Leach Press and Oakist Press
Newsletter – Issue 6
6 July 2026
Hello everyone,
Welcome to the sixth Leach Press and Oakist Press newsletter.
The aim is simple – once a week, I'll send a short update covering new books, new videos, events, projects and life at Oakwood.
Thank you for subscribing and supporting independent publishing.
New Oakist Press Books
Three new books have recently been released through Oakist Press.
Living on the Road, Waterways or Off-grid in the UK
Dicky Dread
A practical guide to alternative living in the UK, covering vanlife, boats, off-grid living, traveller culture, legal realities and the many different ways people choose to live beyond conventional housing.
Nature Boy's Magical World
Steve Andrews
A personal testimony of a life shaped by a profound and enduring connection with the natural world. Steve reflects on nature, spirituality, creativity and the experiences that have shaped his remarkable journey.
Physics, Consciousness & Reality
Dicky Dread and Nigel Adams
An exploration of some of the deepest questions in science and philosophy. Drawing together ideas from physics, cosmology, consciousness studies and systems thinking, the book examines the relationship between mind, matter and reality itself.
New Leach Press Book
Paddy's Lost His Stash
Dicky Dread
When Paddy loses his legendary festival stash, the Cuckoo Crew launches a wildly chaotic international search spanning festivals, airports and continents – discovering friendship, madness and misadventure along the way.
New Videos This Week
Living on the Road, Waterways or Off-grid in the UK
Four new episodes were released this week:
- Field to farm reality explained
- Why woodland is one of the hardest places to live off-grid
- Why National Parks are the hardest places to live
- Think moving your van keeps you safe? Think again
These episodes explore the realities of canal life, off-grid living, planning law and the continuing challenges faced by travelling communities in the modern UK.
Physics, Consciousness & Reality
Four new episodes were released this week:
- What if reality is nothing but symmetry?
- Art doesn't show reality – it creates it
- What do we really mean by illusion?
- Can physics explain reality, evolution and ethics?
These videos continue our exploration of consciousness, altered states, perception and the nature of reality.
Off-grid Skills with Dicky Dread
- Can You Really Live Off-Grid With Solar Power? | The Truth About Solar
- How I Find Cheap and Free Solar Panels
- Battery Sizing Made Simple for Off-Grid Living
- MPPT vs PWM – which solar controller should you buy?
Oakwood Rewilding Project
Work continues at Oakwood in Llanbrynmair.
After almost completely filling in Lake Rose, we have retained a pond which we are calling the Pond-a-Rosa.
It is much smaller than Lake Rose, but it should still become a valuable habitat area. We will scatter wildflower seeds and plant willow across the now-barren flat area where the lake once stood.
The polytunnel has recovered after the heat, although the slugs are now in full attack mode. We have been blessed with massive courgettes, salad leaves, cabbage, peas and beans, with plenty more on the way.
I treated some of the plants with coffee grounds rescued from a coffee-shop bin this weekend, as well as nettle tea.
The Bracken War is still under way, although I have now given up on the far bank. It won.
We managed to obtain four tonnes of wood chip from local tree surgeons. Justyn has been strimming around the young trees and we have been applying the chip liberally.
This is hard and constant work because the grasses and docks can easily outcompete the trees. We look forward to the day when the trees are tall enough to begin fighting back without our help.
We have continued sourcing trees for a cider orchard, although we still need to find a source of tart apple varieties on M25 rootstock.
We are also planning the installation of a six-metre yurt for Erika's therapy practice. We now have a quote and are considering how to raise the money.
There has been no further progress on stripping out the caravan for Erika's art space.
The Rewilding Day has been cancelled because of the heat. We cannot risk our volunteers becoming ill while working on the site.
We continue to maintain the paths around Oakwood. This will be helped by a friend giving us the use of his ride-on mower, and by me starting a running regime around the site.
The battle with the dock begins this week. I have bought a hedge trimmer and we will take turns cutting off the seed heads. It is going to be a substantial job.
Event update
Oakwood Rewilding Day Cancelled
The planned Rewilding Day on 11 July has been cancelled because of the extreme heat.
The safety of volunteers comes first, and working outdoors on strenuous land-management tasks would carry too great a risk in the current conditions.
DJ News
No new sets were released this week, although I am planning to record one tonight.
Live appearance
Newtown – 25 July 2026
I'll be playing live at a show in Newtown. More information will follow when the organisers send me the new flyer.
Coming Soon
Work continues on a number of current and future projects, including:
- Further episodes of Physics, Consciousness & Reality
- Further episodes of Living on the Road, Waterways or Off-grid in the UK
- Further videos on off-grid living, continuing with solar power and charge controllers
- New Oakist Press releases
- Books from Marge Hunter, Saz Denny and Alan Brown
- Resources and the Future – An Anarchist Perspective
Forthcoming release
Crime, Justice and Punishment
An Anarchist Perspective
The book is at the final proof stage and should be released soon.
Here is another preview of the cover design.
Stay Connected
Thank you again for your support.
Until next week,
Dicky Dread
Leach Press & Oakist Press