Dear Friend,

As the Watermill creative courses season begins to wind down (we have our three final courses in October, painting with Tim Wilmot and then Grahame Booth, and our Italian Language course with Giulia Balestri) it is time for Lois and I to pay a heartfelt tribute to our wonderful staff who make our guests’ stays so memorable. So, mille grazie to (in strictly alphabetical order) Federica La Sala, Luisa Lorenzini, Ombretta Mezzi, Karsten Müller, Kaoutar Okbani, Marwa Ouardi, Gina Shearston and Flavio Terenzoni. And to our punctual, speedy but safe minibus and car drivers, Luca Vallerini and Paolo Vallerini, and their team.

Video: Gina Shearston

Judging by their comments, either directly to us or via TripAdvisor, our guests are enjoying their ‘convivially creative’ weeks more than ever. Gina Shearston captured the flavour of one of them, a painting course with Brienne Brown, in this video of the farewell show featuring paintings and prosecco:

As we told you last month, you can expect the unexpected almost every day during a Watermill creative course. Whether it is freshly made hors d'oeuvres from one of our cooks (like Parmesan lollipops or puff pastry anchovy twists) to tempt your palette at aperitivi time, young Harry Giannotti playing the Spanish guitar beneath the rose pergola, or a surprise saxophone flashmob to amuse, amaze and entertain us.

This month’s excitement was gardener Flavio Terenzoni showing off a couple of ancient Vespa motor scooters from his collection. One of them was made as long ago as 1953, and still going strong. But the highlight was, for those who could stand the excitement, a short trip on the back of a Vespa, Roman Holiday-style, like Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck (well almost).

For good measure we also projected the iconic Vespa scene from the film Roman Holiday on a courtyard wall:

You, too, could have your Audrey Hepburn or Gregory Peck moment, because the event was such fun we’ve decided to run it on a regular basis.

Last month we told you about the updated Watermill website, crammed with all the details of our exhilarating 2024 creative courses, in painting, writing, knitting and Italian language. And in this newsletter, too, we will focus on those courses, not least because they are filling fast, and you need to book NOW to bag a place with your favourite tutor or on your preferred week.

And there’s a ‘book now’ bonus: If you book one of our 2024 creative courses NOW, you can take advantage of our Early Bird offer: £(GBP) 75 off the cost of your course.

So, if you want to enjoy inspiring teaching, warm hospitality, a beautiful setting, spectacular locations, delicious food and wine, a Vespa ride, the convivial company of like-minded people AND an Early Bird discount, don’t delay, just get that reservation in. Already more than 180 people have signed up for next year’s creative courses, so it really is ‘Book Now to Avoid Disappointment!}

The four pictures at the top and bottom of this introductory page are: (Top: Federica La Sala, Luisa Lorenzini, Ombretta Mezzi, Karsten Müller. (Bottom: Kaoutar Okbani, Marwa Ouardi, Gina Shearston and Flavio Terenzoni.

Bring a partner: there's plenty for them to do

You can borrow a bike, too!
Paul Newman and Robert Redford as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Your partner doesn't have to participate in the course, but they will be able to enjoy the wonderful hospitality of the mill and, whenever they want, to come out with you to our beautiful locations.

We also offer a range of Alternative activities for partners on all our courses, as well as a generous £GBP 250 discount if they share a room with you.

You’ll always be Cool (if that’s how you like your water) and Green at the Watermill. Part Two.

picture:
Imperial College, London

Last month, we told you how our hidden array of photovoltaic panels make us self-sufficient in electricity, even powering all the air conditioning units in Watermill bedrooms and public rooms, including the studio. So, even in the summer months you’ll be Cool and Green.

This month we would like to highlight how our Watermill guests will prevent 40,000 used plastic bottles from reaching the ocean each year. It’s all part of the Watermill’s endeavour to be even Greener (and cool, too, if that’s the way you like your water).

In a fantastic deal with Ocean Bottle* we’ve financed a scheme to collect each year 450 kg of ocean-bound plastic from the world’s most polluted rivers and waterways and ensure that it is not dumped into the sea. This is equivalent to around 40,000 half-litre plastic bottles. It will make us ‘plastic neutral’ each year.

Plastic waste is the scourge of the oceans and their wildlife, and a couple of years ago we made a start in reducing our ‘plastic footprint’ by no longer buying water in plastic bottles. Instead, we invested in a clever water dispenser which produces filtered water at ambient temperature, cold and still, or cold and fizzy) for all our meals and for guests to use in the Ocean Bottle insulated flasks we will loan them during their week with us.

Our daughter Lydia
shows off the little bottle
with a big impact

*Ocean Bottle, a British charity, works worldwide to bring a ‘people-powered solution to the ocean plastic crisis’. Through the sales of its recyclable insulated bottles, it raises money to pay people to collect plastic in coastal communities where plastic pollution is worst.

The company guarantees this collection through regulated waste-management tracking and verification. The plastic collected is recycled, upcycled or reprocessed and this is also monitored. Moreover, the company works with local collectors, who exchange plastic for money, helping them to be more secure financially and to gain access to social resources such as healthcare and education. Since launching in 2019, Ocean Bottle has prevented more than 7,000,000 kg of ocean-bound plastic from reaching our seas. That’s equivalent to 636 million plastic bottles.

A rough estimate of the amount of plastic used at the Watermill during our creative weeks is around 450 kg, or about 1.8 kg per guest. Working with Ocean Bottle, we have done a deal both to buy their beautiful, insulated bottles and to pay into a scheme to ensure that all our plastic use is offset each year, by preventing the equivalent of 40,000 500 ml plastic bottles ending up in the ocean. In this way, our creative-course guests will know that they are plastic neutral during their weeks with us.

Currently eight million metric tonnes (8,000 million kg) of plastic winds up in the oceans every year. Our contribution may be a drop in the ocean (sorry about that!), but it’s important, nonetheless.

Don’t miss out on that
Watermill discount

Don’t miss out on our Early Bird offer

As we said above, if you book one of our 2024 creative courses NOW, you can take advantage of our Early Bird offer: £(GBP) 75 off the cost of your course.

Already more than 180 people have signed up for next year’s creative courses, so it really is ‘Book Now to Avoid Disappointment'!