Our People
Claire Inwood - Caretaker of the Permaculture Gardens, and Community Contact
"Piha and Karekare have been my home for almost thirty years. After many years of mothering, catering, teaching and doll making I feel like I have truly come 'home'. Home to myself, home to this land, home to my community.
A favourite poem by the Sufi poet, Rumi, expresses how I feel about being part of the Waygood Foundation, Earthskin, and the wider permaculture community -
'Let the beauty we love be what we do.
There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.'
Being part of the Waygood whanau marries my love for nature, growing, art, food, and community. I feel deeply grateful for this special place to learn and connect with nature and people".
Laura Wieland - Caretaker of the Permaculture Gardens, and Social Content Creator
"Working in the gardens at the Waygood Foundation has taught me a great amount about plant diversity, the cycles of nature, and the importance of sharing this knowledge. Coming from no gardening background at all, I'm amazed how much I have learned in a short amount of time. I love sharing this knowledge on our volunteer days, engaging kids in the garden, and sharing our produce at our local market.
Being born and raised in Amsterdam, The Netherlands I have had the fortune to live a rich city life, but I always longed for a better understanding of the natural and wider world. This led me to travel the world, and at the end of 2019 my heart brought me to Piha, Aotearoa, where my gardening and Permaculture journey began. In 2020 I completed my Permaculture Design Certificate at PermaDynamics in Matapouri, and at the beginning 2021 I started working for The Waygood Foundation.
Nancy King - Founder of The Earthskin Trust and the Waygood Foundation
Founder, Artist, Natural Therapist, whose life is now focused on developing creative small, and active local Permaculture gathering spaces to nurture the community and care for the earth.
"Inheriting the land from my mother Zena Waygood, to share with family and the wider whanaungatanga, is an extraordinary gift of love that grows in beauty, and community uses every year. Now that my daughter Vanessa has also come on board as Trustee, I feel blessed to have the next generation's vitality and skill to provide support to our wondrous team, caring for The Waygood Foundation".
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