Full Permaculture Design Course

Sign up for an inspiring exploration of the principles and practice of Permaculture Design. Immerse yourself in an integrated, simple and common-sense design approach to low-impact living.

Learn skills to apply Permaculture thinking to organic growing, sustainable land management, green building, creating resilient communities, and much more.

Topics:

• Ethics and Philosophy
• Permaculture Principles
• Permaculture Design - spirals, linking, zone & sector, observation, mapping & surveying, design frameworks, stakeholder Interviews, limiting factors
• Permaculture in action in the home & garden; soil, compost, applying Nature's patterns to growing, green building and energy usage
• Permaculture in action in the community; social permaculture, appropriate technology, permaculture economics, group skills
• Signposting and Next Steps - development pathways

We have a strong belief that 'the whole is greater than the sum of its parts' and all design project work is carried out in groups; each student bringing a unique perspective and skillset to the task. We also believe that permaculture can be a powerful tool for empowering and meeting needs within the community. We find 'real life' green spaces in the network of Bristol for our design project sites; ensuring students learn to design within the context of complex, living systems of people and land.

Costs:

• Full Fee: £435
• Part-Concession: £325
• Full-Concession: £225
• Community Group Members rate* £225 (please purchase a full-concession ticket)

Visit the Green Bottle Sliding Scale as a guide to deciding what tier of course fee you should pay. We no longer ask people to prove which tier they fall into, and instead trust students to choose with honesty.

*Anyone coming on behalf of their voluntary / not for profit / charitable community group or organisation can join the course at the full-concession rate. With the intention of sharing their new found knowledge and skills with the rest of their group.

There is also the option to pay for the course fees in installments (over 3 / 6 / 9 or 12 months). Visit here to find out how!

Where, When & How

Shift Bristol's full design course is tailored for those leading busy lives, as you join us for weekly evening classes, plus learning and field trips over some weekends.

• Evening Sessions: 6.15 - 9.30 (Doors open at 6.00 for a cuppa)

Sept: 2 / 9 / 16 / 23 / 30

Oct: 7 / 14 / 21 / 28

Nov: 4 / 11 / 18 / 25

• Mapping Sessions:

Oct: Option of 12 or 13, for a whole day on essential mapping and surveying skills.

• Field-trips: (fieldtrips will last approx 4hrs, with travel time either side)

Each student to choose at least two of the below dates

Sept: 15 / 28 / 29

Oct: 26 / 27

Nov: 9 / 10

• Group Design Projects:

Some availability between from Nov 11 to 25, to work collectively on design projects outside of course hours.

From September to November you will spend time with what we hope will be a large learning community (up to 35 students); sharing the development journey with others who are also passionate about sustainability, learning from nature and building confidence in 'doing' permaculture.

What to bring

A notepad

Waterproof clothing and suitable footwear for field-trips

We provide tea and coffee refreshments throughout

Permaculture Tutor : Tammi Dallaston

Tammi is multitalented, dedicated, Permaculture practitioner. Alongside her teaching, she is;

• A Permaculture Association (Britain) trustee; leading a working group on Disability, Accessibility, Inclusion and Equity (DAIE).
• Manager of Field Families (permaculture at events) - which includes the coordination of Glastonbury Festival Permaculture Gardens and permaculture areas at the Green Gathering and Northern Green Gathering. Lead within Dyfi Permaculture - a local voluntary group that meets each month.
• Working for Cambrian Wildwood, a rewilding charity in Wales; Cefn Coch Farm, an agroforestry farm; and CiP - Children in Permaculture.
• Director of Mach Maethlon - a co-op encouraging local food projects in the Dyfi Valley, Wales.
• Founder member of Permaculture Wales (Paramaethu Cymru). Director of Mach Maethlon. Now managing the inception of a community woodland project - Teulu'r Goedwig - near Machynlleth, and Planna Fwyd! community food resilience project.
• One of the founder members of Brighton Permaculture Trust. Former manager of Ragman's Lane Farm. Ex-Chair and trustee of Moulsecoomb Forest Garden Wildlife Project.

Permaculture Facilitator : Rosie Fieldhouse

Supporting Tammi in running the course will be the very warm and welcoming Rosie.

Rosie has recently completed Shift Bristol's Practical Sustainability Course and feels she has seen "the value and power in small acts with a community as a way of building hope and resilience".

She's a craftsperson and maker, specialising in natural building and traditional heritage crafts and runs workshops for children and adults. She also works as a play worker around Bristol and is curious about how play can be a fundamental way of learning about the world and our surroundings. She often combines play with craft to show people that these traditional crafts aren't just fossils from the past, but sparks for the future to ignite new ideas and engagement.

The Practical Sustainability Course opened up a number of doors including becoming a co-founder of a new community composting scheme; Bristol Living Soil, with Shift Bristol tutor Danny Balla.

Facilitating courses in a new opportunity to apply Rosie's natural aptitude for supporting groups of people to learn in a relaxed and inclusive environment, and she is looking forward to helping others on the journey that she herself has travelled.

Guest Tutors and Practitioners

The PDC evenings will also feature some experted guest tutors; each passionate and knowledgable in their own field of experience. As well as the on the ground practitioners we will receive tours from on the field trips. More details to follow!

Where next?

The PDC is accredited by the Permaculture Association; each student receives a certificate of completion which is globally recognised within the permaculture community.

Many students go on to create inspiring designs for their own gardens and greenspaces. Others join, enhance and support existing projects and organisations with their new insight and skills. Some even feel confident to purchase land or set up a social enterprise.

We have been teaching permaculture courses in Bristol for almost 20 years, and have a wide network of past students, tutors and practitioners who form our extended network. Whatever your passion or idea, we will be able to signpost you to a useful person or resource that will help you on the next stage of your journey.

For those wishing to take on further training and education afterwards, there is the option for signing up to Shift Bristol's Year-long Practical Sustainability Course , running from Sept 2024 to July 2025. Or you may wish to embark on the Diploma in Applied Permaculture Design with the Permaculture Association. Which may lead to a career in teaching permaculture, or becoming a permaculture design consultant.

Terms and Conditions

By purchasing a place on this course, you are agreeing to our Terms and Conditions.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Pickle Factory, 13 All Hallows Road, Bristol, United Kingdom