After retiring from salaried work in adult education, I now work part-time as an independent trainer in nonviolent communication skills and as a couples counsellor, helping to improve and develop their interpersonal skills.

The main topic of my Fellowship was the role of arts and crafts in developing communities, an interest generated from working in family workshops in London. The aim was to explore how adult education in Nicaragua extended the literacy programme using arts and crafts, skills building and community development.

I have continued my working life in adult education, developing classes in the community and focusing on the needs of women and children to have safe places to learn and play and to have joint activities. I now live in an intentional community, a co-housing project in East Sussex, and I have no doubt at all that my Fellowship enhanced my understanding of community building. I believe the world needs healthy and functioning places that are alternatives to the commercialisation of our planet.