🌿A Poetry Writing Retreat in a time of Climate Change🌿

A relaxing morning to write poetry with other like minded souls in the beautiful surroundings of Lopemede Farm, a farm dedicated to nature restoration and connection. This retreat aims to help you channel your eco related feelings and fears into art as we collectively face climate change.

All levels of poets welcome from complete beginners to experienced practitioners.

This retreat will include group connection and conversation, an inspiration led walk through nature, gentle somatic practices to help ease climate change anxiety and time to write poetry and to share it with other attendees.

You will leave feeling connected to your creative spark, to the restorative power of nature and to a community of fellow poets and eco oriented individuals.

Information regarding local green projects and further poetry writing opportunities will be shared at the retreat too for those of who you want to develop your interest in either of these areas.

There will also be an opportunity to submit your poem into a local poetry competition (detailed below) after the retreat.

Schedule for the day

🍵9.30-9:45am Arrival & Tea

🗣️9:45-10:45am Exploration and discussion of the theme including group conversations

🫖10:45-11:00am Tea & Treat

🌾11-11:45am Inspirational Walk in Nature including gentle, restorative practices to encourage relaxation

✍🏻11:45-12:45pm Poetry Writing

🌱12:45-13:10pm Gathering into groups and sharing your poems with each other

🪴13:10-13:30pm Closing Circle

*timings may shift slightly due to the nature of the group

How to get there

There is free parking on site, although if you’re local and have friends attending, car sharing is encouraged.

Alternatively, if you live in Long Crendon or Thame, there are footpaths to the farm.

For attendees coming from London, the closest train station is Haddenham and Thame Parkway and taxis take around 5 minutes from there to the farm.

What’s included?

Hot drinks & a tasty sweet treat

Please bring:

Pen & paper, a coat and boots that are suitable for walking through potentially muddy fields. There will be tables and chairs provided for writing, however if you prefer to write on the floor, please bring a yoga mat and cosy cushions for yourself.

Poetry Competition

There is an opportunity after the retreat to submit your poem into a local poetry competition that is being organised by 21st Century Thame on the theme of nature and climate change. The winners of the competition will get to read their poems to an audience at the annual OwlFest event that’s happening on Saturday the 14th of November. Further details of the event will be announced closer to the time. (https://21stcenturythame.co.uk/)

Who is your host?

Caoilfhionn Nic Conmara is a poet, somatic coach and community organiser for local sustainability initiatives. As a poet, she hosts a monthly poetry open mic night called the Thame Poetry Salon at The Cross Keys and runs a course for local writers called Get it Written. She also does freelance sustainability consulting and she chairs Greener Crendon, a Long Crendon initiative that’s focused on promoting a greener, sustainable, and climate-resilient community through events, renewable energy support, and encouraging environmentally responsible practices. As a somatic coach, she supports women to reconnect with their sense of aliveness and power.

If you have any questions in advance of booking, please contact Caoilfhionn at caoinicc@outlook.com

Early Bird (£38) tickets available until the 5th of October, Standard (£48) tickets available after this point

Lower-wage tickets (£30) available on request – please contact Caoilfhionn directly.