The Phoenix Rising Initiative in 1998 was the first stage of the community buy-out of the Phoenix Shop. In 2000 we embarked on the next stage with the Eko Findhorn Project which completed the buy-out, launched Ekopia (Industrial and Provident Society) in 2001 and our local currency, the Eko, in 2002.

This post gives some of the essential documents, presentations as well as copies of a dedicated Community Newsletter:

  • Eko Findhorn Project Business Plan 2000
  • Presentation Welcome to the EKO
  • Community Newsletters: one Ekoresource and a couple of Eko News issues (our collection of those newsletters is incomplete, we are hoping that some of our readers may have some other issues which they can provide to us)
  • Presentation “If not global capitalism, then what?” delivered at Options for Change during the Walk Your Talk event 2004, in the Ecovillage Findhorn

To browse through the pdf flipbooks please use the < > arrows at the left and right of the window. For easier reading, use the buttons at the bottom of the window: use Zoom (the + and – buttons) or Toggle Fullscreen (the four arrows pointing outwards).

Eko Findhorn Project Business Plan 2000

 

Welcome to the EKO

This pdf gives the presentation slides of an introduction to the EKO, our local currency.

 

Click on the arrow to the left for an extract in text format

EKO notes 2003The EKO is a local currency system researched and developed by Ekopia Resource Exchange in Partnership with the Phoenix, NFD and the Findhorn Foundation.

The EKO currency is valued and accepted at par value to £1 Sterling and is intended to replace the current ‘blue money’ system [internal vouchers used by Findhorn Foundation], be a substitute for  £ Sterling in inter-community trade and to complement the local LETS [Local Exchange and Trading System] systems.

The EKO can be either purchased for £ Sterling, accepted as a payment for goods/services or be allocated by an issuing organisation. It will be accepted as full or partial payment for goods or services offered by participating businesses.

Each EKO is only issued against a £ deposit thereby guaranteeing redemption and value. The £ deposits will be invested via short-term loans to community businesses at a low rate of interest to cover the administrative costs of the system.

Each EKO will be issued for a specific time period, usually 1 year. Whilst individuals cannot redeem EKOs for £, they may be fully exchanged for Sterling by participating businesses at the expiry of the issue.

Any surplus funds earned through interest or non redemption of EKOs at expiry of issue will be channelled into a not-for-profit community development fund. This fund might provide funds for projects such as car-share, childcare, community amenities etc.

We hope you will be inspired to participate with us in this innovative economic initiative.
In Service, the Ekopia board

 

Some Community Newsletters Eko Resource/Eko News

Eko Resource 2 May 2000

Eko News 7th April 2001

Eko News 26th May 2001

 

Options for change 2004

As part of a Walk Your Talk event in the Ecovillage Findhorn, I gave a presentation entitled If not global capitalism, then what? The following pdf is a mixture of my notes and presentation slides. During my talk I referred to a relatively new legal structure, the LLP (Limited Liability Partnership).

 

Introduction to LLP