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About Us
Our Mission - helping water support life
Our much-loved 'water building' was built in 2002 in Sussex, England in the Emerson College campus .
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For more than 50 years, our work has been to understand water and, out of an ever-deepening appreciation of its extraordinary capacities, to find ways to help it in its life-giving and life-sustaining roles in nature. To achieve this we have carried out research, run education programmes, developed new technologies and engaged in water-related community and environmental projects internationally. Our much-loved 'water building' was constructed in 2002 on the campus of Emerson College, Sussex, England.
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The Foundation for Water was established as a British charity in 2008, but is the continuation of flow surface technology innovation research started in the 1960s by George Adams and John Wilkes, with the aim to improve water quality . After George Adams' death in 1963, John continued this work in his flow design research, leading to the invention in 1970 of the extraordinary Flowform® surface which generates a rhythmical figure8 dynamic streaming water flow, with many proven benefits to water quality.
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Now in 2023, we are entering a new phase of growth, where we will expand what we have already achieved to help water much more around the world. We look forward to finding many new 'water' colleagues as we grow this aim.
'Nothing is softer or more flexible than water,
yet nothing can resist it.'
Lao Tzu (Born 571 BC)
Our People
We have a dedicated international team with a variety of skills and experience, working together to move the Foundation for Water into a new growth phase.
Our Founder
John Wilkes (1930 - 2011)
John was a master of many things from sculptural design and artistic sketching to a profound understanding of nature's flow and form processes and then onto the development of eco-technologies which enhanced nature's best ways of improving water quality through dynamic rhythmical flow.
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As well as creating a business to promote and supply his Flowform® invention with the help of colleagues around the world, he also inspired much research into water's role in nature. He was also a master in the understanding of metamorphosis in nature's form, and shared his profound insights with many pupils worldwide.
As of January of 2024, The Foundation for Water is run by a group of new trusties who are able to carry on the good works of the founding trusties, and who we would like to present briefly here.
A fuller presentation will be provided soon.
Hayley Spence
Hayley Spence of The Nature School, Uk Fluid mechanics engineer and teacher.
Simon Charter
Simon Charter of Ebb and Flow Ltd, UK Scientist, landscape gardener/designer and eco wastewater consultant.
Thomas Wilkes
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Nigel Wells
Nigel Wells of Virbela Ateljé, Sweden Sculptor, landscape gardner/designer, building engineer and craft teacher.
Michaël Monzies
Michaël Monzies founder of Fontaine Coralis Sculptor, biodynamic gardner and educationist.
Felicity Field –Administration
I am a chartered management accountant and previously worked as a finance director for a small group of businesses in Milton Keynes. My family and I moved to North East Lincolnshire in 2020 - mainly so I could have my horse in the garden - and shortly afterwards I started in business for myself, offering accounting and administration support to small businesses and charities. My spare time is taken up with looking after my son, two dogs, horse and two ponies and I strive to manage my small parcel of land in a sustainable, bio-diverse way.
The founding trustees:
Ian Trousdell, Costantino Giorgetti and Peter Malaise continue their support for the Foundation for Water.