It all makes sense!

25th January 2012 by

Felicity, of our Wild West ’09 cycle tour, talks about how Otesha has influenced her & the exciting new projects she’s been inspired to work on since!

Summing up how Otesha has influenced me is actually quite hard, simply because it has, in a bigger way than I could ever have imagined.

Back in Dec ’08 I applied for the role of Tour Liaison for Otesha’s 2009 ‘Wild West’ cycle tour. In an instant I knew it was an exciting opportunity, incorporating several of my key passions: cycling, performing & environmental issues. Staring right at me was my dream project.

After a trip to London & friendly interview, they gave me the role of Tour Liaison for Wild West ’09 (a 6-week tour of Wales from June-July).  10 days later I was flying to India to volunteer for 11 weeks, including time spent with The Centre for Tribal & Rural Development, a world away from the UK & all it has to offer. This was my second trip abroad volunteering in Tribal villages, having previously done so in Costa Rica. Understanding & knowing how a community can survive with no running water or electricity is humbling; add that to the daily threat of disease, poverty & natural disasters and suddenly I can no longer complain if I break a nail!

The Wild West Tour took me to some of the most beautiful & scenic places in Wales. Starting in Machynlleth we worked our way south along the coast, finally stopping in Merthyr Tydfil, an area of high deprivation & unemployment.

My memories of Wales & The Otesha Project filled me with such a warm sense of happiness it brings a huge smile to my face writing this. For six weeks the sun shone, the hills loomed & happiness followed wherever we went. I want to say it was tough & physically demanding but if it was, I don’t remember.

I do remember all the random places we slept – barns, fields, church halls & strangers’ houses. I remember all the friendly & kind people we met who humbled & inspired us. I remember rivers, fields, forests, towns, cities & the sea. I can’t decide if seeing dolphins in Aberystwyth, coasteering off St Davids or staying on a permaculture farm was my favourite experience – in fact it all was. Even the hills.

I’ve made friends for life, seen things that will stay with me always & proved to everyone that it is possible to get a tan in Wales.

And so life goes on. After Otesha I was filled with a feeling of great satisfaction as if it all suddenly made sense & I knew what I wanted to know. My next project was with a theatre Company called ‘Stuff & Nonsense’ working as a creative assistant for their new show ‘The Enormous Turnip’.  I had another incredible experience working on this show & even to this day, the reviews keep coming in thick & fast with the latest informing us that it was Jackson’s Lane best selling Christmas show in their 35 year history.

As a firm believer in everything happening for a reason, I found myself going on yet another journey after this, although this time as ‘Youth Arts Development Manager’ for Hampshire Museums and Galleries Trust, working on a specific project called The EDGE Project; Engage, Discover, Generate, Enthusiasm.

I was chosen to lead a three year programme of events, exhibitions & performances for & by young people in various locations across Hampshire. The brief was as broad as I wanted it to be – I’m given freedom to deliver & create what young people want to do & see in these venues. I’ve hosted band nights & exhibitions, music workshops & fashion projects.

But by far my most important & biggest project to date has been GreenSpace. A couple of my young volunteers came to me with an idea to create an allotment. My ears instantly pricked up with excitement as I knew the idea had room to grow (excuse the pun!).  I approached a local Art Gallery I was working with & GreenSpace was born.

November 2010 saw our first day on site clearing an area covered in brambles at the back of the venue. 26 people turned up to help the first day. After that it was planning & implementing the next stage.

The young people designed it to look as creative as possible, as well as having full disabled access & being practical. Donations were sought from all over the local area, including 32 planks, 20 tons of soil, various plants, child friendly wood chip & 2 compost bins. Subsequent donations saw us add to site with water butts, as well as being able to purchase tools for volunteers.

Over the course of 2010 we engaged with around 300+ people. We ran maintenance days, planting days, green workshops for children & young people. We had an extensive launch & registered as part of the Eden Project’s Big Lunch-with every event operating a ‘Bring n’ Share’ Lunch. We held a green exhibition, with 120 young people from the area exhibiting their green work. A harvest Supper & Art Cracker event saw us through to the end of the year & on to 2012.

We have now started our second site at a local art centre, with our next day planned for a few weeks’ time. We received more donations & funding to expand & are planning many more sites for the future. We’ve helped to educate young & old about gardening, sustainability, recycling, growing your own & much more. (Check out GreenSpace’s Facebook and Twitter.)

To ask whether Otesha influenced me in shaping this project? I can safely say, 100%, it most definitely has.

If you’re feeling inspired to join a six-week Otesha world-changing adventure you can find out more and apply here. See you on the road!

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Leah's cycle tour tales

14th December 2011 by

A guest blog from the lovely Leah Kirby of Tartan Trail 2011. Find out what motivated Leah to join an Otesha adventure, and the impact it’s already having on her life just a few short months later.

Otesha had been a long time coming; during my years at university I had been involved and committed to a number of projects with the Permaculture Society and worked for the conservation charity the Fairyland Trust. Several friends had taken part in previous Otesha Tours and I was totally intrigued by the challenges of a cycle tour adventure, communal living and performing! In my daily life I enjoyed trips to the allotment, used my bicycle to wheel around the city and recycled at home. I even made my own draught excluder dog called Trev!

But for me what was integral to my motivation for coming on tour was the opportunity to facilitate educational outreach – to work with and mobilise young people to make them aware of the impacts their choices had on the world around them.

I was a bit overwhelmed by the thought of performing and leading workshops in the school, but by the end of the Training Week I not only found myself playing the lead role in the play, but also kitted out with lots of fantastic skills in workshop facilitation, consensus decision-making, conflict resolution, public speaking, essential bike maintenance and was updated with some sustainable know-how from the trusty Otesha Handbook and numerous discussions on anti-oppression, organic food and wind-turbines!

Before we knew it our Tartan team were wheeling into Edinburgh to start our mammoth journey across the Scottish hills and through the twinkling lights of the cities.  Indeed living 24/7 with twelve others can make for a bumpy ride, but by working together using consensus and open discussions we managed to work through the problems we encountered.

Running the workshops turned out to be LOADS of fun and the young people we worked with were delighted and engaged with both the play and workshops, the teachers would tell us how amazed they were that the children had been completely absorbed in the adventures of Gilly. It was also extremely rewarding to receive such high praise after the workshops with one child shouting out ‘It was fandabudosi!!!’

When I think about the impact tour has had on me, I realise how much confidence I have gained public speaking coupled with developing sensitivity to dealing with people. I am currently searching for work and I find myself far more confident when meeting new people or facing a nerve-racking interview. I have also noticed the difference in my physical fitness and how much more energy I have to complete daily tasks as well as continuing to enjoy cycling everyday! I also am trying my best to avoid big supermarkets opting for the local green grocer and finding seasonal and where I can organic produce, as well as getting my staple grains/tins from workers co-operative initiatives.

Being a tour member has inspired me to get the wheels rolling for my own project ideas, which I hope to make a reality – it now feels far more possible with the help and support that is available from the Otesha Team and Alumni Support.

I wish to work with a friend who specialises in textiles to run workshops to unravel and reveal the processes at play within the textile industry, developing a series of workshops that stand up against throwaway culture by re-conceptualising daily objects and utilising reclaimed fabrics and traditional craft processes.

I was directly inspired by the fashion workshop on tour and the need to share my love of making tetra-pak wallets! It was also a visit to Starter Packs community initiative in Glasgow, which had a profound effect on me. Sarah and her loyal team found practical approaches to recover the symptoms of social marginalisation ­– poverty and homelessness. By providing packs for individuals going into new homes, basic items that we generally regard as fundamental to a dignified standard of living.

So not only was the organisation a benefit to people, it was coupled with awareness to the environment as most of their furniture, fabrics and crockery had been donated, reclaimed and thus recycled. It was the textile studio at the back of their store that captured my imagination – the piles of beautifully textured/patterned reclaimed fabrics – which had me desperate to grab some scissors, a needle and thread and get crafting!

Without my two-wheeled Otesha journey and meeting so many inspirational people from many walks of life, what I might have thought of as just a dream has transformed into a feeling of empowerment – to recognise my ability to carve out my own path and help to create the more sustainable world I wish to see.

Summer 2012 Cycle Tour applications are now open – find out more and sign up here.

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Your creativity can save it from landfill!

5th October 2011 by

This month we’re challenging you to get creative and breathe new life into some poor thing destined for landfill.  The options are endless, but here are some ideas to start you off.  Once you’ve finished crafting email us pictures of your masterpieces to iona@otesha.org.uk.

Friends of Otesha are likely to know that we turn quite a lot of these…

into these…

But even after we’ve made tetrapak wallets for ourselves, friends, mums, dads, distant cousins, dogs, and cats, and shown every child we meet on cycle tours how to do the same, there are still more tetrapaks around than we can justify turning into wallets.  So, what’s the most weird, wonderful, and also useful tetrapak creation you can invent?

Tetra paks aren’t the only tricky things to recycle though – this monthly challenge came into existence when Hanna was hunting around for something to do with her old light bulbs, and stumbled across a blog full of innovative ways to use those old lightbulbs.

And so this becomes a double challenge, not only are we asking you to save stuff from landfill (or landfill from stuff) and get creative – here’s a gentle little prod to change your light bulbs too.  It’s pretty tough to get hold of bog standard light bulbs these days, so if the only ones you can lay your hands on are still burning away above you as you read this, take ‘em out and switch ‘em for something a little more energy efficient, then you can get crafting (please wait for the bulbs to cool down first!).

Bonus points if you can incorporate tetrapaks and light bulbs!

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Tartan Trail – The Finale

27th September 2011 by

The long feared cycling day proved to be wet and challenging from the start- perhaps due to the tail-end of a certain hurricane (cheers America).  We lost Colin very early due to an exploded tyre (don’t worry, we found him again!) as we headed over the mountainous moors in gale force winds and driving rain. It was hard to keep eyes open in the rain, however we managed to keep our spirits high by singing silly songs (ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIIIIIFE!) and making impromptu and secret stops to tea rooms. Luckily, no-one was swept away in a cyclone and we all made it, limbs intact, to the Allanton Peace Sanctuary just outside of Dumfries.


Looking rather wet and bedraggled we chanced upon the lovely Glenda, and later on Uma, who ran the Peace Sanctuary. Taking pity upon us Glenda ushered us into the Sanctuary’s rather lovely mansion and very very very kindly gave us all beds in dormitory rooms usually housing groups coming to work on various social, environmental and philosophical aspects of peace. She later told us she wouldn’t have been able to sleep if we were all out camping in the hurricane! Equally exciting we were given the use of a really homely kitchen and dining room and… showers and a washing machine. So much luxury I almost cried. Our time in Dumfries was spent doing the usual Otesha activities – we performed at a primary school, and did workshops at a secondary school. This proved to be a bit scary as teenagers tended to have grumpy faces on, but we all agreed that the workshops were of utmost importance as the pupils were our target audience and tended to understand the themes a bit better, even if they seemed less engaged. We also had the honour of volunteering as marshals with the first stage of the ‘Tour of Britain’, a cycling race similar to the Tour de France. Despite a cold and wet wait certain people really enjoyed watching some rather fine pairs of legs whizzing past!! At the same time there were questions about whether the amount of support vehicles (30 vehicles for 90 riders plus whole police cavalcade) was wholly necessary.

We were all very sad to leave Glenda, Uma and all the others at Allanton Peace Sanctuary, but good times must come to end and we mounted our faithful steeds for our last cycle ride as a group (sniff sniff). And what a final ride it was! After leaving Dumfries we cycled south down the bird filled river and along the wild looking estuary. Long flat stretches provided gentle rides for some and racing tracks for others! After passing the infamous town of Gretna (no- there weren’t any Otesha marriages I’m afraid) we reluctantly passed into England and headed to Carlisle.

We arrived in high spirits to the tranquil organic farm belonging to the determined farmer Susan Aglionby, which was to be our final destination- a field to camp in, and a classroom in which to meet and cook. Susan runs the farm with the help of intern Emma, producing both cattle and lamb (which I’m told are very tasty from Colin, Arthur and Andres) but also runs environmental education and support work with young and vulnerable people.

The next morning we spent a lovely time in the local school. We decided to go all out in our finale performance, which resulted in numerous onstage giggles. Despite this the messages definitely came across and we all had A LOT of fun in the process!!! After the wonderful time in the school we returned to base for a walk around the farm with Susan. Despite some conflicting views on vegetarianism the whole group was very impressed by the amount of work she puts in to her organic venture. In return for her generous hospitality we did some work weeding her yard, aided by Colin’s music and discussions about how best to change people’s behaviour. That night many of us patronised the local pub to sample ale and take part in Mike’s pub quiz, quite unsuccessfully.

And so, the final day had arrived. A big sadness hung over the group, but I think everyone was looking forward to the future, whether it was seeing family and friends, starting new jobs, going on foreign adventures or getting back to their beloved rugby club. Iona from the Otesha office arrived to help us wrap up, giving feedback, sharing our experiences of tour and talking about our futures. That night the cooking team excelled themselves with a 3 course meal from around the world. Everyone dressed up in their finest exotic finery, played games and exchanged secret friend gifts, and reveled in each others company for the last time. The next day we all exchanged sad goodbyes, promises to stay in touch and all boarded trains to pastures new.

So here we are, it’s all over. I’m sitting in my parents’ warm and dry kitchen in Wales reminiscing about the amazing adventure we all went on. Of course there were low points – group conflicts, punctures, rain and boredom of porridge. However the highs far outweigh these. Lifelong friendships have been made, and experiences and lessons have been learnt. Thinking about the young people we have reached is phenomenal – hundreds of kids heard our messages about how little actions can have massive impacts in the world and will hopefully think about this as they grow up. Not only that but I think many in our group will really address the same issues in their own lives, whether it be eating organic food, obtaining recycled and second hand goods and clothes or buying fairtrade bananas. I’m just off now to catch up with some old friends so I shall have to leave it here. Will I be borrowing the car to drive the 2 miles to town like I usually do? Hell no! I’m gonna get on my faithful bike and cycle with the wind in my hair, reminiscing about all my two-wheeled adventures!

Thanks for following our blog! Love, Peace and Bicycle Grease! Over and out.

Luciana (Goose), on behalf on the Tartan Trail massive- Colin (Coljop), Dina Dino, Jenny Tree, Jenny A, Catherine (Hunter Gatherer), Kimberley (Eco), Zoe (Zo-ane), Leah (L-pop), Arthur (Arty), Andres and Lucy Colbizzle xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Many thanks to the Postcode Trust for their generous support of this project which has enabled us to reach over 1000 children and young people across Scotland.

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Tartan Trail – the penultimate journal entry (a.k.a. part 6)

27th September 2011 by

So we left you with tales of chips in Tupperware and big hills en route to Glasgow. On arrival we were greeted with great gusto by Roz and Alice who quickly showed us into their big cosy house. To top off their already fab welcome they cooked us all an amazing curry and introduced us to the ancient Glaswegian tradition of sock-wrestling (i.e. ripping off someone’s sock by any means possible). Andina bravely took on Arthur and unfortunately lost, although she took half of his sock along the way. Next day we attended a community sustainable transport event and had lots of silly fun trying to master the crazy bikes they had hired. After which we upped-sticks to Toryglen community centre where we pitched our tents outside then had dinner on a REAL table (!!) kindly laid and decorated by the owners of the centre. We had fine fortune to meet a former Oteshite Kerry.  She cooked us Cranachan, a traditional Scottish pudding that brings new life to porridge by adding whisky and (soya) cream.

Whilst in Glasgee we volunteered for an inspirational social welfare charity called Starter Packs, run by the upbeat Sarah. She and her team work tirelessly in a deprived area of Glasgow to provide support for people moving into social housing with nothing, upcycling furniture and providing other basic supplies. After a day working in their bustling charity shop and offices all were inspired by their ethos and passion for helping those on the edge of poverty.

During our time in Glasgow we delivered workshops and our ever-improving play to two primary schools in the local area, kindly organised by the fabulous sustainable community project Urban Roots. Fun was had by all, despite the occasional language problems (in Glasgow ‘why’ means ‘how’, which took a bit of explaining). We also visited a lively and enthusiastic Woodcraft Folk group in Scotstoun where we all amused ourselves recreating more ‘truthful’ enactments of adverts in our ‘Admania’ workshop.

I think everyone learnt a lot from Glasgow, especially working in more deprived areas where perhaps sustainable living is not top on people’s agendas. Despite the obvious problems the group was very motivated by the inspiring work of organisations such as Urban Roots and Starter Packs.

With this is mind we set off for a rather undulating ride to our next destination – Coalburn, an ex-mining community south of Glasgow. Despite some minor (or major) map reading errors and some very wet dejected Tartan Trailers, we were welcomed into the Talamh housing community, and very kindly given a warm and dry caravan to sleep in (it was a bit like sardine at bedtimes but we were very accustomed to each others snoring by now). Talamh is a community of around 15 people, housed in a house, caravans and trucks. It is an amazingly tranquil place with various organic gardens, woodland and fields. We were happily supplied with an outdoor kitchen, complete with a gas oven (!), sink and firepit- our host Anna and other residents popped by occasionally with homegrown veg and fruit, and freshly foraged mushrooms. The next day we all had a very well deserved day off. Some chose to explore the area on their two-wheeled steeds, some took a leisurely shower at the swimming pool, while others lazed around and did absolutely nothing in the rarely seen sunshine. The next day we performed and workshopped at the local primary school- which as usual went rather well. One kid swore “I’m never gonna buy a non-fairtrade banana again!”. Then, after a day of work exchange (plum picking and weeding) we all bedded down early for the longest cycling day yet- 50 (ish) miles to Dumfries.

T.B.C….

Many thanks to the Postcode Trust for their generous support of this project.

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Powershift 2011

2nd September 2011 by

Oct 7-9 Salford Crescent, Manchester

Fancy taking part in Power Shift – the UK’s largest youth event on climate change.

From 7-9th October 2011, join hundreds of young people in the heart of the industrial revolution in Salford, Manchester, to take part in Power Shift 2011.

Through a series of workshops, talks, training, a bit of a boogie and a Day of Action, you will be equipped with the skills and knowledge you need to be effective, innovative and engaging young leaders.

This years theme is green jobs and Otesha shall be there, with Hanna Thomas who coordinates the East London Green Jobs Alliance speaking on the panel.

Power Shift is the most important moment this year for young people who care about their future to come together. We invite you to take your place in history: attend Power Shift, and join the movement towards a clean, just future.

To volunteer or get your tickets head to their website.

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Moving Planet – Sept 24th

2nd September 2011 by

All over the world people are taking to the streets. March, cycle or skate and join the call for the world to go beyond fossil fuels.

Hop on to www.moving-planet.org to find an event local to you or even register your own one. They’ve got a great website with loads of resources and support, from printable posters, stickers and t-shirt graphics, through to guides on how to organise an event and get a whole school involved.

During the day Moving Planet will be delivering a clear and strong set of demands:
- Science-based policies to get us back to 350ppm
- A rapid, just transition to zero carbon emissions
- A mobilization of funding for a fair transition to a 350ppm world
- Lifting the rights of people over the rights of polluters
More details on the demands here moving-planet.org/demands

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The Third Epic Tartan Trail Tour Journal

30th August 2011 by

Why hello there, Tartan Followers

We last left you as we made our journey towards the big bright lights of Edinburgh. Whatever happened we hear you ask??

We were welcomed immediately by Ali (an Otesha alumni) and her other wonderful housemates. We rejoiced in sharing their very cosy house with them and pitched our tents in a higgildy-piggildy fashion in their garden. By the end of our stay most of us had migrated inside with our sleeping bags because of everyone’s generosity. We also enjoyed the rare luxuries: a stove, oven and easy access to a well needed shower.


We had traveled to Edinburgh as the Fringe festival was dominating the city, and the highlight of our agenda was that we were going to have our debut performance on the Royal Mile.  This prospect began to fill us all with excitement and fear and we got on with rehearsals, occasionally interrupted with thunderstorms and hail. Staying with Ali meant we were a short cycle ride away from the city centre so on the day of our first performance we donned our Otesha t-shirts and cycled into town, a tangible feeling of being a part of something bigger struck the group. The Royal Mile was bustling with performers all strutting their stuff and working hard to keep a crowd. We found our spot, did a classic Otesha energiser (the banana game!!) and started the day. Our energy was fantastic but given the setting we found we had passers-by strolling right through Gilly’s bedroom. We set to work on adapting the play to make it a bit more Fringe friendly.

We found help with this challenge from a surprise source – Ben- a friend of a housemate was keen to get involved and debuted his song ‘we’re all gonna die’. Some were dubious at first but the whole group became enthusiastic to the irony and we invited Ben to join our play and bring his musical talent.

Ben also brought the rain; the next day the rain poured down. But in true Tartan trail fashion we sang, acted and danced through it, having an amazing uplifting time.

We grabbed our free time where we found it and ventured out to see what else the Fringe had to offer. We found comedy, street performance and free events. Somehow we found time to also visit a city farm, a stark contrast to Whitmuir’s values and approach to farming. The city farm’s main purpose is to allow diverse groups to see animals in their environment.

We left Edinburgh with a fond farewell to our hosts, armed with an amazing herbal first aid kit from Ali, almost taking one of them with us for a jolly. We traveled over the Forth bridge and to new ventures. We spent our next night at the Ecology Centre and Earthship at Kinghorn Loch. Our home for the night was a yurt! A new experience for many of the group. The Ecology Centre was a project originally set up to engage young people with their environment, run by voluntary members of the local community. The earthship itself was the first of its kind in the UK, made from tyres to be super insulated, running on solar gain (no heating needed) and renewable energy.

After a night’s sleep in the yurt we embarked on some work exchange at The Ecology Centre to help out our hosts – weeding was their task of choice but weeding ragwort quickly turned into playing in a massively idyllic field by the sea with two very very cheeky ponies. Later that night the playing continued as we went to a BBQ of a friend of the centre. The vegan diet was not entirely maintained by all…

After the BBQ we cycled on a few short miles to Kircaldy, and took up residence in a vast church hall, we were all hyper at the thought of turning the rooms into bedrooms and again using the luxury of a kitchen. The mood was particularly high given the news that Arthur had got his A- LEVEL results and would now be going to the University of East Anglia (well done Arthur!!)…

Here we must leave our adventures but please read on in the next edition of the Tatarn Trail adventures! Love from Luciana Banana, Leah-Pop, Jenny Tree, Jenny A, Lucy Colbiz, Zoe, Kimberley (Eco), King Arthur, Colin-der, Dina the Dinosaur, Andres, and Catherine xxxxxxx

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Look behind you!

25th August 2011 by

We like our cycle tour members to stay safe and sound on the road.  We would wrap them up in cotton wool and bubble wrap, but that’s probably not very sustainable and definitely would get a bit sweaty.  So instead, we make sure they’re seen and can see….behind them.  But mirrors are notoriously difficult – they’ve been known to snap and end up being more of a hazard, or they just won’t fit on the handlebars in a place that allows you to see behind you!  They’re certainly no replacement for safely being able to check behind you for traffic, but they help!

Here’s a little blog from TravellingTwo.com all about which bike mirror to choose for touring, and why you should get one anyway:

A rearview mirror is one of the best things you can do to improve your safety while bike touring.

Just like in a car, a rearview mirror lets you see at a glance what’s coming up behind you, and react accordingly if a car is going too quickly, or not giving enough space as it passes.

Which mirror should you choose? Our favourite is the Take A Look mirror, but no single mirror is perfect for everyone. Some prefer helmet-mounted mirrors, others like a mirror that goes on the bicycle and in each category there are many different designs.

Click here to go straight to their blog and read about all the options…

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Tartan Trail Adventures: part two

23rd August 2011 by

Hello hello hello

Warm welcomes to the second installment of Otesha’s Tartan Trail adventure!  What a whirlwind training we had at the wonderful Whitmuir Organic Farm... Flooded out of our field within the first few days we relocated to our new home – a big dry barn, camped up near the pigs and later joined by an army of baby turkeys, who we’d helped herd into the neighbouring barn to tweet to us through the night.

We had a varied programme, from our first read through of the script, to conflict resolution workshops, to bike maintenance, to writing up our food mandate: what to eat and where to buy as agreed by the team.  Tartan Trailers will abide by a “flexigan” – flexible vegan – diet, buying as locally and organically as feasibly possible!

There was a whole lot of laughter and new friendships were made – including jolly moments jamming with guitars, a tambourine and our new friend Doug (a charming bloke in charge of Whitmuir’s livestock).

A highlight of the week was our first excursion with the trailers – off we tootled to Penicuik where we indulged in long hot showers (the first in FIVE days!).  Well… let’s make this an honest blog… two thirds of us indulged in cleanliness whilst the remaining four continued to delight us with their “natural” odours since bike repairs took priority. We certainly were smelly but happy campers.

Training week concluded with a magical day with Calu, Edd, and Iona who organised an impromptu treasure hunt, which had us running across fields, scouring chicken sheds, and creeping into a teepee, until we discovered an antique treasure chest filled with delicious fairtrade chocolate and a mysterious invitation to don our glad rags for a delightful dinner party, accompanied by instructions to bring along bike lights…

It is important to note at this point that the Tartan Trailers’ “glad rags” include face glitter, underwear over muddy trousers, “dresses” created from sarongs and many other exciting bits such as ….wait for it…a CLEAN shirt.

…De de dah….  and our team were bestowed with our upcycled Otesha t-shirts in an array of colours, followed by a jolly knees up and our very first one minute bike light disco!!!

Phewee – what a week! It was then a farewell to Edd and Iona, and a day off before the big pack up and goodbye to Whitmuir farm as we mounted our two wheeled steeds and swooped towards Edinburgh with our first performance at the Fringe in sight!

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