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We launched crowdfunding campaign ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ ͏
Hello ! It’s Martin, Maria and Michelangelo from Friends of the Earth Malta. We launched a crowdfunding campaign to turn the old bakery in Comino into a hub of sustainability because we’ve got a story to share…
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How it started
Sometime during the 90s Martin stumbled upon il-forn (an old bakery) while enjoying a camping trip with some friends in Comino. Ever the dreamer, he concocted a vision to one day turn it into an interpretation centre for the island, creating room for education about sustainability and a not-for-profit space for overnight stays, retreats and eco-tourism …with a functioning oven again!
Fast forward 30-odd years and the island is begging for a hub of sustainability which complements its natural beauty, its cultural heritage and educates the general public about why it’s worthy of protection.
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Wait a minute… There’s a Bakery on Comino?
Yes, your eyes didn’t deceive you! There is indeed a bakery on the tiny island of Comino… and no it doesn’t have anything to do with those pesky pineapple vendors. It long predates the neon food trucks, boasting of lovely limestone walls, the original oven and it’s surrounded, well, by undisturbed nature! Sadly, the building, which was once a centre for the local farming community to gather over food, has fallen into disrepair. It hasn’t been used as a bakery for several decades which means that it has succumbed to the elements, looters and is almost in ruins. If something is not done immediately the beautiful building is unfortunately at risk of being totally lost.
Since it's a long-term project we're starting with the basics...
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Our first goal is 16,500 euros which will help us obtain security
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Being that the building has fallen into disuse over the years, it’s invited the prying eyes of looters who perhaps needed that extra shutter for their home or an additional xriek (stone) to complete their roof and thought it ok to steal the original features found at the bakery. With nothing to deter this looting, much has been lost, and much is left to be lost.
We’d like to put in windows, doors and put up some basic cameras to catch the culture-thieves in action! This sort of necessary security means that we can also start to store tools, materials and other things we may need to continue the renovations without the threat of it being stolen.
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The second objective is to raise another 11,000 euros to install essential facilities
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To effectively host people here, we need a basic bathroom. This will ensure that visitors can enjoy their stay comfortably, without disturbing its natural surroundings. Of course, we’ll source most of the fittings and fixtures second hand to respect the cultural nuance of the building… but it will cost a pretty penny to haul everything up to Comino.
We’d also like to equip a few areas with some electricity which will allow us to continue the project with more ease moving forward.
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Finally, we’d like to raise an extra 2,500 euros to Responsibly Clear the Site
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Believe it or not, although it’s a 20 minute walk away from the infamous blue lagoon, we found pineapples and straws here… the site is in desperate need of a proper clearing up and we’d like to do it correctly by carting over any waste to the mainland and disposing of it responsibly. This will make the area safer for the local wildlife and allow the local flora to regenerate.
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This is of course just the start!
Martin’s dream is a long-term project, the building has quite the footprint, so it will take a few years to find its final form, a completely self-sustaining environmental utopia. With solar panels, rainwater collection facilities, a veggie garden, rooms for overnight stays… the whole works.
But, with your help we’ll finally kick off a 30-year-long dream to conserve Comino’s natural and cultural heritage for the enjoyment of the general public. |
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Can't donate? Share the story with a friend!
Please do share the posts about our crowdfunding campaign in social media. Your support means a lot for us. Thank you!
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