Othona Community West Dorset

We regard ourselves as "rooted in the Christian heritage, open to the wider future," and welcome people of all faiths and none. Othona West Dorset has a sister community in Essex, together we have a network-style community with hundreds of members. Membership is available to anybody paying a small annual subscription. Many visiting Othona members return regularly over years or even decades.

A small resident core of 6 - 8 live on site, providing hospitality so that up to 35 others (at any one time) can visit for short periods to enjoy an experience of living in community together. We run a programme of workshop weekends, family holidays, retreats etc, which are open to members and non-members of Othona alike. There is a strong volunteer ethic within Othona, so many of our events are facilitated out of love or for a very modest fee. We aim to keep our visitor prices modest.

Community House and its surrounding outbuildings are on seven acres of grounds overlooking the sea, which is a ten-minute walk away through woods and fields. We have an art and craft studio with facilities for pottery, spinning and weaving, painting and games. Our library is very well stocked in the fields of spirituality and progressive theology. This is a relaxing and creative place to be, with an informal and accepting ethos.

Food is plentiful and almost entirely home-cooked, and visitors can help in food preparation. Everyone lends a hand with some simple community jobs each day.

We meet once or twice a day in a beautiful house chapel for worship and spiritual practice, which can take many forms. As an open ecumenical Christian community, we draw on many traditions, including the wisdom of all faiths.

If you are interested in joining the community as a residential member, please look on our website for current vacancies.