Sadly without any previous contact or attempts to communicate with us Gateshead council have issued an eviction notice for the caravan at Fanny Bush... Find out more. On 5th September I received a letter from Gateshead Council (see below) regarding the caravan at Fanny Bush Forest Garden. Prior to this letter the council have made no attempts to contact me about the site, caravan or any public concerns. Moving the caravan is not possible. I don't have the means to do it, the caravan is partially sited and moving it would mean a signifcant amount of work already done to the site would be destroyed. It would also mean there is no where to store tools, offer space for volunteers to rest and refesh and ruin entirely the long term retreat space idea. If the caravan is removed the project can not continue. It will also be a messy, time consuming and expensive affair for the council to persue should they choose to follow through with their intended course of action. I spoke to the person named on the letter and we didn't get far, the conversation just went around in circles and I have initally sent the following (rather annoyed) email response: Dear Judith, Following our conversation and the letter received regarding Fanny Bush Forest Garden (the site you refer to as Land north of Whittonstall Road). I want to make clear this project is an intentional, peaceful, occupation of land which was done to make better use of a space that had previously been allocated for the people of Chopwell and food growing purposes, that the council essentially stole and then neglected for decades. Before I took over this land I asked members of the community for their perspective and found mainly support. I have created a 'Friends Of' constitution to show support for the idea and its intended use of the space. Regardless of that, the land has been improved at my expense by:
Its purpose is to grow food, improve the environment, and provide a space for people to recover and find meaning in more natural surroundings. Its ultimate intention is to be a retreat space amongst an established forest garden where people can rest, recover, learn and experience a nature-attuned lifestyle. You can read about the space and the plans here https://ss-retreats-fb.crd.co/ The caravan there is central to the purpose and is required to store the tools, process the plants produced there and be a place to rest and refresh while working the land. I have been working on this land for the past four years, when I have been able and when resources allow. The development of the land towards a forest garden is intended to take up to 10 years since it is a large space and involves the establishment of trees and other slow-growing plants. I see no benefit in ending the project at this point. I did not seek permission from Gateshead Council because food growing and using local land for these purposes is the birthright of people living on the land and not the private corporations and fictional entities who have grasped control over them. These entities, such as the one you represent deny people the right to use their common spaces for good purposes, it seems simply to gain and reinforce power, control and deny our rights as free, living beings on the land. Further, they seek to deny, diminish and destroy the development of projects such as this for no good reason at the whim of changing preferences. I would like to confirm I will not be engaging in any process to remove, damage, undo or destroy the work done on the land there, the property and the facilities that have been accumulated there for the purpose of its development. I will not be engaging in a legal process with you. Aside from the fact I don't have the means or ability to move the caravan myself and I am unwilling to do so, the caravan can not be moved without causing significant damage to the work done there and costing unnecessary tax payer funds to remove. I also have no money or assets any legal process could claim from me. The biggest asset I own is the caravan and I chose to use it for the purposes of this project. Should you choose to pursue this course of action you will do it at the tax payer expense and will simply be proving my point; That entities such as Gateshead Council would rather spend time and resources on asserting their power and damaging or limiting local projects, than allowing people their free rights, funding their ideas or supporting them to develop for benefit the living beings using them. Fanny Bush Forest Garden harms no one. It diminishes nothing and is no longer the councils' concern since I am willing to steward the land, manage the land and establish a protected constitution for the space and its intended purpose. Rather than destroy the work may I suggest you sign over the land deeds to the constituted group and donate the funds you would have wasted ruining it to supporting the project to thrive. Perhaps then you could focus on actually improving the housing options, environment and health of the community in Chopwell and not seek to limit and neglect it. May I remind you we are facing a huge, national economic and food crisis and without a free local food supply here people will likely starve and suffer. Your meetings and resources could be better used preparing for a future of growth and an abundance of the natural resources that we can all use to thrive instead. I contacted the other officials of Friends of Fanny Bush and we have decided to seek local opinion before deciding next steps to challenge or allow the eviction. We are sending out the following letter to local residents and the friends of group via email requesting support and clarity of the interest around the project and proposed eviction. Dear Neighbour/Friend of Fanny Bush Forest Garden, A couple of weeks ago I received a letter from Gateshead Council regarding the caravan sited at (the land they refer to as) Land north of Whittonstall Road. It suggested the caravan was a trespass and needed to be moved as the council wanted to reclaim possession. The land was occupied by me (Terri) several years ago to create Fanny Bush Forest Garden as a form of peaceful activism. The council were made aware the caravan was there shortly after it was moved to the site. I have not heard from them since. When I called I was informed they recently received a complaint about the caravan. You can read about the progress and intended plans for the site in more detail on the website here ss-retreats-fb.crd.co (do not add “www.”). I am making contact today to gauge local support or objections to the project before deciding to progress against the council eviction. Our Friends Of Group has a chair (Rob), Treasurer (Eric) and Secretary (me) we thought this was the best approach to the situation. We would like to know what local people think, if they care about the situation and if the project has been a nuisance. Personally, I am not attached to the project either way, if it is not wanted by locals and has more hate than appreciation it can be stopped and we can allow the eviction to go ahead.
To show your support or concern about the eviction it would be beneficial to email the council at [email protected] and include your name & address, let them know if you support the idea and project or not and if you think the eviction is a useful expense for taxpayers. The Reference is EM90/05/104/001. If you would like to be kept informed and join the friends' group, include our email [email protected] With Thanks, Terri, Rob & Eric Please contact via email above or call/ text Terri on 07356143798. For now, all we can do is wait and see what unfolds.
Anyone seeking to be updated or to contact us can do so via the information on the letter above.
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