The Permaculture Research Institute of Australia

I come from an academic background in geography and in particular development studies. I grew up and went to school in various countries in Africa and in the UK. I also became interested in teaching and trained as a teacher.

I first came across permaculture as a response to drought preparedness and crop diversification during the late 1990s while living in Zambia. I took my first permaculture course after being awarded a full scholarship for the Ecovillage Design Educationin, November 2006 in Sri Lanka taught by Max Lindegger of Crystal Waters, Australia. At the end of the course I came up with the idea of a social enterprise that taught people to grow food in their own homes using permaculture design.

We have now set up Get Growing and run growing clubs on council estates, work on private gardens, give workshops and work in schools. In the summer of 2010 one of the estates I work at every week was awarded the Best Edible Estate in London by Capital Growth. I completed my diploma in May 2011 rigorously apply the theory and tools including a number of non land-based designs. I have been recording the process on my blog. I did it in just over two years. I regularly co-teach Introductions to Permaculture with Brighton Permaculture Trust. I am very passionate about training and find it immensely rewarding. I have taught for Naturewise, London Permaculture Network, Transition Brixton and Brighton Permaculture Trust.