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19th January 2016 - The Garvald Community

Christine Riddoch

The President welcomed members and guests to our Open Meeting on Tuesday 19 January and introduced our guest speaker Christine Riddoch who spoke movingly of the work of the Garvald Community. Inspired by the guiding vision of Rudolph Steiner, Garvald West Linton, its current name, celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2014. Originally a purchase from the MOD in 1944, the grounds at that time covered nearly 65 acres and were much in need of restoration. Today the community has enlarged to care for 35 residents ranging in age from 18 to 50 living in tailored accommodation and looked after by 90 staff. The estate itself expanded to some 200 acres when it acquired Garvald Home Farm in 1987 and now each year a number of Steiner students from the school in Edinburgh spend a placement month bringing fresh ideas and welcome help in the crafts, therapies and many other activities that the residents experience. There followed a lively question and answer session with Bill Allen giving the vote of thanks to Christine for her most interesting talk. The next meeting is on 19 January starting at 10.30 when we meet to hear the story of The Wilsontown Iron Works given by The Forestry Commission.

 

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