I planted a tree while visiting the Poetry Path near Dunkeld, Perthshire, a project made possible by residents and volunteers of Camphill Corbenic, one of 10 Camphill communities in Scotland that offers a supportive community living environment fore more than 600 people with learning disabilities and other support needs.
The Poetry Path is set in the grounds of the old Drumour Shooting Lodge and estate and has been designed to be sensitive the wild terrain it passes through and has attracted international interest including the Art UK initiative to digitally preserve many of the UK’s sculptures in an online museum.
I was extremely grateful for the invitation which gave me the opportunity to meet some of the international volunteers who work and live at Camphill Corbenic and hear more about their work across Scotland and globally, providing day and residential care for people with social, emotional, intellectual and learning disabilities.
From the first community set up in 1940 at Militimber, Aberdeenshire by Austrian Jewish refugees from the Nazis, Camphill has grown internationally to establish more than 119 communities in 27 countries around the world.
Commenting, Mr Rowley said:
I was extremely grateful for the invitation to visit Camphill Corbenic’s Poetry Path and meet with the people who have worked so hard to create the unique and beautiful space near Dunkeld in Perthshire.
The opportunity to visit the Poetry Path and see the work that has gone into creating such an inviting outdoor attraction highlights how crucial it is that we continue to work towards tackling climate change and ensuring the security of the natural world as a space to be enjoyed by all for generations to come.
I am deeply passionate about the need for radical action to tackle the climate catastrophe and reach our net-zero targets so it is always great to see community projects that encourage more people to enjoy outdoor activity and appreciate green space.
The dedication of the volunteers I had the pleasure of meeting in their work, not only on the Poetry Path but also on the success of the Camphill Corbenic community, was obvious and clearly shows why the Camphill project’s success has seen them expand globally.
I congratulate the team at Camphill Corbenic for their work that sees them providing personalised opportunities for the people they support through a range of social, cultural and work activities, including projects like the Poetry Path and wish them continuing success as they continue to grow.”
