Have Your Say

If I want to live in the Abundant Life community and also continue working, can I rent office space at Dartington? Would the office space and my flat have good broadband connections? I'm 62 in a few weeks' time. On your present timetable, I would therefore be 64 by the time Abundant Life takes in its first residents.

- Michelle Meredith (Abundant Life Community Liaison Officer) Hi Bill. You would absolutely be able to rent office space at Dartington if you wanted to live and work here. As well as the business premises already on the estate, we are planning to include a number of small business units within the Abundant Life scheme too. And we'll be making sure that the scheme is fully serviced, which includes broadband provision. Please get in touch if you have any other questions or have a look at our Frequently Asked Questions page

Our Daughter and Son in law both attended Dartington Hall in the 70’s and currently live in Totnes,and my son in law has kept very much involved ever since in the music side and it was my |Father’s cousin Elmhurst who started the school!My husband and I are very interested in your project and would love to be kept in touch with what is happening, the thought of living there is a very arrtactive one ,we are both very active grandparents!

- Michelle Meredith (Abundant Life Community Liaison Officer) Hi Naomi, thanks for registering with us. Please do have a look around these pages to find out more about the project and do get in touch with me if you have any questions. Thanks for your support!

This sounds a promising idea. Something different. I always get a certain buzz. Positive vibes??? When in this area. Part of my childhood was spent at Buckfastleigh, so the broader general area always has a draw to me. I like the idea of an active community for the retired. My chief concern would be costs.

- Michelle Meredith (Abundant Life Community Liaison Officer) Thanks for getting in touch Mary. We want Abundant Life to be an affordable option for everyone. You can find out more about the costs of apartments and service charges on our Frequently Asked Questions page. But please do get in touch with me if you have any other questions.

My current partner and I were Drama/Dance students at Dartington from 1967-1969. We would very much like to enjoy the very special and unique environment of Dartington again. Please keep us informed and Good Luck with all your plans.

So interested to read about this project, have been looking at Co- Housing. Feel this really is the right time for our society to build sustainable "community" life for the older generation but still within the bigger community.

No comment at present but would like to know more. eg. pets welcome? heating solutions? timetable for start of project? any meetings I could attend to meet other interested participants?

- Michelle Meredith (Abundant Life Community Liaison Officer) Thanks for getting in touch Rosemary. The answers to many of your questions can be found on our Frequently Asked Questions page. Although we have no events planned at the moment, we are looking to introduce new activities in 2012 and will keep you posted on when these are available.

I think this is a great idea and would like to be invoved in any useful way. I see this project as a much needed service which has been overlooked and needs a re-think in terms of a way forward with new ideas.

Sadly I am not a local (though I used to work for the Dartington Amenity Research Trust in the 1970's). I am active in my rural community here and interested in new models of living as we all get older. I would like to keep up to date with the development of 'Abundant Life' and to consider how its aims might be delivered in other settings.

- Michelle Meredith (Abundant Life Community Liaison Officer) Hi Gillian, thanks for getting in touch. Now that you've registered with us you'll receive regular updates on the project and please do get in touch if you have any specific questions. Best wishes Michelle

I think this sounds like a terrific scheme I do believe that we need to start looking at community living to address some of the needs of society,

As a society we have lost so many of the support networks that were formally provided within families & communities that the future can look a rather bleak prospect, so to be able to contribute to a dynamic new community would be a new & exciting opportunity - the start of a new life rather than a decline of the old.

My question is will there be an opportunity for those not currently living in the Totnes/Dartington area to be considered?

- Michelle Meredith (Abundant Life Community Liaison Officer) Thanks for your question Deborah. We will be introducing allocation criteria for apartments in Abundant Life when the scheme is completed and whist we don't know what those will be just yet, we are keen for the scheme to be a provision for those people with a local connection whether that is living in the area, having friends or family nearby or of a historical connection with the place. Of course, there will be other criteria involved, as is the case in other schemes of this kind, so whilst we are planning a scheme for local people, residents will need to meet a range of criteria before being allocated an apartment. So essentially, there does need to be a local connection but that does not necessarily mean being resident in the area.

I live locally and am interested in living in this community after retirement

First impression is that project is too big and may well be refused planning.
Flat plans look too small,prefer larger unit that is not open plan,with outside space and storage for bikes and mobility scooters.Garaging with some properties will be good,as well as some garaging close to the apartments.
Modern architecture of the new buildings/extensions is unsuitable...cold bland spaces more like a hospital or school.The new build should be more homely and look much more like the original building,maybe with some cottages/period style homes around it.Look at Dartington Hall itself for inspiration,and echo some it's style,materials,and architectural details.
Don't use a gym much,but a swimming pool and jacuzzi would be a real asset.
Suggest keeping the existing music room for the same purpose,available all the time and with recording facility.
Also dedicated space for,art studios and a quiet sacred space....available all the time for those things only.
Can there be relatives who are younger renting an apartment to help with care?
Can there be relatives who are older and do not currently live in the catchment area,renting/buying an apartment where there is need for support/care?
The money raised from £50 per week charge will be substantial for the whole project.What will this money be used for? What will be provided for the people living here? Is the charge per dwelling or per person?
Also suggest community singing,songwriting and creative writing,dancing and movement,jam sessions,multi-denominational religious meetings,etc.

Hope this is helpful...Paul.

- Michelle Meredith (Abundant Life Community Liaison Officer) Thanks for getting in touch Paul, and for taking the time to offer your feedback. I hope that the answers to many of your questions can be found on our Frequently Asked Questions page. I'll also make sure to update that page to include those questions you've asked which do not yet have a response there. Best wishes Michelle

I was at Foxhole 1933 -1940, and I have always had an interest in Dartington though I live far away.
It sounds like the kind of place I would choose to live if I was a bit younger!

- Michelle Meredith (Abundant Life Community Liaison Officer) Thanks for getting in touch. We really hope that Abundant Life will have something to offer and be suitable for all ages so please do keep an eye on our plans and hopefully you'll find it is somewhere for you after all - regardless of age!

Would like to receive updates, interested in helping with specialist knowledge.

Just 3 months from my 60th birthday I look back 40 years at the two years I attended the Drama and Dance course before going onto Rolle College for a year and then on out to the wide world.

Dartington had such an impact on me in my late teens. The experiences I was privilidged to be part of, the discussions, the respect that was given and received......so many things that helped mould the adult I became. I learned to like myself, I learned I had something to offer my fellow men and my physical and spititual world. I enjoyed the communal aspect of Dartington so much and regret that the course of my life never took me to a commune to experience communal life as an adult.

I know have to look at ageing. I dont feel any older inside but my body starts to let me down on occassions. I still have so much to give and do as much as I can in my current location and I think that growing old as part of the AL project would be like coming full circle for me. The thought of being able to learn, teach, laugh, cry and live out the rest of my life in the place that opened my eyes to the wonders, the injustices and a way of living a useful and happy life despite inevitable sadness gives me great comfort and instead of dreading old age, the possibility that I might be a part of the AL project fills me with hope. Your project will always be in my thoughts. Namaste.

- Michelle Meredith (Abundant Life Community Liaison Officer) Thanks so much for getting in touch Comfort and for sharing just a snippet of your long history with Dartington. Please do keep following our progress and hopefully you'll have the opportunity to come back to Dartington soon.

I have been associated in various roles with the dartington project since 1984. For 17 years I was a resident of the estate and have a long standing commitment to the ethos of the area. Should I be accepted as a resident I would form a strong part in rejuvenation of the area.

Sounds very interesting and I would like to be kept informed of developments

I have just moved to Totnes and just starting to find out more about this project of Abundant Life - it sounds wonderful!

Know Dartington and its work well. Am 64, looking for an exciting vision for the future. Married, wife also extremely interested,attends summer school, etc. We are both extensive users of what Dartington currently has to offer and would be very interested in making this journey with you. Marisa has has recommended we find out more about this project

- Michelle Meredith (Abundant Life Community Liaison Officer) Hi Bernard, we hope to offer you the exciting vision your looking for! The Abundant Life scheme promises to be an innovative, lively, and outward-facing residential community. Its always nice to hear from people who are so connected to Dartington, and we look forward to sending you regular updates on our progress.

We are moving to Devon next March to be near out family in Plymouth and Torquay. We would be very interested in hearing about your progress and may be available for some voluntary work when not baby sitting!!

- Michelle Meredith (Abundant Life Community Liaison Officer) Hello June, its nice to hear from you. I hope that your move goes according to plan, and is as happy and stress free as possible. There will be opportunities to volunteer in the future, and we would love your help. Any opportunities to volunteer will be advertised in our newsletters, which you will be recieveing regularly now that you have signed up for updates.

I have been living and working in Los Angeles for 30 years. I want to return to England, and friends told me about this wonderful project. I am disabled, due to a heart attack 2 years ago, but still work from home.

- Michelle Meredith (Abundant Life Community Liaison Officer) Good to hear from you Isabel. We are pleased to say that the Abundant Life scheme will be built for all kinds of users, with options - and acess - specifically designed for disabled residents. We hope you enjoy the updates we send you, and that they keep you informed of our progress.

My husband (English) and myself (German) have lived in Devon for many years and are now - after looking after relatives in Germany - approaching retirement age. We wish to return to Devon, and particularly the Dartington area which we know extremely well. We were/are both professionals and wish to remain actively involved in community life. Your project attracts us and we would like to join and live in the community.

- Michelle Meredith (Abundant Life Community Liaison Officer) Hi Katarina, thank you very much for your comments. We want to build a community that is attractive to potential residents because its lively and outward-facing, so its good to hear that our curent plans are doing that. Now that you have signed up for updates we can keep you up to date on what is happening and look forward to sharing this journey with you.

Attended Dartington Hall School

After seeing a programme on Totnes and how resilient and holistic it is, the part regarding your Abundant Life project intriged me. I have had a varied life and just wish the World would embrace this type of living ideal and stop wasting lives. If ever I could persuade my husband to give up the rat race, I would love to become part of this community with him and to offer our service and friendship to all involved until we can become part of this community (All this and Heaven too as the book said). Can I suggest but I would say you have already thought about it, of Animal Therapy with helping dogs and other animals. Wishing you total success with this Project.

- Michelle Meredith (Abundant Life Community Liaison Officer) Thanks for your suggestion Jenny. We're currently gathering ideas on what the Abundant Life scheme could encompass and Animal Therapy is one that's come up a number of times. We are really keen to cointinue gathering suggestions so please keep sharing your thoughts with us. Thanks too for your well wishes, they're very much appreciated.