line up of Rob Hopkins, Steph Hafferty and Albs Fowler"We know that the imagination has certain needs in order to flourish. It needs us to have time and space. It needs our basic needs for safety, security, food, water, work and social connection to be met. It needs us to not feel under constant surveillance. It needs us to not feel traumatised, anxious or excessively stressed." - Rob Hopkins



It's going to take a lot of imagination to take us forward and really scale-up the positive change we know is possible. By linking up people from different bio-regions and having the space to let our imaginations run free, the national convergence is the perfect time to bring it all together. Find out more and book your ticket, which costs from just £85 for the weekend on our events website. It's taking place 6-8 September 2019 at Hill End Activity Centre, near Oxford.

If you're not sure it's for you yet, read more about our initial line-up of some truly inspirational people who we're sure you'll want to listen and learn from.

Gardener, writer and presenter Alys Fowler writes a weekly gardening column for The Guardian Weekend Magazine and is well-known for presenting BBC's Gardener's World and her own series, The Edible Garden. She has published many books, including The Edible Garden and The Thrifty Gardener, and loves foraging. Permaculture is a common thread throughout her work and we're looking forward to hearing more about it.



Maddy HarlandMaddy Harland, author and editor of Permaculture Magazine, is a passionate promoter of permaculture solutions and a wealth of knowledge on the subject. This year's convergence won't be the first time that Alys and Maddy have been in the same place at the same time - in 2010 The Edible Garden series visited the Harland's forest garden in Hampshire for an introduction to permaculture.



"Permaculture has allowed me to meander on my own path supported by like-minded people, a sense of purpose and a belief that together we are bringing about positive change in the world," says permaculture teacher, designer and writer Looby Macnamara. She lives at Applewood Permaculture Centre, a training and demonstration centre for regenerative solutions and is constantly looking for news ways to facilitate cultural change.



No-dig organic gardener and plant-based cook Steph Hafferty has written No Dig Organic Home & Garden and The Creative Kitchen. She's a great advocate for small-scale homesteading and will bring her extensive practical tips and experience along to share.



Brigit StrawbridgeBrigit Strawbridge Howard admits to being more than a little obsessed with bees since she was a child. When she realised their importance as pollinators, she began raising awareness about how vital bees are within a permaculture system.



Rob Hopkins, co-founder of the Transition Movement, has been researching imagination for his new book out soon 'From What Is to What If'. He'll be firing up our imaginations and getting us to look at solutions from a different starting point. 



Biologist and writer Colin Tudge will also be joining us to share his insights into evolution, food and farming. Along with his wife Ruth, he established the Campaign for Real Farming in 2008, and launched the Oxford Real Farming Conference two years later.



We'll shortly be asking for workshop contributions from the wider permaculture community, so keep an eye out for how you can be involved. More information about this year's convergence can be found on the events website.