As with all great things, behind-the-scenes, someone is intentionally, diligently working towards manifesting its creation.
Each year, a new Collective volunteer their hearts, minds and hands to create and hold space for the Annual Gathering.
Without them, quite simply, Men’s Nation would not happen…!
For details:
DAVE WILLIAMS
The Facilitator
Scheduling, Speaker Support, Holding Circles, Encouraging
I attended the inaugural MenFest in 2019, with zero experience in men’s circles but a desire to connect with likeminded brothers (and myself!) on a deeper level. From the very start, I was welcomed with open arms and left feeling rejuvenated.
My background in organising and breathing life into Tech Start-ups is a great fit from my role as the Steward of the West. I’ll be holding the Men’s Circle, organising and collating the performances schedule and harvesting all your amazing gifts and offerings. You’ll also find me dishing out free hugs, banging a drum and dancing around fires this August! I can’t wait!!!
JAY JACOBY
The Vision Holder
Overview, Acorn Support, Community Relations, Integration
Men’s Nation, and then MenFest, arose out of my commitment to make time to connect and co-create with other men, to relax, reflect, to play and to learn and challenge myself to see new perspectives and find new inspiration.
I aim for Men’s Nation to offer a model for sustainable, circular, community co-creation.
I currently North both the annual Collective and the year-round management of Men’s Nation through Circle of Circle CIC.
I am actively working toward my replacement!
ANDY WILLIAMSON
The Grower
Site Preparation, Arrivals, Security, Playfulness
SAM ADAMS
The Boundary Keeper
Registration, Medical Needs, Time, Agreements
MenFest changed my life when I attended in 2019. I arrived at the venue in a place of darkness and despair and was immediately greeted with acceptance, compassion, strength, and brotherhood. I knew I had found something special.
This year I’m looking to bring a new emphasis on the physical. This means more opportunities to play, to explore touch and boundaries. Think martial arts, but also massage. Think warrior fighting pits, wrestling, and anger. Think fooling, embodied pleasure, consent, safety, and sexuality.
SEBASTIAN GRZIMEK
The Hearth Holder
Facilities, Maintenance, Sustenance, Relaxation
My first MenFest was in 2021. I was going through a tough time and the love and connection I experienced was amazing. I found a place I can truly be myself and be accepted for all that I am, not just what I think others may want to see.
After working for 7 years as a support worker for young people I’m taking some time off work to rediscover myself and spend more time with my family.
The community I’ve found at MenFest has helped and nourished me all-year-round and been a massive part of me developing and strengthening my connection to myself, my loved ones, and other men.
IAN GREIG
The Witness
Pastoral Care, Heritage and Elders, Healing, Recording
I have had an interest in mental wellbeing and mindfulness for a number of years and am a Master Practitioner in NLP.
With my current employer, I created a Wellbeing Initiative and host a weekly meditation class over Teams. It is my goal to create a safe, inclusive environment within the company, so begin my Mental Health First Aid Certification shortly. I have previously been a Children’s Panel Member and participated in the MCR Pathways project – a mentorship program for secondary school children involved in the social care system.
I have always had a passion to help others!
ROB HIDER
The Dreamer
Creativity, Maker’s Area, Quiet Mind, The Liminal
I heard about MenFest in 2019, from Sam Adams, a true friend and Networker Supreme (see South).
I’m a queer/gay artist and singer, I note that straightness is always implicit, anything other has to me made explicit, born in 1965, father of two, living amicably with my Chilean compañera and mother of my young son.
Having moved behind a ‘contented’ mask for my much of my younger life while creating provocative art, the role of styling, visualising and decorating is very natural to me.
Life is short and unpredictable. My aim is to always love the Earth, to enjoy and encourage others to join me – in all aspects of the ride!
BLAISE PENNY-KIRKWOOD
The Boundary Keeper
Registration, Medical Needs, Time, Agreements
Wellness Entrepreneur, Space Holder and Performance Artist… Blaise aka “iAM13E/13eSpoke”
For ticketing, orientation and for finding your place at the festival, Blaise is your guy! From the time you arrive, I will be in the Welcome Tent giving guidance to get you settled.
The intention with this direction is inclusion, openness and to remind brothers that all of you is welcome. If you identify yourself as man, this is the place where you can be your whole self and I will be there to assist your landing.
FRANCIS CLARK
The Hearth Holder
Facilities, Maintenance, Sustenance, Relaxation
I am a man who is peeling back the layers of conditioning and trauma. It’s hard work, and sometimes I don’t feel like I have the strength, but after diving into men’s work, I’m discovering that the fellowship of brothers is what I had been craving, to hold my hand, literally and metaphorically, as I continue on this journey to be the best I can be.
In the SouthWest, my role is concerned with infrastructure. I love to build and fix things, and have an eye for detail, so I love being in this position. Forward planning is an area that I want to work on, for myself and those around me, and as the SW guardian, it’s a crucial part of the process. I’m looking forward to seeing you all in a field again, and will take great pleasure in providing you with the best facilities that I can source.
JIM LEPINGWELL
The Grower
Site Preparation, Arrivals, Security, Playfulness
MenFest 2019 was a momentous occasion for me. In a year full of challenge, I was introduced to a field full of men who were themselves. They were full of curiosity, courage, strength and compassion, along with tears, laughter and many, many hugs. It was the birthplace of some of the most authentic friendships that I have ever had the honour of being offered and a space to pour some love on older friendships.
I am a single Dad of three amazing beings, a Coach, Hypnotherapist and Gardener – That’s what I do, not my kids! They are mirrors, muses, teachers and tearaways.
My aim is to help businesses explore the route into regenerative models that harness the huge potential forces for earth-focused benefit that we possess.
Currently, I’m adventuring in the Shadowlands, trying to find the equatorial spot between Pompous Nob and Feckless Fool.
NICK MUSSELL
The Dreamer
Creativity, Maker’s Area, Quiet Mind, The Liminal
I am a founder member of the Collective and have enjoyed the experience of witnessing the gathering of so many conscious men! Modern society often offers a distorted image of how men ‘should’ be and I believe MenFest challenges this in the most powerful way.
I am a Director of the creative business – The Tanglewood Project. I am a Beekeeper, Artist, Silversmith and Teacher, I love British Sign Language and I have a Postgraduate Diploma in Youth and Community Work. I work regularly with the marginalised groups of young people and I am passionate about transforming lives by developing self awareness, creativity and nature connection.
PIERS CROSS
The Witness
Pastoral Care, Heritage and Elders, Healing, Recording
I am an author, transformational coach, workshop leader, artist, and singer. I specialize in working with men and teenage boys who are looking to release childhood trauma, boarding school issues or deal with stress or anxiety.
I also run a bi-weekly men’s circle where we focus on the mature masculine archetypes of the King, Warrior, Magician, Lover.
I’ve been to both MenFest gatherings and love the simplicity and the healing that happens in circles around a fire. I’m looking forward to supporting the healers and Elder’s Breakfasts at MenFest 2021.
May we find healing as men.
RAJNI PATEL
In my professional life, I work to ensure children and young people have access to an abundant range of creative experiences. As an artist, I love being with trees and making with wood, which historically in Devon has always been a strong element of our cultural heritage.
As a parent of 3 boys aged 9-19, I recognise there is an element of our current way of living that is missing in terms of of a lack of ritual and ceremony to mark the transitions from boyhood to manhood.
I got involved as a Producer of MenFest to be part of workshopping our way to creating meaningful celebrations, ritual and ceremonies to explore and embrace what healthy masculine could look like together, in this place.
DAN KNOWLSON
Dan Knowlson has been on an unfolding exploration of personal healing and growth for more than 2 decades.
Working with cacao since 2010, he makes award-winning raw chocolate goodies, teaches workshops, and holds cacao ceremonies.
Dan’s path includes fire and water through his training with sweat lodges, and re-connecting ever more with nature.
He has initiated as a New Warrior with the ManKind Project, and volunteers with Journeyman UK as a mentor to teenage boys.
Dan’s mission is… to bring change through connection to heart, nature, spirit and cacao!
DAVID SMART-KNIGHT
Following a thriving career as an IT consultant for 25 years, David has asked: ‘What does it mean to live sustainably?’.
This has resulted in studying & applying permaculture, shamanism, Non-Violent Communication, storytelling, teaching, social enterprise, running a smallholding, planting and managing coppice, making greenwood furniture, keeping livestock and holding ceremonies. All this is woven into a second career as an Environmental Educator, devising and delivering a European-wide Teacher Training Program, creating and piloting a sustainability curriculum for secondary, establishing two award-winning Environmental Education Centres and running eco-build projects as community empowerment exercises.
‘Sustainability’, he believes ‘is a completely inadequate ambition. What we actually need is regeneration, which, by necessity, requires both personal fulfilment and social justice.’
Between his deep-nature connection business, the complexities (and joys) of single-parenting two teenagers, David currently devotes most of his time to supporting the Regenerative Culture strand underpinning Extinction Rebellion.
COLUMB THOMPSON
I work in various different fields with the two main being, people and wood.
I have been doing carpentry ever since I could hold a hammer and over the years have honed my skills in creating pieces with function and beauty.
In the last five years, I have become interested in working with people and creating spaces where we can connect. I work for two different education organisations. WildWise, where we take people into nature and teach bushcraft and nature connection and ‘On The Hill’ a land-based learning centre near Exeter. These two places along with other work have given me the opportunity to increase my knowledge and ability in facilitating groups.
I look forward to holding a beautiful, wood-fired space at the festival.
FINN HOGGART
Hi! I’m Finn and I am going to be capturing the happenings in this wonderful event in the form of both video and photos.
I have been interested in photographs and making short films from a very early age and hope to turn it into a career.
I have also been playing guitar since I was young, so will do my best to provide some quality musical entertainment, too.
I am more than thrilled to have this opportunity and am honoured to be a part of this festival!
JASON BURNS
As a qualified counsellor and social worker, I’ve worked therapeutically with young people and adults for over fifteen years.
As a seasoned actor, I’ve written and performed a solo autobiographical theatre piece – my personal and transformational story of abuse and trauma.
I’ve been held in a men’s group for fifteen years, and been on the organising committee for Manifest, an annual men’s camp located on Dartmoor.
As I approach eldership, I am fully embracing my vulnerability, sensitivity, and power.
As I engage in a deeper connection to myself, my wife, and daughters, I envisage a thrilling possibility, an invitation for men to open up to their own potential, and for loving, authentic connections with other men, and women.
Transformation at a personal, and global level is possible, and very exciting!
JIM MARLOW
I’m a passionate advocate for sustainable food and have been cooking and living in communities which focus on this for the last six years.
I believe food to be the foundation of one’s physical and mental health and how we produce, distribute and consume it is fundamental to the health of our societies and the Eco-systems of our Earth.
GREEN TUCKER
Born in Barbados, and after a varied and well-travelled life, Green is currently rooting down in the South West of the UK, on the Dartington Estate, offering an array of skills, and gifts to share, to include:
Creative Director of Pollen Tribe Productions
Lead Singer/Songwriter of Avalon Roots
Producer, Performer and Selector at Honeyflower Sounds and Soundsystem
Session Musician and Sound Sculptor for artists including Tina Malia, Lua Maria, Dende, Susie Ro, Ayla Schafer, Three Feathers, Carrie Tree, Ayla Nereo, Olivia Fern and Murray Kyle.
Permaculture and Garden Designer with over 20 yrs experience.
An OPUS practitioner bringing music into healthcare settings.
'PIXI' PETE MICHEL
After years on the festival scene and at conscious/ecstatic dance events, Pixi Pete has really developed his own unique style, known for filling the dance floor with smiling faces and hands in the air. Pixi blends many genres with an intricate skill for making sleek waves of sound guiding the dance floor to crescendos, holding them close while dropping deep into the stillness. Incorporating live drumming into his sets adds crisp layers from Bongos, Djembe and a Korg Wave Drum – sure to get the hips moving. He is a resident DJ for Dance Medicine and Dance Church in Glastonbury, and has been chosen as DJ of Choice for Nine Lives’ Yoga Raves. Termed the Mind, Body and Spirit festival ‘Party Starter’ and having being fortunate to have travelled with his Decks throughout Europe, and even as far as Panama, he has gained a wide range of experience.
Always with a smile, inviting and with love, Peter holds a gracious, safe and transformational space for embodiment.
RICH McCOY
I was born in the UK and raised in the African desert by Bushmen. Okay, that might be a stretch – My parents were from the UK, but I did grow up shaking Kalahari sand out of my shoes. And, I think I’m a better man for it.
Something about those vast open expanses and the untamed animals has given me what some might call a wild and unlimited outlook on life.
I then got lost in the world of corporate design for over 20 years, both here in the UK, and in Australia and New Zealand. But now am free and I do a mix of freelance user experience and design work, fine art, mentoring and coaching creatives, vegan cooking and helping out my partner in her pottery studio in Frome.
SIMON BRAMWELL
He’s also a member of the Medicinal Order of the Hyena, a radical magickal coven.
He believes that these hard times ask of us to do, what love requires in the most profound ways and that only by exploring what it means to be part of the living universe, can we even start to approach the question of what it means to be human at a time when our very existence as a species is in doubt.
WILL CRUZE
I’m Will, from not-so-sunny seaside Somerset, I now currently live wherever I’m working.
Working within Wildlife Rehab while in my younger teens, I decided to aim to live a more nomadic lifestyle. I wanted to travel the country doing as many interesting things, in as many interesting places, with as many interesting people, as possible.
This has led to me to the festival circuit, where I can be found working with teenagers, running workshops and demonstrating crafts and activities. I also act as Aid Steward and Volunteer Coordinator.
In my general life, I spend some time teaching Circus Skills in schools as well as travelling and woofing. I am vegan, I love art and I eat a lot of celery.
TIM HALL
Tim is a one-to-one and group facilitator who has been practicing healing and self development since 1992. He has worked extensively with individuals, mixed gender groups and men’s groups, including 11 years as an active member of the ManKind Project, a global organisation focusing on modern men’s initiations, self-awareness and personal growth.
He is certified, and practising, in Transformational Breathwork, Spiritual Healing and Reflexology, and has completed his Shadow Work training with final certification due this year.
Tim is a natural beekeeper who has taught bee-first natural beekeeping for 10 years as a gateway into nature connection. His work is a reflection of his own path, and is founded on the creation of safe and supportive spaces where each individual is welcomed just as they are in each moment.
