Having recently celebrated 50 years as the UK’s beacon for environmental and spiritual wellbeing and the arts – North Devon based magazine Resurgence – more recently called Resurgence & Ecologist – is now eager to fortify and expand its output for the next 50 years and beyond, starting with the establishment of a new home. 

To this end, Resurgence is launching a ‘Building for the Future Crowdfunder’ campaign to raise funds to secure a new home, to go Live at 12pm on Wednesday 15th November.

An evening reception celebrating the launch will be hosted by Resurgence trustee and acclaimed ceramicist Sandy Brown at 7.30pm at the Sandy Brown Museum in Appledore, near Bideford. The evening will feature a talk by Satish Kumar about the project and music from talented local Blues singer Courtney Rose, with Baz Bix on guitar.

Far-reaching impact

Many leading thinkers and change-makers who contribute to the magazine are rallying to support the campaign. Author and playwright Michael Morpurgo says: “It is time Resurgence had a home of its own! No publication has done more to raise awareness of the dangers to the environment of our throw away society.

Now we need to make it secure for the next 50 years.” And calling Resurgence “the spiritual and philosophical heart of the ecological movement”, Tony Juniper, President of Wildlife Trust UK, says: “I hope that there will be widespread support for Resurgence as it seeks to secure a new home.”

Guided by Satish Kumar, who edited the magazine for 43 years – Resurgence has evolved from humble beginnings into an educational charity and movement for positive change with far-reaching impact.

Major renovation

Today, the Resurgence Trust not only publishes Resurgence & Ecologist magazine and its two websites (resurgence.org and theecologist.org), but also serves as a wider educational platform for sustainability, social justice, spiritual wellbeing and the arts, and has established an expanding calendar of popular festivals and events in the UK.

For the past 35 years, Resurgence’s small hard-working team has operated from a tiny barn conversation in Satish Kumar’s garden in the village of Hartland, North Devon. As the Trust’s work continues to expand, along with its staff, the charity needs a new home to safeguard its future and growing activities.

The ideal space for the new Resurgence headquarters is the recently-closed Small School in Hartland, which was founded by Satish Kumar in the early 1980s, integrating ecological and spiritual principles into the curriculum.  The school’s buildings, centred around a beautiful 19^th century chapel, are in need of major renovation, as Satish Kumar explains.

Sustainable partners

“We want to make a new home for Resurgence in this much-loved space, continuing the spirit of the Small School and building a centre for education and the arts for future generations.

“The school buildings are in urgent need of renovation and unless we can find the funds, the Small School charity may be forced to sell the buildings. We want to save them from further decline and establish a thriving centre to serve the local community and continue our educational work in the wider world.”

The Resurgence ‘Building for the Future’ Crowdfunder campaign has set a target of raising £100,000 to cover the cost of renovating and restoring these historic buildings, working with sustainable partners to achieve Resurgence’s vision.

Solidarity and commitment

In addition to converting the Small School into a new home for the Resurgence Trust to continue to produce its magazine, websites and events, the new centre will be used to develop a range of exciting educational and community projects.

Tim Smit, co-founder, the Eden Project, says: “Resurgence has been a tremendous force for good. “It is absolutely vital that it is properly protected to thrive for another fifty years. I urge everybody to make a contribution as an act of solidarity and commitment.”

Peace and stability

Satish Kumar says: “Please visit Resurgence’s ‘Building for the Future’ Crowdfunder campaign page, which details lots of exciting rewards and incentives for those who wish to support the cause, and give whatever you can to help Resurgence continue to grow its work.

“At a time when issues of peace and stability, the threat to our environment, social dislocation and division have rarely been so important, the work of Resurgence is a beacon of hope. Please help us to keep it alive, to help the process of building the better, more sustainable world we all want. A heart-felt thank you to all who support us.”