Like many people in these ‘interesting’ times, our family has been going through many difficulties, disappointments and high levels of change. On Friday of this last week, we were due to finalise our sale of Badarroch House in Scotland and to progress our purchase of the Linhay in Rattery, which was to become our new base in South Devon. In late July we were ‘gazundered’ by our buyers and only agreed to their unreasonable demands for a £30,000 reduction, in order to finalise the sale and enable us and Living Spirit to move forward with our eco project. Then on Friday, just as the contract was due to be signed, our buyers withdrew because ‘they couldn’t make up their minds’. This, after months of expensive legal work, surveying and suchlike…we even let them stay at Badarroch House on a donation basis as part of the sale and withdraw weeks for their own use as future owners… because we trusted them and believed in their good intentions, including their expressed wish to continue to make Badarroch available for retreats.

Words cannot express how much stress and suffering we have endured over these months, in addition to the thousands of pounds in fees and lost income. But this is not just about our personal suffering. One of our buyers is a doctor, the other a Karuna Institute trained psychotherapist. These are people I would expect to be committed to ‘do no harm’ and to deal with others with awareness and compassion. Whereas, not only have they harmed our family but more importantly, the work of Living Spirit. Many people have visited and stayed with us over the years…in times of crisis and need and when looking for rest, renewal or fresh inspiration. Our residential facilities, groups and counselling service have made their own small contribution to ‘mending the world’ but now we find ourselves stopped in our tracks.

I am sure that soon we will rally and find new ways forward, but for now it is with great sadness that I have to report the still birth of all our hard worked plans for a new retreat base. Please hold us in your hearts and prayers, as we hold all who in their own ways face an uncertain future.