by 64% to 29,056, surpassing last year’s significant achievement of a 50% jump. This year also saw the creation of Facebook pages in six foreign languages as well as pages focusing on specific programmes and events.
Creating a Positive Future Together Fostering Sustainable Development In receipt of a Best Practice designation from the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) in 1998, the Findhorn Ecovillage is a constantly evolving model used as a teaching resource by a number of university and school groups as well as by professional organisations and municipalities worldwide. As an ecovillage the Foundation offers a built environment to inspire and demonstrate what can be achieved in harmony with nature. In this setting ecovillage programmes, trainings and tours are offered, often in partnership with other organisations: Findhorn Foundation College, Park Ecovillage Trust, and CIFAL Scotland (part of the Local Development Programme of the United Nations Institute of Training and Research (UNITAR), delivering training in various aspects of sustainability). In 2013, we again offered our successful Applied Ecovillage Living and Gaia Education Design for Sustainability programmes, the latter in association with Findhorn Foundation College, in support of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (UNDESD), 2005 - 2014. UNDESD will be closing at the end of 2014 and the Findhorn Foundation is preparing to align its Education for Sustainable Development programmes with the forthcoming Sustainable Development Goals. Adopting a rights-based approach, the new agenda is expected to leave no one behind and promote social inclusion for the most vulnerable groups. At the same time, it is expected to set the environmental limits and critical thresholds for the use of natural resources, addressing issues such as climate change, biodiversity loss and land use change.
The Foundation is in the position of continuing to serve the advancement of sustainability by transforming lives and protecting the planet.
Ecovillage Development This was a year of celebration as the tenants and homeowners of East Whins received their keys. The completion of this first phase of the Duneland project resulted in a twenty-five household co-housing cluster with high eco-specifications and a strong emphasis on co-creation with nature and community and on social integration. Inspired by other co-housing examples within the community, the vision for East Whins was to take communal living one step further. To that end, one of the unique features incorporated into the overall design are the communal spaces developed to serve the East Whins community, and which also offer spaces that can be shared with the wider community, bringing a greater sense of unity for all. The recognition of the importance of the Community Centre (CC) to the cohesion of the community led to development and fundraising efforts being undertaken to breathe new life into it as a space for socialising and as an entertainment venue. The increase in activities being held in, and in the number of people using, the CC during this year is a testament to the success of these efforts. It is our commitment to sustainable living that has led to our ecological footprint being just half the UK national average and one of the lowest recorded for a community in the industrialised world.
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Global Connections The Foundation enjoys a dynamic relationship with over a hundred individuals who we honour and appreciate for their transformative work in the world. Each one of our Findhorn Fellows has a strong connection with our community and their support in advancing the Foundation’s work and raising its profile globally is invaluable. At the Fellows Gathering here in 2012, a group of Fellows began envisioning a conference inspired in part by Thomas Berry’s call for a new story for humanity. Over the course of this year, concrete steps were progressed for the holding of this New Story Summit here in September 2014. Inspired and guided by Charles Eisenstein, the Foundation took a bold step in deciding to offer this conference on a ‘gift economy’ basis wherein participants contribute whatever they can and/or are inspired to give. We are grateful for the ongoing support of the Foundation’s Resource People (RPs) who provide a valuable contact for people interested in visiting the Foundation for the first time and also for those who want to keep the spirit alive within them when they return home. Numbering 175 people in 33 countries around the world, all of our RPs have lived here or visited several times, know the Foundation and community well, and share the inspiration they found here in their own activities and local areas.
Global Connections The Foundation enjoys a dynamic relationship with 7
The next RP Gathering, planned for February 2014, will provide an opportunity for RPs to reconnect with the Foundation, strengthen the network and share friendship, ideas and support. The RP Facebook group, initiated in 2012, has become a thriving online community sharing news and inspiration and building connections between the RPs, who often collaborate together on events.
We appreciate too our many friends and supporters around the globe, who further extend the network of light. Our greatest asset is the thousands of people who come here and take part in our programmes each year and who often have life-changing experiences in the process. These people have a deep heart connection to this place and a love for the work that we do. In recognition of this, in November of this year we launched our committed-giving programme, the Network of Friends. Through this programme we aim to increase the level of regular donations to the Foundation through increasing the engagement of and connection to all those who know and love this community and centre.
Working as an NGO The Foundation participates in United Nations activities as a Non-Governmental Organisation and is a founding member of the NGO Committee on the Environment, a group comprising approximately 20 NGOs interested in furthering and strengthening an environmental perspective in all areas of the UN agenda and public policy. Frances Edwards and John Clausen are our representatives at the UN Headquarters in New York. Both are on the Spiritual Caucus Coordinating Council, of which Frances is co-convenor. She is also on the Values Caucus Council. While serving on these councils, Frances and John organise meditations, workshops, talks and various meetings and events at the UN Headquarters. They are also members of the Conference of NGOs Committee on Sustainable Development in New York (NGOCSD).
Organisation Trustees 2013/14
Pedersen as an even younger Chair of Management!
Dear Friends,
Our willingness to surf these waves of change, to embrace new ways of stimulating our local economy, to respond to the call of youth empowerment and leadership, and to stay awake and alive to creative possibilities in every moment, is what helps the Findhorn Foundation remain relevant, and even essential, in addressing the needs of our times. It has been a great privilege and pleasure to serve as the Chair of the Board of Trustees for the past five years. It is my intention to step down as Chair during this next financial year and I am delighted to pass this honour and responsibility to somebody as passionate and capable as Lisette Schuitemaker. I wish her and the Foundation every success in the future.
Robin Alfred - Chair Lisette Schuitemaker - Deputy Chair Mark Anderson Judith Bone Roger Collis Mari Hollander Clive Kitson Paul Dickinson Lady Diana Whitmore Michael Shaw (Resigned May 2013)
“If there has ever been a moment to advance a plan to heal the planet that also heals our broken economies and our shattered communities, this is it.” (Naomi Klein, This Changes Everything) For over 51 years, the Findhorn Foundation has played its part in realising the plan for humanity. We might refer to this as ‘building the kingdom of heaven on earth’, ‘living and manifesting the will of God’, carrying out ‘the great work’, or participating in ‘the great turning’. Within this year’s annual report, you will find evidence of our intention to play our part in meeting the challenges of our times. We intend to run a major conference on the basis of trust and the gift economy. We are expanding the range of participants attending our programmes through the innovative Building Bridges initiative. We have hosted high profile representatives from the business world, alongside youth at risk and those challenged with disabilities. We have witnessed and participated in the releasing of Ana Rhodes Castro, from her role as the youngest ever Chair of Management, and appointed Camilla Bredal-
With love, blessings and eternal gratitude, Robin Alfred, Chair of Trustees
New Chair of Management Team Camilla Bredal-Pedersen With a huge amount of gratitude, co-workers of the Foundation celebrated Ana Rhodes Castro, retiring after five years as Chair of Management, and heartily welcomed Camilla Bredal-Pedersen into the role. Camilla first came to the Foundation in June 2001 when she was just barely 20 years old. Less than eight years later, after serving in a number of key departments, she joined the Management Team, holding responsibility for the Foundation’s learning
Management Team 2013/14
Ana Rhodes Castro: Chair (Resigned May 2013) Camilla Bredal-Pedersen: Chair (Appointed May 2013) Paul Johnson: Assets Stewart Friendship: Cluny Focus Team and Living Essentials and Service Annette Kortsen:Cluny Focus Team (Resigned December 2013) India Brown: Cluny Focus Team (Appointed December 2013) Chris Brown: Communications Judith Bone: Core Programmes Jörn Fiebig: Development and Operations (Appointed May 2013) Angus Marland: Finance Pete Finch: Park Focus Team Prisca Foures: Park Focus Team (Resigned February 2013) Rossana Bonano: Park Focus Team (Appointed February 2013) Micaela Aminoff: Spiritual and Personal Development
centre aspect. Her dedication to the vision and purpose of the Foundation led Camilla to come forward and step into being our Chair of Management. Ask Foundation staff members who have worked alongside Camilla to describe her and you will hear the words: inspirational, creative, hard working, a visionary. Recognising the transformative atmosphere that exists here, Camilla’s desire for the Foundation in partnering with the Spirit of the Future is for us to be even more proactive in engaging with and encouraging those people who would not normally have access to this centre to come here. 8
Thank you
Thank you for your support and partnership: Big Lottery Awards for All Damien Foundation Fund of the Tides Foundation Naturesave Trust Talteg Ltd Gaia Trust Moray LEADER Hygeia Foundation for Health, Science and the Environment Moray Council SEM Trust Skills Development Scotland We feel especially blessed and wish to thank all of our wonderful volunteers who supported us so willingly, giving of their time and offering their energy and skills. We also are blessed with the support of many individuals, some of whom offer one-off donations handed in at reception as they leave a programme, others who donate online as they book to come here and the many who give on a one-off, or regular, basis. We dearly thank you all as we believe everyone’s contribution helps to create a better world.
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As you learn to give so you will receive. Give of the intangible as well as the tangible. Give and give and go on giving without any thought of the self, without any thought of the cost of what you will get out of it. Your giving must be wholehearted and joyous; then you find the very act of giving will bring with it joy and happiness untold. Only the best can come out of your giving. Eileen Caddy
Finance The Foundation had an operating loss of £163,000 for the year. The charity’s book loss was reduced to £45,000 by an increase in the share valuation of its subsidiary, NFD Ltd, of £118,000. Overall income showed a decrease of 2% to £2,082,000 compared to the previous year (which was the 50th birthday year and had a record number of guests). Our overall operating expenditure increased by 10% to £2,244,000, of which the main contributing factor was the non-capitalisable elements of two major asset projects. We needed to replace our biomass boiler due to fire damage and took this opportunity to upgrade the district heating system. We were also able to complete a new ecological guest facility that accommodates up to 7 persons and is fully accessible with en-suite bedrooms. Fixed Assets, as a result, rose by 4% to £4,944,000 while the Net Current Assets decreased by 3% to £5,003,000. NFD Ltd, the Foundation’s wholly owned trading subsidiary, was able to support the ongoing educational work of the charity this year with Gift Aid payments totalling £30,000, as well as continuing to provide accommodation, infrastructure and other site services in the context of the Park Ecovillage.
Income for year to 31 January 2014
Expenditure for year to 31 January 2014 Generating voluntary income 1%
Other income 21% Donations & Grants 7%
Marketing 2% IT & office expenses 2% Accommodation, Courses & Conferences 72%
Other (finance costs, trading) 1%
Depreciation Other 9% expenditure 7%
Staffing costs 27%
Rent, fuel & maintenance Direct programme expenses costs 16% Food & Project 9% domestic expenses expenses 14% 11%
Balance Sheet – 31 January 2014
2014 2013 £000s £000s
Fixed Assets Tangible Assets Investments
4,488 456 4,944
4,420 338 4,758
Current Assets Stocks Debtors Cash
44 231 96 371
56 255 272 583
Creditors (< 1 yr) Net Current Assets Creditors (> 1 yr) Net Assets
312 5,003 87 4,916
197 5,144 183 4,961
Income and Expenditure
2013/14 2012/13 £000s £000s
Income Donations & Grants Income from investments Core programme course income Workshop course income Conference & Events income Long term programme income Other educational income Other income Cost of generating voluntary income
150 346 2 11 410 435 291 294 280 334 241 185 268 295 440 223 14 20 2,096 2,143
Expenditure Staffing costs 598 582 Direct programme costs 192 196 Projects expenses 314 65 Development fund expenses 13 49 Food and domestic expenses 254 287 Rent, fuel and maintenance expenses 349 328 IT and office expenses 46 52 Marketing 37 42 Other expenditure 168 167 Depreciation 207 203 Loss on sale of fixed assets 0 4 Finance costs 18 22 Trading deficit/surplus 6 (3) Governance 28 28 2,202 1,994 Net incoming/outgoing resources (163) 80 Unrealised gains (revaluation of NFD) 118 83 Total resources expended/gained (45) 163
Development fund expenses 1%
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The Findhorn Foundation is a Non-Governmental Organisation associated with the United Nations Department of Public Information. The Ecovillage Project has been awarded Best Practice designation by the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements.
Š 2015 Findhorn Foundation. All rights reserved. Writer and Editor: Sandra Mitchell. Designers: Sasha Angus and Yasko Takahashi. Print and Design: Big Sky Print, Findhorn. All images are Š Findhorn Foundation and friends, including Hugo Klip, Ash Balderson, Eian Smith, Geoff Dalglish, Sverre Koxvold, Astrid Kortsen, Toshinori Tanaka and Yasko Takahashi.