The village where residents have been ordered to leave

In the bustling communal kitchen of Brithdir Mawr, nestled within Pembrokeshire’s Preseli mountains, Andromeda Gervásio is busily chopping vegetables, while Rosie Gillam and Will Cooke are out gathering wood.

This off-grid housing cooperative prides itself on its nutritious meals, crafted from a bounty of produce cultivated across its 80 acres of polytunnels and gardens.

An impressive 90% of the food consumed by this sustainable eco-community is grown on-site, while residents also harvest wood for fuel.

The delicate balance of their energy supply means that the toaster and kettle can’t be used simultaneously, as the combined power from their solar panels, single wind turbine, and the stream’s hydro energy isn’t sufficient to handle both.

Gervásio, who prefers they/them pronouns and sports long brown hair, a neat beard, and a striking crescent moon tattoo on their forehead, was also on cooking duty the previous night. 

They prepared a hearty meal for the nine-strong community, which coexists with a small herd of Toggenburg goats, ducks, and chickens.

“I made a pot of carrots, potatoes, onions and lentils with a spicy dhal,” shares Gervásio. Their primary goal? “Our main focus is trying to be completely regenerative in the way we live.”

At 31, Gervásio, a professional dancer hailing from Lisbon, Portugal, has embarked on a journey to discover a radically different lifestyle, finding their place in Wales’ oldest housing cooperative nestled within the serene Welsh hills, reports Wales Online.

Their path has meandered through Scotland, Leeds, and London before arriving in Wales, where they’ve found an unparalleled sense of community.

“I first arrived in June and stayed for a month. Then I had to leave for a couple of months and I returned in October. I’ve been here ever since.”

Originally from Portugal, Gervásio moved to the UK for studies and eventually settled in London to pursue a dance career.

Despite loving aspects of their life there, after two years of professional dancing, they faced burnout and longed for a change.

The bustling city life became too much, feeling both overwhelming and isolating. They said: “I’m from Portugal originally and I came to the UK to study and I lived in London last, where I trained as a dancer.

“I loved part of that life but after two years working professionally I was completely burnt out and I was really craving a different lifestyle. The city had become really overwhelming and in a sense isolating.”

Gervásio’s yearning wasn’t for the idyllic nature often depicted in films or viral YouTube videos; it was for something more authentic and fulfilling.

Upon arriving at the cooperative, they knew they had found their utopia – a place where the water runs clear, the food is unprocessed, and work is done with compassion and mutual respect for each individual’s abilities.

“I found myself craving a connection with nature but not in a romanticised way that you see in films or on YouTube.

“I knew as soon as I came here it was a dream come true; to drink water which is clear, to eat food which is not processed.

“There is work to do but that work is required of you in a compassionate way where everyone is concerned for each other’s wellbeing and respects each other’s capacity. That feels incredible.”

In 1993, Julian and Emma Orbach founded a community that has since become a beacon of sustainable living.

Despite their subsequent separation, the pair’s vision led to the creation of several low-impact structures around an old farmhouse, all built without official sanction.

It wasn’t until 1998 when aerial surveillance revealed their existence, sparking a protracted struggle with planning authorities.

After ten years of determined effort, Brithdir Mawr triumphed, gaining legal recognition and setting a precedent for future eco-friendly developments.

Brithdir Mawr’s journey from a clandestine settlement to a celebrated example of green living has been remarkable.

It now serves as a pivotal case study for the Welsh Government’s one planet development policy, which promotes similar sustainable projects in rural areas.

The community has garnered widespread acclaim, offering Welsh language classes, educational workshops, open days, and volunteer opportunities, all showcasing their commitment to an environmentally conscious lifestyle.

Gervásio, a dedicated volunteer at Brithdir Mawr, shared their personal reflections: “I feel a strong sense of community and connection here like I’ve never experienced before.

“The connection I felt in the city was there, of course – especially as a queer person. Cities are often seen as safer for queer people and I understand that.

“But I found the city limiting – I couldn’t even get across London to see my friends without having to pay a lot of money.”

“A lot of things in London felt really temporary and based on things which were not going to last. Here is different. This life feels permanent. What we get joy from here is constant. I know that is ironic to say.”

The irony lies in the fact that the new owner of Brithdir Mawr, Rachel May – a teacher, doula, and shadow work coach – has bought the land from Julian Orbach and has since served the inhabitants of this unique 30-year-old community with an eviction notice.

She’s pursuing legal action to oust the remaining residents before establishing her own healing retreat for visitors.

Orbach had initially intended to sell the site to the community, a proposition they believed would stand until the end of 2025. They were confident they could raise the necessary funds for the purchase.

However, since negotiations between May and Orbach commenced, over half of the community has departed, reducing the population from 20 to nine. Residents with children chose to leave rather than live under the looming threat of eviction.

The remaining members are determined to fight for their “sacred land”.

Former teacher and activist Will, 42, is among those refusing to vacate despite receiving an eviction notice last year. He passionately states: “This is more than just our home. This is one of the oldest housing cooperatives in the UK. It has a 30-year history of everyone here working together with no-one in charge.”

The cherished Brithdir Mawr community, a beacon of sustainable living, is facing an uncertain future.

One resident passionately recounted the site’s significance: “It is internationally recognised with well over a thousand people involved in building what we see now. People fought for years for this land to be as recognised as it is today. We have people who expected to live here until they died, we’ve had babies born here and people have been buried here.”

The community was shaken when their hopes to purchase the land by 2025 were dashed as a new owner, Rachel, acquired the property unexpectedly.

“Our understanding when the previous landlord told us he wanted to sell it was we would have until the end of 2025 to purchase it. For one reason or another we weren’t offered that chance and Rachel bought the land. We are totally rooted in this place and Rachel knew that when she bought it. We would like to work alongside Rachel to come to a solution.”

Will, a four-and-a-half-year resident of Brithdir, described his unplanned journey to becoming part of the community: “This was the first community I visited when I was travelling across the UK in my van and I expected to be here for two weeks but I never left.”

He found his niche within the community, applying his activism skills to its collective decision-making processes.

He said: “I think the skills I’d developed in activism in terms of making decisions as a group and how we can all work together with no-one in charge were really needed here when I arrived, so I really felt a match with Brithdir Mawr.

“Most of my days would be spent in the coppice with my axe but unfortunately with this whole situation I’m not cutting in the coppice because there isn’t a lot of time.”

The residents of Brithdir Mawr harbour no resentment towards their new landlady, embracing a spirit of community and sustainability.

Rosie, a 41-year-old expert in renewable energy and community resilience, shared her insights: “The whole thing bubbling away here is partly about affordable access to land and local housing. The rent here is deliberately affordable for all. It isn’t market rent.”

She highlighted the current challenges faced by many: “We’re talking about this at a time when growing your own food is really difficult for many and many, especially in west Wales, aren’t living in suitable or proper housing.

“Time and time again we hear about how difficult it is to grow our own food and be our own producers because it’s so hard in the modern world to do those things while simply surviving and funding daily life.”

Rosie underscored the importance of communities like Brithdir Mawr: “With that backdrop places like Brithdir Mawr are crucial because Brithdir Mawr offers suitable and affordable housing and the ability to create your own produce and tend to your livestock in a way which is affordable for people on relatively low incomes. We do that by working together.”

She also spoke of the egalitarian ethos that underpins their way of life: “No-one here has power over anyone else and everyone has the same voice. It is a non-starter for someone to come in here and say who can stay and go. The point of this place has always been to do things differently and to be collaborative. We do not believe one person should ever be able to make decisions over others because of money.”

The ongoing saga at Brithdir Mawr has taken a turn towards reconciliation, with efforts being made to find common ground between the landlady and the community.

A spokesperson for the residents expressed their commitment to an amicable resolution: “There is a real drive here to work with the landlady and see everyone’s point of view as really valid. We are certainly trying to be amicable.

“The drive is to cooperate rather than to create conflict. In an ideal world she might have chosen a different place to buy, but that isn’t what’s happened and we’re very hopeful of finding a solution which works for everyone.”

Rachel May, the landlady in question, declined to comment directly but has previously shared her perspective with The Guardian: “I told them I was willing to negotiate but that required a clean slate with the existing tenancy rights having to end.”

Despite her willingness to engage, it seems the discussions reached an impasse: “They were not interested in the new vision and the negotiations came to nothing. I felt this left me little alternative but to pursue eviction.”

She emphasised her personal ties to the region and her non-corporate intentions: “I am not a corporate landlord,” she insisted.

“Some of the community members cannot or will not admit that I own the land. They refuse to face the facts.”

In a show of solidarity, the community at Brithdir Mawr is organising a gathering on Saturday, February 8, from 12pm, inviting supporters to join them at the site and back their cause.

For those interested in learning more about the community’s struggle and how to support them, details can be found on their website.