Sustainable Support

Haiti Earthship featured on CNN

russell — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 23:30:25 +0000

The H.E.L.P. has made some wonderful mass media coverage. Please take the time to read the article and watch the video BUT also be aware that the CNN reporting journalist made a very major error in announcing that the project was ‘for profit’. This is absolutely and vehemently false. The project is all detailed in our Bank section and you can also access an excel spreadsheet that shows the breakdown. We will also soon be publishing a further breakdown of all the spends in Haiti. Including how much the Haitians themselves were paid for learning to build their own sustainable homes !!!

For the CNN link click here.

Posting again soon !!!

Derby Evening Telegraph Article Link

russell — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:19:53 +0000

After returning from a hugely successful trip in Haiti with the Earthship team, Luke Nichols was interviewed by a reported at the Derby Evening Telegraph. Click here to read the article.

Luke will be bringing more to light with regard to his trip. Till then you can read his blog here.

Haiti Trip Update 3 !

russell — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 11:50:23 +0000

Well the Earthship crew have left Haiti over the weekend, but not before finishing the Earthship there and leaving room for far more development on the H.E.L.P. front.

We received a £1000 donation from David Barnes two weeks ago, which unbeknown to him at the time, was vital for Michael, Luke and the team to carry on their work and also pay the Haitians some small wages for working with them !!! You can watch some short videos at the Earthship Biotecture Facebook Page here.

Also please click here to see Michael’s latest letter of thanks, and a very big shout and thanks to Dave Barnes for the donation. The project would have stalled without it !!

And once again thanks to all that have donated !! Once we have ascertained the whole debrief on Haiti we will post the information up here asap.

Blessings to you all x

Haiti Trip Update 2 !

russell — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 21:07:43 +0000

Hi there guys … well things seem to be happening over there … here are a couple of video links to share. Be wonderful if you could pass them around !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D80NzHXVsNQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U60krYYG8tA&sns=em

Also you can sign up and like the Facebook site for Earthships … Earthship Biotecture . There is more information and a link to the videos.

And remember our chap Luke is out there (he’s the blonde one in the videos) … so please if you can sign up to his blog and get the news as and when he posts.

http://lukenicholstravels.blogspot.com/2011/01/haiti.html?spref=fb

Till the next update x

Haiti Trip Update – H.E.L.P. (Haiti Eco Living Project)

russell — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 15:12:38 +0000

Michael and his team, including Luke, will shortly be heading to Haiti to undergo the next stage of what is now being called the Haiti Eco Living Project or H.E.L.P.

There is hope of acquiring some land to build Earthships that will be able to house upto 32 people with facilities. And the idea is to then start a chain which will lead to the development of more and more of these structures to offer a solution to all of Haiti.

To watch a short video detailing the basics of the plan click here.

The £2908 that Luke raised has been used for Luke’s trip, accomodation, food and towards the project. Please click here to read a letter of thanks from Michael.

To see how things are in Haiti we recommend you read this news article by the Independent on Sunday. It should highlight the major issues the Haitians are facing one year on. We live in hope that Michael and his team will the have the desired effect and that the incredible number of tent dwellers will shortly be looking at a potential long term solution to their housing plight.

We send our best wishes, love and blessings to Michael and his team, and all the Haitians. Please join us in this !

MICHAEL RECEIVES FUNDS FROM SUSTAINABLE SUPPORT !!

russell — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:35:28 +0000

Well after almost one year, we have achieved what we set out to do in January. We raised a total of £3000 which reached Michael in early November. This converted to $4636.79, and was critical to Michael and his team reaching Haiti in January. Click below to read Michael’s response to our donation.

Signed Sustainable Support letter

As you can read, the funds are going a long way, and we truly have achieved what we set out to !!

We would like to take this opportunity to say thanks to all those who have supported and donated to us over the year. We look forward to working with you over 2011, and hope we can raise even more to support Michael, and some other projects which we now have in the pipeline.

Below are two pics of the work that Michael will be doing in January (with our very own Luke Nichols in tow !!!)

Overhead Plan for Haiti Earthship at Grassroots Compound

Overall Sections for the Haiti Earthship at Grassroots

Luke in TAOS !

russell — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:09:49 +0000

For those who remember, our first volunteer, Luke Nichols, flew out to Haiti in Early October to become an Intern at Taos, New Mexico, where Michael Reynolds Earthship Biotecture community is based. Luke has been learning the ins and outs of building an earthship and experiencing the very hard work that goes with it. For a recap on how Luke raised the money to go out there click below :

Luke’s Fundraising Success

Luke raised a mammoth £2908 for his trip ! We will soon be detailing the financial information regarding his trip for all who donated to see.

Luke has a blog that you can check out to keep up with his travels. You can find it here :

Luke’s Blog

We also have just received the incredible news that Luke will be going out to Haiti with Michael and his team in January !!!! More on that to follow ….

Till then here are some taster photos of Luke’s travels.

The sheer beauty of Earthship Biotecture

Inside an Earthship

Outside an Earthship

Luke getting those bottles in place !

Luke grafting at pounding tyres !

A good home for all those wasted cans of coke/beer !

H.I.V.E. - Home for Interns, Volunteers and Employees - Luke's home whilst out in Taos

A beautiful shot showing up the glass element of an Earthship

Everest Climb Fundraiser Event – HUGE SUCCESS !!!

russell — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 12:32:21 +0000

The Fourteen Climbers and some associates at the Alter Rock Climbing Centre

The climbers surveying the walls

On Sunday 12th September 14 people took part in a fundraising event for Sustainable Support. The aim was to climb 6000 metres, which is the distance from Lukla Base Camp to the tip of Mount Everest ! This distance averaged out at 54 climbs per person.

The great news is not only did they succeed in their goal, but they were enjoying themselves so much they climbed a total of 8850 metres !!! This meant several of the participants climbed 80-100 climbs in total. One of the participants climbed a vertical km all by herself, which was 112 walls !!! The youngest climber, Amaia Brooksbank, aged 9, climbed 16 walls !!!

Overall over £2000 was raised !

A view from the bottom of one of the walls

One of the participants, Luke Nichols (who climbed 100 walls) is leaving for Taos, New Mexico in early October to be Sustainable Support’s first volunteer to join Michael and his team and take up an internship to learn about Biotecture and Earthships.

Tom Leech and Luke Nichols getting ready for a climb

We would like to thank all the climbers who took part to make the day such a success. We would also like to thank the staff at the Alter Rock Climbing Centre for being so helpful and supportive of what we are aiming to achieve.

We wish Luke the greatest of Luck and will have an update on the website as soon as possible as to the details of Luke’s trip, plus a link to his online blog where people will be able to keep up with what he’s experiencing and learning.

Everest Endurance Climb Fundraiser

russell — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 18:52:57 +0000

A group of climbers will be put to the test as they climb six thousand vertical meters – the height from Lukla base camp in Nepal, to the peak of Everest! The event will take place at Alter Rock climbing center on Sunday, 12^th of September.

L - R : Damon Hague, Hopeton Gordon, Russell Davison, Luke Nichols, Shane Nicholson and Darryl Powell

Luke Nichols, 18, has organised the event to raise money for Sustainable Support to pass to Michael Reynolds and his team for their Haiti trip this October. You can find out more about Michael’s Trip to Haiti in October here. Fully supporting this event are ex-Derby County footballers, Darryl Powell and Shane Nicholson (pictured above).

Luke intends to raise as much as possible and in turn will be our first volunteer to go to Haiti and help Michael and his team. The plan is that Luke will go to Taos and spend a few days with the ‘Garbage Warriors’ before then heading out with the team to Haiti to help build some sustainable housing. Luke will then return to the UK and be equipped with the skills to pass on some of the basic understandings of Earthship Biotecture. This will then enable us to start training more people locally and have a team of volunteers that are able to react quickly to disaster situations anywhere on the globe, and pass on the knowledge of sustainable earthsihip biotecture.

Luke Nichols and Darryl Powell scale the climbing wall at Alter Rock Climbing Centre

Without a doubt a challenging time is ahead for Luke as the work will be hard and challenging. We wish Luke the very best of luck and look forward to reporting here on his time with Michael and all that he has learned.

We are also actively looking for more volunteers to take up the challenge and join Luke over in Haiti. If you are interested please contact us at hi@sustainablesupport.co.uk.

QUENCH ! An Evening of Derby’s Finest Musical Talent !

russell — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 21:45:58 +0000

Come along and join us it promises to be an night to remember !!