Ruskin Mill College

We made our way through the English countryside to the Ruskin Mill College in Gloucestershire. The college was founded in 1987 with a focus on land and textiles, and today there are two more colleges (for glass and fine metal works) in other parts of England. I was led to the colleges through some interesting research written on the value of craft as both an education and foundation of life skills.At this campus, they have 100 students across the three final years of school and work with young people with a range of learning and adjustment difficulties. The college is set in a beautiful valley and we had an amazing day exploring the many workshops and outdoor classrooms.  

A fish farm (to the left) and productive veg gardens (to the right) line a pathway through the valley with indigenous gardens woven in between.

Some of the weaving work with looms made from wood harvested from the on site forest, wool from the sheep and all the dyes natural and as local as possible.

A purse made by one of the students. The college has a number of craft workshops, some of which also run as businesses as well as teaching classes to the general public. The students don't sell their work, but display their portfolio in the on site gallery.

The on site granite water feature company where students also work and create their own sculptures, many of which can be found across the campus (below). It was great to see the combination of workshops for learning as part of the college, small businesses and public interaction.

Every corner presented an opportunity for expressing beauty through craft. From the benches to sculptures in the river to mosaics on the bathroom floors, all quite beautiful.

The pottery studio built by the students and staff from adobe styled bricks with a green roof and natural light.

Sam, the pottery teacher, explaining to Naledi and I the story behind the work. The students are involved in the process from the very start, including mining and collecting the clay themselves. Through this, an appreciation is gained for the work that goes into creating something but a connection is also forged with the materials being worked with on a different level. This approach is incorporated across the programmes, from the sheep's wool for weaving through to the hides from the animals on the farm for leather.

Natural pot ash glaze from a willow tree on site - every tree gives a unique colour.

The carpentry studio, with a simple roof over an open space in the forest. All of the equipment was made from materials recovered from the on site forest, which is also sustainable managed.

They also have an iron age forge for metal work, and the coals (below) are made on site as well.

This college focuses on sustainable agriculture and working on the farm is an important part of the teaching. Students are involved in every aspect of the farm, and it operates as a small business selling excess produce to the local community.

A classroom, of sorts.

The paper making studio.

Felt shoes made on site. They are apparently great for cold temperatures and in Russia are worn a few layers thicker as snow shoes!

The forest on the hill through which the students walk to 'class' on the farm. The college is set in a beautiful corner of the world and it was a privilege to get to meet the inspiring people behind the programmes. The classrooms, workshops and materials are simple and through a focus on craft, quality and beauty they are giving young people a very different experience of the world.

The Eden Project

We had a day in what most be one of the most interesting initiatives I have come across. Once an abandoned chine clay quarry and destroyed piece of land, the Eden Project completely reimagined the space into a massive educational centre that uses exhibits, events, workshops and educational programmes to remind people of our dependence on, and connection to, the natural world. With over a million visitors a year (and about 7,500 on the day we went), the project has somehow managed to promote sustainability awareness in a respectful way that attracts people from across the world to visit.

The designs of the buildings are inspired by nature and use designs to maximise ecosystem services and passive thermoregulation. The main domes are shaped like daisy flower heads with bee hive hexagons, and this building was shaped like something too though now I cant remember. What do you think it looks like?

The first walk through the centre down to the main domes takes you through ancient plants gardens, and explains some of the history of the world and the origins of fossil fuels.

"Please dont jump on the rocks or soil, moss is quitely trying to grow. Thank you." What is great about the project is that it promotes a postive and respectful engagement with the living world - without the apocolypse stories.

Whoever you are, its all about having fun.

Drying lavender with some creative ideas for people to take home with them.

Inside the Mediterranean Biome. (My camera totally steamed up in the hot Tropical Biome, sorry - no photos, but it was really cool!).

A section on South African fynbos, including a creative way of talking about fynbos' dependence on fire.

Some cool seating :)

A small scale mist collector.

A variety of crops on display, including Sorghum. For many people, it is the first time for them to see the real plants behind the food we eat, from cocoa to cola.

The place is huge and by 11h00 is already packed with visitors.

"Please do not feed the birds"

Around the food court seating area is a massive moon shaped food garden.

"Good planets are hard to find"

A counter made from old doors, very cool.

Subtle messages woven into different spaces across the grounds.

Cool posters packed with great info.

An amazing green wall with succulents.

Messages for a better future: recycled or reused, locally produced, prodcts with a low carbon footprint, great for increasing biodiversity,  traditionally crafted, locally sourced and water conscious.

Echinicea.

The bird's nest, a simple but effective jungle gym.

Its fun to think about how both can be possible at the same time.

I couldnt resist a chocolate and beetroot cake... it was good!

"draw your favourite food".... sure there were scones and fajitas but I would love to know what "Mum's cream squash" must taste like to be someone's favourite.

The shop had some nice stuff in too.

An amazing exhibition space.

A wall of old fridge doors for leaving messages.

A really great initiative of the Eden Project: Real Cool Futures - to inspire young people to think about careers in sustainability. They share stories from young people from different sectors, from organic farmers to green designers.