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Heathercombe autumn PDC

Heathercombe Autumn Permaculture Design Course

4^th to 18^th November 2023

Residential, with non-residential option

High Heathercombe Centre, Devon

Can't make these dates?

Course information

Why do a PDC?

If you are looking to make significant positive changes in your life, then the permaculture design course will almost certainly help you. This practical course provides you with a broad introduction to the applications of permaculture in a number of different situations, from food production to community structures, and alternative currencies to eco-housing. The course culminates in the main design activity that helps to consolidate all of the learning and empower you to take permaculture back into your home, life and community.

We will be using practical, experiential and theoretical teaching methods to create a fun, lively and inclusive experience. In addition to traditional lecture-style teaching, we use group work, discussions, observation exercises, guided walks, practical activities, videos, and slide shows as learning methods. These are supportive of different learning styles and for people with learning difficulties. We also visit projects where permaculture theory is being put into action.

As a group we will benefit from collaborative learning and from spending time together. We don't expect any previous knowledge and recognise that everyone has their own unique skills, knowledge and areas of interest to bring to the course.

This course is for anyone who believes that we need to find ways to better care for ourselves, for each other and for the Earth.

For more details about course content contact Aranya.

What you will learn

Site visits

Venue and themes

Dates and times

Course accreditation

Teachers

Aranya

Completing his Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design in 2003, Aranya started teaching the following year. He discovered this made his heart sing, so he made it his main focus. Since 2004 he has taught over 100 two-week design courses, something he has no intention of stopping. He feels that it's a privilege to have the opportunity to teach "something that can make a real difference in all our lives".

Aranya is also excited about new ways in which permaculture thinking can help us, developing new courses on using its principles to help us design for optimising our health and creating ethical livelihoods.

In the spring of 2012 Permanent Publications published his first book 'Permaculture Design - a Step-by-Step Guide', which evolved from a set of design course worksheets. He also writes occasionally for magazines and from time to time shares interesting items on his blog. Aranya is currently writing a second book, about a subject he’s especially fascinated by, the application of systems thinking and patterns in permaculture design.

Klaudia van Gool

Klaudia has had an interest in growing things as long as she can remember and has incorporated Permaculture ideas for the last thirty, since accidentally picking up Bill Mollison's book in the library.

In 2006 she completed the Sustainable Land Use and Permaculture Design Certificate at Ragmans Lane Farm with Patrick Whitefield, followed by her Diploma in Permaculture Design in January 2009. Klaudia has a degree in Environmental Science from University of Plymouth and has worked for many years as an Environmental consultant in environmental management for businesses.

She has been increasingly drawn to the People Care ethic of permaculture, using the design process for personal and social designs and bringing a strong yet soft focus and many tools to the people care aspects on courses. She has taught 41 PDCs to date and is involved with local regenerative agriculture design and climate resilience action.

Heavily inspired by the 8 shields model developed by Jon Young she also works with regenerative cultural elements such as deep nature connection, ceremony and rites of passage with fire and is studying herbal medicine.

‘As a leading practitioner Aranya understands what it’s like to begin to turn your life around and to continue learning as you put permaculture into practice'

‘I am deeply grateful for the opportunity to have been under the tutoring and guidance of such an inspiring and knowledgeable teacher as Aranya’

Videos

Cost

Full rate: £945*
Fully inclusive of all tuition, food, indoor accommodation, site visits, handouts, digital resources and Permaculture Association Britain's PDC certificate.

The fee also includes post-PDC, free lifetime access to Aranya's 'Design Your Site with permaculture' online course.

Concessionary rate: £695*
(available for those on low incomes / means-tested benefits but limited to only four places)

*Bring your own live-in vehicle: £855 full fee / £605 concessions

(inclusive of everything except indoor accommodation)

*Non-residential rates: £795 full fee / £545 concessions
(inclusive of everything except indoor accommodation and breakfast)

Travel information

A lift to the Centre is offered from Newton Abbot railway station around 2pm (14:00hrs) on the first Saturday. Please let Aranya know if you would like to book a seat as they are limited.

Booking

To see current availability or to book online, click the button below and select this course from the schedule:

To submit your booking form by email:

Download Microsoft Word version (type in your details and email the completed form back to us)

To submit your booking form by post:

Download PDF version - for printing & posting to us, together with a cheque / postal order.

A deposit is required to reserve your place, which we will hold for you until 3 weeks before the course start date, when any outstanding payment is due. This deposit is non-refundable unless it is necessary for us to cancel the course for any reason. Your place on the course is fully confirmed once full payment has been received.

Cancellation policy

The training date selected is transferable if at least 14 days' notice is given. A transfer fee of £25 will be deducted. Any transferred courses must be taken within 12 months of the original booking and any difference in fees will need to be settled 3 weeks prior to the course start date. Payments are non-refundable if cancellations are made within 14 days of the start date, unless we are able to fill your place.