Dar Durra is set on our five acre permaculture site, nestled deep into the rural Cornish countryside. We host a diverse range of creative activities and heritage craft events, outdoors and within our eclectic natural build workshop spaces.
By understanding and cherishing the methods of old, we realign ourselves with an ecological understanding and care that our ancestors were deeply rooted in. In this modern age where technology is taking over so many functions and aspects of life, we believe that the simple acts of being in nature and learning something new are a remedy. It can be a hugely enriching and even transformative process.
We aim to conserve and maintain the teachings of heritage crafts and the stories that are closely intertwined with them. A key part of this is working with and for those who might be struggling to find their place within mainstream systems, by offering an alternative option for more experiential learning.
Our story
2016
An opportunity to purchase five acres of organic pasture became available from a local farming family on the Lizard peninsula. A few stars aligned, and we were lucky enough to become the new stewards. At that time, the landscape was almost completely bare. There wasn’t a tree, a bush or even shrubbery in sight other than the established tree line on the river, left by previously dwelling sheep. As the years passed, our Founder, Jack found himself taking on a host of land projects to try and satisfy a neurodivergent mind and an urge to create. He had no pre-defined idea for what he was doing, but carried on, bit by bit; pottering, building, creating in the field, thus eventually resulting in the plethora of craft and permaculture areas we have here today.
A decade later…
The path has become clearer. We want to ensure this space is available to our community in Cornwall, working with and for the people that need it, are curious about it and have ideas and energy for it. It has become a place where the skills we’ve all learnt along the way can be put to good use and allow others to thrive.
In service of this, our small team set up Dar Durra, a community interest company focused on four pillars:
Permaculture practices
Holistic learning
Community wellbeing
Conservation of heritage crafts
Dar Durra is the ongoing result of a lot of trial and error, broken machinery, broken bones, many a failed crop, more than one escaped herd of pigs, lots of big feelings of being lost and almost giving up more than once. It's also made from hard, meaningful work, hope in the form of kind, local people, a deep yearning for change and a lifelong search for peace.
We hope you will join us as we continue the journey!
Meet the team
Jack
Founder & DirectorJack is a thatcher, carpenter, natural builder, grower, and a passionate ecologist. He believes that if our uniqueness is celebrated and applied in the right way, with enough determination, we can achieve anything.
Jack's humble beginnings as a craftsman started in thatching. Jack has been working with the cob and thatch vernacular for around two decades and in doing so has gained an in-depth understanding of how to use these ancient methods of construction. He considers the importance of sharing these skills as paramount especially with the next generation.
As one half of Cornwall's South West Thatching, he has spent many years training young people in the skills they need to continue and pass on the trade. Jack believes that in a world transforming at an exponential rate, the tangible skills of old that are so intertwined with nature, are where we need our focus to be. He hopes that Dar Durra will play a part in readopting and conserving this as a way of life, helping to turn the tide on climate collapse.
Katie
DirectorKatie believes in the power of community and that our ability to create, imagine and learn becomes more effective when we come together.
Originally from Cornwall, she has recently returned home after almost two decades away. Following a career in social justice and non-profits, she has become a yoga teacher, published poet and now runs a global Fellowship that focuses on creating a more equitable, sustainable world for future generations.
She is interested in seasonal rhythms, mythology and storytelling, and is passionate about creating intergenerational spaces that enable knowledge exchange, combat loneliness and enhance wellbeing.
As a custodian of the land that hosts Dar Durra, she is committed to ensuring that our core values are embedded into all that we do.
Hannah
DirectorHannah has spent the last 12 years running non-profit organisations, starting out in youth work with young people deemed to be high risk, and eventually ending up working in agro-ecological storytelling for transforming food systems.
As part of her earlier work, she led safeguarding training across a number of community organisations, including those working with women and children, and various forms of policy development.
Hannah has a background in both permaculture and yoga, and is passionate about connection with land, cyclical living and nature-based wisdom. She recently became a mother, and is excited to bring together so many threads through Dar Durra and Wildlings Community Learning project.