“Housing is a basic human need and a home of your own should be within the grasp of anyone working full time, earning minimum wage, with ease!
Yet currently, buying a home (or even renting) is anything but easy.”
That’s where my head was at before I was given the idea for the Tiny Home Foundation (THF).
They say that necessity is the mother of invention; the same is true of the THF origin story. Back in 2019 I was at a crossroads; I knew that I needed to find something to devote myself to.
I’d spent decades having adventures, travelling extensively and learning. Not just about psychology, mechanics, sailing, fitness and many other things that have taken my interest over the years… Mostly I realise, I was learning about people.
I came to the conclusion that people are basically good.
Yet regardless of gender, age, race, religion or even financial position we all have broadly the same challenges and similar aspirations.
To be safe, happy, loved and contribute to the lives of those we care about. Now the mechanisms of how we each fulfil those needs is complex and will be different for each of us.
But a home of your own at least gives you sanctuary from the matrix, mental headspace to be free, to be yourself, be at peace and think clearly. From there, the rest may not be easy, but it’s certainly easier when you have that deep rooted sense of security, home and belonging.
That is something I have learned over twenty years of travelling and adventuring
and having now met people from all over the world. In short, I’d lived a lot of life since leaving home as a youngster, but now it was time to make a change and choose something to devote myself to and give back with everything I’ve got!
In my short but colourful life I’ve ridden and raced motorbikes, I’ve travelled as a freelance chef in working and living in exclusive hotels and fine dining restaurants all over the country, I had a restaurant that overlooked Loch Gilp in Scotland, I’ve created charity fundraiser events and volunteered for other organisations, I worked as an outdoor activities instructor in Scotland, I’ve lived aboard and refitted narrowboats, I’ve rebuilt motorbikes, written books and magazine articles, worked on some interesting classic cars and, and, and…
(You can read more about that on my personal website: whatadifferenceaDAVEmakes.com)
You know, those ‘little’ questions that sometimes have to take second place to the mundane things in life, like making a living or even surviving!
Long story short, I listened, I followed my intuition and made the bold move to sacrifice all ‘luxuries’ and give up my rented accommodation. That way, my meagre bank balance might last a few months instead of a few weeks.
Of course there are some awesome tales to share from my escapades over the years and one day they will be shared in their entirety in another book…
I had of course enjoyed getting stuck into and completing such big projects, but I knew that I had more to offer.
Something that would help others and give me a sense of direction and purpose that I’d been looking for since my earliest recollections of childhood memories.
Stressed out after having just left a job that was making me miserable, my intuition was screaming at me to take some time out/off. I needed time and mental ‘bandwidth’ to be able to think about a new direction and truly find my life’s purpose.
So what did I do? I went stealth-glamping!
I was renting a shipping container that I had set up the year before as an off-grid workshop for tinkering with cars and motorbikes.
Hidden amongst 150+ other containers, I strung up a hammock inside and I slept there. I already had solar power for LED lighting and charging my phone etc.
I used a camping stove for my morning coffee and showered daily at the local gym.
These sacrifices allowed me to step off the hamster wheel for a while and give me the headspace that I needed to think deeply about what I really wanted for the future. I had my large workbench in there, which doubled up as a desk, and my vision board instead of a window (told you it was stealth-glamping).
I spent the next two months brainstorming ideas, reading and researching, and making my temporary lodgings as comfortable as possible while creating space in my mind for inspiration.
Searching and striving for an idea that would tick all the boxes for what was most important to me.
As well as looking for a new direction I had also been reflecting (of course) on my own living situation and how ridiculous it was to have to go to such lengths just to be able to afford to take a short break from ‘the hamster wheel’ to think clearly.
Vision Board, Cold Nights & Helping Out A Friend Who Had No Bed For The Night!
It was all worth it of course, because on the 23rd of May 2019 I was finally given the inspired idea of building communities of genuinely affordable homes in the UK, in a BIG way.
OK, so now what?
That was the question I had to ask myself many times. This was such a HUGE idea that I could immediately see that it was not going to be a small undertaking. I knew that I would need time to develop the idea, to meet the right people to help me and that too was going to take time… So, two months in the hammock turned into eighteen!
Not that my savings lasted eighteen months – they lasted about three – but the universe was smiling on me and just when I was about to run out of money…
Not that my savings lasted eighteen months – they lasted about three
– but the universe was smiling on me and just when I was about to run out of money…
My father reached out to ask if I would come and help him by working part-time at the marina where he worked, as they were short-staffed.
My father reached out to ask if I would come and help him by working part-time at the marina where he worked, as they were short-staffed.
This would give my dad proper days off and would generate just enough income to cover the basics as long as I remained stealth-glamping in my container.
Because staying in the container meant that I could afford to work part-time (rather than full-time)
which meant that the rest of the time I could work on developing the Tiny Home Foundation…
The last three years have been invested in making connections, finding (or creating) the pieces of the puzzle to help crystallise the initial ideas into the model presented to you in this website.
Now we are ready to begin moving things forward into physical reality, but we need your help to do that.
Many of the people we have connected with (or that have found out about what we are doing) are now part of the team behind the project and/or avid supporters of our vision for change!
We can help eachother…
If you are just learning about our mission, then perhaps the above has served to demonstrate the dedication to this project and if what you have just read resonates, wonderful. What we are co-creating may be exactly what you have been looking for!
Ultimately, as a species, we have evolved to create a model built on the exploitation of those with limited means. It should not matter how old, young or broke you are…
We should be helping each other, not exploiting each other, certainly not when we are talking about basic human needs (water, food, shelter).
Help us to make this happen. Together we can create something very special that will endure for generations to come.
Here’s to you for your support in even reading this through.
If the above resonates, please have a look at our Tiny Home Token (100% refundable).
Your support helps us to demonstrate the need for these genuinely affordable homes. And that helps us to secure the investment we need to make this happen on a national scale!
And of course it gives you £1000 off the price of your new home as an early investor. Why not back something you believe in?
Do you want to support what we are doing?
We are a not-for-profit organisation so you can make a donation if you wish… Now that you know the story of who and what you are supporting with your hard earned pennies!
…and/or you can invest in a Tiny Home Token.
This is a demonstration of your interest in becoming one of our founding members of our first community (or one of our future communities) and the start of something very special.
The choice is yours, we are simply grateful for your support.
Click the icon above to learn about our Tiny Home Tokens (THT) or if you simply wish to support what we are doing, we also have a go fund me page available on the link below…