By Harriet Knight
This summer WWOOF UK travelled to southern France to join fellow WWOOF organisations from all around the globe at the biennial Federation of WWOOF Organisations (FoWO) meeting. The gathering took place at Les Amanins, a beautiful eco-farm near Lyon. Les Amanins is a thriving example of living in balance with the land – producing vegetables, fruit, animal products, and even milling their own wheat to bake bread onsite! They also host their own school, making it a truly inspiring setting for our international community to meet. It is a bonus that it is located in a truly stunning part of France, which we all enjoyed exploring on our time off.
Some of the charming French scenes we took in during our free time around the meeting
Representatives came from every corner of the world – from WWOOF Italy to WWOOF Tanzania – and while the way each organisation runs is different, the spirit was unmistakably the same: a shared passion for sustainable farming, a deep love of connecting people through food and land, and a collective belief in the power of WWOOF to make a positive impact.
About FoWO
Since WWOOF began here in the UK in 1971, it has grown into a vibrant, global movement. In 2013, FoWO was founded as a democratic body that allows all national WWOOF groups to collaborate, share ideas, and work together. Thanks to FoWO, we’re able to strengthen the movement worldwide and dream bigger than any single organisation could on its own.
What we discussed
The international meeting is held every two years in a different location. This time, some of the big conversations included:
- Moving towards the idea of a global WWOOF membership
- Improving safety and privacy protection for members
- Building stronger community connections for WWOOFers and hosts alike
International WWOOF Organisations share more about their individual structure and operations.
We also heard inspiring stories from our international friends.
A few highlights:
- WWOOF USA runs a Future Farmers programme, offering members a certificate to help them launch careers in organic farming.
- WWOOF France has an Active WWOOFer programme, where members can take part in events and workshops beyond farm visits.
- WWOOF Italy brings members together for regular social gatherings and activities.
- WWOOF Canada hosts online webinars, offering learning opportunities and connection for their widespread community.
Hearing these stories left us buzzing with ideas for what more we can offer here at WWOOF UK.
Looking ahead
We’re proud and honoured to be part of such a strong, global family. Every time we connect with other WWOOF groups, we return more inspired to do the best we can for our members here in the UK. And we want you to feel just as connected to this international network as we do.
That’s why we’d love to invite you to join our WWOOF UK Annual General Meeting on Monday 27th October, 7–9pm (online). There will be space for questions with our Board of Trustees and staff team – including about our place in the international WWOOF community. If you have anything you would like to ask us, to be discussed during our Q&A at the AGM, we are gathering questions now! Please don’t hesitate to send your questions to info@wwoof.org.uk
Together, we are part of something truly global, rooted in the soil, and full of hope.
(All photos in this article by WWOOF)
