Editorial May 2012

Written by Nell Merionwen

Hello and welcome to downsizer.net

As many of you may notice there have been some substantial changes made to downsizer.net by the hard working team here in the back office.

A clean sweep in May does indeed blow the cobwebs away.

We are proud to bring you a shiny new look to welcome in the summer months. The front page has been changed to bring you, what we feel, is a dynamic new and contemporary look. Thanks to the hard work of our techie administration team and enthusiastic group of publishers, we have brought downsizer bang up to date.

Please bear with us as we move and reshuffle our articles and other exciting pages. Our techie team are tirelessly toiling and will have everything ship shape as soon as possible.

To coincide with the aesthetic changes we have embraced a few new features.

Not only has the front page been given a clean sweep, but the articles have been reinvigorated with a new and more accessible look. Now you can find yourself learning about soap-making, growing your own and chicken-keeping on a more user friendly footing.

Indeed, please visit our newest article, Spring foraging for beginners, penned by downsizer member, Jamanda.

You can now find yourself becoming more familiar with members new and old in our new feature "a spotlight on", as they entertain you with their experiences with downsizer.net. You may find inspiration in their stories, words of wisdom or indeed a simple wry smile of understanding.

Due to a substantial network of willing helpers we have, in the past, coined the phrase "DS Post". Here at downsizer we feel it is important to pay it forward. We embrace the ideal that the world can be made a more sustainable place with the mutual assistance of others. We, as members, have often found ourselves ferrying all manner of sustainable and ethical goods across country during our own sojourns. We have formalised this arrangement with a brand new section on our friendly forum. We would like to extend an invitation to all comers. Please, sign up and make yourself comfortable. Perhaps you will find yourself receiving a kindness from others or being able to offer your own well received assistance.

Here at downsizer.net we like to feel that all will be made welcome.

Thanks to SandraR, Sally too, sally_in_wales, Jamanda and Barefoot Andrew for the pics above.