The village of Washbourne, near Retford. The IC community (IC stands for Intentional Community) on the outskirts of the village of Washbourne, near Retford, is throwing a party. They are celebrating their move into a groundbreaking housing project, part of the municipality’s transition to sustainable living. And they are happy. ”Finally, I have found somewhere I can live with a good conscience about my effect on the earth, in wonderful surroundings and with great neighbours. I never thought it would be possible,” says villager Grant Beakham.
Councilor John Wales comes up to explain the background: “The council realised back in 2008 that we should be promoting the development of social capital – like supportive neighbourhoods and cooperatives – as the financial system headed towards breakdown. A lot of people were in danger of losing their jobs as local factories started closing. At the same time there started to be a lack of goods in the stores. We realized people wanted a more resilient, local, sustainable economy, but they needed help in getting it all started.”
