Mandala Yoga Ashram - Sustainable Energy Project

Hi,

We are hoping to raise £30,000 towards a new biomass boiler here at the ashram, which will mean using less oil and more renewable energy sources. We hope to provide as much of this energy as possible ourselves from our own woodland and will be planting 2000 trees this year to start the process. More will be planted in future years, with the trees being coppiced to create not only a continuous supply of wood, but biodiversity in terms of plants and wildlife. We're hoping to raise a further £2000 to pay for the new trees, which will be a mix of hazel, willow and cherry.

The total cost of the boiler installation will be around £93,000, which includes the purchase of the boiler itself, all pipe work, shipping containers to house the equipment, and a tariff. The tariff still has 12 years to run and will bring in around £7,000 a year for these 12 years. In addition, not consuming oil will lead to annual savings of around £7,000 p.a. This means we should be able to recoup this investment by around 2030.

We are really excited about this project, and hope you will be too. Effectively carbon-neutral, this new heating system will put the Ashram on a far more sustainable footing for the foreseeable future.

However, the investment will initially take up around 66% of our available reserves in one go, leaving us potentially more vulnerable in the years leading up to 2030. In addition to this project, there are also other necessary renovation projects to be undertaken in the near future, such as replacing the two dilapidated on-site caravans and maintaining the Ashram access track. Hence this appeal for some much-needed support during a period of fundamental improvement and change.

We are suggesting choosing one of 3 donation amounts, but will appreciate anything you can afford:

1. if you are blessed with money at present, perhaps £250.

2. if you are struggling for money at present, yet still wish to give, maybe £25

3. if you're in the middle, perhaps £100

Please share this appeal far and wide.

A huge heartfelt thank you in advance

The Ashram Team

If you'd like to find out more about the ashram, you can visit our website www.mandalayogaashram.com