Attending: David Greenop (Wick Hall, St Anns Well), Jan Jackson (Goldstone), Jan Mulreany (Five Ways), John Bristow (Osprey House or Norfolk Rd), Julian Howell (Five Ways, with Jan M), Karin Gray (Five Ways), Rachel Fryer (Queens Park/KempTown), Vicki Wakefield-Jarrett (Hanover) – 6 Possible Groups
Also Amanda Geel ( Worthing ), and Richard Scott
Could not attend: Jessica Gwynne ( Five Ways – Round Hill), Lily Oake (7 Dials), Liz Wakefield ( West Hove ) – 2 or 3 possible groups (Jessica’s has already had 3 meetings)
Charley Howard and Gina Kawecka might be involved in Hanover group, and Paul Early?
Interested but unlikely to attend meetings: Ted Power, Maureen Winder, Jo Nean, Rob Stephenson – all involved in local residents groups – Round Hill, Triangle (2)
Possibly also Michael Creedy (Portslade)
Purpose of this group
To act as support for each other, learning together what neighbourhood groups can be for, and how they can work etc.
The idea is that we will network with each other. I am happy to arrange meetings for the time being but expect us all to contact each other as needed (self-organising in that way).
Some Key Points Made in our Discussion
How to start? How to invite people/publicise it?
“Looking after each other” rather than “starting a group”.
One way would be to run a short intro to what T B&H is all about, and the Transition Network as a whole (60+ towns or cities or islands internationally now). Being part of a significant movement can be a pull – and the influence we can have with a strong community base. We are getting a pack together to support people in this. We aim to run city-wide introductory sessions once every few months and attending this would be useful.
Sharing an introductory evening with nearby neighbourhood groups might also be helpful.
Showing a DVD which can then be discussed by the group (perhaps 2nd meeting).
Time is needed for everyone to introduce themselves and say what they want from the group. And for examples to be given of what neighbourhood groups can do.
We might knock on doors at the start to let people know about it?
Another would be a street party! Or a coffee morning.
Jessica is willing to share her experiences, having had 3 meetings so far.
How big is a Neighbourhood?
This is uncertain and would be defined by the group(s) in an area. How much homogeneity and diversity? Inclusion, exclusion?
Working in Pairs
We can support each other to get started and then have one of us be the co-ordinator once the group is up and running
Goals, Wants and Needs
Why would people want to join an neighbourhood group? How does this link to Transition B&H Aims?
We would need to find out what people want from such a group.
How can the group help them get support in living as they want (personal life style aspirations)?
Where would they like the group to be in 6 months’ time?
Examples of what people can get out of neighbourhood groups and what they can do:
Sharing resources (cars, food composting, food growing, DIY equipment, etc)
Co-operation over waste
Helping each other with info and advice on energy efficiency and cost savings, green consumer guidance etc.
Local projects – supporting local businesses, schools etc, Setting up energy saving shared services – shared delivery vans or mobile organic shops. Nappy laundry business.
Resource Library – DVDs, etc. We are setting up a “virtual library” on our website in which people with DVDs etc willing to lend them out to others are listed. This can include organisations or groups like BPEC and Cowley Club.
Meeting Venues
Could be part of the resource library
City Wide Projects and Our Specialist Groups
Our Transition Interest Groups - Energy, Transport, Food, Buildings, Waste, Economics, Heart and Soul of Change, Local Govt Liaison etc (see our Website) – can offer help and advice in their areas of knowledge, and may invite groups to join in a city-wide programme or event – e.g. car free day, neighbourhood waste awareness initiative, local food growing groups.
Using our Website
Each group will decide how much they want to be on our website – but at least there should be someone who can go on it and enter the group and its locality and next meeting and agenda etc
Links with Residents Associations
Some of these cover a wide area (e.g. CMPCA – 2,500 people), others might form a neighbourhood group themselves (e.g. apartment blocks).
Ted and Maureen and Rob are already in existing associations and want to work within them – another viable approach.
We are likely to link in with One-Brighton Residents group if and when it starts after the apartment block has been built.
Generally it seems a good idea to link in with any local residents or community association, be in their newsletter, invite others to join etc
National City Transition Network
We can share experiences with other cities in our network – Bristol , Nottingham , Norwich etc.
Notes from meeting of Neighbourhood Group Co-ordinators Support Group – Mon 14 July
