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The Fabulous 2026 Coed Hills PDC (Permaculture Design Course) for Food Growing, Wellbeing & CommunityThis unique Permaculture Design Course integrates the Ediculture curriculum for personal and community food growing into the Permaculture Association (Britain) certified PDC curriculum.
Held over 2 residential sessions at Coed Hills between May and July 2026, this course balances the practical, the theoretical and the inspirational. It will give you tools, techniques and principles tailored to your way of thinking and working whether you are more hands-on, reflective, energetic or steady, and aligned with your diet and lifestyle. The focus is on being both ambitious and realistic with yourself, to identify and focus on what you can achieve given your own personal constraints.
The theoretical – supplies you with a comprehensive set of principles, tools and methods for applying to problems and solutions in all areas of your life, from gardening to lifestyle choices, and from your learning pathway to your livelihood and work situation. It aims to give an overview of the breadth and depth of the whole subject.
The practical – focuses strongly on tools and techniques for food growing, effective communication, personal and collective reflection, and collaborative working. It aims to embody the theory in concrete living practice and informs and guides the theory.
The Venue:
Hosted at Coed Hills, an eco-community, rural arts space and centre for low impact living established for over 20 years, the course will provide a depth and breadth of learning experiences that are rarely available.
Through the course you will be immersed in an experience of low impact living in a beautiful, productive and nurturing environment. Nestled in a lush, rolling rural landscape in the Vale of Glamorgan, about 8 miles west of Cardiff, near the village of St Hilary, Coed Hills features:
* One of the most mature, diverse, productive and beautiful forest gardens in Britain - over 100 species, including over 150 varieties of apples & pears;
* A micro market garden serving the community’s food needs, plus events and some local residents;
* Multiple cabins and low impact dwellings;
* Multiple compost toilets, shower block, sauna and single-person cold plunge pool!
* A stunning workshop and retreat space in a converted barn with views across the channel to Somerset, wood fired underfloor heating and hot water supplying showers, a commercial kitchen and meditation room.
* 80 acres of woodland with lake, and beautiful walks around the land of Coed Hills.
The overall course programme features:
* Two residential sessions at Coed Hills: Thursday 7th May-Wednesday 13th May & Monday 13th -Friday 17th July,
* PDC Certificate from the Permaculture Association (Britain);
* The Ediculture curriculum: aims to inspire and enact change in our current food system and contribute towards creating more regenerative, localised food culture by supporting community learning about edible cultural practices. Structured around the seasons, Ediculture has been created to deepen our connection with and practical skills for a culture of home and community organic food growing, preparation and healthy eating; Ediculture incorporates food growing, wild foods, edible landscaping & forest gardening, seasonal awareness, nutrition, herbs, working with others and nature connection, and integrates perfectly into the PDC curriculum. (ediculture.org)
* Interculture (Social Permaculture): integrated into the course, and including a 1-day deep dive into key aspects of ‘social permaculture’ this day explores the vital role of communication, relationships and collective working, the balance between individual and collective responsibility, and practical tools for transformation in these areas;
* Holistic health, wellbeing and resilience (individual and collective): the course incorporates a strong focus on design and creation of health-creating lifestyles, including the ‘12-petalled flower of health’, personal resilience map and 6 phase resilience pathway, and how to enjoy delicious healthy ultra-low impact meals and food choices; awareness of and catering sensitively for neurodiversity (amongst the participants and tutors);
* The essentials of co-coaching for permaculture and life transformation: the course will establish support groups (‘guilds’) amongst the participants and include 2 online co-coaching calls after the course for all participants, to support you on your next steps beyond the course;
* A supported process for designing your own project;
Online calls between residential sessions to maintain momentum and connections; online learning materials and resources;
Access to the Introduction to Community Climate Course online course (free);
* Onsite free camping, or a choice of cozy cabin or yurt accommodation (additional cost)
* Half-price ticket to Coed Ffest 2027 (optional) - the beautiful small-scale festival held in June at Coed Hills with numerous workshops in areas relevant to the course curriculum to deepen and expand your learning and enjoyment - including a 2026 & 2027 PDC course get together.
* An optional follow-on week 31st August - 3rd September (additional to course price) focused on post-course next steps and project design (option to continue to 2 project Certificate in Applied Permaculture Design (Foundation Diploma);
The course team includes:
* Steve Charter (Pc Diploma, 2001) - Steve has led numerous PDC’s in the UK and Spain, has deep knowledge of mainstream and grassroots sustainability (particularly sustainable construction), lived off-grid in southern Spain for 5 years, is a long-term member of the permaculture Education Working Group (which oversees and evolves the PDC curriculum), works for the Permaculture Association 2 days/wk, including as UK lead for the Community Climate Coaches programme; practicing coaching for permaculture & sustainability; author of Eat More Raw (Permanent Publications, 2005); father of an 18 year old son.
* Marianne Lindfield - Marianne has a strong background in community engagement and led the design and development of The Pod Project in Northern Ireland, a local permaculture and wellbeing hub, that delivered an integrated annual programme incorporating a PDC within a wider personal and community wellbeing programme; Marianne is a Yin Yoga teacher and works for Sussex Greener Living CIC; mother of 2 teenage daughters.
* Stevie Watts - Stevie leads the Ediculture programme, Ediculture charity and community market garden at Coed Hills, and is lead coordinator for Coed Ffest. Stevie is also a musician and sculptor, has a passion for and strong connections with rural communities and musicians in Zimbabwe, and lives in a self-build tiny house at Coed Hills; he has also become a father since Sep 2025.
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Event Venue
Coed Barn Conversion, CF717DP, Balmweg 7, 3007 Bern, Schweiz, Bern, Switzerland
Tickets
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.
