Gomde UK

A weekend retreat at Gomde UK, Lindholme Hall, which began with a panel and open discussion at Doncaster Collage and University Centre on the Friday evening 6 March.

The event was organised in collaboration with Green Christian’s Borrowed Time project, Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council and Doncaster College University Centre.

Now is a time between worlds, the one we have always known, and another beginning to unfold. On current trends, climate breakdown and mass extinctions could trigger the collapse of our civilisation.

Even with resolute action, we stand to lose much that we cherish. Our response to today’s ecological emergency will be the making of us, and of all life on earth. If we have the courage to face our grief and anxiety, we may find that beyond them lie self-transcendence, equanimity, even joy – and the power to act, whatever the future holds.

We invite you to join us for a journey beyond both hope and despair, where maps have yet to be drawn.

Venue: Doncaster Collage and University Centre

Open to all, the Friday evening connected our discussions to the wider religious and civic community.
The evening was be opened by the Mayor of Doncaster, Ros Jones. Our panel of speakers (detailed below) provided a series of introductory statements and questions for exploration during the evening. The aspiration is for the weekend event to create suggestions, ideas and plans which will be applicable for the wider civic community to utilise. To facilitate this aspect of the weekend DMBC posed a question for the weekend group to focus upon to form a springboard for further planning and action.

Collaboration with Doncaster Collage
We were delighted that Doncaster College collaborated with us for this event, making it truly inter-generational. The catering department and students provided and evening meal, coffee, tea and nibbles- following LOAF principles (Locally produced, Organically grown, Animal friendly, Fairly traded ).

Venue: Gomde UK, Lindholme Hall

The weekend retreat provides opportunity for deeper, collective inquiry. The programme will give time for meditation, further in-depth presentations from our speakers (framing Christian and Buddhist perspectives), time for group discussion and personal reflection. We will connect with the land at Lindholme, as a way of grounding our inquiry into this topic. Over the course of the weekend we will seek to identify our shared concerns and opportunities in navigating ecological tragedy together and aim for an outcome that enables spiritual and civic direction and action.

Participants can stay at Lindholme Hall or attend as a day visitor. Accommodation options are detailed below.


Karin Meyers: Visiting Assistant Professor at Smith College and Faculty Advisor Rangjung Yeshe Institute.

Paul Bodenham: Trustee and recent Chair of Green Christian, co-founder of Operation Noah and Borrowed Time and officer for social action in the Diocese of Nottingham.

Dr Jackie Turvey Tait: honorary postdoctoral fellow in theological ethics at the University of Chester and a lead scholar with the US based think tank Ethicists Without Borders.

Dr Stefan Skrimshire: (Event moderator) Associate Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Leeds, and leads the Arts and Humanities Research Council’s Religion and Extinction Network.
All our speakers have offered their attendance as a free contribution to the event.

NB. If you book to attend the full weekend, you will automatically be booked on to the Friday talk, however tickets can be purchased separately too. Link to be provided.