Clare Farm in Dullingham, just outside Cambridge, hosted the first EWB Training course in 2002. RedR initiated their training courses at Clare Farm kindly hosted by Kim and Beth Waterhouse. The two and a half day course  run in partnership with the RedR Cambridge Group, is still as busy and inspiring as ever and always oversubscribed!

The participants from a variety of backgrounds (students from around the country, both engineering and others, to professionals)  learn more about development and disaster relief), partake in exciting workshops and practical exercises led by professionals with relevant experience. This course is open to all EWB-UK branches around the country, members of The RedR Cambridge Group and others and until this year acted as our pre-departure training course for students and graduates volunteering for EWB-UK placements.

The training courses give keen participants a hands-on introduction to engineering for international development and appropriate technologies. Due to the success of the Clare Farm courses, held up to 3 times per year, the demand for more training has grown significantly.

Waking up for an early Water Usage exercise keeps participants on their toes and gets brains ticking before breakfast. The great combination of practical activities, personal experience talks and discussions around how important engineering can be for international development has motivated many people to pursue further education and careers in the development sector.

Some of the practical sessions and activities at Clare Farm include:

•    Simple surveying techniques - learning how to map out an area and measure the difference in ground heights using equipment that you can fit in your pocket!

•    Water testing - using the portable DelAgua Kit, to test the turbidity, chlorine residual and microbiological quality of water as well as improving water quality using the sun’s rays.

•    Water pipeline design - learning how to correctly design water supply systems, both pumped and gravity.

•    Mud brick construction - participants make their own mud bricks that are commonly used in the construction of shelter in the development field.

•    Roof truss construction and joining techniques - a range of sessions looking at simple construction methods where tools and materials may be limited.

•    Shelter building - one of the highlights of the summer course, where participants all contribute to the construction of a timber frame and discuss various aspects of its design and use for use in development or as temporary shelter.

•    Personal heath overseas - this session is run by the author of "bug's bites and bowels", Dr Jane Wilson-Howarth who leads a workshop and discussion on how to look after yourself overseas and the common health problems that are likely to be encountered working abroad.