Testimonials of HOPE Sussex Community

HOPE Sussex Music Festival

Freedom, honesty, truth, good will and a willingness to explore life and all its potential are qualities that seem to form the basis for the HopeSussex community in Netherfield, East Sussex. The community has been built on a foundation of home schooling and is becoming increasingly popular. It is sited on a farm with small wooden buildings and plenty of outdoor space for school activities and community pastimes. There is a plot of land that is being cultivated and produces a variety of fruit and vegetables and there are fields and woods adjacent to the property for activities and exploration.

On the weekend of July 21st, 22nd and 23rd HopeSussex hosted a ‘Freedom Music Festival’. The weather was mixed with sunny dry periods, some rain and high winds. Tickets for the occasion sold well and many of the participants took the opportunity to camp in the adjacent field in tents and motor caravans. I attended on all three days and enjoyed an environment of friendship, camaraderie, goodwill, trust and happiness. I provided a stall displaying my stained glass creations and talked to many people while also attempting to sell some of the works. I attended talks on subjects as diverse as witchcraft and the shape of the Earth and the state of the world and what to do about it. I went on a Shamanic journey. I listened to some fine musicians including Roger Hubbard, a blues and folk guitarist and singer of great distinction and the very talented, up and coming Lukas Lion, a rap singer/guitarist. There were other musicians and many other talks and activities with e.g. Monica Smit, Rachel Einaugh and David Icke. For exercise there were daily yoga sessions and lots of dancing.

In my opinion the freedom rapper, Lukas Lion was the outstanding performer of the festival.

The festival was always friendly, sometimes controversial, sometimes exhilarating and entirely enjoyable. It was a place for young and old and families to gather and have fun. It was a pleasure and an honour to take part in it.

I wish to pay tribute to all the volunteers who took part in making it such a success. Hope is a good name for the feelings this venture engenders. In a very troubled world the Hope Sussex movement is demonstrating that there is always blue sky and sunshine on the other side of the black clouds. The Hope Sussex community gives us the opportunity to awaken to and share the sun that shines in our own hearts and experience how good it is to be alive.

Congratulations Hope Sussex!

Mark

HOPE and family learning

We have absolutely loved the time we have spent up at Hope Sussex. Our children have participated in some truly inspirational classes and they are always excited to go there.

Ian