Living Thames Bioregional Convergence

Living Thames Bioregional Convergence

You're invited to the Living Thames Bioregional Convergence happening in person on 16/17th October 2026 at two riverside venues in Pangbourne near to where the River Thames emerges between the Chiltern Hills and the North Wessex Downs.

Join other pioneers from across the Thames bioregion, the UK, and beyond as we listen to the land, to each other, and together explore how we best hold space for what is emerging. If you are already involved in bioregioning or other work collaborating with life and living systems, or are keen to learn about and experience bioregioning, then this gathering is for you.

Design School for Regenerating the Earth

We will be joined by Joe Brewer and Penny Heiple from The Design School for Regenerating Earth, at the end of their bioregional pilgrimage through North Africa, North America and Europe. Joe and Penny will share what they have experienced and their Dandelion Vision for 1000 Bioregional Learning Centres across the earth.

Growing out of a dream and two years of smaller in person and on-line events, the two day Convergence will be the Living Thames Bioregional Learning Centre embodied at a new scale - each person and the more-than-human world bringing energy, insight and experience - as together we build the field for what is possible. In addtion to covering the basics of Bioregioning, we will explore and clarify what is most needed to be put in place for the coming season to support and enable practitioners and projects across the bioregion. 

Take Away

Go back to your own communities inspired and empowered to weave, regenerate and learn bioregionally, in deep and lasting connection with one another across the Thames watershed.

What to Expect

Friday Morning

We start with grounding, connection and listening by stepping into the landscape together to quieten ourselves and attune to place, our community and the wider bioregion.

Indoors learn more about Living Thames and the Convergence as we introduce  pro-social ways of being and acting, and welcome more-than-human voices. This brief introduction will help create a container to help our temporary community be alive, resilient and welcoming to all.

In our Opening Circle, as representatives of places and perspectives from across the bioregion and beyond, we each give voice to real needs, strategic intent and knowledge capacity. This workshop will reveal collective intelligence and shared purpose, helping us move towards a shared strategic agenda. 

We have the gift of Joe and Penny from The Design School for Regenerating Earth with us for the Convergence at the end of their pilgrimage across North Africa and Europe. Joe will introduce us to the power of bioregional regeneration and the Dandelion activation strategy.

Friday Afternoon

Following a lovely vegan lunch, we will explore 'Storying' the bioregion - a foundational piece in the bioregional toolkit to understand and work with the multiple layers that come together to describe and give life and meaning to a bioregion.

Field site visits - through the lens of our emerging collective understanding of the bioregion and bioregioning, we will step on to the land to connect, listen and learn from the bioregion. 

Our daytime events will close with harvesting insights and outcomes, enabling us to orient towards strategic actions to take individually and collectively in alignment with the bioregion.

Friday Evening

We close the day with a vegan dinner in celebration of the bioregion and the bountiful harvest of the season, with music and dancing.

Saturday Daytime

Saturday starts as we reconnect with each other and recreate our container for the Convergence, welcoming those attending on the day. 

Joe will briefly cover his introduction to the power of bioregional regeneration and the Dandelion activation strategy, going deeper into the practices, patterns and flows that allow us to see and work with the reality of a bioregion.

Grounding, connection and listening - we will again spend time together in the landscape, quieten ourselves to attune to the place, our community and the bioregion.

Our main morning workshop, articulating bioregional potential and understanding required capabilities - is a dynamic session exploring what's emerging in nested groups. Choose where you feel most drawn, change as you need. An opportunity to understand living systems and your role within the wider ecosystem. 

Vegan lunch (Refreshments provided through the day)

Field site visits - through the lens of an emerging collective understanding of the bioregion and bioregioning, we will step on to the land to connect, listen and learn. 

Our afternoon sessioin - Vital and Viable - asks what's most alive for you now? What is vital for you and what is viable for you? What capabilities are you bringing, or do you feel inspired to go away and learn? 

Closing ritual: "Moving towards" - the Convergence falls midway between the Harvest and Hunter's Moons. Our closing ritual will be an opportunity to reflect on what you need for the upcoming months, and channel your energy toward clear, actionable personal goals.

Dates and Timing

The Convergence runs from 10am Friday 16th to 5.30pm Saturday 17th, with a Banquet on Friday evening in the magical Tolhurst Organic Walled Garden, celebrating the abundance of harvest as well as the amazing work already happening in the bioregioning space. We hope you can make it for both days. 

Book early and enjoy an Early Bird 10% discount on full price tickets until midnight Friday 18th September. 

If you’re booking for more than one person, please book separately for each attendee, and fill in the short questions at checkout for each one. This helps us stay in touch with everyone before and after the event, and get to know a bit about each attendee so that we can tailor the event to suit people’s needs and interests. 

Making the Converegence accessible to all

We’re working hard to ensure finance is not a barrier for those wanting to attend by offering tickets close to cost and on a sliding scale. If you are able, please choose a Pay-It-Forwards ticket. This helps make the event accessible to more people, especially those who are often the ones working at the forefront of change. 

We also have a few places at a significantly lower price to help people who would otherwise not be able to attend due to significant financial constraints. Participants will be required to help at the event. Please email us for more information.

If you have any questions, please email us at livingthamesorg@gmail.com

Practical Information

Dates: Friday 16th and Saturday 17th October 2026

Venue: 

Friday Daytime: Adventure Dolphin, Pangbourne, RG8 7DA

Friday Evening and Saturday Daytime: Tollhurst Organics, Hardwick Estate, RG8 7RA

Nearest Train Station: Pangbourne

Timings: 

Friday Daytime 10am - 5pm. Vegan and vegetarian refreshements and lunch included. 

Friday Evening Banquet 6pm - 10pm. Delicious homegrown 3 course vegan banquet. Please bring your own drinks.

Saturday Daytime 10am - 5.30pm. Vegan refreshements and lunch included. 

Accommodation is available in the area, including the option to camp in the Walled Garden at Tolhurst Organics. For camping, please book Thurs and/or Fri night when booking your event ticket. 

Check us out here livingthames.org