Inside incredible eco-commune where friends live together and share all jobs
Residents of Cannock Mill live a very different sort of life than those in other neighbourhoods up and down the UK - with a focus on community, shared work, and building strong connections with each other.
Located on a 2.4-acre site just outside Colchester, Essex, Cannock Mill is the UK's first co-housing community and aims to provide a more eco-friendly, not to mention less lonely, way of living for members of the older population.
Residents muck in together to share chores such as keeping on top of grounds, cooking, and running their car pool. They'll also draw from the wealth of talent within the close-knit band of neighbours, to learn new skills, including beekeeping, pottery, and conversational French.
Ought to be a fascinating and worthy experiment and possibly it is. At least they were willing to make sacrifices to try and make it work. Decades ago I knew a chap who said communes tend to be financially strong, but somehow he wasn't the kind of chap to add much appeal to the idea of communal living.
Pure prejudice of course, but I have an idea that this commune wouldn't appeal either, although I think I've understated that conclusion - I know it wouldn't appeal.
6 comments:
Older members of the population? Staving off loneliness is a really worthy aim. But personally, I find that one of the conditions associated with advancing years is a mild misanthropy. And I'd rather run a marathon than a car pool.
Sam - advancing years and a mild misanthropy do seem to be correlated, although the mildness does go up and down sometimes. It seems to go with a 'what else can you expect?' tolerance too.
I recall finding out that all but one of the original kibbutz had failed. The argument was that once the founders started having their own children the collective rearing of them was a cause of dissatisfaction.
I guess Cannock Mill will avoid that particular problem - but what happens when the original members die - who controls their 'share'?
Plus you only need one awkward sod to upset everybody else... and there is always at least one awkward sod in a bunch of old people. I might even be that person...
" new skills, including beekeeping, pottery, and conversational French."
how useful, but no plumbers, electricians, or mechanics?
All very well for a community of volunteers who all want to be a part of it. Good luck to them.
It's when the experiment is expanded to a societal level that it breaks down and you need a Government to ensure everyone does their bit, or gets sent to the gulags
DJ - that's it, there is always at least one awkward sod. Somebody who must dominate the discussions and won't be persuaded. It sounds grim to me.
djc - that was my first thought when I read about the beekeeping, pottery, and conversational French. The beekeeping could possibly generate an income, but not much I imagine.
Bucko - yes, you soon need managers of some kind to keep the thing afloat. Good managers too.
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