Notes by Ann Baldridge
At the meeting: Jo Nean, John Bristow, John Kapp (new to the hub), Doly Garcia, Simon Brett, Maureen Winder, David Greenop, Ann Baldridge
The group decided the following agenda for the meeting:
1. Feedback from Transition Strategy meeting - John B
2. Feedback from Southeast Transition Gathering - Jo and Simon
3. Ideas from Transition Lewes - Jo
4. Plans for next general meeting and the one after
5. Next steps after The Big Meeting on the 19th of April
Other topics to be discussed, time permitting:
- planning the process for starting the EDAP
- continuing the awareness raising programme, especially reaching out to community groups
Some ideas that came out before the 'meeting proper' started:
- it would be a good idea to have a list of potential meeting venues on the website
- right now, thinking about the EDAP is more about process than content - we should look at how others are doing things and start thinking about who can input
1. Strategy meeting feedback
John summarised the purpose of this meeting. Transition has grown incredibly fast over a small period of time, so this meeting was called by a few Transition initiatives to try to get to grips with what the 'Network' is, how it functions, what its purpose is and what its structure should be. A triangular structure was suggested, composed of the following components:
- Transition movement
- Transition initiating group (i.e. Ben Brangwyn and Rob Hopkins encouraging others to join the movement)
- A world-wide Transition network
The meeting explored the key functions of the network, how it should be organised locally, regionally, nationally and internationally, and it pictured the network now and how it should be. The meeting recognised the need for more networking and connectivity within the network. A paper with the outcomes of this meeting will be made available.
2. Feedback from the Southeast Transition Gathering
The meeting was attended by people from the following Transition initiatives:
Brighton, Eastbourne, Alton, Canterbury, Forrest Row, Guildford, Ditchling, Maidstone (who call themselves Sustainable Maidstone), Woking (who are mulling), Haywards Health (also mulling - Ditchling mulling on joining them), Mayfield, Tunbridge Wells, and Lewes
There was feedback from the national conference and Lewes talked about their experiences. There was also an interactive mapping excerise at the front that people enjoyed and thought could be used at our wider meetings.
3. Ideas from Lewes
Jo reported back from her reading of Lewes' extensive wesbite to share some points that TBH could learn from. Here are the key points:
Meetings, groups, events
- At the beginning TTL had a core group of 6 who met weekly, focused on awareness raising, helped form aims and principles that guide the formation of groups (which once formed are self-organised), then disbanded after the Unleashing.
- Instead of 'network' meetings, they have a monthy, 1.5 hour 'Forum' meeting for group contact people and other people active within Transition Lewes (but anyone is welcome to attend). The Forum allows people to air issues, but it is not a decision-making group (except on principles applying to groups).
- They have a principle: whoever proposes an idea must take it forward
- 21 people from TTL attended a 2hour Permaculture course - this is something we should organise for TBH
- no one speaks twice until everyone's had the chance to speak once
- sometimes there is no agenda until the start of a meeting, when the group plans it together
Email and web
- They have Google Groups with specific purposes for online communication and one called TTL Active for anyone active in TTL for general news and info sharing (this is kind of similar to our Forum).
- the website has loads of useful info, including guidelines for putting on events
- groups are encouraged to work with eachother on events and make sure no two events clash
- their website has a phone number and email address for each group contact person
Money and structure
- they have a Risk-Trust group which formed to think about legal / structural issues
- they had a big discussion to trash out money issues (we should have one too)
- they have a part-time worker and office funded by money from Awards for All; the office sells the Transition manual for 10pounds, or 7 for people active in TTL; they also have an on-line donations page
All of this made us think that we should experiment with the Forum idea - a meeting for group coordinators and other people active in TBH. Once we get a feel for whether this works, we can decide how regularly (or if at all) this group should meet. This group could begin drafting a set of aims and principles different from those outlined in the Constitution, then feed them back to the larger group. This will be announced at the meeting on the 7th of May.
4. 7th of May general meeting - the TBH Big Rethink
There was a discussion about how to organise this meeting in a way that is dynamic and engaging. It was decided to begin with an interactive exercise like that at the Southeast gathering. We could ask people to arrange themselves in a line to show how many meetings they've been to (0 at one end, lots at the other, everything else somewhere inbetween), and then something like 'how scared are you about what's in the news re climate change and peak oil?'. Then there will be an introduction explaining what we've done so far and where we're at now (setting the context for the 're-think'), by Jo and possibly Stephen (Jo to contact Stephen). Then John B will facilitate a World Cafe: there will be four tables to explore:
- what is good about Transition B&H
- what is bad " "
- what is interesting " "
- what is the way forward
Each table will be facilitated by a Hub (or active?) member - Doly, Maureen and David each agreed to facilitate a table. A fourth person is still needed! Please come forward if you're interested.
The idea of the Forum will be introduced at this meeting and a date for its first meeting will be set.
Then, the question arose...do we need general meetings if we have a Forum, and the sense was no! this could answer our problems of trying to make interesting, purposeful general meetings. We hold Forum meetings, intro meetings for newcomers, and this should eliminate the need for general meetings, which can feel pointless.
There was also the sense was that we should set a target for the Unleashing and the end of the hub once we've had some time to see how the Forum works out.
5. AOB
David reported that he's spoken to a woman interested in forming a group for older people. She isn't online, so David will forward her contact details around so someone can make contact - please include Jessica in this mailing.
David to write out Lewes' aims and principles to have on the wall for the meeting on the 7th of May.
NEXT HUB MEETING: Monday, 19 May, the Cowley Club
Notes from hub meeting – Mon 28 Apr
