A convivial, intergenerational space for composting futures that regenerate life

The future seems to be racing towards the worst of worlds. But is it really as simple as that?

We would like to invite you to the initial gathering, on December 14th, of a new initiative “Composting the future”. Our intention is to create an ongoing convivial, intergenerational ‘composting’ space where radical ideas combine with warm food and diverse perspectives, all undertaken in ways that are creative, relational and welcoming.

We want to explore: What is needed to cultivate the compost – of ideas, practices relations – that might yet help to bring into being futures that sustain life, meaning, prosperity and balance.

What do we mean by composting? Composting engenders the change before the change; many ingredients combine to create the compost and from compost new seeds can flourish.

We believe that the way ideas are introduced, explored and held, is as important as the ideas themselves. Each gathering will involve dialogue and embodied practice to explore a particular question, and a guest to share ideas from research and practice. Themes will include transformation, community resilience, stories of regeneration, and engage in part through the media of poetry, art, silence and movement.

We hope that this initiative will provide rich compost that can support other initiatives concerned with engendering futures that sustain harmony and prosperity for all life.

At this first meeting, 14th December - we’ll first share more fully what we have in mind for Composting the Future.

Following this, as complexity thinking is a key underpinning of our approach we will collectively explore the question: How might complexity inform how we respond to living at this transitional time?

Jean Boulton will be our ‘speaker’ and share her understanding of what complexity thinking has to offer (Jean’s website here (https://www.embracingcomplexity.com/)). This, and all future meetings, will include a simple vegan meal.

Please arrive from 6.30pm for a prompt start at 7pm.

Proposed future meetings:

January 11th - How might we cultivate the compost for our future?

Juliet Daye will facilitate an embodied exploration of “embracing complexity” as it pertains to ourselves and our work, using the warm data approaches created by Nora Bateson (https://www.warmdatalab.org/).

February 8th - What can we learn about change and resilience from work with slum communities in Hyderabad?

Joel Lazurus (https://researchportal.bath.ac.uk/en/persons/joel-lazarus/) from the University of Bath and author of handbook “Relational needs-based organising (https://tdh-bangladesh.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/RNBO-Handbook_23-Aug-2026.pdf)”, shares insights from work with communities that has wider relevance for all concerned with engendering change and resilience.

March 8th - How can individual inquiry held in silence and with nature help shape our collective future?

Andres Roberts from The BioLeadership Project (https://bio-leadership.org/) and Life System Studio, will share his experiences of guiding nature retreats and explore how such inner practices can help shape our collective future

April 12th - How can we face the reality of the present and take this into composting futures?

Jean and Juliet will facilitate an exploration of futures thinking building on Naomi Klein’s (https://naomiklein.org/end-times-fascism/) recent work 'End Times Fascism' and that of Bayo Akomolafe (https://www.bayoakomolafe.net/) – there will be some short suggested pre-readings to discuss on the day.

May - How does an arts collective play a role in supporting community resilience? (details tbc)

June 7th - How can docudrama and real-life stories both change us viscerally and catalyse change in the wider system? With acclaimed script writer Philip Ralph (https://www.philipralph.com/) (details tbc)

Description supplied by the event organiser.