Jo Holleran
My interest in Permaculture began to develop in the late 1980s. Greatly influenced by my Gran, I began to dream of a small scale self-sufficient lifestyle.
In 2003, redundancy provided an opportunity to seize the moment. I relocated to North Yorkshire and embarked on a new career in Horticulture, working in a retail nursery whilst studying and developing new skills. I began to specialise in organic techniques and edible gardens.
I joined a Permaculture Design Course in Leeds in 2006/2007 and was further inspired to live the dream, working on my first livelihood project, ‘Envy Home & Garden.’
Following some research into Permaculture internationally, I later headed for Central Portugal in search of a peaceful, self-sufficient life in the hills. I spent a year renovating a vineyard and olive grove, developing a gravity-fed irrigation system, creating some low-impact shelter and planning an eco-tourism business.
Unfortunately attempts to buy the little farm fell through and I returned to the UK in 2009, much richer in experience.
Since then, I have continued in the UK as a Permaculture Practitioner and Designer with an aim of taking Permaculture to the main stream, expanding the ‘edge.’
I have gained a PTLLS qualification and worked as a Lecturer. This has included teaching of organic gardening techniques, and introductory level Permaculture.
I have completed a range of land based designs and developments in the UK, Portugal and Italy. I also have experience of applying permaculture ethics, principles and techniques to non-land based designs, including ethical business models.
My diploma work was accredited in 2013 and I am now embarking on my tutor pathway.
My website is currently under development and should be published in the near future.