Open Circles Project
What is an Open Circle?
A safe meeting place for people from holistic and spiritual communities to share, learn and explore their personal and spiritual development. Each Circle is facilitated by a trained Open Circle Facilitator.
Where can I find a local Open Circle?
Currently they are only running in Bristol, but there are plans to start others in Somerset and Devon, and hopefully in many other parts of the UK.
Bristol Open Circles: please contact group facilitator to confirm places are available and for venue
Frenchay, 2nd Mon of the month 6.15-7.45pm, Disabled access, Andrea & Helen
homewards.ma@btinternet.com 07791 119658 or
helenluff@fastmail.co.uk 0117 9610176
Bishopston, 1st Thurs of the month 7.00-9.30pm, Disabled access, Lin & Clare
lin.west@btinternet.com 079503 13710 or
clare.e.adamson@gmail.com
Windmill Hill, 2nd Mon of the month 7.00-9.00pm, Nixie & Rosemary
nixiejames@blueyonder.co.uk 07974119428 or
rosemarystibbon@hotmail.com 0117 9669661
Knowle, 3rd Wed of the month 9.30-11.30am, Disabled access, Shelley & Louise
shelley.jones@blueyonder.co.uk 0117 9728131
Thornbury, 2nd Wed of the month 7.30-9.00pm, Maggie
maggiejeffery2@hotmail.co.uk 01454 413535
Fishponds, Dates are variable 7.30-9.30pm (other meetings yet to be agreed), Disabled access, Ray & Baljinder
rayraine@hotmail.co.uk 07986 457443 or
baljinderbhopal@hotmail.com 0117 9025088
click here to see the Bristol Holistic Hub in action
click here for the latest Open Circles Bristol Newsletter
For more information on these Bristol Open Circles contact Chrissy Holmes at chrissy.holmes@holisticmap.org or phone 07947 114553
HISTORY OF THE OPEN CIRCLES PROJECT
OPEN CIRCLES PROJECT: The main aim of the Open Circles project is to build a stronger sense of holistic and spiritual community with awareness of local social and ecological issues by:
- enabling and resourcing small groups of people (a local Holistic Hub) to set up ongoing local support groups (Open Circles) where like-minded people can meet to share and support each other in a safe space
- a local Holistic Hub group would map their local holistic and spiritual practitioners, therapists, educators, centres, groups, sacred sites etc as a resource for the wider community using the HolisticMap UK software on this site
click here to see the growing UK map or click here to see the Bristol Holistic Hub in action
Trial project in Bristol - September 2010 to March 2011
A trial project was undertaken in Bristol to work with local networkers, educators and facilitators to understand and outline the process for setting up these local support groups. Several public meetings and gatherings were held, inclduing one in St Pauls, Southville and Fishponds. The outcomes have been:
- There is a strong groundswell of support for this project in Bristol and the circle of people engaged has grown following each event
- Facilitation skills training has been provided to equip people with the confidence and basic skills to hold an Open Circle with 12 trained facilitators running 6 Circles across Bristol from June 2011
- Volunteers have come forward to host Open Circles in different parts of Bristol, and to help map the local holistic and spiritual community and the local sacred sites
- Public meetings have been held in Exeter and Glastonbury to take the project into a wider area to consolidate and expand what has been learned to date
Facilitation skills training
As part of this project, facilitation skills training was offered in early 2011 for anyone who wanted to set up and run small local groups for personal and spiritual development. This was suitable for experienced facilitators or for people who wanted to develop the confidence to facilitate spiritual groups. Some conditions applied such as having the intention to run a local group after the training with the support of peers or experienced facilitators.
If you would like to get involved email Chrissy Holmes at chrissy.holmes@holisticmap.org or phone 07947 114553.
Some previous events held:
a day conference gathering and networking event was held on
SATURDAY 12TH MARCH 2011, 9.30am for 10am to 5.15pm
at Vassall Centre, Gill Avenue, Fishponds, Bristol BS16 2QQ
Who is behind the project
This project is a non-profit initiative of the Foundation for Holistic Spirituality (a community interest company) and the Wrekin Trust (an educational charity). More information about these organisations can be found at www.f4hs.org and www.wrekintrust.org .