UPDATE: 14th MAY 2026 - Please scroll down to GoFundMe's 'Update' section for Jake's most recent sharing and update on where he's at in his ongoing journey of recover and healing ❤️

Note/Edit: We don't know what the exact final cost of Jake's care will be. As such, although we have amazingly reached our £8k goal in just a few days, further donations are most welcome and appreciated and will help cover platform fees as well as additional care if needed. Jake has committed to donating any funds left at the end - half to the Findhorn Community Care Circle, and half to a Glasgow charity that provides financial support to people who don't have 140+ people in their community able to donate money." - More details in the most recent update, below!

On March 7th, Jake Jay-Lewin - our dear friend, brother, son, communitarian and all-around delicious human being had a bicycle accident which left him laid up in Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Glasgow with two broken vertebrae, missing and damaged teeth, and eight stitches in his face amongst other injuries. Jake is blessed to have survived and is now recovering at home facing a long journey ahead.

We have set up this Gofundme to gather and offer our loving support to this dear man as despite there being a lot of free care in the UK, the immediate and future costs are already mounting. Contributions of all sizes will be most welcomed and appreciated. The funds will go towards covering the direct costs of Jake’s recovery as well as mitigating some of the impact of his current inability to work with any leftover funds being donated to a similar causes trusted by Jake

For a more detailed breakdown of what happened and why we’ve launched this crowdfunder, please continue reading.

Jake is super lucky to have no spinal cord injury, despite one of his vertebrae having a stable but severe “burst fracture”. He also had a bleed on the brain - again miraculously without causing lasting harm. Beyond that, he’s got smashed and missing teeth which will need lots of dental care, and multiple cuts and bruises on his face and body. He is suffering from soft tissue damage in his neck which he needs to be particularly cautious about, although he is lucky not to have more severe tendon damage despite the doctors’ initial concerns.

Jake spent 11 days in hospital, a week of which he was immobile in a spinal bed and neck-brace, and full of painkillers and stitches. His amazing medical team are predicting he’ll eventually make a full recovery. The physical part of which is predicted to take 4 - 5 months, with some of the rehab to enable full health lasting longer. His dental work will continue for 6 to 9 months.

Jake is lucky to live in a country with free medical services and some government social support, but not for all of the costs of dealing with an injury this serious. We'd love to give Jake a chance to feel supported and held, able to focus on his recovery and provide with a small cushion as he works to heal himself and reestablish his livelihood in the best way possible.

We are aiming for £8,000 to support Jake throughout this time. This will ensure that he does not need to worry about his financial commitments, he is enabled to acquire the rehabilitative treatments he needs, and is able to focus 100% on his recovery and getting back to his fullest health. Here are some details on what your gifts will go towards:

Healing

Most medical care is free in Scotland, but dental care is not - and Jake needs serious work on several teeth, including an implant, bridge or other solution for those that broke or fell out. We wanna see him smile again, this work alone could cost £2500 or more. Much of the additional rehabilitation he will need is also unfortunately not available on the NHS, including things like physical therapy, massage or craniosacral therapy (~£80 per session), access to facilities and equipment to support his body heal, as well as mental and emotional healing and support to deal with the non-physical impact of the trauma. Some of this is available on the NHS but the waiting times are too long - he needs to start rehab now to have the best chance of a full recovery.

Living costs

Jake has been told that he needs to be extremely careful as he heals as the process is sensitive due to the nature of his injuries - this news sadly underlines the fact that he will be out of action for a while and will need to be conscious and careful about his work & life-load for some time.

Jake needs to cover rent and bills at approximately £800 per month, food and essential needs to last through the recovery period and a bit beyond. Jake is self-employed and relies on himself to both work and line up more of it. This means that a break in capacity has long-term effects since there is no work waiting for him when he gets back - he has to be well enough to line up clients before starting to earn again.

The accident has come at a time where his current work contracts were coming to an end Jake has applied for government-backed benefit, but this will be grossly insufficient to cover his expenses - let alone his rent. Why? Partly because of the reality of being self-employed in the UK, but also because, as most of us know, Jake spends many weeks per year volunteering for the things he believes in rather than focusing on his own financial gains.

Jake only recently moved to Glasgow where he is living in a cooperative housing project: a testament to his communitarian ethics. Known globally for his tireless voluntary work and support of networks and projects ranging from Ecovillage Findhorn, the Global Ecovillage Network, the world’s most patient tech support, and creating gatherings that build joy and community - his presence and energy carries the room, his friends, his many communities, and the bigger goal of a socially and ecologically just world for everyone.

Practical support

On top of the above, there are considerations such as having the means to travel to and from medical appointments, replacing his bicycle, and many other needs that we can’t anticipate at the moment as he begins his healing journey.

Calculating the funds he will need to get the necessary treatments, it is unlikely there will be leftover funds from the £8,000. However, Jake has committed that if there are, he will donate the remaining gifts to the Findhorn Care in Community Circle which provides resources and coordinates services for care in the Findhorn community, or another fund which supports those in a similar position to his now.

Please give what you can to enable Jake to get fully back on his feet and into beaming health. Let’s hold the vision that with this support he is able to come out of this likely extremely challenging time stronger than even before the accident, both internally and physically. This support can enable Jake to witness the loving gifts flowing to him - the power of community - Love in Action - and to offer a very real example of the values that he himself holds so within his heart: that through community coming together we are truly never alone, always supported and held.

Thank you, on behalf of Jake and his family