🏢 About the local organisation
Buddhafieldis an English Buddhist collective that is part of the international Buddhist movement, the Triratna Buddhist Community (http://thebuddhistcentre.com). Buddhafield emerged out of the coming together of Buddhism and ecological awareness in the 1990s. Buddhafield is inspired by the ideal of living and working more simply and kindly in a community informed by awareness of our interconnections with each other and with nature. Buddhafield runs a programme of camping activities in England and owns two beautiful pieces of land, which they are committed to managing sustainably and which they use for several events each year.
THE EVENT:
Buddhafield's Green Earth Awakening Camp is held over a period of five days, on a beautiful site in the Blackdown Hills, in Somerset, England. The event brings together Buddhists, activists and environmentalists for celebration, joy, and exploring how we might live more in harmony with each other and the environment. There will be workshops, talks, music, crafts, traditional skills and dance. There will also be meditation, environmental discussion, healing area and social change themes together with general festival attractions such as singing, dance, yoga, drumming, live music, saunas, hot tubs and forest school activities for children. The event is for 500 people. The feedback we get is that for many the event is a reminder that a more positive and compassionate alternative to conventional competitive and environmentally damaging ways of living is possible. In keeping with the Camp's Buddhist ethos the event is a drug and alcohol-free zone.
💼 What the programme involves
Volunteers will be assisting in setting up the event working in teams with experienced people. Helping put up tents and other structures, decorate and make the site beautiful. Alternatively people might work in the café team helping with the catering or other manual jobs around the site or a variety of task. The event itself will take place from 14th to 18th September. During the camp, volunteers can help in the café and cooking teams or site crew or aid with recycling and after the event help with sorting and collecting recycling and taking the camp down.
The work is very team-based. The whole enterprise runs on goodwill, awareness of each others' needs, good communication and mutual support. During set-up and take-down there will be organised events around Buddhist themes, attendance at which is completely voluntary. There are generally also alternatives such as spontaneous musical gatherings, often around a fire.