We've Started Creating our First Sustainable Retreat

Hello Believe Tribe! What a wonderfully busy summer this has been, both in our personal lives and with the Aroha project. We’re so excited to celebrate and share a few key project milestones in the Aroha journey. Our first milestone; we have found our land! As many of you know our Aroha dream started in Corfu, a beautiful island in Greece. There really is no better place to root our low carbon, sustainable agri-tourism retreat. The plot of land that’s caught our eye currently consists of 2 overgrown fields but what really appeals is that one of them has featured as a backdrop for the TV series The Durrells. A captivating real-life series adaptation of the fascinating story of the Durrells family who emigrated from the UK to Greece back in the 1930s on the quest for a better life. We knew if this space was beautiful enough to be the backdrop of a television series, it would be the ideal landscape for our retreat. The plots are a perfect fit for a generously spaced 10-12 tent camp; allowing maximum privacy and exclusivity. One plot overlooks a lake and the other is set amongst the olive trees. There is a large elevated section of land perfect for the “heart” of the retreat; a glorious open space with incredible vistas and some of the biggest mulberry trees we’ve ever seen! Our pool, dining and lounge area … Milestone number two. Before any decision on the land could be made, we needed a land map to allow us to more accurately plot the layout for Aroha; we needed to know what was feasible. Land surveys of Corfu are limited. This is where our lovely gifting angels from within the Aroha community have stepped up. As we’re creating a uniquely crowdfunded retreat, this was the first opportunity to use some of our gifted funds. The second step in our Aroha dream has been made possible because of you. We used a small portion of the funds to commission a topographical survey. A topography map helps us determine the gradient of land and create a visual representation of the design our retreat; it essentially allows us to lay out where everything will be placed and how the spaces fit into the landscape in the best possible way. It is also key to understanding the level of groundworks required to support the project; laying out of water pipes, drains, electrical supply etc. This helps us understand the wider challenges we might face during construction. So, what are the next steps in the Aroha build? The topographical map and supporting data are with our tent designers in South Africa and they will begin creating the visual layout of the camp. We can’t wait to share this third project milestone with you! None of the progress would’ve have possible without the love and support of our Believe community and we would like to thank each and every one of you for your support. If you are not part of our community but are interest in becoming involved get in touch! From our followers and gifting angels to our well-seasoned investors and business partners you can participate at any level. The possibility of owning a share in the Aroha retreat is possible… contact us and find out more!