Today at 11:00 • Updated today at 11:30
On a piece of land adjacent to their house in the village of Weebosch, Martijn and Judith Pauly want to make their dream come true: a childcare facility, a green place for people looking for peace and quiet, a landscape shop and day care for people with a mild intellectual disability. Little by little, their cherished plans take shape. “We are just ordinary people, not project developers.”
From the couple’s living room you look out over the vast meadow where it all has to happen. An abandoned pigsty is a reminder of the livestock farming that was once practiced here by the neighbor, who owned the land. Although he has a nostalgic touch of sadness in giving up the four hectares of land, he is willing to sell to Martijn (51) and Judith (49). “He really likes what we want to do, that convinced him,” says Judith.
Four hectares, it is equivalent to seven football fields or forty city gardens. It’s enormous what you can fit in there. But the couple’s plans are just as grand and they have already furnished it in their imagination.
In his daily life, Martijn creates gardens, landscapes and sustainable nature projects. You can read the passion in his hands, which are black from digging in the earth. When he met a landscape architect, a spark was ignited. “Judith and I had been playing with the idea for years: how great would it be to be able to create something here behind our house that brings together greenery and social work? The architect gave us an idea of what is and is not possible when converting agricultural land and made a sketch plan.”
“We traveled across the country in a rented camper, looking for inspiration.”
The two enthusiastically started working on their plans for ‘De Beemde Weebosch’. “We rented a camper and traveled throughout the Netherlands together to take a look at care farms, community gardens and other social green projects. This is how we gained inspiration,” says Judith. “There are many people who need care, and many people who want to provide care. But there is often a lack of space. We want to provide that.”
The old pigsty will soon make way for a new ecological main building, with lots of glass so that light can play freely. The building will provide space for various emergency services and childcare. “Really for the children here from the village. That facility is not yet available in Weebosch, so the idea is certainly welcomed with open arms.”
‘De Beemde Weebosch’ will be furnished with a fruit orchard, a vegetable garden, a food forest, flower meadows and walking paths.
The plans can count on support from the municipality of Bergeijk, and local residents are also pleasantly surprised. During the presentation of their project to the villagers – in official terms an environmental dialogue – tension ran through Judith’s body. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous,” she admits. “We never stick our neck above the parapet, and now we did,” Martijn adds.
“We are not big developers, just people with a dream.”
Financially, a lot of work needs to be done. Bearing the costs of such a large project yourself is virtually impossible. “We are not big developers, just people with a dream,” says Martijn with a glint in his eye.
That is why they focus on subsidies. With success: one contribution has already been received. “If all goes well, we hope to have the permit finalized in one to one and a half years.” Laughing: “Then the first shovel can be in the ground.”
“We really enjoy helping people move forward,” Judith says finally. “We have always said: later in life we want to join forces and set up something between the two of us where we can mean something to the other. It looks like that will really happen.”
