Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Reply rate
93.8 %
Usually responds within 2 days
Feedback
18
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Details
Description
Hello, at the moment we can only accept people with a chainsaw license or carpentry skills.
Our place is set in 50 acres of beautiful woodland in the Highlands near Inverness & Findhorn. It is a Tibetan Buddhist centre aiming for sustainable, low impact and eco friendly management of the woodlands and hermitage. We have planning permission for 8 retreat huts and are starting by preparing the sites and providing the basic infrastructure such as a toilet block.
This gives a chance for you to be involved in a pioneering project building huts - or to physically care for the land and create something unique and special. We live in a simple style, and you will be in direct contact with nature. Wood burning stove, cosy wooden buildings and outside facilities to enjoy seeing the stars when you go out at night :) Awareness, respect and kindness are the basic motivation of our project.
The woodland is secluded but not remote. A 15min walk through the woods brings you to the main road where you are connected to public transport and can go to the shops in Inverness, the beach at Findhorn, the Cairngorm National park or still further north to the Islands and West Coast. However, the local Moray Micro climate means we have far less rain and midges than on the West Coast!
Types of help and learning opportunities
Charity Work
Help with Eco Projects
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
UN sustainablity goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
Local people also come to help us and volunteer their time. When they do come we work together and share lunch which is fun. If you are interested in Tibetan Buddhism there is a local group that come every Saturday for study and meditation practice and you can join this. We also often have meditation sessions in the Vajrayanna tradition. We are a small group, with many differing backgrounds and skills with many tales to tell of working in Tibet and Nepal.
Registered charity
This host is a registered charity in the UK and is looking for help with their charity project.
Help
You will enjoy yourself if you are independent, able to use your initiative and love being in quiet, secluded natural environment. I think this is great for a couple with a variety of skills wanting to work with us together sharing the joy of creating a special spiritual place for the greater good.
We need help with the physical work of building, groundwork and clearing woodland. If you have any skills in range of building and maintenance tasks such as carpentry, electrics, painting and plumbing that would be great. If you have training and experience in in using a chainsaw and forestry work, or maintaining machinery it would be so helpful.
We also need help in creating a friendly welcoming environment, with help needed in the shared areas with the housekeeping and gardening tasks. If you have skills in management, fundraising or organising and creating spaces for groups it is very helpful.
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Accommodation
We have a wooden building with simple, cosy rooms connected to a shared kitchen with wood burning stove and big kitchen table, lounge area with sofas, and office. There is a large Buddhist temple for meditation and many books in the library. A sunny courtyard and it is all very peaceful, tucked away in the woodland.
There is a lot of freedom and choice when it comes to meals. There is self catering or if inspired we can cook for each other now and again depending on what suits the people at the time. The basic cooking ingredients and groceries are provided and food is mostly vegetarian, however you can let us know what you like. We help take turns cleaning. There is a toilet and shower block.
What else ...
The Findhorn Foundation is just a few miles away proving a wide variety of courses and opportunities. The local villages have many clubs and groups and there are a lot of opportunities to go dolphin spotting, walking in the mountains or on the beaches.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 5 hours a day, 5 days a week
Feedback (10)
The shared meals, the chance to join in on the Tibetan Buddhist-meditation, the many learnings from the various tasks you will help out with, the… read more
Feedback
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Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(4.9)
The shared meals, the chance to join in on the Tibetan Buddhist-meditation, the many learnings from the various tasks you will help out with, the… read more
Los anfitriones y miembros del equipo, en especial Joanne y Donny con quienes compartimos la mayor parte del tiempo, fueron muy amables, predispuestos y atentos a todo lo que necesitábamos. Compartimos no sólo el trabajo, sino… read more
We also spent some time visiting the surroundings : Findhorn, Inverness...
Being with such different people… read more
