Amazing Field Summer School – Doctoral Summer School at Braziers Park.

Dates: Tuesday 19 Jul to Thursday 21 Jul 2022

Address:
Braziers Park
Ipsden
Oxfordshire
OX10 6AN

The Project:
The Amazing Field Summer School will be a meeting of researchers from MetaTech (Cardiff Met), Transtechnology Research as well as Academic and Creative Residents (ACRE) (from Braziers Park). We plan to work collaboratively for two days to build a network between these three groups.

Our Hosts:
The Amazing Field Summer School will be hosted by Braziers Park School of Integrative Social Research, an intentional community and educational charity formed in the 1950s in order to explore alternative modes of living both with other people and as part of the natural world. The college is situated on a 50 acre estate with woodlands, pasture and gardens. The buildings include a strawberry gothic manor house. It is currently held in trust by a membership of just over 50 people, and the buildings and land are cared for by a small residential group of employees, members and regular day volunteers, and often international volunteers who live on site for periods of up to three months. A number of tenants and lodgers also live on site and are involved in and employed in the work of the community, these include a group of resident researchers under the ACRE scheme who are working on various projects which often concern aspects of alternative living and ecology.

Getting Here:
If driving our postcode is OX10 6AN and will direct you to the front door of the house.
Braziers has very good public transport links. There is a bus stop 5 minutes away from Braziers, and the best train station is Reading (approx 30 minutes by bus).

Detailed directions are here:
https://www.braziers.org.uk/about-us/how-to-find-us/

Accommodation:
Accomodation in the house: Beds in the main house are available for £18 per night per person. There are shared bathroom facilities and many of the rooms are twin rooms.

Camping: There will be spots to camp in the orchard where there is a space for a campfire, a sink and taps and nearby compost toilets. You will need to bring a tent, bedding etc. There are wood-fired outdoor showers available. Camping is £5 per person per night.

Catering:
We will be cooking and eating together.
The community produces its own fruit and vegetable and eggs, and sources much of its food from organic wholesalers or food waste. A simple breakfast of porridge and eggs, toast and fruit will be available each day. We work together to provide vegetarian cooked lunches and dinners. Vegan, dairy free and gluten free diets can be catered for.

Schedule:

Tuesday.
15:00 Arrival from 3pm
16:00 Afternoon Tea
16:30 Housekeeping and overview of the project.
17:00 Intro round – everyone talks about their instrument and idea with feedback from residents. Question, how to assign groups/find similarities so that people can work together.
18:30 Dinner (hosted by Braziers Park community)
19:30 Wayfaring tour
20:00 Evening Activities. [Blank white cards)

Wednesday
8 – 9 breakfast.
9am Morning Meeting (thoughts are shared and volunteer jobs are assigned).
9.30 Mapping groups formed and begin work.
11.00 Coffee Break
11.30 Mapping continues
13:00 Lunch
14:00 Mapping continues.
16:00 Tea Break
16:15 Meet in drawing room to discuss progress/experiences.
16:30 Free time to relax, visit river, nap, go for walks, keep working.
17:00 Dinner volunteers light barbecue, make salad and cook.
18:30 Dinner (Barbecue outside the Barn)
20:30 Campfire.

Thursday
8 – 9 breakfast.
9am Morning Meeting (thoughts are shared and jobs are assigned).
Bed making instructions from Claudia.
9.30 Quiet work time.
11.00 Coffee Break.
11.30 Results session 1. Meet at the front door.
13:00 Lunch (hosted by Braziers Park community)
14:00 Results session 2 and closing round.
15:00 Leaving