Page 33 - C.A.L.L. #46 - Summer 2020

Findhorn, UK

The Findhorn Foundation Community is an eclectic collection of individuals, families,
businesses, and organizations, located in and around The Park Ecovillage, Findhorn, North
Scotland. We are an interwoven mix of Findhorn Foundation co-workers and independent
persons, generally aligned with the global transformational work of the Foundation. Exploring
community living, and our individual and collective connection to Spirit, we live, work, play and
worship together as one diverse international, intergenerational and interspecies (human,

animal, and non-physical) conglomerate. We consider ourselves a caring community, where
relationships are nurtured and family, friends, neighbors, colleagues and guests are valued.
Our community of approximately 500 persons has the scale and complexity of a small village,
while still affording us the comforts (and challenges) of a large extended family.

The arrival of Covid-19 with subsequent governmental lock-down conditions has had its own
transformational effect on daily routine. It has given rise to fears for what our
indeterminable future may hold, along with the precious gift of needing to be fully present in
each moment as we make decisions not only for ourselves, but also for the community.

Much of our internal economy is tied to our being an educational and demonstrational site. So
the cancelation of multiple guest programs, courses, and conferences has had wide reaching
effects, not only for the organizations but also for those individuals who rely on such
activities for their livelihood. Those more fortunate continue with their paid work, many have
temporarily been placed on furlough, while others now struggle with interrupted income. The
steps our organizations are taking to combat this include sharing their funding sources
(governmental or charitable) and supporting those qualified to apply for grants. Our small
businesses are maintaining services as best they can with staff working remotely and our
shops are keeping shelves stocked and offering home deliveries. On a smaller yet full-
hearted scale, private individuals are sharing with those in need both monetarily and in-kind.
For example, extra contributions have been received by our Abundance Fund and donations
to our local Food Bank servicing the whole region against food poverty, continue with full

force.

As a mature community (58th anniversary this year!) our social structure is well developed.
Many of our social programs and services are overseen by our community organization, the
New Findhorn Association (NFA), and are delivered by volunteers. In fact, the vast majority
of our residents volunteer in some capacity, whether it be neighbour helping neighbour, in
working groups, or in holding Committee or Trustee positions. The very infrastructure that
holds all this together is run on dynamic volunteer power!

Addressing the serious health risk that Covid-19 brings, our People Care Circles, which tend

to the needs of our most vulnerable community members (whether medical, mental or due to
age) are considering how to expand their capacity. And we are in the fortunate position of
having recently hired a professional Coordinator through the Caring Community Circle to
oversee the existing as well as expected rising number of persons needing this kind of

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