Ecological Land Co-operative

Ecological Land Co-operative is a group that came about through a business idea from SWCD (then known as SCS), and a need from the community.

Many people who were interested in living on small holdings were finding it hard to find small plots of land, hard to find land with planning permission, and hard to get planning permission on land that didn’t already have it. SWCD had the idea for a business that would buy land, get planning permission and then sell or rent it in small sections to people who wanted to live and work on the land. Alex from SWCD helped to organise the initial steering group, and sat on the board of directors to help the group get off the ground.

We are very proud that this entirely new opportunity for new entrants to sustainable farming has benefited families in Sussex, Somerset and Devon. ELC’s future is in its own hands and we see great potential for it to expand its services further.

Alex Lawrie ~SWCD

Alex Lawrie was an integral part of the Ecological Land Co-operative (ELC) for over 15 years. One of the original founders, Alex went on to contribute as a consultant, and non-executive director. Alex was instrumental in developing the ELC’s business model, and its first two business plans and share offers. He advised the ELC’s Board of Directors on governance, writing and registering the ELC’s founding and amended rules. Alex also provided facilitation on countless occasions.

Alex was an outstanding advisor and has exceptional facilitation skills. His knowledge, leadership, and dedication were critical to the establishment and growth of the ELC, and it was truly a privilege to collaborate with him.

Zoe ~ELC