Back in June 2015, as a group bearing backpacks slowly swelled beneath the clock at Liverpool Street Station, I couldn’t have imagined that the wild camp we were about to share would mark the beginning of a community that would last for years.
I tried to nurture the infant YesTribe based on how I’d carried out my own adventures. With the power of a grin and a good idea as the fuel of each next step, with an emphasis on following the wind or recommendation, with heart and kindness and good intention playing a much stronger hand than numbers. With the healing benefits of the great outdoors coupled with the company of like-minded people who share - or at least support - the same goals. And with stories, endless barmy stories each of which simply needed a good, solid “yes!” to get started.
We’ve created endless spaces, hundreds of events, eight festivals, a community which at its prime topped 50,000 people across over 100 regional and interest-based groups. We took a waterbike around the UK picking up litter, converted a double decker bus, provided a first stage for hundreds of people to speak publicly on for the first time and introduced the lovely, wonderful pastime of wild camping to thousands.
Courage has grown, adventures have been enjoyed, tales shared and inspiration spread. With these all seen and heard, more first steps were taken.
This Summer the YesTribe turns nine, and for all the amazing things that have happened there have been so many creaks and stumbles below the surface which haven’t been shared. Founding this community has been one of the greatest projects and honours of my life but boy, it hasn’t been easy at times. I didn’t start all this to be a leader and I certainly couldn’t have imagined the conflicting emotions that I’d carry - often quietly and kept to myself - as the good stuff continued in the public eye, thanks to the endeavour and generosity of hundreds of regional and event leaders who have volunteered for the YesTribe over the years.
For a while now, I’ve struggled to bear the demands of running this community and the time has come for me and my wife Em, who herself has offered so much time over the years to making the YesTribe wheels turn, to step back a little. We haven’t yet figured out what this means for the YesTribe but we do know that we need a break and a pause to free up time, energy and enthusiasm for our own new challenges.
Part of the difficulty for us has been isolation. in 2020 we moved to what continues to be a growing and thriving project in Lincolnshire which takes much of our heart and soul, and this has meant that we’ve often only be able to join YesTribe events when they come to us. In between, there are then hundreds of events going on around the country and, as you can imagine with a large community, now and then problems arise which need a little attention. Over the past two years we’ve found ourselves dealing with more of the unenjoyable stuff than the fun, and without doubt this isn’t what I started the YesTribe for.
So, 2024 is going to be a gap year for us as we figure out what the future holds. We’ll continue to host events at our place, the Big Sky Hideaway, including Yestival, our April tree planting camp, and September’s hammocking gathering, the Big Sky Hang Out.
Those regional tribes around the UK that have continued to grow and thrive will carry on doing what they do best, bringing people together to do new things, but we’ve decided not to take on any new tribe leaders in 2024 (bar one exception, who will join existing leaders in their region) and have stressed that only leaders who have attended a YesTribe Team Summit (annual leader training) can run events on behalf of the YesTribe.
I have a feeling that my YesTribe story isn’t quite over, but there is a chance that if we can find a way I may retreat from the leading this community into its second decade. For now, we’re quite tired and are looking forward to a good reset in 2024. My emails will be read far less this year, our YesTribe leaders will continue to hold events in their regions and both Em and I hope we get to see some of you at Big Sky this year, whether for a YesTribe event or just a camping trip.
For now, thank you for your support, look after yourself just as much as you take care of others, and and remember, sometimes it’s ok to say yes to a little rest.
With hugs
Dave