People and their environment are better protected when they have control of their local land, enterprises and services.

Biobased Economy

Ecological Homes

Community Skills

Biobased Economy

Community-owned enterprises generate more resilient and adaptable societies, economies and environments.

  • Local, natural materials.
  • Fields trials, wood clubs, processing local timber.
  • Building community owned biobased industry.
Farming Hemp

The Summer of Seed – Hemp Field Trial report 2023

A grant from the Dorset National Landscape Farming in Protected Landscapes Fund (FiPL) has helped Wessex Community Assets Ltd (WCA) work with a group of West Dorset Farmers to explore the logistics of Hemp as a break crop and undertake field trials in growing, harvesting and processing Hemp. With more farmers involved and another year of challenging weather there was…

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David Dixon leads on WCA’s work with local farmers growing and processing hemp as part of a regenerative agriculture project. Collaborative environmental action has been at the heart of over 20 years working in the landscape sector, engaging with ambitious and innovative ecological and community engagement projects.

“… the team have provided invaluable advice and support for our community enterprise with the development of our business plan and community share offer for our stores and café project.”

Dave Austin
Chairman of the Parracombe Community Trust

Ecological Homes

When communities have more control of housing and land, the local economy, natural and built environment and livelihoods are all improved.

  • Workshops and activities to roll out best practice and help tackle problems.
  • A research through action approach that drives policy change.
  • Partnership opportunities to create community-led housing.
Bridport

Raise the Roof

How do we create ecological housing, utilising natural materials and local expertise – in ways that are affordable even for those on low incomes? This is the focus of the Raise the Roof project, which is developing a model for locally rooted manufacturing and the construction or retrofitting of affordable housing, linked to regenerative land use.  Wessex is currently working with a range of partners, including the architects Assemble Studio…

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Tim Crabtree is a co-founder of WCA and has 20 years co-ordinating research and innovation in the field of community led housing. Through Raise the Roof, he’s currently seeking to change the way we build affordable housing.

“Setting up a community land trust is daunting. WCA’s support has really helped to simplify and clarify what we need to do.”

Phyllida Culpin
Yarlington Housing Group

Community Skills and Training

Communities are enriched when they connect with materials and have access to training opportunities

  • Community training days, understanding materials
  • Building community value by skill sharing and knowledge transfer
  • Learning opportunities to empower communities- we can do it together!
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Spinning straw into gold

As part of Wessex Community Asset’s work to develop the bioregional economy in SW England, we held a workshop on hemp fibre with 30 participants at our workspace in West Dorset. The process begins with separating (“decorticating”) the outer bast fibre from the woody core (the shiv), either manually with a hemp break or with our Hurdmaster decortication machine. The…

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Tiny House Course 2
Lucy

Lucy Beasley

“I’m really not sure how we would have managed to amend and update our constitution without Wessex Community Assets’ help. Thank you!”

Martin Long
SOS Frome

About

Wessex Community Assets is a Community Benefit Society, governed by a board of directors, and driven by our theory of change. You can explore our theory of change in the diagram below.