Two hilly, wooded parcels of land in Llanafan Fawr were bought by the Woodlander Initiative (TWI), a land-buying scheme led by Simon Birkett. Birkett has links to Patriotic Alternative, the UK's largest fascist group. Critics say Birkett aims to create a racially exclusive settlement and has cited Orania, a whites-only town in South Africa, as inspiration. TWI successfully purchased a few acres from a local farmer after earlier attempts in Cumbria and East Sussex failed. Since launching in 2023, the group has raised 165,000 of a 1m goal to acquire land across Britain. The larger plot now hosts tents, solar panels, a wood store and toilet facilities, and the second wooded site contains a small gazebo among oak trees.
Two hilly, wooded parcels of land in Llanafan Fawr were bought by the Woodlander Initiative (TWI), a land-buying scheme led by Simon Birkett, a far-right figure with links to Patriotic Alternative, the UK's largest fascist group. Critics say Wiltshire-based Birkett's aim is to create a racially exclusive settlement; he has cited Orania, a whites-only town in South Africa, as an inspiration for the project. TWI successfully bought the two small plots totalling a few acres from a local farmer late last year, after attempts in Cumbria and East Sussex fell through. Since launching in 2023, the group has raised 165,000 of a goal of 1m money Birkett plans to use to buy land or property in every county in Britain.
We need to start building that alternative, our own businesses, our own institutions, Birkett said during an address at Patriotic Alternative's annual conference last October. We need our own schools, with our own rules. He added: We need our own areas, we need our own land, we need our own buildings, we need our own conference centres. We need our own communities for our own culture. And it is down to us to start building it.
No one was around during the Guardian's visit last week, but the larger plot previously an open field is now a campsite. It hosted several tents, along with camping gear, solar panels, a wood store and a toilet block. Some of the fencing was clearly new and, at the second hilly, wooded site, a small gazebo was perched among the oak trees.
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