Notes taken by Maureen Winder
1. Feedback from the Transition Meeting held on 19 September
Around 25 people attended, and some progress had been made. Various
actions had been proposed and agreed, and would be listed on the
Transitions Forum. It was important that each meeting should represent
a step forward rather than repeatedly going back over issues that had
been discussed before. A series of meetings would be booked well ahead,
so that people could plan their involvement on a regular basis.
2. Format of the next meeting
The next meeting would be at the Brighthelm Centre. The aim would be to
formulate the next achievable steps. 'Big' actions were needed. There
were discussions over how to maximise involvement, rather than
over-managing the process and perhaps restricting participation. It was
agreed that making links with schools was important. The role of
neighbourhood groups would become increasingly important, creating wider
networks linked to action groups.
3. Website development
The development of the website was discussed and suggestions made for
new areas which would interest and involve more people, eg. a 'Tip of
the Month' on how to reduce consumption; links to information, reports
and articles about peak oil/climate change; a 'How To...' page; the
development of a posters page, which could be replicated as physical
boards as well as web pages; mapping neighbourhood groups to show where
activity was growing.
It was suggested that Transition Towns should be on Facebook and
MySpace.
4. Sustainability Conference
12 October. Members of the Schools Liaison Group should attend.
5. Information Gathering
It was agreed that building resources was a priority, and a bid for
funding could be submitted to support this activity. A function group -
Resources Group - should be formed to take responsibility for this and
to support the research taking place within each action or neighbourhood
group.
6. Training
It was agreed that the members of the Hub should take part in training,
this could be done jointly with other Transition groups/hubs. There was
some concern over the cost, and what the charges for training involved.
7. Grants
It was agreed we should look at different sources of funding, but first
we would need a constitution, as that is required in every funding
application. This was a priority for the Hub.
Notes from Hub meeting Thu 27 Sep 2007
Transition Lewes begin writing of Energy Descent Plan
Press release from Transition Lewes:
Energy Descent Planning for Lewes (Programme of Events September-December 2007)
This Saturday we are running a historic event: starting to create England’s first Energy Descent Action Plan*.
Background: whether to avoid climate change or prepare for peak oil, the whole world needs to make the transition away from fossil fuels over the coming decades.
In Lewes that means dramatically reducing energy use in all areas of life, including probably relocalising food and livelihoods, and fuelling the rest with local renewables.
We believe that we have the collective ingenuity to come up with a plan for this paradigm shift
Our first step is to imagine life after cheap oil, say in 20 years, and that it could be more abundant, healthier and happier
Then we will investigate what steps we need to take to get there.
We’ll do it by sector, eg housing, food etc
Other groups, eg Arts, Heart and Soul, will play a major part in the psychology and heart of change
We’ll be inviting other groups, individuals and councillors in Lewes to join us.
We will write Lewes’s Energy Descent Plan (or Energy Transition Pathway) over the coming year or so.
It all kicks off this Saturday. 22 September, Southover School, Potters Lane, 10-4, free, with a community think-tank called Open Space. Local food and drink available.
*(probably)!
Today’s news: ‘We are all peakists now’ Former US Energy Secretary Dr James Schlesinger today claimed that the intellectual arguments over peak oil had been won, and that in effect ‘we are all peakists now’. In the keynote speech at the first day of an oil depletion conference hosted by the Association for the Study of Peak Oil in Cork, Schlesinger said that the oil industry executives now privately concede that the world faces an imminent oil production peak, and argued that a recent report by the US oil industry grouping the National Petroleum Council constituted “a backdoor admission that in the next decade or two we face a moment of truth”. More: http://www.energybulletin.net/34868.html
FEAST OR FAMINE: Can we eat well and save the planet?
A debate to ask big questions about the food we eat. Part of the
city's Food & Drink Festival. 20 September at the Thistle Hotel on
Brighton seafront.
A report on the event has been posted on the forum here
Minutes of Network Meeting on 19th September 07
Meeting in Hanover Room, Brighthelm. 19:30 to 21:30
Minutes by Stephen Watson
We intend to get into groups to discuss what we're raising awareness about.
Update from John Bristow: Formed coordinating hub, become official. Membership ios temporary for 6 months. 250 people on mailing list. We have interest and neighbourhood groups. Chris has sert new web site to allow groups to form and assist groups. About to form e & a group. Flip charts from previous meetings are on the wall and have been types up on web. (See web for details).
We're not doing this alone, we're trying to reach 270,000 people! Also rach out to all other grosups, business, schools etc. We're a network linking organisation around PO and CC.
We're working in partnership with other groups. We do steps 2 & 3 of the Primer together - probably. DVDs are 'doomy' so we need to be inspiring.
Jo explained that we'll use consensus and explained about "silent clapping".
Jo said that we'll get into small groups to discuss what we're raising awareness for.
John read out principles to all, followed by the "What" list from the wall flip chart.
Jo says that it's important that we find our way to do this.
Kat asked how other TTs are doing this; John said mostly by DVD showings and expert talks followed by Open Space discussions.
John Baker has had his ideas and had printouts to share.
We split into 3 groups to discuss what was our message.
The groups reported back and Chris wrote them up:
Oil used in everything
Transition is about not waiting for government to do things for us
Show benefits to society (Power of Community)
Clarifying problems
Practical solutions as shown by other Transition Towns
Greenwash. Debunking myths / supplying concrete facts
Implications both globally and locally
We split into 3 groups, but not the same ones, to discuss how we might put the message over.
2nd feedback
(4) Farmers' market - stalls. Basic awareness raising with leaflets for upcoming events.
FM - Ralli Hall showing rolling films in side hall with discussion
(5) Trailer advertising TB&H shown by DOY before each film
(10) One off showings of a variety of related Transition films + discussion + panel
(10) Unleashing as part of Brighton Festival Fringe. Open House - eco house
(4) Stickers in shop windows "I'm supporting TB&H"
(7) Flyers to be left in shops
(1) Video blogs
(0) Radio adverts
(4) Theatre events, Arts 'installation' and exhibitions.
(6) Multimedia pack
(7) Publicity stunts
(4) DVD club
(3) Invite documentaries to be made
(4) Free schooling days
(8) Workshops in and with schools and companies
(5) Survey what people really know know and get onto South Today
(3) TT in property magazines
(2) Street parties
(4) More articles in magazines
(8) Regular column in Rocks? magazine (Argus)
(0) Awareness raising outside supermarkets.
The numbers above in parentheses are the numbers of people showing interest in taking this forward.
Date and location of next meeting to be decided.
Notes on Hub Meeting – 14th September 07
Notes on Hub Meeting – 14th September 07 (Note taker Chris Callard)
Attendance: 9
Discussed agenda
1. Membership of Hub
It was agreed that whilst the membership of the hub should be fluid, with people able to join and leave as they chose, there should be a core group of people who were committed to the hub so that there was no a constant repetition of what was going on. As such it was proposed that for a hub meeting the core members should send apologies when not able to attend, just to confirm their continued commitment.
Again it was reiterated that with a core group making up the hub, all meetings should be completely transparent and documented on the website.
2. Accounts
Ann detailed the accounts to date:
Money owed: £70 (to various people for the hiring of meeting rooms)
£9.99 (to Sam for website domain registration)
Money received: £45.95 (from meeting collections)
So group is £24.05 in debit
It was noted that we can't open a bank account until the group has a constitution – this was seen as a priority. Doly suggested we could look at other transition groups constitution and base ours on those.
Aisha said we should plan how we are going to fund future meetings as this is our largest expense at the moment. Doly to change note on website that says meetings are 'free entry' to say 'free entry, donations welcome'. Jo and Maureen to look into alternative venues for larger group meetings.
3. Transition Town training
Jo raised the point that the training in Totnes seemed very expensive at £95, and it was agreed that we should find out more about what this money goes towards. The general feeling was that we didn't want to start any fund raising with finding a large amount of money for training. John thought it possible that the cost of training might be reduced in the future now that the Transition network has received £30,000 in funding.
4. Forum and mailing list
Chris proposed using the Supanames webhost for our forum and website as we know for certain that this can run the software needed for setting up a more sophisticated forum to replace the Google group (where a free webhost might not be able). It was agreed that the cost of £16 a year (for a minimum of two years) was worth it for the reliability.
It was also proposed that we register the email addresses left at the first meeting on the new forum (after emailing for permission), and put people into Usergroups relating to the function groups, so that we have a universal mailing list and lists for each function group. Chris to do this when webhost set up.
The forum should have discussion categories for each function group, but also general discussion categories for: Vision/Process of Transition Brighton; Education and Awareness; the Hub
Suggested that at we recruit one person from each function group to act as moderator for their function group category.
5. Website
Proposed sections of the website were: static pages of Information (e.g. about Transition movement, Peak Oil, Climate Change); a blog (online calendar) of Announcements (e.g. of Actions, Meetings); What and How to join in with Transition actions; the story of Transition Brightion and Hove (what we are and what we're proposing to do)
Doly offered to write a piece on the story of Transition B&H.
This list still in early stages and to be developed. Still to be decided: how many people/who will be responsible for updating the blog.
Maureen raised the point that we need a plan of how to inform people about Transition B&H who don't use/have access to the internet.
6. Deciding the agenda for next week's (19th Sep) group meeting
It was agreed that group meetings needed a more concrete agenda, advertised on the website beforehand, to keep/raise the interest of people attending.
After some discussion it was agreed that the meeting should be centred around the subject of Education and Awareness, and how we raise this as part of Step 2 of the Transition process.
Proposed to begin the meeting with a short introduction from John about what has happened since the first August 15th meeting, and then move on to a discussion (in smaller groups) centred around the content of our Education and Awareness. (This following from Joyce's point that currently the direction of Transition B&H is murky, even to the most committed people, and we need to clarify and simplify this in order to engage with the public.) The key questions that need to be answered are: What are the core messages of Transition B&H? How are we going to change the way we live in order to survive in the future?
Hub members to decide upon, by email, a short description of the agenda that Doly will post on the website.
Jo proposed that we adopt a stronger form of facilitation at the group meetings in order to include more people's opinions, as this had been seen to work well at other meetings such as Climate Camp. Jo to find out more about the details of this type of facilitation. Chris and Jo volunteered to facilitate at the Sep 19th meeting.
John to email details of next meeting when agenda summarised. It was agreed that meetings need to be advertised more widely, not just by email/online but in the wider community.
7. Other matters
Joyce reiterated (and everyone agreed) the need for the group to move towards actions and not just to have endless meetings.
Jo suggested the idea, as part of awareness raising, of having a public meeting inviting all existing groups connected to the transition idea to come and give a short talk detailing what they are already doing in this direction.
Not discussed
Neighbourhood Groups – links to local communties
Information gathering – how do we do this?