Friends of the Community
Support. Advise. Transform.
A global network of people who believe practical skills, sound business and care for the land can change what a young person’s life looks like. Our goal is 50,000 Friends, and we intend to pass it.
What it is
Friends are not just donors.
They are thought partners, advisers, advocates and a permanent part of the project’s long-term success. Some give money. Some give equipment. Some give an afternoon and an introduction. Everyone gets a say.
What you give
Contribute in whatever way fits you.
- A financial gift — one-off or monthly, any amount
- Tools, tech or equipment — from a laptop to a lathe
- Your time, skills or networks — trades, teaching, planning, advice
- An introduction — to your employer, church, club or professional body
- Sponsorship of one thing — a lab, a bicycle, a solar panel, a learner
What you receive
A real seat at the table.
- A welcome pack with our story and your Friend certificate
- A quarterly newsletter with progress, stories and honest reporting
- Voting rights on key developments, by email or online
- Access to the Friends portal (launching later)
- An open invitation to visit the site and stay two days as our guest
- Your own referral code, so you can bring others in and see the effect
Ways to join
Choose the level that suits you
Every Friend gets the same voice and the same updates, whatever they give. The tiers below simply reflect what people are able to commit.
Free — or any amount you choose
- Welcome pack and certificate
- Quarterly newsletter
- Voting rights
- Referral code
- Invitation to visit
£10/month
- Everything in Friend
- Named in our digital hall of gratitude
- Friends-only briefings and webinars
- Invitation to the annual Global Friends Assembly
From £1,000/year
- Everything in Supporting Friend
- Bronze, Silver and Gold levels
- Sponsor a facility, cohort or piece of infrastructure
- Reporting you can use for CSR and ESG
- Optional team visit or volunteering trip
Amounts are placeholders. The tier names, prices and currency need confirming before this goes live — along with whether donations are being taken in pounds, dollars or both.
Sponsor one thing
Fund something specific
Some Friends prefer to pay for an identifiable item and follow what happens to it. You will be told where yours ended up.
Costs shown are illustrative and need replacing with real figures.
Questions
Before you join
Who can become a Friend?
Anyone aged 18 or over, anywhere in the world. If you are under 18, please ask a parent or guardian to join on your behalf — that is a safeguarding requirement, not a formality.
Does it cost anything?
No. You can join as a Friend without giving a penny, and you will receive the same updates and the same vote. Financial support is welcome but it is never the entry fee.
What am I actually voting on?
Real choices where more than one option is workable — which trades to add next, how a facility should be laid out, which of two suppliers to back. Friends are polled by email or through the portal, and we publish the result and the decision taken.
How often will you contact me?
A newsletter each quarter, plus a poll when there is a genuine decision to make. You choose email, WhatsApp or both, and you can change or stop it at any time.
Can I really visit?
Yes. Friends are welcome to stay two full days as our guest, and we will send tourist information for the rest of your trip. Visits must be booked in advance so we can prepare accommodation. More about visiting.
What happens to my details?
They are used to keep you updated and to run the polls, and for nothing else. We do not sell or share them. You can ask to see what we hold or have it deleted at any time.
Add your name.
It takes two minutes, and it is the thing that makes the rest of it possible.