High Summer Sanctuary at Unstone

We invite you to enter the gates of Unstone Grange and join us for an ECC gathering at the height of summer 2023. Come and dream summer dreams with your brothers in community. You should expect warm nights where the sun barely leaves us and long languid days enjoying the glories of the Derbyshire landscape, the comfortable house, and the wonderful organic gardens.

There will be co-created workshops (brought to us by you!), a hot tub, bonfires, dancing, massage and walks in nature all in the company of loving gay, bi and trans men. This week will be a time for rest and playfulness, for recuperation and reconnection both with your community and with yourself. It will be an opportunity to nurture your inner child and listen with your heart.  Together we will seek to unleash our collective creativity and celebrate our spontaneity, reflecting upon what is important for us as individuals whilst acting as a community. It will be an opportunity to come home to yourself and revel in the heart of your ECC family.

Come enter the gates of Unstone Grange with us and share the summer sanctuary with your ECC brothers.

   

The Venue

Unstone Grange is a Centre for Personal Creative Growth is set in pleasant countryside, very easy to get to, and on the edge of the fabulous Peak District National Park. We have the whole spacious site to ourselves; house, barn, gardens, camping field, fire-pit (we’ll be having bonfires) - and a hot tub! Accommodation is in shared bedrooms (proper beds, not bunks) or if you prefer to camp we'll offer a discount.

Catering

For this week we have chosen to self-cater. Imran, an experienced chef, will oversee the kitchen and work with the community to ensure wholesome vegetarian delicious food is prepped every day. We will welcome your kitchen innovations and hope you will enjoy this opportunity to co-create our meals together as part of the experience. Imran will also ensure that all dietary requirements are fully catered for.

The Organisers

Your organisers this time are Tim Blades, Greg Headley and Imran Riaz.

Tim:
I am a 50 year old Gay Man and poet living in Nottingham.  I have participated in many 'Open mic/spoken word' events since 2009. I first attended ECC events back in the 1990's. After a while I lost touch with the community before eventually reconnecting with the ECC back in 2015.  Since than I have been a participant on several events. as well as attending the annual 'Gay Writers weekend' known as 'Write Up Your Street' at Unstone Grange every February.

This is the first ECC week in which I have been part of the organising group. I have worked as an ITEC qualified Masseur as well as a 'Cycle Courier' in the past. I'm presently pursuing an interest in 'Drumming' via local Community groups in the Nottingham area.  I'm very excited to be able to bring a Drumming Workshop' and daily 'Drumming Circles' as part of the activities available on this week.

Greg:
I’ve been coming to ECC weeks since 2006 and enjoy spending time in community with other men finding ways to celebrate the richness of our collective experience. I have never been an organiser for an ECC week before but have for many Eurofaerie gatherings and I look forward to playing my part on holding the space and letting community happen.

Imran: 
I joined the ECC community in 2015. Since then, I have spent time at many weeks and weekend and have previously co-organised a week at Lauriston hall. I have catered for several weeks including the AGM at Unstone Grange; everyone loves my food and I love to be in the kitchen which for me is the heart of the community. I will also be co organising and catering for the Movement and Mindfulness week in July 2023. I am a loving, caring and creative person and enjoy being part of the Edward Carpenter community family.

Essential Information

Venue: Unstone Grange, Crow Lane, Unstone, Dronfield, Derbyshire S18 4AL. www.unstonegrange.co.uk

Dates/times: Arrival Tuesday 27th June from 4pm. Departure Tuesday 4th July by 10am.

Accessibility: Unfortunately the house has no wheelchair access or ground floor bedrooms, so anyone with serious mobility issues will find the venue unsuitable.

Public transport: The nearest railway station is Dronfield, about 2 miles away. There are also regular bus services between Sheffield and Chesterfield, dropping off about a 10-minute walk from Unstone Grange.