𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁: 𝗗𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻, 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀

You may have seen the recent Facebook post about a forensic financial investigation into Dartington Trust. It wasn’t just a reaction—it was a pulse-check—a way to sense where this community really stands in relation to what’s unfolding, and their general beliefs and understanding of the world.

Because what’s happening here is not just local. It’s part of a wider transformation. And it’s being carried out quietly, professionally, and without permission.

What Is Actually Happening

Dartington Estate and the surrounding area of Totnes are being transitioned into a model of what’s known as sustainable development. It’s a term many support in theory. Who doesn’t want sustainability?

But when you strip back the language, here’s what it really means for our area:

Wilderness areas may become rewilded zones with controlled human access—beautiful, but limited, and no longer freely shared.

Community spaces like Schumacher College, forest gardens, and workshops have been closed or gutted, with more to follow.

The land is being repurposed for external agendas: think tanks, global partnerships, performance metrics, and digital infrastructure.

Governance is being removed from the community. Key decisions are now made by people who were not elected, not local, and not transparent.

It’s happening with gentle language and professional polish. But make no mistake: this is a takeover, not a recovery.

The Long Road Here Was No Accident

Over the past decade, Dartington has been quietly weakened from within.

One cycle after another—trustees extracting value, redirecting resources, selling off assets. The soul of Dartington was chipped away slowly enough that most didn’t notice. But it was not random.

What we’re seeing now—the appointment of Lord Treisman and Robert Fedder, both with broad authority and no community legacy—is the final move.

They are not here to rebuild what was lost.

They are here to transition Dartington into a testbed for a globally aligned model.

And it may surprise people just how many high-profile, well-liked names in the community are fully backing this shift. It’s not just a handful of outsiders. It’s local figures, familiar faces, people you’d expect to defend Dartington as it was.

Because as the saying goes: “You don’t fight the revolution. You lead it.”

The Facebook Post Was the First Stone

When we announced that a forensic financial investigation was ready—not asking for money, just stating intent—we were met with discomfort, silence, and even hostility. Not for the facts—but because it was connected to crypto.

That’s the irony. The very tool people mocked—blockchain—is what enables the community to fund an independent investigation without asking anything from the public.

No council grants. No donations. Just supporters who believe that the land should belong to the people, not be repurposed behind closed doors.

And yes, the message was strong. But if it had been soft, it would have been ignored.

The post flushed out the mindset of a portion of the community—and revealed how deeply programmed we’ve become to dismiss uncomfortable truths, especially when they’re associated with anything outside the mainstream.

Because as soon as you speak of coordinated agendas or institutional corruption, you risk being dismissed as a “conspiracy theorist.”

It’s one of the most effective tools ever created to protect power: Label the dissenter. Laugh at the source. Move on.

But this is real. It’s verifiable. And it’s local.

Now Comes the Choice

Do you want:

A Dartington filled with innovation labs, curated wilderness, and outside-led projects?

Or the Dartington that was built on community, creativity, and a deep connection to the land?

We’re not asking you to fight. We’re asking you to see.

Because if we do nothing—Dartington will be used as a national template. And what disappears here will vanish elsewhere too.

This isn't just about history. It's about sovereignty.

And if you still feel that word matters, then now is the time to stand up and speak it.