TBH forum meeting – Wed 30 July

The next TBH forum meeting is from 7.30–9.30pm on Wed 30 July at The Werks, 45 Church Street, Hove (map). Please note that from this point on forum meetings will always be at 7.30pm on the last Wednesday of each month. All welcome.

Agenda for this meeting

1. Renew and agree our Mission statement
building on what we have so far so that it is inspiring, clear, memorable, with
observable and measurable aims and outcomes.

2. Have an update from each of the Transition Interest Groups and the Neighbourhood Groups.

3. Check where we are at in getting input from each group on our response to the Council’s core strategy consultation – due by Friday 8th August.

4. Agree a date for our 1st anniversary party in early September!

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Food group meeting – Tue 29 July

The next Food Group meeting will take place at 7:30-9:30pm on Tue 29 July at 7 Beaufort Terrace in Hanover - thanks Simon for offering your house again!

We will discuss our upcoming events (Jam Jam, food foraging, bread making), and the TBH allotment. The first half of this meeting will be dedicated to the allotment, the second half to food group business.

As well as the programme of events, in the food group business part of the meeting we will talk about how we want to function as a group and be more effective and productive - so, frequency of meetings and setting a regular meeting date, clarifying our mission statement, setting goals and achieving them, etc.

Please bring a dish to share (veggie or vegan only please!). Hope to see you then.

For more information please email food@transitionbrightonandhove.org.uk

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Film screening (Shoreham): The Power of Community – Mon 28 July

Transition Town Shoreham by Sea (TTSbS) presents the inspiring Cuban film The Power of Community on how to respond to a world without cheap oil. 7 for 7.30pm at Ropetackle Arts Centre, Little High Street, Shoreham by Sea (map)

For more information on the film see here.

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Farmer's Market, George Street, Hove - Sat 26 July

The George Street Farmer's Market in Hove takes place from 9am-2pm on the fourth Saturday of every month. Fresh and baked produce from around Sussex, organic meat and vegetables, goose eggs, Japanese vegetables grown in Lewes, seasonal fruit and more. This month on 26 July. More info here.

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Introduction to Permaculture course – Sat 26 / Sun 27 July

A course offering information about, and some hands-on experience of, the basics of permaculture design: designing for sustainability in all walks of life. Whether your interest is gardening, farming, planning, building homes, community work, economic regeneration, business or green lifestyles, the application of Permaculture principles empowers you to make a positive contribution towards a sustainable future. 10am–5pm both days at Stanmer Park (near University of Sussex). Click here for directions to our meeting point at Stanmer Park.

For more information see here.

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Report on Thurstan's talk: the One Planet Living project to refresh Brighton and Hove's Climate Change Strategy

Thurstan Crockett, Head of Brighton and Hove City Council's Sustainability & Environmental Policy, was invited to address interested Transition Brighton and Hove members and to field questions at The Brighthelm Centre on Tuesday 22nd July 2008.

The purpose of the talk, arranged by TB&H's Liaison with Local Govenment
Group was for Thurstan to present the progress of Brighton & Hove's Climate Change Strategy.
Return to LLG Home Page

In explaining the background to the Climate Change Strategy, Thurstan
referred to the signing of the Nottingham Declaration by the Leader and Chief Executive of Brighton and Hove Council in 2004, demonstrating their commitment to responding to this challenge.

The Nottingham Declaration commits the council to contributing to the
delivery of the national climate change programme, preparing a plan with the local community to address the causes and effects of climate change, reduce its own emissions, encourage all sectors of the local community to reduce their own emissions, work with key providers to adapt to changes, and provide opportunities for renewable energy generation within the area.

Following this commitment to The Nottingham Declaration, the Council organized its Fourth Annual Sustainability Conference on Climate Change in November 2005 on the theme of Climate Change. The conference was used for scoping opinion and interest in the local community and from stakeholders to assist in the creation of Climate Change Action Plan.

The Climate Change Action Plan (launched in December 2006) outlined the Council's aims to:

-Reduce greenhouse gas emissions in our city by conserving energy, reducing local waste, and promoting the benefits of sustainable transport, such as cycling or walking, rather than using the car for short journeys around the city.

-Encourage local businesses and other organisations to follow the council's lead and take responsibility for their own environmental impact on the city.

-Prepare for the changes that will happen in Brighton & Hove because of the changing climate, such as hotter summers, drier winters, storms and downpours.

-Create a change of attitude to renewable energy, such as wind and solar power as viable alternatives to the use of fossil fuels (for example coal and petrol).

-Illustrate the economic, social and environmental benefits of taking action
now on climate change.

The report on the Fourth Annual Sustainability Conference on Climate Change as well as the presentations from the four guest speakers, are available below to download:

Sustainability Conference 2005 Report [PDF 436kb]

Future Climate Change and Impacts (Professor Callum Firth) [PDF 219kb]

Renewable Energy and it's Role in our Future (Howard Johns) [PDF 722kb]

Towards Sustainable Development of the Built Environment (Terry Wyatt) [PDF 446kb]

Improving Life in Cities (Helle Lis Søholt) [PDF 1.2Mb]

Thurstan recognized that the Climate Change Action Plan would need citywide buy-in and would also need to set targets and priorities. In order to measure whether the general target of cutting carbon emissions across the city is being met, data was needed on what Brighton and Hove's emissions were in 2006 and this was plotted back to 1990. Comparison could then be made with the targets set within the Kyoto Protocol. In a formal agreement with government, a target of a 4% reduction in carbon emissions for three years was set.

Early efforts to engage with the local community left scope for improvement, though some internal actions within the Council (e.g. monitoring their own energy use & carbon footprint; staff travel) were steps in the right direction. There were efforts to engage both with schools and with Brighton and Hove's business sector. There was a debate on adaptation and resilience as well as focus on the numbers of cars in the city and the impact of homes on carbon emissions.

In the second phase of his talk, Thurstan introduced One Planet Living and the latter's operation as a joint developer in Brighton (together with the volume house-builder Crest Nicholson) under the name BioRegional Quintain.

One Planet Living (OPL) and BioRegional Quintain have pioneered ecological footprinting as a broad indicator of resource consumption. To sustain Brighton and Hove's current level of resource consumption, three and a half planets (of productive land and ocean) would be needed.(The average resource consumption for the UK as a whole requires three planets).

One Planet Living is well aware of the paradox of housing 170 people in sustainable accommodation in a fantastically unsustainable city. To try to reconcile the contradictory aspects, One Planet Living was keen to offer its services in refreshing the city of Brighton and Hove's Climate Change Strategy, providing £10,000 worth of finance as part of the offer. Part of the project has been to take a headline view at consumption-based CO2 emissions in the city. Emissions related to production are not to bad, but in terms of CO2 emissions related to Consumption, Brighton and Hove (a service-orientated seaside/tourist resort with a lot of places to eat out) is one of the worst performing cities in the country. This has much to do with Food and Air Miles.

Progress in refreshing our Climate Change Strategy has involved setting short-term, interim and long-term goals. The steep increases, which we have recently experienced in the price of oil, have focused both on the needs for both urgent action and transformational value. The Environment Council has suggested that, in reviewing Brighton and Hove's Climate Change Strategy, regard is also given to risks such as drought, rises in sea level, flooding &/or severe heat. The response to these scenarios, which are to be subject to scientific probability analysis (i.e. risk assessment) would need to consider a service area of 25 square kilometres.

Back in 2002, 'Climate Change' got 'just about a mention' in the Council's Sustainability Strategy. The latter, one of ten strategy documents, is now considered very important as refreshed versions of it need to be approved by the full Council.

Thurstan's printed handout set out the links between One Planet Living,
Brighton and Hove City Council and the body known as The Local Strategic Partnership (LSP), also called The 2020 Community Partnership.



It is through the LSP that One Planet Living has been commissioned to develop an up-to-date Climate Change Strategy for Brighton and Hove.

The Local Strategic Partnership is much broader than the Council itself, since it has six members from other public sector bodies, six from Brighton and Hove's business sector, twelve from the community and voluntary sector, and two from regional government bodies. There are a number of Strategic Partnerships in our city, another being Brighton and Hove's Sustainability Partnership for which Transition Brighton and Hove is putting forward Jacqui Cuff as their 2008 candidate for membership. The route for election onto these Partnerships is through Brighton and Hove's Community and Voluntary Sector Forum

The LSP or The 2020 Community Partnership provides strategic direction to the city i.e. a way in which mainstream service providers such as the city council, police, health services and central government agencies can listen to the views and concerns of local residents and work with other service providers such as the voluntary sector to tackle cross-cutting issues they could not address themselves and to join up and deliver services in a way that meets local need.

Last year, the LSP was asked to set three top priorities. Thurstan Crockett's Sustainability Team was delighted that tackling Climate Change (i.e. the city's carbon emissions) made it among the top three.

On 19th November 2007, a Brighton and Hove Climate Change Strategy Stakeholder Day, involving over 150 people from a wide range of backgrounds and levels of expertise, was held at The Freeman Centre at University of Sussex.

Brighton and Hove City Council contacted the Environment Council on behalf of the LSP. The Environment Council worked with the LSP representatives to define the aim and objectives for the workshop. Since the latter would bring together 60 diverse stakeholders, a process was needed to ensure that the workshop would have the best outputs so that the LSP would be able to maximize its impact in its attempt to lower carbon emssions across the city by 2050.

The documents below summarise the work undertaken by our stakeholders on the 19 November 2007 and our facilitators summary report of the day.

-[Programme PDF 50kb]

-Summary of John Chesshire's Speech [Link to follow]

-Heather Buttivant's Presentation [Heather Slides PDF 2.31mb]

-Thurstan Crockett's Presentation [Thurstan Slides PDF 1.27 mb]

-The Environment Council's Summary Report [Summary Report PDF 871kb]

The revised Sustainability Strategy will hopefully act as a check on Brighton and Hove City Council's administration and planning decisions in the future. It incorporates National Indicators for Carbon reduction in local areas.

One Planet Living will hold one week of workshops between 22nd and 26th September 2008 for schools, local businesses and the community voluntary sector. The progress of the project will then be widely promoted.

Questions to Thurstan from the Floor

Question 1.
Jim: TB&H Energy Group identified an energy gap and asked about the use of wind turbines in relation to Shoreham harbour. A plan to locate some in shallow water 10-15 miles off-shore was not to be implemented until 2014 (see The Core Strategy), but Jim asked if it could be speeded up.

It was noted that there had been planning objections to the creation of an off-shore wind farm for London. There is mention in the Core Strategy about Shoreham Harbour having a sub-station to connect to an off-shore wind farm. Within the Area Action Plan for Shoreham Harbour, West Sussex County Council, SEEDA, Adur and Brighton and Hove City Council are all signed up to a major opportunity for large-scale renewables. There is full Council support for large-scale renewables at Shoreham.

Reference was made from the floor to Al Gore's recent speech: a generational challenge to repower America using 100% renewables within 10 years. It was suggested that Britain should put Al Gore's suggestion into practice. An off-shore wind farm could use the Fishergate sub-station. The potential for tidal power was also mentioned and it was felt that a gas-fired power station could supply Brighton and Hove with hot water long before 2014. Another speaker from the floor emphasized the need for impact assessment in relation to protection of flora and fauna. Wind farms might not have the best environmental impact.

Question 2
Clare, who has previously worked fot the Council, highlighted the difficulties she was having in getting support via The Council's Energy Efficiency Manager for her learning disabilities project involving carbon management, composting and recycling. Thurstan acknowledged that staffing levels could be better. The Energy Efficiency Manager doubles as The Council's Water Manager, but greater resource provision was in the pipeline. Instead of a sole Energy Efficiency Manager, there is going to be an Energy Team. A specific learning module on Energy Efficiency is to be made available to Senior Management within the Council. Every directorate will have a carbon reduction Induction process lasting at least half a day. E-learning opportunities will also be available for all staff. However, in deciding where to allocate funds, payback time will remain an important consideration.

Question 3
John made mention of the cooperative relationship which Transition Brighton an Hove were seeking with the Council. Jacqui asked whether a time-scale (e.g. 60% by 2050) had been put on reducing carbon emissions within the Climate Change Strategy. She also felt that the Council could improve on publicity in engaging with the local community. Joyce reminded members of Transition Brighton and Hove on their own need to work on how they were going to channel their relationship with the Council in relation to Sustainability.

Question 4
Stephen focused on the quantity of rented accommodation within Brighton an Hove and asked if it was within Thurstan's remit to encourage landlords to take or allow energy-saving measures such as wall/roof insulation, double or triple glazing or even allowing tenants to fit curtain rails! Thurstan mentioned that the Private Sector Housing Group was part of the Housing Partnership. Brighton and Hove City Council had one of the most extensive and sophisticated Grants Systems for encouraging energy efficiency e.g. through the Warm Homes initiative. It was helped that incentives to save energy could be extended to landlords. From October 2008, rented properties will need Energy Efficiency certificates. The worst performing may find that they are shunned by some prospective tenants.

Question 5
Joyce focused on the contribution of food (through Brighton and Hove's restaurants and not just through "food miles") to our city's ecological footprint. Reference was made to the Cuba model of growing food within and around housing estates. Allotments locally are considerably oversubscribed. It was time for Open Space planning to extend beyond the usual amenity and recreational values and to extend to horticultural activities i.e.growing more of our own food locally. Dig for Victory was mentioned as something which could be revived, the new victory focusing on the environmental challenge. Another speaker from the floor wondered whether the inefficiency of supporting meat production could guide planning policies. Thurstan observed that this was something that Bioregional mention when discussing resource intensity.

Question 6
Doly focused on the relatively small resource provision in terms of manhours, working towards sustainability within a Council which has a very large payroll. Within the Council there are 3 members of staff working on sustainability, not full-time and not daily. The sustainability brief is in addition to other work. Doly's point was that insufficient manhours were there. Thurstan acknowledged these working constraints, but mentioned a very useful additional resource: the Council's Active Volunteering Programme. There was scope for building on its success: finding what volunteers wanted, their capabilities. Managing volunteers was an area where more attention could lead to greater gains.


Brighton and Hove Council's Sustainability Team, made up of Council officers, is a small team based within the Strategy & Governance Directorate of the council. The team works across the council and with the community to promote sustainability issues through the development of action plans, supporting local projects and campaigns, and through the delivery of an environmental education programme. The team offer unpaid volunteering, work shadowing and other work experience opportunities. Work can range from general administration and office duties, to research projects and assisting in the organisation of events. Projects which they already support include:

1. Carbon Management Programme


2. Climate change action plan


3. Education for Sustainable Development Conference


4. Eco-schools programme


5. Energy performance certificate


6. Environmental education


7. Fairtrade


8. Farmers' markets


9. Green kids club


10. Park Art Schools Resource CdRom


11. Microgeneration


12. Nuclear Power and Shoreham Harbour


13. Real nappies


14. Sustainability commission


15. Sustainable schools


16. Sustainability strategy


17. Water saving


18. Volunteering


19. Water Action Plan

The question session with Thurstan closed at the planned time of 9pm when the meeting proceeded to select Jacqui Cuff (from TB&H's Liaison with Local Government Group) as Transition Brighton and Hove's candidate to compete for a place on our city's Sustainability Partnership in elections administered by Brighton and Hove's Community and Voluntary Sector Forum.

See separate post on the process and administration of these 2008 elections.

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Presentation and discussion: The Rocky Road to a Real Transition *DATE CHANGE* Thu 24th July

The Transition Towns Movement and what it means for social change. Alice from Trapese will explain the new booklet they have produced which is meant as a critically constructive discussion of the political contexts of Transition Initiatives and with a chance for discussion and questions plus thinking about how to move forward. 12th June 7:30-9pm at The Cowley Meeting Room, 52 Providence Place.
The booklet can be downloaded here
The room we are using has capacity for around 20 people, please send an email to alice.trapese(at)gmail.com if you would like to attend so we know how many people to expect and can find a bigger venue if necessary.

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Tues 22nd July: TB&H's 2008 Elections to choose our representative to stand for a place on Brighton & Hove's Sustainability Partnership

Transition Brighton and Hove's Elections for a candidate to apply for a place as TB&H representative on Brighton & Hove's Sustainability Partnership.

Transition Brighton and Hove's own Elections will take place on Tuesday 22nd July (circa 9 pm) after the TBH talk with Thurstan Crockett (commencing 7.30pm) in the Stanmer Room at Brighthelm Centre.
Return to LLG Home Page

The Community and Voluntary Sector Forum is the main route through which community and voluntary sector representatives are elected to seats on a number of citywide strategic partnerships.

This helps to ensure the views and experiences of the community and voluntary sector are heard and promoted at citywide meetings, and that we are driving up public service standards and empowering people to have more say over decisions that affect their daily lives.

There are 3 places for representatives from the voluntary sector. Transition Brighton and Hove is not guaranteed to get one of the 3 places. However, if we can, it would be a good opportunity to raise our profile and to ensure Transition Brighton & Hove is involved in council business on sustainability.

The 2008 elections process is now underway, so please do browse through the information on The Community and Voluntary Sector Forum ‘s website and consider standing.

The Forum provides support to all of its elected representatives; newly elected reps will be able to attend an induction session and all reps receive a Reps Support Pack.

Brighton and Hove’s Sustainability Partnership meets no more than 8 times a year and is comprised of representatives from across the public, business and voluntary sectors. You would be a member with full voting and speaking rights, and your role would be to:

-Attend the meetings and speak/vote in line with objectives of Transition Brighton & Hove.
-Abide by CVSF requirements
-Consult with & report back to TBH, and also the CVSF environment network (it’s ok that you're not a member of it yet).
-Read the papers

Please also view the information sheet here.

Transition Brighton and Hove's internal process will be:

22nd July, circa 9pm

1. Candidates present a 2 minute speel on why they want to be the rep and why vote for them.
2. Candidates will be allocated a letter A,B,C,D,E, etc.
3. Voting slips issued to those present.
4. Anonymously mark a first and second preference and put it into a voting box/hat.
5. Votes counted by some people not standing (Vicky + others ?).
6. Candidate is announced.

It is then the Candidate's responsibilty, with our help, to submit an application to The Community and Voluntary Sector Forum by noon, 28th July.

This will take place after the TBH talk with Thurstan Crockett, 22nd July, 7.30pm, Brighthelm Centre.

We believe this is the best occasion to hold the election as many people will be there already, as the talk is relevant to all TBH members.


What if I cannot attend on 22nd?

If anyone is unable to attend on 22nd and would like to stand as a candidate, they can contact Chris/Vicky by 12 noon Tuesday 22nd, emailing or posting a 250 word max statement to be read out at the meeting.

Unfortunatly we do not have the resources to collect votes from those not at the meeting. We understand this is not entirely fair or democratic, but deadlines are short, and people are busy!

If you have any problems with this, please contact a member of the Local Govt Liaison group localgovliaison*at*transitionbrightonandhove.org.uk or the Hub.

Sign me up, I want to be a candidate!

Attend on the 22nd, and give your 2 minute statement. OR, email your statement (250 word max) to Chris/Vicky by 12 noon on 22nd. If you don't know Chris and Vicky's contact addresses, you can also email the info to
localgovliaison*at*transitionbrightonandhove.org.uk
and it will be forwarded to them.

Please bear in mind our final TBH candidate will be up against other CVSF candidates for the 3 places, so please state any expertise, knowledge, skills, past or current employment etc. that you think makes you the best person for the post.

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Tuesday 22nd July 2008 - short Talk and opportunity for questions on the progress of Brighton & Hove's Climate Change Strategy

TB&H’s Liaison with Local Government Group is hosting a short talk on Tuesday 22nd July from 7.30pm in the Stanmer Room at The Brighthelm Centre (at the top of North Road) to which we would like to invite all TB&H members. All past and present members of Transition Brighton and Hove are invited to attend. Brighton and Hove's Climate Change Strategy is of fundamental interest to TBH, so please come along and please advertise this via your networks &/or bring a friend.

This is an opportunity to meet and discuss with Thurstan Crockett, Head of Brighton and Hove City Council’s Sustainability & Environmental Policy on the progress of One Planet Living's Work Plan to refresh our city’s Climate Change Strategy.
Return to LLG Home Page

Thurstan will be explaining the principles of One Planet Living (OPL), setting out the links between OPL and the Council's Sustainability strategy, and exploring how TBH and BHCC can work together on the Climate Change strategy for Brighton and Hove.

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Brighton and Hove Organic Gardening Group allotment open day – Sun 20 July

Brighton and Hove Organic Gardening Group invite you to their annual allotment open day. At Weald Allotments, Weald Avenue, Hove on Sun 20 July, 12 noon til 4.30pm. £free

Bug Hunting and storytelling workshops. Cafe Fuscia, plant sales and bric-a-brac all afternoon
Meet by main gate at the top of Weald Avenue any time during the day for directions to the site.
Supported by B&H City Council
Contact Helen at hemgee*at*ntlworld.com for more info

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Brighton Climate Change 'The Bigger Picture' film night – Fri 18 July

The next of Brighton Climate Change's monthly film nights. Fri 18 July from 7pm (£ voluntary donation). Films start at 7.30pm
Upstairs @ Caroline of Brunswick Pub (Bottom of Ditchling Road next to the Level: map). This month: No. 3: Non-Violent Direct Action.

An evening of films looking at Non Violent Direct Action as a way of making our voices heard. The clock is ticking on the stability of our Climate. How long can we wait around for changes to be voted in? Is Direct Action the answer.

Peaceful resistance has a long and vibrant history, from Gandhi to the Suffragettes, from the Civil Rights protests to the Anti-Roads Movement of the early 90's - or more recently to forays onto the roof of Westminster! Non Violent Direct Action can often make a point, simply - and directly!

In the lead up to Climate Camp this year (3-11 August at Kingsnorth Power Station in Kent) we look at Non-Violent Direct Action as one of our means of calling for effective action in response to this most urgent, often overwhelming issue of our time.

Main Feature: 'ON THE VERGE' + shorts

'On The Verge' is a Brighton-made documentary about the ongoing resistance to the arms trade in Brighton, highlighting struggles of this inspiring local Direct Action Movement.

In 2004 a group of Brighton peace campaigners began to bang pot and pans outside the Sussex based arms manufacturers EDO MBM in disgust of their part in the Iraq war. Using activist, police and CCTV footage plus interviews with those involved in the campaign, 'On The Verge' tells the story of one of the most persistent and imaginative campaigns to emerge out of the UK's anti-war movement and direct action scene.

Further Info at www.schnews.org.uk/schmovies/index-on-the-verge

Watch Trailer at http://enr.clearerchannel.org/media/schnews/on-the-verge.wmv

More about this year's Climate Camp http://www.climatecamp.org.uk/

More about Coal as a leading UK Climate issue, particularly in Wales http://thecoalhole.org/

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Waste & Recycling group meeting – Tue 15 July

The next Waste & Recycling meeting is at 6.30pm on Tue 15 July in The George pub, Trafalgar St, Brighton (map). For more information email waste*at*transitionbrightonandhove.org.uk

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Notes from meeting of Neighbourhood Group Co-ordinators Support Group – Mon 14 July

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.

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Clothing Swap – Wed 9 July

The textiles group is having a Clothing Swap at the Star & Sailor Pub, Western Road near Waitrose (map) this coming Wednesday, July 9 at 8 p.m. Bring at least five unwanted clean items to swap. It's in the upstairs bar.

If you can't make it, why not have your own clothing swap party? Invite at least five friends to bring clothes they don't want, get nibbles and wine and swap away! I don't buy new clothes any more because I always get at least two or three excellent items every time I go to a swap. Take the leftovers to your nearest charity shop who will be overjoyed!

Best wishes, Kat (Swapo-rama-rama)

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Greenspeak Tue 8 July 'Why Bother'

Why get involved, how to do it and what's the point? Greenspeak returns on Tuesday 8 July, 7pm for 7.30 start at The Old Market, Upper Market St, Hove BN3 1AS. Brighton and Hove's public green forum, all very welcome, £donation
Speakers:
Libby Brooks deputy editor of The Guardian's Comment Is Free, author of 'The Story of Childhood: growing up in modern Britain' and seasoned campaigner
Leo Murray, Plane Stupid Determined, imaginative and effective direct action campaigners against aviation expansion www.planestupid.com
Amy Kennedy Brighton and Hove City Councillor, who took the campaign for a Plastic Bag Free Brighton to official council policy, and stalwart of the protest movement
Sue Baumgardt Green Party Animal Rights Spokesperson, and direct action campaigner

(not a Transition event)

This month we want to be entertained by stories from inspiring people, and ask:

How do we make our voices heard? Will what I do make a difference and what about everyone else? Do you fancy some action? Not sure what to do? Given up? Not convinced? Couldn't it be a bit more fun?

And we want to know what gets them out of bed in the morning and want to get involved, when surely it would be easier not to bother, and why they have chosen to participate in the way that they do.

We want to know what's more important; vegetable patch, fence-cutters or ballot box? What drives you, drives you mad or turns you off?

See you there?

Relaxed, sociable, informative, fun. Bar will be open before, during and after the event - apologies, food will not be available.

Contact martin*AT*greenspeak.org.uk for mailing list/info. We've started a Greenspeak Facebook group you can join for monthly updates: www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=20252811852 or log in, then simply search for Greenspeak under 'groups'.

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Energy Group meeting - Tue 8 July

The next Energy group meeting is at 7.45pm on Tue 8 July at the Sanctuary Cafe, Brunswick St East, Hove (off Western Road, near Juggler pub: map). For more information contact Jim Adams at energy*at*transitionbrightonandhove.org.uk. Agenda below.

1. Introductions.

2. Appointments to be decided of
e.g. (i) Note taker for next meeting (rotates amongst some members of the group).
(ii) Facilitator (i.e. chair – rotates).
(iii) Other posts.

3. Progress reports.
EDRAP (Energy Descent & Resilience Action Plan),
Government Renewables consultation doc. response,
Campaign on Sussex offshore wind turbines before 2014,
Green Wave Festival Stall,
Eco Games for the above (CRISIS and Energy Quest),
The hub and forum,
Contacts outside Brighton & Hove,
Other meetings, e.g. liaison with Local Government Group, Transport, Business & Economics, and Food.
Funding – including Council Sustainability funding,
Preferred energy suppliers,
LED traffic lights & street lights,
Shoreham Harbour wind turbines,
CHP (Combined Heat and Power) – CERES Power,
B&H City Council contacts - tenants, - & Advisory Service,
Report on liaison with the Universities of Sussex and Brighton,
Smart Metering information and ‘Metering Library Loans’,


4. Open discussion.

5. Venue and date and time of next meeting.

For an Action List from previous meetings download here (Rich Text Format file).

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Green Wave festival – Sat 5 / Sun 6 July

Brighton's first sustainable eco festival! Held in Preston Park, the largest green space within the city on Saturday and Sunday 5th and 6th July 2008, from 11am to 5pm. £5/£2 concessions, children free. For more information about the festival see here.

FREE ENTRY: If you would like to get in free to the festival, the organisers are looking for volunteers to be marshals - it simply involves wearing a yellow jacket and directing people around who ask questions! In return you get free entry (worth £5) and food and drink to sustain you. If you were planning on coming anyway, perhaps to help out at the transition stall, why not volunteer?. Any time appreciated but ideally we'd like volunteers for half day or whole days to make it easier to keep track. To volunteer or get more information please contact Green wave on 01273 323 200 / Jacqui Cuff at jac.cuff*at*talktalk.net or on 07740 201194 / Frank Jay at frank*at*neweraassociates.co.uk

For more information about you or your business taking part in the event click here or contact Maddy Carr on 01273 735442.

This event will give a wide variety of organisations a perfect opportunity to showcase their products and services. There will be a fresh produce market as well as the following themed zones: Wellbeing, Transport, Recycling, Water, Energy, Science, Earth, Music, and Schools and Youth Zones.

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Notes on TBH forum meeting – Wed 2 July

Notes by Chris Callard

This forum meeting was facilitated by Frank Jay of New Era Associates. Frank has many years experience of putting teams together for various projects and came along to lay out his idea for structuring our meetings and groups to make them more productive and appealing to newcomers.

Permanent date for meetings
In order to make establish TBH meetings in people's minds they should be at the same time each month and at the same venue – forum meetings will now be on the last Wednesday of every month at The Werks. When the introductory sessions have started they shall be on the same day each month.

Clear and measurable statement of the group's aims
Frank also pointed out that one of TBH's weaknesses is that we don't have a clear and memorable mission statement. This applies both to the group as a whole and to each of the interest groups. The missions statement (reflecting TBH's aim to be a community response to climate change and peak oil) should be stated at the beginning of each meeting and each step in our progress measured against this statement. The statement should be clear and measurable and able to be reeled off by any member of TBH when asked. The hub are to clarify this mission statement at their next meeting, then it will be put up on the website and drummed in to members far and wide. Each interest group should also have a measurable mission statement which reflects their part of the whole groups aims e.g. the Food group's might be that B&H be responsible for producing all its own food by 2020.

Format of meetings to make them more productive
In order that all meetings are engaging to those present and reflect progress towards a goal, Frank suggested the following format for every meeting:
• Chair of the meeting to restate TBH's/the interest group's mission statement
• A reminder of the last milestone objective set by the group
• An update on how we are doing towards that milestone
• Questioning what's next towards that milestone

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TBH newsletter – July 2008

If you wish to receive this newsletter as an email each month, please register on the forum – this will put you on our mailing list. Or email the website requesting that you be added to the list.

The next regular Transition Brighton and Hove forum meeting is at 7.30pm this Wed 2 July at The Werks, 45 Church Street, Hove (map). Forum meetings include feedback from each transition working group and future planning. Everyone is welcome. Dates of TBH meetings can always be found on the main page of the website.

News

Transition issues in the mainstream news
Climate change:
13 Jun – Iowa Floods force thousands out – BBC
14 Jun – Arctic thaw threatens Siberian permafrost – Independent
17 Jun – More floods threaten South China – BBC
18 Jun – Australian rivers 'face disaster' – BBC

Peak oil:
Oil currently $139 a barrel, up from $135 last month.
11 Jun – Global Crude Oil Production Dropped in 2007, BP says – Bloomberg
12 Jun – Spain & Portugal: Factories close, supermarkets empty and jets run out of fuel as truckers' strike bites – Guardian
13 Jun – Now struggling families told sky-high food and oil prices are here for 'years to come' – Daily Mail
23 Jun – Demand, not speculation, at heart of oil shock, says Brown – Guardian: Gordon Brown asks Saudi oil producers to invest in UK renewables

Green Wave festival
TBH will be participating in Green Wave, Brighton's first sustainable eco festival. The festival is in Preston Park on Sat 5/Sun 6 July and includes a solar-powered live music stage, a school eco theatre arena and a number of different zones: Wellbeing, Transport, Recycling, Water, Energy, Science, Earth, Music, Schools and Youth (see Upcoming Events below). If you would like free entry the festival organisers are looking for marshals, see Requests for help below.

Opportunity for TBH to meet and discuss with the Council on their Climate Change strategy
TBH’s Liaison with Local Government Group have organised an opportunity for all TBH members to listen to and question Thurstan Crockett, Head of Brighton and Hove City Council’s Sustainability & Environmental Policy. 7.30pm on Thu 17 July at the Salvation Army Hall (see Upcoming Events below and here for more info).

Introduction to Transition Brighton & Hove sessions
Thanks to those who have expressed an interest in introductory sessions, and apologies for their delay – they will be happening in the next few weeks. And if anyone else wants to know more about what Transition Initiatives and Transition Brighton and Hove are about, and learn more about climate change and peak oil, please email introsessions*at*transitionbrightonandhove.org.uk so we can contact you with dates.

Allotment petition
Houses are being squeezed into any available land but allotment space is dwindling. It is vital to embrace local food if we are to cope with the twin challenges of climate change and Peak Oil. The following URL links to a petition to parliament for all new development to be obliged to include allotments. Please sign and forward on the link: http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/moreallotments

Requests for help

TBH is not really about the coordinating group initiating projects and recruiting help – it's about people who want to be part of TBH both initiating their own projects, and providing help to others with their ideas. This could just as well be a project that's part of an existing organisation as something completely new – TBH simply aims to be a network of everyone who has the same goal of energy resilience and reduction. If you have an energy-reducing project that you need help with, if you have a pie-in-the-sky dream and you want to throw ideas around about it with other people, please advertise them here (by replying to this email), and it will go out in the next newsletter.

Green Wave festival 5/6 July – various requests for help
Free entry for marshals
The Green Wave organisers are looking for volunteers to be marshals - it simply involves wearing a yellow jacket and directing people around who ask questions! In return you get free entry (worth £5) and food and drink to sustain you. If you were planning on coming anyway, perhaps to help out at the transition stall, why not volunteer?. Any time appreciated but ideally we'd like volunteers for half day or whole days to make it easier to keep track. To volunteer or get more information please contact Green Wave on 01273 323 200 / Jacqui Cuff at jac.cuff*at*talktalk.net or on 07740 201194 / Frank Jay at frank*at*neweraassociates.co.uk
Clothes and helpers wanted for Swap-O-Rama-Rama
The Textiles group need clean unwanted clothes to swap, embellish and recycle at the Swap-O-Rama-Rama. Helpers are also needed on Saturday and Sunday to make the donated clothing look nice. Find them in the Recycling Zone, or contact Kat at textiles*at*transitionbrightonandhove.org.uk or on 07958 964810
Helpers for transition cinema
There will be films shown on various transition themes in the cinema tent at the festival – if you can help out in the cinema please contact Stephen at only.connect*at*mac.com

Transition Interest Groups

The dates of all Transition Interest Group meetings are on this website. (If you want to see meetings just for the area you are interested in, click on the link under 'Search Events by Subject', further down the home page in the right hand column.)

Neighbourhood groups

In a city as large as Brighton & Hove it is going to become necessary to spread our activities out into neighbourhoods. TBH's plan is to ask existing neighbourhood community groups if we can give a talk to them about transition, with the aim of kickstarting a neighbourhood group. If you are part of a community group and would like a member of TBH to come give a talk to your group, please contact talks*at*transitionbrightonandhove.org.uk. Or if you are interested in starting a Transition neighbourhood group in your area, please contact hub*at*transitionbrightonandhove.org.uk.

Meeting for kickstarting Neighbourhood groups
This will take place on Mon 14 July – details here

Upcoming events

For Upcoming Events see the main page of the website.

General information

Joining Transition Interest Groups (Food, Transport, Energy, etc): either sign up in the Usergroups on the forum – how to do this here – or contact the group coordinators directly, see here.

Forum: please remember to add your news, opinions and suggestions to the discussions on the forum – this is the place where ideas for projects and collaborations can begin.

Brighton & Hove Green organisations index: the TBH website has a updated directory of green Brighton organisations, including campaign groups, awareness-raising literature and training, local produce suppliers, transport alternatives and lots more.

Transition Library: there is a category on the forum when people can offer to lend, and borrow, books on transition-related subjects. If you have books on climate change, peak oil and other relevant subjects and think others will benefit from reading them, please offer to lend them out. Lending/borrowing arrangements at the top of the forum

Contact details: contact emails for all hub members and group coordinators are available here.

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