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Written by Ruth Harvey Regan on

The core group formed in December with interested participants from two public talks that Shelley Sacks gave last year when she came to Exeter. At the meetings she offered the opportunity to participate in the initial evolutionary process work of setting up a University of the Trees group in the area.

We are currently a group of about 11 from diverse backgrounds who have committed to establishing a Main Forum for the University of the Trees in Exeter and the surrounding area.

We are currently meeting once a month and are in the ‘forming' stage of the group process. We hope to establish a sustainable form for the group that can flexibly accommodate in the long-term people coming and going whilst still retaining it's own particular flavour/character/ethos and identity.

Exeter Group had our first meeting this month at CCANW where we chose our Main Forum of trees and put up our first band after a discussion considering the question ‘Where is the University of the Trees'? For the rest of the morning we camped out in the Forestry Hut evolving an understanding of ‘The University of the Trees' as a group and reflecting together with our coffee, packed lunches and imaginations.

Questions in our Wedge Book:

• If everyone is invited - how does this work in forming a group, how do we involve all ages in the experience and how can we do this as a group.

• How important are the various components of the Kit and the Mobile Labs - for example the slings?

Landing Points:

• We wanted to commit to meet as a whole group once a quarter near the Enquinox/Solstice. In-between can meet once a month if we want, or just meet up in two's or threes or come to the Main Forum to spend time on our own.

• We wanted to be able to record and map our diverse experiences in as many ways as possible. One member of the group will give their address as a post box for us to mail our reflections, poetry, thoughts, inspirations, ideas, proposals for action in-between the times we meet together. This seemed to allow for our individual view points but also a way to track common themes as they emerge.

We are looking forward to opening the group out to the wider public later this year.
For those intersested to join in the process you can follow the process of the meetings via the blogs. Email Ruth Harvey Regan if you would like to be put on the mailing list for the next public meeting.