Message from PCC President Meg McGowan

Meg and Graham wearing permaculture t-shirts
06/10/2021

Dear members,

Thanks to everyone that has been contributing to our Facebook group, joining us for our online presentations and finding ways to keep sharing eggs, plants, advice and care during a difficult year. I hope you are all enjoying the glorious spring weather.

Our recent executive meeting included some great discussions on a range of issues and I thought members might be interested.

Hall Gatherings

With the government’s announcement of easing restrictions, we have been having conversations about when we might be able to return to having monthly gatherings at the hall.

Permaculture has diversity and inclusiveness at its foundations. That’s why we have decided that we will not return to the hall until everyone can join us, regardless of their vaccination status.

We are continuing to navigate the public health orders and hope you have been enjoying our various online offerings. We have more great presenters lined up for you.

Outside Gatherings

We are hoping that it might be possible to organise a picnic get-together in a public location towards the end of the year. We will let everyone know via email if this becomes possible.

Our Permablitz team will be able to operate on a limited basis. The core team have all chosen to be vaccinated and this will allow them to visit private homes provided they stay outside. Due to the need to limit numbers they won’t be advertising these events for members to participate until restrictions have eased.

There is a lot of excitement around the Bouddi Home Markets and several of our members are setting up home-based stalls on market days. This model has great potential for building community and local food sovereignty. The people that started it are happy to share their advice and experience with anyone wanting to set up something similar in their area:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/245773687091107/

Funding for local permaculture projects

At our most recent executive meeting we talked about ways that we might redistribute surplus funds to support people in our community experiencing disadvantage, and in ways that help to get more permaculture happening on the ground.

Thanks to many years of sound financial management by past volunteers, our organisation has a healthy bank balance and we have decided to use some of it to support people experiencing disadvantage, in two ways:

  1. If you are unemployed, a pensioner or experiencing financial hardship you are welcome to take advantage of 12 months free membership of Permaculture Central Coast. Just email membership@permaculturecc.org.au and Matt will send you a voucher code.
  2. We are happy to consider applications for funding. If you need support to run a permaculture-related project that would benefit local people experiencing disadvantage, then please let us know by emailing me at president@permaculturecc.org.au and I’ll share it with the rest of the team. Please include an indication of how much funding you think you will need.

If you would like to gauge community interest in your idea before seeking funding then feel free to post it to our Facebook group:

Executive now meeting bi-monthly

We are shifting to meeting every two months instead of monthly, with the option to call a special meeting at any time if that’s needed.

Please know that all members are welcome to attend any of our meetings, and we’re always looking for more volunteers to join the team. What would you like to do? How can we support you to do it?

Thank you to everyone

I ended Saturday’s meeting by extending my deep gratitude to all of the amazing volunteers that have helped to transform our organisation using the ethics and the principles of permaculture. It is truly a team effort where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

I also want to thank the entire membership for continuing to practice, share and live permaculture. I cannot think of a time in history when this design pattern for rebuilding ecological health while providing for the needs of all living things has been more important.

Best wishes

Meg McGowan
President PCC