🌿 Help Us Take Create UP to Dartmoor – A Transformational Nature Retreat for 18–20 Year Olds

Crowdfunder target: £4,000

This April, we’re taking a group of young Bristolians aged 18–20 on a powerful weekend retreat to Dartmoor National Park as part of Create UP! – our intergenerational social action programme focused on climate resilience, creativity, and connection.

We’re raising £4,000 to cover the full cost of this 3-day experience: including travel, food, accommodation, facilitation, and the creation of a participant-led short film.

Thanks to four fundraising events and generous support from grant funders, we’re halfway there – and now we’re asking our wider community to help us cross the finish line.

🌱 What is Create UP?

Create UP! is a youth-led programme run by Mafia Weekend CIC, supporting 18–20-year-olds in East Bristol to build confidence, community, and creativity through storytelling, nature connection, and hands-on social action.

Since February 2025, participants have been meeting twice monthly to explore climate justice, community care, and how to turn eco-anxiety into hopeful action. The Dartmoor Trip (25–27 April) is a core part of this journey.

🏞️ Why Dartmoor?

Dartmoor offers the kind of space we rarely get in the city: room to breathe, reflect, connect, and dream.

Through guided walks, storytelling, practical outdoor skills, and creative reflection, participants will explore:

• Land access & countryside rights

• Navigation, safety & foraging

• Local myths & activism in Dartmoor

• Storytelling in nature

• Environmental justice & personal resilience

We’ll stay at YHA Dartmoor, with meals, shared cabins, and a full programme of guided experiences.

🎥 Storytelling & Film

We’re thrilled to be working with filmmaker Farhath Siddiqui (Siddiqui Media) to help participants document their stories and co-create a short film exploring what motivates change and how nature inspires action.

This film will be shared widely to celebrate young people’s voices and inspire others to engage in climate action and community building.

💸 Budget Breakdown – Total Cost: £4,000

We’ve already secured:

• £1,000 from Campaign for National Parks

• £500 from the Ernest Cook Trust

Funds raised through 4 community fundraising events

Now we’re raising the final £2,500 to bring the whole experience together.

Expense    Cost (£)

• YHA Accommodation & Catering    £1,000

• Videography    £700

• Editing (3 days)    £600

• Dartmoor Mountain Leader    £300

• Minibus hire (via Black2Nature)    £200

• Fuel    £100

• Embercombe Site Hire    £150

• Guest Facilitators (Mica, Gabriel, Jonny)    £550

• Coordination & Hosting (James)    £400

• Total    £4,000

🙌 Special thanks to David Partington, who is donating his time to drive the group safely to and from Dartmoor.

💬 Why It Matters

• This isn’t just a trip – it’s a rare opportunity for young adults to:

• Develop practical skills and emotional resilience

• Deepen their connection with nature and each other

• Find their voice through creative storytelling

• Be part of a movement building climate hope, not fear

✨ How You Can Help

Whether it’s £5 or £50, every donation gets us closer to Dartmoor.

If you can’t give, please share this campaign with your network.

Let’s get this incredible group out of the city and into the wild – to connect, reflect, and tell stories that shape the future.

Thank you for being part of the journey.

What People Are Saying

    “The Story Gathering was such a unique experience. I didn’t realise how much I needed a space like this to connect and feel part of a community. It’s given me hope.”

    — Sophie, Winchester attendee

    “The blend of storytelling, music, and incredible food was unforgettable. I left feeling inspired and ready to take action in my community.”

    — Yusuf, Soho attendee

    “I loved how welcoming and inclusive the event was. It felt like a safe space to share emotions about the climate crisis and find ways to contribute positively.”

Plans for 2025: Expanding Our Impact

In 2025, we’re taking The Story Gathering to four new cities across the UK. Each event will address the emotional toll of the climate crisis while providing practical tools and inspiration for community-led action.

Bristol (October 2025)

Returning to Bristol, we’ll share the outcomes of our year-long intergenerational climate action programme, showcasing stories of resilience and community-led change.

Tree Planting Expedition (February  2025) in collaboration with St Ethelburga's: centre for Reconcillitation and Peace.

A two-night, three-day adventure with young Bristolians at the UK’s first Organic Halal Farm in Oxfordshire, focusing on environmental stewardship and cross-cultural connections. We will planting over 150 native trees to encourage wildlife and protect soil. Details of the lifeline project can be found here.

Intergenerational Climate Action Programme (February-September 2025)

Funded by the #iwill Fund and SNG Housing, this 8-month programme will unite young people and elderly residents to co-create solutions for community climate related resilience, fostering intergenerational connections. #iwill Fund have awared Mafia weekend CIC £10,000 to create this community climate resilience project.

Our Vision and How We’ll Use the Money

Our vision is to inspire community-led action across the UK by reconnecting individuals with each other and the natural world through storytelling. We aim to:

• Address the emotional impact of the climate crisis through creative expression.
• Equip participants with practical skills such as food growing, tree planting, and renewable energy installation, and guide them toward specific regenerative activities in the local area to support the transition to climate-resilient neighborhoods.
• Empower underrepresented voices and celebrate diverse cultural narratives.

The Power of Storytelling to Transform Communities

With partnerships like the Climate Majority Project and the Association of Sustainability Practitioners, our work is rooted in collaboration and care. Stories from The Story Gathering will be shared nationally, creating a ripple effect of inspiration and action.

By supporting this project, you’ll help us create safe, inclusive spaces that empower communities to face the climate crisis with creativity, connection, and resilience. Together, we can inspire a future rooted in justice, equity, and care for our planet.

Join us on this transformative journey. Let’s build a movement of storytellers shaping the future.

Mafia Weekend CIC co-created a youth-led, participatory film in partnership with Thames Water and Backyard Nature, exploring climate anxiety and our relationship with nature.