In August 2000 I responded to an appeal in 'Permaculture Works' for people to stand as trustees of the Permaculture Association. I really wasn't sure what would be involved, but I figured that I could soon pick it up, even if I didn't quite understand it at first. I also wanted to reintegrate myself with the permaculture community again in the UK & do what I could to promote our important message. Having got involved with the issue of bringing permaculture into schools through my design work at Hooke Court School, being a trustee felt like a way in which I could also help move this issue forward.

 The initial paperwork I received was a little bit daunting (see left!), but I still had no doubt that this was something I was meant to be doing. I stood for election at the National Convergence & was duly elected along with three others. The first meeting was soon afterwards at the Convergence & I have to admit I did find some of what was being discussed a bit hard to follow.

 Then again, I had never done anything like this before & subjects like funding were things I needed to learn about anyway if I was to be raising money for projects like Hooke Court School. The first year almost flew by (the meetings are only quarterly) & by the time I felt like I was starting to get the hang of it & settling in, it was time for re-election again. The 'Voices for Change' event in London was the venue of the 2001 AGM & I was re-elected again for a second year. As well as the work that we get through on a Council weekend, we also get to see other permaculture venues as we hold our meetings regularly in different places. One such weekend during the previous Summer had been on the Isle of Wight where we met in one of the yurts that inspired me to part-make my own later on.

 My second year I felt much more at home with proceedings & it was worth being patient. I had expected to be in Spain for the Winter & to miss at least one meeting, but as it turned out I didn't. One thing that I have learned is to not assume that I can do more than I have really have time for, as it has created situations where I have not been able to follow through on things that I have previously volunteered to do. I find it very easy to feel like I should be doing more, whereas in actuality, even just being there & making up the numbers is valuable in itself. Anything else that I can reliably do is the 'icing on the cake'.

 I'm now in my third year on the Council having been re-elected again at the AGM in Bristol in 2002. I would like to think that I bring something valuable to the meetings & although I don't always contribute a lot, that what I say is worth hearing. I will continue to stand as long as I feel that this is of value to the Association & try to only commit to doing the things that I really have time to do!