Please feel free to forward on. Kind regards Karen xx





From: Smallholding_and_Self-Sufficiency@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:Smallholding_and_Self-Sufficiency@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Alec
Sent: 24 June 2009 17:52
To: Smallholding_and_Self-Sufficiency@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Smallholding_and_Self-Sufficiency] New group will interest members




Hi everyone,

Here's a message to all members from your Moderator!

My wife and I used to have a smallholding in Hampshire, UK, and now live in
Sunny Spain. We love to visit the UK but of course no longer have a house
there.

Therefore, my wife and I have managed to organise a holiday homeswap with a
couple in the UK this year, through one of the commercial websites, and it
will be interesting to see how it works out. In theory it's a good idea:
those living in Spain like to return to the UK from time to time, usually
during the summer, but no longerhave anywhere to stay there. Similarly many
Brits enjoy taking a holiday in sunny Spain, but in the present financial
climate they may be discouraged by the cost. If both families have pets or
even livestock, their needs are also catered for in the homeswap, as these
can be included in the arrangement, and similarly with looking after the
garden or land, and also with car swapping if you wish to include this (it's
optional of course, but you both save the cost of car hire). In our case the
match includes the house, garden, pets and car!

Setting up this swap was a long and rather costly business through one of
the commercial websites on the subject, and - since they cover all countries
of the world - the chances of a good two-way match are correspondingly
reduced.

I have therefore set up a new Yahoo group so that people in this position
can make contact with one another, and - if they feel comfortable about the
idea - make their own arrangements for the swap - without incurring any fees
whatever.

Naturally members will not reveal any personal information over the group,
but only (eventually) to the other family once they are happy about the
arrangement. In other words, the same sort of privacy you would expect from
a commercial website.

If any members would like to join, please visit:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/holidayhomeswapspain-uk

Similarly, if anyone has had experience of such an arrangement and would
like to pass on their comments,whether positive or negative, these will also
be welcome.

I look forward to meeting you there, and we'll see how it works out.

Alec.
Moderator





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