The Awen Project, which Church describes as “a free-to-attend democratic school in the woods”, has been operating from the site in Wenvoe, near Cardiff, without the necessary permissions since 2024. The decision to refuse the application has since been appealed to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales by Jonathan Field, described by the Awen Project as a “tribal elder”. She said she started the Awen Project to offer a “more nature-based, more humane, more natural [education]”. “Many of the children attending have previously struggled in mainstream education and have now found stability, confidence, and purpose at the Awen Project. The Awen Project has been approached for comment.