Transition Stroud

New Food Hub

2009-06-29T05:21:00.000-07:00

The new Food Hub for Stroud had it's first meeting. Here is the information about the hub.

Stroudco Food Hub

A social enterprise for local food producers and community

Principles

Provide locally-produced food to people in Stroud

Provide a reasonable return for work to producer members

Build supportive and understanding links between producers and consumers

Develop food culture and community strength

Structure

The food Hub has producer members who commit to

Supply food for sale at lower than retail prices

Provide a service to the community members such as farm open day, camping, host a bring and share meal, etc

Provide a service to other producer members such as shared deliveries, loan of equipment, loan of labour, etc. Offers to have a roughly equivalent financial value.

Give 8% of what they sell through the Hub to the Hub for running costs , the most significant of which is the workers’ wage.

The Hub has 200 consumer members who

Pay membership of £24 per year

Build up to buying an average of £25 of food per month through the Hub within 2 years.

Contribute at least 2 hours of voluntary work per year such as farm labour, administration, packing food.

Benefits
Producers do minimal marketing. They get up-front ordering and payment, higher than wholesale prices and a single delivery point. Producers control their own market without supermarket contracts.

Consumer members have relationships with producers, community activity, access to farm life, no need to pay ‘middlemen’ so affordable food at slightly less than retail prices, short supply chain so fresh food.

The enterprise is a not for profit social enterprise, controlled by community and producer members. It is registered as a Community Interest Company. Anyone can join as a community member. Producers can join by permission of existing members. The board comprises of consumer and producer members.

Activities

A worker is employed by the Hub to organise running systems, maintain a catalogue of products available from producers, manage finances, encourage co-operation and organise events. The worker is answerable to the board and paid a wage with a bonus.

Members will order food in advance through a Hub website.
Producer members will deliver produce to a central point.

There will be monthly events for members such as a presentation from a producer, on farm events, joint processing days, etc

The Hub owns items for loan to members such as a juicer, sausage maker, roasting spit, juice press, etc

Distribution and delivery space

Food drops will happen initially once a month. Eventually we hope to build up to a weekly drop. The co-op will have access to the hall at Parliament School. All produce is delivered by the producers to this venue.

The worker will then sort the food into boxes according to what each consumer has ordered. The consumer members take it in turns to help with the food sort. The co-op worker pre-prepares paperwork to make the sorting job as simple as possible.

Consumer members collect from the school hall on Saturday afternoon. Consumers are encouraged to collect for other consumers local to them.

Consumers can choose to pay a delivery charge and have the co-op worker deliver the food to their home.

Set up

A grant funded worker will set up the enterprise, so that it can be handed over to a part time employee as a viable not-for-profit business after 3 years

Bike Week

2009-06-15T12:00:00.000-07:00

The amazing Transport group made a big splash last Saturday when they got together with other groups involved with transport issues and organised the launch of National Bike Week.

Lots of people stopped to talk about the way they get about and what they could do to cut down on their carbon emissions.

John was in excellent form talking to passers by and showing people his home made 'bamboo' trailer made from recycled television aerials. James and Imogen peddled their sound system and a wonderful peddled powered painting machine run by the APE project (http://www.apeproject.co.uk/) kept the children happy with their centrifugal splash paintings. Carol, Nick and Matilda introduced people to Trip Switch, helping people to switch their trip to something a bit more green, working with other local projects - check out their website on http://www.stroudtripswitch.co.uk/

An excellent start to the week.

Transition Network Conference 2009

2009-06-01T14:33:00.000-07:00

There were about 350 people from all over the world who gathered together for the 2009 Transition Conference at the Battersea Arts Centre in London.The weekend was hot and sunny and the organisation was tight as well as fluid and flexible. The organisers had learned from last year and had made many improvements. One (and my favourite) was that people had been asked to bring homemade cakes and nibbles for tea breaks. Excellent.
The first session on Friday was in local groups talking about the things that were happening. I had prepared a chart of the things going on in Transition Stroud but was glad that Jade from the Food Group was there to add several things I had forgotten.

On Saturday morning, Rob presented, with Mike Grenville, Charlene Collison and Jacqi Hodgson, a workshop about EDAPs, presenting the current state of play with the concept, from Forest Row and Totnes. The workshop was introduced by Rob saying there is no right way to do this and the end product is likely to tell a story that guides but you don’t necessarily have to stick to it. The speakers also said that having a dead line was very helpful!

This was followed by the first open space session. Many of the participants had come with expertise, experience or interest and had offered to lead a session accordingly. I attended a group talking about creative recycling and remembered my experience of a recycled band that had created a most unusual set of instruments including a supermarket trolley as percussion.

After lunch we had the premiere of ‘In Transition’. Emma Goude, Peter Lipman and Rob Hopkins introduced the film which then ran to the packed hall. At the end, it received a standing ovation, a very enthusiastic response.
One of the names I rather liked was, instead of NIMBY’s (Not In My Back Yard) they suggested OOOOBYs (Out Of Our Own Back Yard). Also in Lewes, when the Lewes pound was launched the pounds sold out very quickly with one Lewes pound selling for £30 at one point. Let’s go Stroud Pound.
In the feedback and questions session afterwards, the main question that emerged was the fact that the film presents a very white and middle class image of Transition.
As the film is made up of various footage sent in from groups all over the world it is a reflection of the membership of Transition groups everywhere and something that needs to be addressed in each locality.

After a second open session where I was in a group talking about working with young people we took some time off to play football, dance or just relax. Then it was time for the evening event, ‘Transition Everywhere’. The first speaker was David Strahan who gave an update on peak oil and why it still matters. He argued that the current low prices are actually more harmful than the high prices we saw last summer, and that all the indications are that peak oil is still near at hand, and that the fact that the run up to the price spike last year wasn’t accompanied by increased production, is one indicator that OPEC countries are unable to increase production – already increasing as much as they can.

The next speaker was Stephan Harding of Schumacher College who presented a wonderful, hilarious and moving crash course in Gaian science, in spite of a PowerPoint presentation that ground to a halt. He talked about the genesis of the Gaia concept, and about how the mechanistic, dualistic view that saw nature as being like a lifeless machine, and humanity as being separate from it, is at the heart of our current ecological crisis. He held the audience beautifully, weaving a compelling narrative around examples of how nature regulates itself. Wonderful. Then eco-psychologist Mary-Jayne Rust talked about the Resilience of the Heart, and on the subject of ensuring inner resilience. This moved into territory that is not so often explored, and Mary-Jayne set out a number of pointers that people who are active in Transition might build into their work in order to ensure that they avoid burnout and exhaustion.

Rob followed with an update on Transition, where it has got to and where it might go next. The very final turn of the evening was a special surprise guest, the Reverend Billy of the Church of Life After Shopping.
The evening finished with an open mic session where I took the opportunity of singing a song or two.

Sunday started with various workshops. I chose one about putting together a web group for each area. Unfortunately I didn’t understand much of it as it was led by computer literate men who obviously knew what they were talking about. Ah well. I get the idea and maybe it’s time for our IT group to get going and link up with our own region.

We then went into our final Open Space and I happened to end up in the Garden Share group. This was a wonderfully inspired group with some experienced members and other keen ones. There were many ideas for how to get started, how to run it and how to fund it including a paid co-ordinator and a ‘Green Thumb Gang’ who could help people if they needed it.

We ended with all members coming together for a wrapping up session. The chairs were re-arranged into a big circle and people were invited in pairs to reflect on what they had particularly enjoyed about the conference, what they would do differently next time, and finally, what were the seeds they were taking away with them, and what might they grow into? I very foolishly offered to organise a children and young people’s section of the conference next year. The session closed with a group singing of a Transition-themed version of Janis Joplin’s ‘Oh Lord Won’t You Buy Me a Mercedes Benz’ song, with new words about a composting loo. I think I prefer a Mercedes.

It was an amazing 3 days in an amazing venue. The depth and breadth of the workshops and the quality of the discussion in the Open Space sessions was excellent. Well done to the hard working organisers. Oh and next year’s may well be a residential, camping, more outdoors and more hands-on type affair. Ah well, never mind.

Eco Mania Day

2009-05-27T08:38:00.000-07:00

On Saturday May 9th Harry organised a day for young people to tell them all about Transition. Several new people came and many other supporters. A lovely day was had by all. 19 sunflower plants were sold for the sunflower growing competition. The flower heads will be measured on Saturday 1st August.

Captain Spanner and Nutty Nicky kept people entertained and James showed a film powered by his bike. Several stalls had items showing people how to recycle in most interesting and creative ways and Jane introduced people to lovely food from the garden.

Angelo's Wood Fired Pizzas fed everyone and the sun shone on all.

Thanks to everyone who helped and enjoyed the day.

Age of Hopeless?

2009-05-09T00:49:00.000-07:00

This week many of us saw the film "Age of Stupid" in Stroud, on Sunday the hall was packed and I expect that yesterdays showing was similarly attended.
We transitioners have sat with familiar faces from the local Green Party and others on many occasions over recent years and have seen other films that predict the failing society that will result when all the polar and glacial ice has melted and/or peak oil has made its mark.
None of this is cheery in its messages, and to add to the effect on our morale, national and local politicians continue to drag their feet over deciding on action to combat it. (In the case of the threat to a successful wind farm at Kirksanton in Cumbria, progress could be reversed if the turbines are removed to make way for a nuclear power station).

I think that some news of actual positive action is called for. The idea was first floated by Molly last Sunday and we agree it needs to be considered at the least.

Lets compile a film about the many initiatives that have already occurred here in Stroud area and show the film. No doubt the many occasions when film makers have filmed the farmers market, community agriculture days, bicology events and others have between them got many snippets of film data that could be made into a film that is inspirational and perhaps also points the way to a soundly based future.

So we are calling on you all to ask anyone you know who may be able to get their hands on some film footage that fits the idea.
We also need a script writer, narrator, and if new footage is needed a director, camera man/woman etc etc.

People say that Stroud has got in its culture many facets that distinguish it from other similarly sized and located towns, sometimes local TV news articles fail to show more than the more bizarre sights here, as they seek ratings and sensationalist events in favour of news of ordinary people responsibly changing life for the better. So lets do it for them!

Finally I suggest we exclude all politicians from this, either they are at the levers of power and don't use them for this cause or they cannot get at them to do so. Politics is currently spotlighted as corrupt, inwardly self serving and foot dragging about climate change or blindly pro nuclear. This idea is about real actions by ordinary people, past present and future.

May Newsletter

2009-05-05T01:52:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks,
Welcome to the May newsletter. The season is warming up and lots of outdoor activities are being planned. I hope you’ll try to get to as many as possible, but, more importantly, bring lots of friends.

§ The YOUTH GROUP are holding an Eco Mania day for young people at Upper Grange,
(Lovedays Mead, Stroud GL5 1XB) on Saturday May 9th from 11.00am to 3.00pm.. Harry (13) is the co-ordinator of the Youth Group and has worked very hard for this event. On Saturday there will be entertainment from Captain Spanner, pizzas from Angelo’s Wood Fired Pizzas, recycled arts and crafts, buy or barter stall, sunflower growing competition and the chance for children to make their ideal town out of a collection of recycled bits and pieces. Harry went out busking with his violin on Saturday to raise money for the event and to advertise it (he was joined by Helen R and Pete Nightingale). Please encourage any children you may know to come along and come along yourself as well.

§ The TEXTILE GROUP
Emily Smith will be taking over the co-ordination of this group again. Thanks to Rose who has done an excellent job. It was lovely to see so many last night up at the beautiful Westley Farm, rag rugging and rug plaiting. The next meeting will be in three weeks time, some suggested dates Tuesday 12th May 7.30pm Wednesday 13th May 7.30pm . I’ll send out a reminder when they decide.
The group are busy preparing for the weekend at Westley Farm in June. “The Art of Westley Farming” A collective cross-pollination celebrating ecological and creative diversity.

§ The BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT GROUP
Simon and Fi will be speaking at the Positive Future Conference 2009 in Liverpool on 5th May run by the Improvement and Development Agency for local government. It is on climate change and sustainability and will equip delegates with knowledge on the innovative practice and latest developments in a changing policy landscape. Speaking with Jonathan Porrit and Rob Hopkins. See www.idea.gov.uk/positivefuture09. Ed Milliband invited!
Fi and Dave (Cockcroft) were also featured in the Times http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/real_food/article6098277.ece

§ The new HEALTH GROUP will be meeting for the first time at the Apothecary, Ruskin Mill (Old Bristol Road, Nailsworth, GL6 0LA - take the Horsley Rd off the A46), Thursday 30th April at 7.30. New members would be very welcome. They will be looking at the effect of diminishing oil supplies on pharmaceuticals, considering the possibility of growing homeopathic medicines nearer home, and general policies on Health issues related to inability to travel, among other issues.
§ The ENERGY GROUP are working towards the Eco-renovation
Open Homes weekend in September. So far there are 20 homes that will be opening their doors to visitors. For more information see http://www.stroudopenhomes.org.uk/

§ The TRANSPORT GROUP
If you’re not up to date with all the amazing work the Transport Group have been involved with check out the web site http://www.transitionstroud.org/content/view/92/127/

Planning continues for Green Travel Month (June) including stalls on the Sub Rooms forecourt on 13th June.

§ The LIFESTYLES AND LIVELIHOODS GROUP are still working hard for the new local currency. The training evening was very helpful with much lively debate about how we will encourage local businesses to participate. See the Transition Stroud blog for more about the evening
http://transitiontownstroud.blogspot.com/

OTHER NEWS

* The Space Cinema Club will be showing THE AGE OF STUPID on Sunday May 3rd, 8.00pm and again on Friday May 8th at 7.00pm.
‘Starring Pete Postlethwaite, this remarkable film is captivating and constantly surprising: the first successful dramatisation of climate change to reach the big screen. You must see it’. (The Guardian).
WE WOULD LIKE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE TO GO AND SEE THIS FILM. Call Rick at 01453 755 706 if you wish to see it.

* This year's Stroud Communiversity – Inspiring Self-Reliant Communities – takes place on Friday 15th, Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th May. We are now able to offer the full programme at the reduced concessionary rate of £190 to all participants. This fee includes all lunches and evening meals and covers the cost of each site visit. There are also a limited number of bursaries for those struggling to meet this cost. We encourage people to commit to the whole weekend for continuity within the Action Learning work and deeper group dynamics. However, we are able to offer a single day rate of £70 with the understanding that for some, a full weekend is not easily freed up. And last but not least, for those that can make the time, there is the unique opportunity to attend the launch of The Exchange on Thursday 14th May, free of charge to Communiversity participants. ***Book Now to Avoid Disappointment***
For more information and booking forms see
http://www.stroudcommonwealth.org.uk/index.php?Itemid=42&id=36&option=com_content&task=view

* Transition Minchinhampton have sent us news
“Our next event is on 16th May Feeding the 5,000: Can We in Minchinhampton Feed Ourselves with Local Food? with Jade Bashford. We are all really excited about it, then we have a Duchy Home Farm visit in June and an evening on Energy in July before the schools break up (format yet to be discussed!)”. Contact Sue Edgley or Michael Sheldon 01453 885707

* Don’t forget National Beanpole week starts 25th April until 3rd May. National Beanpole Week 2009 is calling on gardeners to support Britain’s remaining coppiced woodlands by choosing eco-friendly, locally-grown coppiced beanpoles instead of imported bamboo canes.

* Transition Newent have sent us details of a talk - An evening with Rob Hopkins & Shaun Chamberlin on Wednesday 29th April (Newent Community School, 7 for 7.30pm prompt). This event is coming together well with seat reservations steadily arriving from Transition groups far & wide. If you would like to come and haven’t yet reserved your seat, please call Ann on 01989-720646 or e-mail ann@kenandannallen.co.uk

* The results of the Transition web project carried out by the Transition Network have been put together and graphs and slides in pdf can be seen here http://www.wiserearth.org/file/view/1bd69adf7958a00328c4f0b1d9c9c35c

Don’t forget the next TRANSITION DRINKS will be Tuesday 12th May at 7.30 at the Prince Albert, Rodborough.

And finally another new word for 2009 Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

Hope to see you at one of the meetings.
Happy Transitioning,
Helen

Make a Meal of It

2009-05-04T12:00:00.000-07:00

Breaking out from the co-housing, shared eating is now a reality in Uplands. Jenni Edwards has got a bunch of local people together to sharing the planning and cooking of meals. About a fifth of the energy associated with the food chain is burned up when we cook our food. More single-person and smaller households means more energy use, since cooking for five takes barely more energy than cooking for one or two.

As well as saving energy this is a great way of people getting to know their neighbours. Tonight's meal was a fabulous bean stew with rice, honeyed vegetables and salad, followed with flapjacks.

Herbal Healing

2009-05-04T11:31:00.001-07:00

Nathan Hughes, our local herbalist from Ruskin Mill apothecary, took us on a forage for common herbs with healing properties. Within a 20-yard radius he found at least a dozen useful plants, just plunging off into the undergrowth at intervals to find them. Here are some of the healing properties I remember

Cowslips are rare today so Nathan recommends we all grown them in our gardens. One of the cowslip's traditional names is 'Freya's keys' and it is associated with fertility and so with the festival of Beltane, or Mayday. Its healing properties include a tightening action, including of the uterus, and it has therefore been used for women who suffer miscarriage.

Hawthorn is well-known as a remedy for the heart and can stimulate heart function and generally mend broken hearts. You can graze on the young flowering buds and fresh leaves at this time of year. Otherwise make them into a tea, which is a beautiful pink, apparently. Later the berries can be steeped in brandy to make a restorative for the sick at heart - not surprisingly!

Elder again has many uses, connected with releasing. So they are good for stimulating fever and burning of toxins. On an energetic level this translates into releasing old pain and allowing change. Make a tea of the flowers and keep it by your bed - keep drinking when you wake up and sweat your way to better health and happiness!

Nettles are a great blood tonic and also good for grounding. You pick just the top four sets of leaves when they are young and fresh. You can make them into tea or soup.

Nathan is a member of the Transition Stroud Health group. His vision is that we all grow a range of healing plants in our gardens and use them to treat simple symptoms rather than visiting the doctor and using pharmaceuticals that are expensive in money and energy terms. You can learn more from one of Nathan's courses or guided walks: details on the apothecary website.

Coffee-house buzz

2009-04-25T00:42:00.000-07:00

With Easter bonnets safely stored until next year, the coffee-house discussion this month focused on the wonderful world of bees. Although it was advertised as looking at the problem with bees in fact it was a couple of hours of delight in this humble insect we have all taken for granted. Many of us, as one new enthusiast put it, just fell in love with bees. (There was also some nostalgia for the wasps which used to ruin our childhood picnics.)

We've all learned that bees are important because we need them to pollinate our crops but most of us were surprised to hear that there are 255 other species of bee in the UK other than the honey-bee - and 25,000 species worldwide. The bee is suffering - colony collapse and rampant spread of mite-borne and fungal disease are threatening its survival.

The speakers included Tom, who keeps bees and is involved with the Stroud Beekeepers' Association, Sheila, who teaches about bees at Hartpury College, and Carlo of the World Bee Project which is - you've guessed - based in Stroud. I hope the pictures give an idea of the intense and passionate debate that our small, furry, stripey friends brought to Star Anise last night.

The cause of the bee crisis results from the same movement to intensive farming with heavy pesticide use and the pressure to exploit every scrap of land that has caused so many of our environmental problems. Part of the solution may be offered by the Red Mason bee (seen here) which is an excellent pollinator and could play the role of the honey bee in agriculture - but not produce any honey.

Life for bees in Gloucestershire seemed fairly rosy. The Beekeepers' organise training at their exemplary apiary and farming practices have improved in recent years, with more hedgerows and areas of uncultivated land where bees can breed. If you want to help the bees you can become a bee guardian and put a bee house in your garden. You could also join Gloucestershire Orchard Group in revitalising dwindling orchards, which provide useful early feeding grounds.

Next month's coffee-house is about why you should bother to vote - if you feel strongly about this either way make sure to be there. It will, as usual, be the fourth Friday in the month at Star Anise cafe.

Teasles or Old Spots?

2009-04-24T01:57:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling rather annoyed with myself since I suggested both these names and then split my vote for an interesting and creative symbol of Stroud's economic heritage as the name of our new currency! I'm surprised by how well teasles did - it suggests that the knowledge of Stroud's textile heritage is both widespread and valued. (For those who don't know the role of the industrial teasle, it was used to raise the nap on felted woollen material to make it soft and lovely.)

On a harsher note we have received word from Co-operative Futures in Gloucester that the Financial Services Authority suspect us of setting up a bank. Now that would never do - especially as none of us has a pinstripe suit or bowler hat. Not to mention a licence to print money. The FSA has achieved notoriety in the past year by harrying credit unions and other people's banks while allowing the city institutions to make reckless investments and bankrupt the country.

We need a legal framework because we will be taking in large sums of money. We have chosen to become a co-operative but Co-operatives-UK legal department are concerned about whether we fit within the FSA's definiton of a bank or not. I'm fairly optimistic that we won't, since we don't want to create money against debt, which is how a bank is defined for their purposes.

We are also taking advice from local currency founders in Totnes and Lewes. Others with expertise that might be useful - financial or accounting especially - would be very welcome to join the working group and the co-op.

Local Currency

2009-04-23T14:53:00.000-07:00

So we are one step nearer to a local currency.

After a vote organised by Stroud Life there was a tie between the names Teasels and Stroud Pounds. At the training evening we decided to call the currency Stroud Pounds and have a picture of a teasel on it. We'll see what the final decision is nearer the launch.

The training evening was very lively with members going into groups and role playing business people, charities, bankers and local members trying to get the businesses to join up. We had John Rhodes in our group and it was hard to resist his arguments.

It was good to have Graham from Transport 21 showing his support for the scheme and thinking about ways his organisation could get involved.

One interesting question was raised - what do we think about businesses we don't approve of joining? After some discussion we decided that we would let them join because the ones we thought of probably wouldn't want to anyway as they were not local businesses and we need all the support we can get.

Maggie Mills once again let us use her wonderful cafe and an excellent evening was had by all.

I hope you are all putting your money aside ready to join the scheme in summer.

Transition Stories

2009-03-26T03:44:00.001-07:00

The new Transition Story Group got started last night. We sat around in the warm glow of the Star Anise lanterns and told each other stories that we had heard that would be relevant to out transition process. As we listened to each other we became aware that the true stories had the most power. For example the story of Nailsworth and Horsley getting together to look at the problem of land for growing vegetables and at the end of the meeting discovering that enough land had been shared out between the group members to solve the problem. This isn't quite the details but as soon as I find them I'll include them in a blog. It's a great story and one that needs to be told.

Another story that seemed to be a real Transition Tale was the one about the stone soup.

A kindly, old stranger was walking through the land when he came upon a village. As he entered, the villagers moved towards their homes locking doors and windows.
The stranger smiled and asked, why are you all so frightened. I am a simple traveller, looking for a soft place to stay for the night and a warm place for a meal.
"There's not a bite to eat in the whole province," he was told. "We are weak and our children are starving. Better keep moving on."
"Oh, I have everything I need," he said. "In fact, I was thinking of making some stone soup to share with all of you." He pulled an iron cauldron from his cloak, filled it with water, and began to build a fire under it.
Then, with great ceremony, he drew an ordinary-looking stone from a silken bag and dropped it into the water.
By now, hearing the rumour of food, most of the villagers had come out of their homes or watched from their windows. As the stranger sniffed the "broth" and licked his lips in anticipation, hunger began to overcome their fear.
"Ahh," the stranger said to himself rather loudly, "I do like a tasty stone soup. Of course, stone soup with cabbage -- that's hard to beat."
Soon a villager approached hesitantly, holding a small cabbage he'd retrieved from its hiding place, and added it to the pot.
"Wonderful!!" cried the stranger. "You know, I once had stone soup with cabbage and a bit of salt beef as well, and it was fit for a king."
The village butcher managed to find some salt beef . . . and so it went, through potatoes, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and so on, until there was indeed a delicious meal for everyone in the village to share.
The villager elder offered the stranger a great deal of money for the magic stone, but he refused to sell it and travelled on the next day.
As he left, the stranger came upon a group of village children standing near the road. He gave the silken bag containing the stone to the youngest child, whispering to a group, “It was not the stone, but the villagers that had performed the magic."

The Transition Story group are offering to tell stories at major TS events so let us know what you are planning.

The co-ordinator for the group is Fiona Eadie fiona@fionaeadieltd.co.uk

Textile Group

2009-03-11T09:06:00.000-07:00

A good time was had by all.

Here's some pictures of the Textile Group sharing skills and materials. It's a great group and we encourage each other to get on and make something, or maybe repair something.

We had a new member who showed us some beautiful hens made from old jumpers, and buttons made from flat, smooth pebbles. What a great idea. Why not come and join in?

I received this email from the co-ordinator, Rose Lilies, who is excellent and collecting bits of material and lovely clothes that would have been thrown out. Here's the email if you are thinking of joining in the fun as well as learning some essential skills -

We had a fun evening at Helens' last week and I have now booked 2 more dates to give people a choice of day and venue.
The first will be in the Garden (back) room of the Quaker meeting house in Nailsworth on Wed. 18th March 7.30pm.
The other will be at Helens' again on Thurs. 2nd April.

Bring things you have made or are working on. It's very inspiring to see what others are doing and everyone is happy to share their skills if you want to try something new.

As always unwanted clothing and other textiles will find a new grateful home!

If you are coming to either meeting and want to learn a particular skill just let me know and I will try to ensure we have the necessary equipment ( as I can't carry everything to every meeting!)

I'm hoping to sort my fleece out soon so that I can get back to spinning, and also make a first attempt at dyeing with all the onions skins I have been saving.

We have been invited to take part in a craft exhibition at King Stanley church on Sat. 11th July. There should be lots of people about as the church fete is on at the same time.
They would like people to demonstrate crafts as well as sell items in return for a small percentage of profits. This is a great opportunity for us so let's get the creative juices flowing. The only thing is that they have to organise the space carefully so would like to know how much space we will need fairly soon. So please let me know if you are interested.

Thanks

Rose

Barry@liles.me.uk

Suppertime games

2009-02-03T04:21:00.000-08:00

One of the most depressing aspect of conventional economics is the way it reduces everything to a self-interested trade. Gary Becker, for example, suggests that women choose their husbands on the basis of the amount they earn; whereas men choose their wives on the basis of their ability to perform at dinner parties and assist the ascent up the slippery pole.

The most blatant expression of this underlying culture amongst economists is what we teach as 'game theory'. This is another piece of jargonistic misnomer, since the situations we deal with are far from entertaining evening entertainment. Who ever played games in a police station - the setting for the archetypical example of the genre: the prisoners' dilemma.

This is a game that questions whether you should trust your 'friend' when you've both been caught in some shared criminal activity. You are questioned in separate cells. If you both deny the crime you will both be let off. But if you deny it and your friend confesses, s/he will take all the penalty. If you confess and your friend denies it you will take all the punishment on yourself.

In reality, of course, all of these 'games' and their study becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you take love and spontaneity out of human relationships you can guarantee that you will be unpopular and that most of your friends will be exactly the same calculating sort of person you are yourself. You will become less sociable and be more miserable. Such games are best avoided in life and in economics.

However, I recently heard of a game strategy I liked. It is called Always Generous and is fairly self-explanatory. It fits in well with my moral inclination and is also excellent for dealing with that awkward situation at the end of shared meals in a restaurant when nobody is sure whether they should pay for what they actually consumed or their share of the total.

The Always Generous strategy suggests that you break the deadlock by putting on the table at least a third more than you could owe under either of the other strategies. I've seen this done twice recently and it works a treat. Everybody puts in too much money - the excess can either go to the less well-off around the table or the waiters. When meanness is an option, generosity is always a better bet - in economics, in the restaurant and, most importantly, in life.

Trashion

2009-02-02T09:48:00.000-08:00

I spent an interesting afternoon at Thomas Keble School at the Trashion Show. I say afternoon - most of it was spent in a ditch because my Tom Tom had taken me and my two passengers down a muddy, narrow track and we had to send for the cavalry in the form of a retired farmer in a tractor to come and get us out. Unfortunately (fortunately for us actually) the tractor also got stuck so we just had to trust our luck and go on down through the mud, which we did and came out safely the other end. We caught the tail end of the show and saw some wonderful clothes made out of old clothes, bits of material and many other things.

Several members of the Textile Group had made hats and bags out of available bits and pieces. I was very proud of a small bag I made out of plastic bags. It was going to be a carrier bag but the plastic took so long to knit that it ended up just big enough for my camera.

Maybe I'll get the hang of this idea that we have to be patient if we are going to have to make things for ourselves. I have been watching a television series about three people who are living like victorian farmers for a year. I am very impressed at the way they have to live, making everything themselves. The quality of their food, furnoture and fun is encouraging and impressive. maybe I will learn to slow down and make do. It looks like fun.

Paradigm shift

2009-01-14T03:59:00.000-08:00

I'm launching my book this afternoon at Ruskin College in Oxford. The commissioning editor has written a few words for the launch and it reminds me of how much the world has moved on in the 18 months or so since I started writing. He recollects the supreme self-confidence of global capitalism in 2006/7, its claims to be not only the greatest economic system in the history of mankind but the only possible way of organising economic affairs: as unchanging as the laws of physics.

How paltry those claims seem now. Green economists were always aware that the economy was failing in two fundamental respects: it generated huge inequalities which led to deaths and suffering in the poorer countries and the poorer parts of our own country; and its expansionst logic threatened the health of the planet. Now it is failing in its own terms as well.

Unlike the vultures who circulated around Woolworths and other familiar friends on the High Street who are now defunct, few will bemoan the special offer deals that should die with the death of capitalism. As this excellent cartoon by Imogen Shaw shows, we have far more to gain than to lose from the new paradigm we will build together.

Happy New Year

2009-01-06T10:28:00.000-08:00

Hello Folks,
Welcome back and HAPPY NEW YEAR. I hope you all enjoyed the festive season and have managed to enjoy the beautiful sprinkling of snow that is glittering in the sunlight as I write.
No doubt we will see some interesting changes in the New Year as we get back in the swing.

Here is a brief update on the groups:

§ the TRANSPORT GROUP’s two main projects for 2009 will be
- events for Green Travel month in June and
- piloting ‘Personal Travel Plans’ a programme that changes travel behaviour through personalising travel information.
If anyone new wants to come to the Transport meetings, they should email Carol on: transport@ca.mathews.freeuk.com

§ The LIFESTYLES AND LIVELIHOODS GROUP are working on a local economy and have planned a talk by Christian Gelleri (manager of the Chiemgau Currency, one of Germany's most successful local currencies) on Friday 9th January 2009 7.30pm, Talk, £5. Also a workshop on Saturday 10th 10.00 - 4.00pm, Workshop, £25. Bring lunch to share. Both are to be held at the Centre for Science and Art, Lansdown, Stroud. I hope as many of you as possible will come to this talk and workshop so that we can find out more about this exciting example from Bavaria and learn how a local currency could work in Stroud. For more information or booking contact Neil Buick: n.mail@virgin.net or 767467.

§ The GARDEN AND WILDLIFE GROUP is going to be busy this year.

SEED NEWS - Green Seeds is a family firm and 100% organic - it is based in Malmesbury www.greenseeds.org.uk - Transition Stroud have a 10% discount, quote code 10046. They are holding a potato day in Malmesbury - Saturday 31st Janurary 10.00 -4.00. Would anyone like to go and share a lift? Contact Helen Pitel - 01453 762 957 or info@helenpitel.co.uk

SALAD DAYS - get fit and active in the New Year! There is the opportunity to join a volunteer group in the market garden at Stroud Slad Farm CSA growing salads - Fridays 9.30 to 12.30 p.m. Contact Helen for more details

APPEAL FOR TOOLS - if you have any unwanted gardening or DIY tools please would you consider donating them to Stroud Slad Farm CSA, who are in need of new equipment. Contact Helen

TRANSITION STROUD GARDENING GROUP - we need a team who can organise a couple of gardening events this year - could you help? Also any particular ideas for what we should do? Contact Helen

GROW YOUR WAY OUT OF THE CREDIT CRUNCH - there are just a couple of places left on the 'Grow Your Own Vegetables' course which Helen is running this spring - more details on www.helenpitel.co.uk

§ The BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT GROUP is planning to meet at the end of January (date to be arranged) to review where they are and set goals and targets for 2009. Their last meeting included a review with Nigel Riglar, (Strategic Director, Stroud District Council) and Barry Wyatt, (Strategic Head Development Services, SDC) on activities and progress with the Local Strategic Partnership Sustainability Think Tank, that Fi MacMillan, Dave Judd and Dave Cockcroft have contributed to. This led onto a wider discussion with NR and BY on SDC’s approach to the credit crunch!

§ The CONNECTIONS GROUP will be meeting next on Friday 9th Jan 2009 at 2.00pm at Felicity's house, 31 Springhill (01453-766352). Following the restructuring of TS they will be discussing and deciding what they want to use the group for and how the group can contribute to TS

§ The YOUTH GROUP - ECOMANIA are planning some interesting activities for the New Year. Harry has met with the Stuart Roweth from Bright Green Kids (www.brightgreenkids.co.uk/) and is discussing the possibility of being filmed and put on the website. Also he will be organising an event for young people (and adults) in May and helping his school (Thomas Keble) to go green as well as introducing them to a Buy or Barter Lunch to talk about the economy. Harry has several young people interested in joining Ecomania.

§ The ENERGY GROUP will continue to meet on 3rd Weds of the month - so 21st Jan is next one. 7.30pm to 9.30pm venue to be decided. To receive news of meetings and join in discussions please join the energy email group by emailing tts-energy-subscribe@googlegroups.com

§ The TEXTILES GROUP will meet Wednesday 14th Jan, 7.30 at 247 Westward Road, Ebley . They will be making hats and bags out of old/recycled items for the Trashion Show (for Zero Waste Week in Bisley 24 Jan- 2 Feb 2009. On the last Sat of that week 31 Jan there will be a Trashion Show in Thomas Keble School)

§ The IT GROUP are available if anyone wants any support or is interested in organising any activities. Please contact Ben at ben_photon_evans@hotmail.com

Zero Waste Week

26 January - 1 February 2009

Gloucestershire's Zero Waste Challenge aims to help Gloucestershire reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfill sites by challenging households to produce not a single item of waste during the week of 26 January - 1 February.This means only using things that you can reuse, recycle or compost - leaving you nothing to throw away.You can enter as an individual, family, household or a community and there are lots of great prizes to be won. To sign up visit the site www.recycleforgloucestershire.com

Don’t forget the next TRANSITION DRINKS will be Tuesday 13th Jan at 7.30 at the Prince Albert, Rodborough.

Hope to see you at one of the meetings.
I leave you with a new word for the new year - OHNOSECOND - That minuscule fraction of time in which you realize that you've just made a BIG mistake (e.g. you've hit 'reply all')
Every good wish for 2009.
Happy Transitioning,
Helen

Matt Harvey in town

2008-12-08T05:57:00.000-08:00

It's been another lovely Stroud weekend. Sometime last week a friend from Wooton asked me to go to Matt Harvey's poetry performance in The Space. By an act of non-random synchronicity, the very next day I had a phone call from a BBC West producer. Rob Hopkins had told him to ring me to find something to film of Transition in Stroud. He was making a film about Matt's journey to the heart of Transition and wanted something filmic.

I admitted that I was spending the weekend making baskets with Sheila and they invited themselves along. Matt is quite delightful - and his show was so hilairious that I hurt my stomach. The star of the show was his character Empathman - the superhero for our times who manages to disarm dangerous criminals by connecting with their inner children. My friend's partner is a psychotherapist and she nearly fell off her chair with laughter as Matt went through his Client of the Year routine.

Matt made two beautiful wicker Christmas trees for his five-year-old twins. With Sheila's help I made ten or so which I took to the barter market on Sunday. I also made some face creams and recycled Christmas cards. It was a highly convivial event and I came back with a good haul of presents - and a nice warm feeling. I also have a rather erratic and rustic shopping basket which has just proved itself during a trip into town.

The film should be available in a few months and I will certainly post it to this blog if I can work out how. And by the way Helen (nice photos!) it was teasles not thistles!!

Barter or Buy

2008-12-08T04:02:00.001-08:00

It was a warm sunny day on September 21st when we met at Mills Cafe with our items for the ''Buy Or Barter Brunch'. People had brought a mixture of food, drink and professional sessions to barter. The local currency for the day was dry butter beans. As people arrived they paid £2 and were given 10 beans, they were then able to swap what they had brought for something else or exchange it for beans.

There was enough food to go round, beans to help us move things along a bit and even a song or two from one budding super star. Many lessons were learned about how the economy works (or doesn't). Emily brought some pictures she had printed, Max brought a coaching session, Molly brought bread left over from her party the evening before and was going to give it away free as people arrived and then realised that she would be undercutting the currency of anyone who had brought bread to barter. The person who had brought the most food should have been, in effect, the richest person there and yet the person who had brought the least (or so it seemed) ended up the 'richest' person there (or the one with the most beans anyway) ... and only had to sing one song. At the end of the afternoon we were left with a handful of beans and a discussion about what money really means. The day was friendly, lively, amusing and a great way to talk economics. Maybe this is the way to teach children in schools (and out of them)?

After the success of the barter Brunch we decided on a Barter Market on December 7th. As it was just before Christmas people made a real effort to bring home-made presents. The tables were decked with mince pies, luscious bread, chutneys, willow Christmas tree hangings, cards, material and many other delightful items. This time the currency for the day was Thistles - a small ticket with a thistle printed on it.

As people arrived they paid £2 and were given 10 Thistles. With this they swapped, bartered and paid their way to an excellent collection of Christmas gifts. One family brought swords, beautifully hand made, and 'sold' them almost as soon as they put them out on the table.

This time people were so intent on getting some great Christmas presents that very little time was spent on talking about the economy. However plans were made to continue the bartering and several of us are continuing to make beautiful home made gifts which can only make the credit crunch that we are now experiencing much less of a fearful monster.

Not only did we have a good time coming together and eating Maggie's wonderful mince pies (5 thistles each) but we discovered how creative we are and how, come the end of the credit system as we know it, we will have something that will work for our good.

We will continue to arrange Barter activities in the future to lead up to us setting up our own local currency. We might even contuinue after we have a local currency as we have enjoyed them so much.

Launch of the Eco-Bardic Manifesto

2008-11-30T02:20:00.000-08:00

If you've ever wondered what we will be doing to entertain ourselves after oil then clear you mind of the fearful vision of endless games of charades around a single, flickering candle. Last night we enjoyed a feast of entertainment by talented musicians, story-tellers and poets.

A friend had told me about the philosophy behind the eco-bardic manifesto and I was sufficiently intrigued to endure the possible toe-curling nature of what I expected to find in the British School. But my prejudices were blown away by the power and excitement generated by the artists and performers. The evening was a birthday celebration for William Blake, and many of the pieces were either inspired by Blake or recitations of his own verse.

The evening was sponsored by Fire Springs, a company of performers who have been working together since 2000 and who share 'an audacious vision for the arts that holds together commitment to artistic integrity and craft with responsiveness to the challenges of our time.

The manifesto itself is a deep and inspiring document (ring Anthony Nanson on 840887 or Jay Ramsay on 759436 to get hold of a copy) but the message was communicated far more powerfully by the reality of the performances themselves. The bardic tradition is a source of energy from old Albion that we can draw on in our time of need.

Helen Moore recited a poem that had been inspired by a seed-saving event. This year's annual seed-saving was taking place simultaneously next door at Star Anise cafe - so there was much useful cross-fertilisation between the green-fingered types and our local literary artists. How could TV possibly compete?

Green plan for recession launched

2008-11-29T04:43:00.000-08:00

The Stroud Subscription Rooms filled with nearly 200 people on a damp Thursday night to hear a panel of speakers looking at how to 'Come out of the Recession Healthier, Wealthier and a Lot More Green'. Many Transition Stroud members were amongst the audience and Helen Royall had a stall with info and more to encourage people to participate.

Photo: Colin Hines, Simon Pickering, Molly Scott Cato, Martin Whiteside and chair Carole Garfield - other hotos of event and Transition Stroud stall

The event was the Gloucestershire launch of the 'New Green Deal' on Thursday 27th November - it included lead speaker Colin Hines, co director of Finance for the Future and a former head of Greenpeace Economics Unit, who was the originator of the Green New Deal concept. He also co-authored the report with a panel including Green party Leader and MEP Dr Caroline Lucas, Richard Murphy, Co-Director of Finance for the Future and Director, SolarCentury boss Jeremy Leggett, Guardian Economic Editor Larry Elliot, and former Friends of the Earth chief Tony Juniper.

Carole Garfield of Stroud Chamber of Commerce chaired the evening and opened the event by saying that the Green New Deal was a response to the global economy facing a ‘triple crunch’: a combination of a credit-fuelled financial crisis, accelerating climate change and soaring energy prices.

Colin Hines introduced the Green New Deal that calls for the increase in public expenditure to be spent funding hundreds of thousands of green collar jobs in a 'carbon army'. This 'army' will be trained to make every building in the UK energy efficient and increase the use of renewables. He said: "Investment in this 'Green New Deal' will create jobs all over the country, whereas tax cuts will have fewer benefits as people are likely to increase immediate spending largely on imported goods."

The other speakers were Dr Simon Pickering from Ecotricity; Molly Scott Cato, Economist and Euro-Parliamentary Candidate and Councillor Martin Whiteside, International Development Worker and Parliamentary Candidate. After each spoke there was an hour of lively questions and comments taken from the floor.

Martin Whiteside made the links between the national plans for green investment and local businesses. He said: "The Green New Deal is an exciting opportunity for us to invest in the businesses that will create a sustainable green economy. The Government has recognized the need to invest to prevent massive increases in unemployment, but is going down the wrong route. Instead of tax cuts we need to see investment is being spent strategically to bring about a green industrial revolution."

Molly Scott Cato said: "It's time to put to rest once and for all the false option of choosing between economic success and environmental sustainability. We must engineer the green economy of the future to compensate for the collapse of a discredited economic model dependent on credit binges, gravity defying house prices and increasing consumption. In short it's time for the Green New Deal."

Simon Pickering from Ecotricity discussed the important role that electricity generation and supply companies must play in the low-carbon economy. To applause he announced that papers for compulsory purchase will be served on Tricorn House owners : Ecotricity hopes that an exciting zero-carbon building with energy from local wind power generation will be built on the site.

What is the Green New Deal?

The Green New Deal report proposes public investment of £30 billion that will save energy and have the added advantages of helping to address climate change and increase UK energy security. In the short term it will address the threats to the real economy from an economic downturn that threatens to rival the crash of 1929.

It proposes:

* A £30bn stimulus package, creating thousands of green-collar jobs in environmental works that will dramatically reduce the carbon emissions of UK buildings
* The creation of new national investment products, such as local government bonds, to fund this work and provide a safe haven for pensions and savings
* Keeping interest rates low to encourage investment in the green economy
* Shifting from VAT to pollution taxes, cutting the standard rate of VAT to 15%, and reducing it to 5% for some items, and abolishing road tax whilst increasing pollution taxes on fuel
* Closing offshore tax havens to stabilise the financial sector, discourage tax avoidance and to help provide funds for the Green New Deal

You can download a copy of the report at: www.glosgreenparty.org.uk/

Successful afternoon apple picking and juicing

2008-10-31T10:37:00.000-07:00

From Julia Currie:

About 50 people turned up at the orchard at Humphreys End, Randwick/Ruscombe to pick apples on Saturday 25th. Everyone had the additional bonus of seeing apples pressed and juiced and then tasted. Some were able to take some juice away to drink at home and it couldn’t have got more fresh or local than that!

It was wonderful to see the apples doing more than just dropping off the branches as has happened over the last 10 years. Although doubtless the birds had enjoyed them! As supermarkets have turned away from local fruit and traditional apple varieties, so orchards have fallen into neglect or been grubbed up. But now for local people there is a ready source of unsprayed Newton Wonders, Blenheim Orange and Bramleys to choose from.

As I have planted up the orchard with Gloucestershire varieties including Stroud’s own Lodgemore apple, in years to come, as more old trees die, so we will have further access to our own wonderful local apple varieties..

Saturday 8th November from 2-5pm will give locals a chance to pick again - £5 per large sack (provided) or £2 for supermarket size carriers if brought along. Please be prepared for the apples to have small blemishes – the bonus from not being sprayed.

Do come along and join in the fun; pick apples, juice fruit and bring your own containers to buy some juice. (Please bring a bike helmet if you have one!). There will also be a recipe sheet and information about the orchard, and for anyone wanting to have a greater involvement in the orchard, I will be taking contact details. See you there, but call if you need directions or handy parking – Julia Currie 764376

See also http://ruscombegreen.blogspot.com/ for Philip Booth’s photos and video clips

Bartering with beans

2008-10-24T00:05:00.000-07:00

The Lifestyles and Livelihoods working group of Transition Stroud is running a series of events this autumn to get people thinking about money and how local currencies might contribute to a resilient local economy.

Molly Scott Cato, one of the organisers, said the first event on 21st September, was a great success and showed people that trading goods was more important then ending up with a pot of money, which in this case was beans. It was a Buy or Barter brunch where people were encouraged to play at trading using beans as currency. This gave all the chance to explore how markets work and what our personal economic strategies are.

This has led to plans for a barter market that will be held on December 7, where people can trade home-made gifts for Christmas presents – using an alternative currency that will only work for that day and which will be created specially out of beans. This event will be held at Mills Café.

Plus don't forget on November 9th they'll be holding a Lets Celebrate! day from 3-5pm at Mills Cafe, which accepted 100% payment in LETS for some time. We want to encourage people who were part of the scheme to join in this reunion – an opportunity remember and exchange their experiences whilst also enjoying some excellent tea and scones. We are encouraging people who were members of LETS to bring items they received through LETS trading; people who are new to the idea or the area are also welcome to come and learn more.

So what does a local currency have to do with a low-carbon economy? In the future we will need to meet more of our needs locally, and to do this we need to build a stronger local economy now. Money that is spent locally tends to stay longer in the local economy and circulates more times before it leaves. So using a local currency will build the strength of the local economy. We also hope it will encourage more people to make things to sell at the various events.

Smelly fruity wildlife

2008-09-27T09:44:00.000-07:00

We have spent today thinking throught the vision for Transition Stroud. We did not get so far with structure. That will form the focus for a half-day workshop soon. Please try to come along. Your views really matter.

People's visions are listed in no particular order, just as they emerged, but organised under headings. They are interspersed with pictures from the workshop itself. We were all asked to model Transition Stroud as it is now, in plasticine and fluffy things. James's involves lots of pumpkins and other prickly plants; Melissa's vision reminds us not to be too fluffy (!) and Ben's look like a very solid structure indeed - but we're not sure about the rather tight boundary that surrounds it!

So how will Stroud look in 2018?

Buildings

All new buildings produce low/zero carbon
Treehouses and other hidden houses within forest gardens
Nouncells Cross has merged into Summer Street allotments
Lots of shared/communal living arrangements
Public buildings are multi-purposes
Supermarket buildings are used for gatherings, markets, etc.

Quality of Life

Painting in beautiful colours
Public art (anarchically created and displayed)
No health and safety rules - using own intelligence
Lots of gardeners chatting to passers-by
Slow
Living outside
Know lost of people I meet
Street parades and dances (no heavy metal)
Community celebrations

People
Working together happily
Loneliness and isolation a thing of the past - togetherness
People relaxed - a slower pace of life
James is the Mayor of Stroud!
Recognition that sharing feeds us all
Fewer people; lots of laughing
Children learning out of doors
People are more at peace - less frantic
People know each other and are friendly - talk to each other in person
Old people's skills used and valued - skills centres run by elders
Children being freed
Enabling each other
Equality
Neighbourhood schemes
You can't walk more than 2 miles without knowing someone

Food
Community bakehouse and icehouse
Farms as hubs for food, energy, industry, education, compost and communities
Smell fruity wildlife
Vegetables fruit and flowers everywhere - growing veg in gardens
The bypass has become an orchard
Farmers' market three days a week
Berry fields
Varied forms of agriculture: animals, vegetables, nuts, seed, fruit, hemp
Shared eating
More animals around (hens, goats, etc.)

Nature

The Earth is sacred
Clearn streams and rivers
Hear more wildlife
Respect for nature
The land is not for sale
Fewer road; more trees
Wild swimming
Wildlife thriving
Working horses

Transport

I never smell petrol fumes - only hear cars in the distance
No cars, or far fewer cars that run on renewable energy
Joined up public transport powered by solar, hydrogen and PVCs
Bicycle hubs for community use
Revival of canal system for transport
New rail station at Stonehouse high level - Nailsworth railway reopened
Lots of people walking
Tram up the High Street and Bisley Old Road
Aerial wire transport system from hill to hill
More use of animals for transport and farming

Transition Stroud
Reaching out, connecting
Hope solutions
Transition Stroud networks community decision-making: no more SDC and GCC!
TS well supported
TS hub/resource centre (or hug resource centre?) - demonstration centre
Transition Stroud no longer needs to exist
TS active and running smoothly

Enterprise
Traders guilds
I am wearing boots made by a local cobbler from a Stroud cow, local hand-made clothes uninfluenced by fashion and locally made jewellery
Schools are workshops and full of as many adults as children
Animal farm for children and husbanding skills - children are learning to grow and cook food
Old skills are brought back to the commonality
Theme markets selling crafts, where we hear the noise of chatter and play
We look back to the Age of Waste and Greed
Trees for use - woodland co-operative
No poverty - social services, hospitals etc. reduce as the need for them reduces
New industries for recycling waste - mending workshops
All small shops busy
Local jobs - no need to commute
More exchanges; less money, or no money at all, or local money!
Murals replace adverts and signs
Local small-scale industry is thriving
No McDonalds, no Woolies, no Barclays . . .
Mindset has changed so that money no longer equals survival
Industrial units side-by-side with food along the canal
Work day ends early and starts late!

Energy

A huge locally owned wind turbine in Rodborough
Tidal stream energy
Power and heat from sewage
Solar panels
Heating with wood - sustainable coppiced woodland (instead of TV)
Micro/personal home energy

Hundreds visit eco-homes over weekend

2008-09-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Open Homes for a more Sustainable Future

At the weekend over 750 visits were made to 12 homes in the Stroud area to see renewable energy and energy efficiency measures in action and in addition well over 400 people visited Randwick Village Hall to see the eco-exhibitions and the official opening of the hall (i). Below is the press release we sent out - but also see the childrens' poster competition here, Philip Booth's blog re the opening of the Village Hall plus photos here and lastly more re the Village Hall here.

Photos (1 to 3): Getting ready for village hall opening, one of the exhibits and inside Randwick Village Hall.

Philip Booth, the Coordinator of the Transition Stroud project who organised the opening of the 12 homes and exhibitions in Randwick Village Hall said: "We've been blown away by the response. Interest in energy efficiency and renewable energy is huge. The homeowners have had constant flows of visitors all weekend and most could not have coped with larger numbers. Enormous thanks must go to these pioneers for opening their homes to help others and give advice - indeed the whole project has been put together by volunteers and thanks must also go to them all (ii)."

WI nearly run out of cakes!

Randwick Village Hall had over 150 attend the Hall Opening with speeches by the Village Hall Committee members Alan Tomlinson and Val Flack, the District councillor for the ward, Cllr Philip Booth and Wap Mayor Stan Giles who cut the official ribbon. Flowers were presented to Krista Harris of Stroud District Council for her help with gaining the grants and to Alan Tomlinson's wife, Sue for her support. In total on the Saturday well over 400 people visited the hall, which is claimed to be the countries first carbon neutral village hall and has various insulation measures, PV and a Ground Source Heat pump which were all on show to the public along with exhibitions on energy advice, grants and various technologies.

Philip Booth commenting on the Village Halls' eco-makeover said: "The Village Hall committee, Alan Tomlinson, Val and Harden Flack and Mort Watkins have been absolutely amazing with this: it is lots of hard work to pull in the grants and get a project like this together. We are very fortunate to have such a great team which has been supported by so many in the village. It was amazing to have over 400 people visit the hall and see the exhibitions. At one point I got worried the WI would run out of cakes - but I should have remembered that has never occurred in their history and somehow other cakes were rustled up for the teas there. Indeed the money raised from the teas will be going towards the next project; improvements to the hall's toilet facilities."

Tranquility had over 250 visitors

Photos (4 to 5): Wood Pellet boiler and Tranquilty House.

Most of the homes were having over 50 visitors to see measures including wood pellet boilers, lime plasters, solar thermal, green roofs, co-housing, rainwater harvesting, external insulation and more (see website with details: www.stroudopenhomes.org.uk).

However Tranquility House that has been dubbed by the Building Contracts Journal as ‘the most energy efficient house in the world’ had over 250 visitors over the weekend.

Philip Booth said: "Tranquility House takes a very different approach to some of the other homeowners. Those who joined the tours there were given much thought-provoking information. I had the chance to talk with some of the people going around the various homes and they were grateful for the chance to discuss the possible measures and get views about the best way forward for their homes. I was also surprised to find that folk had travelled from Worcester, Bristol and a whole host of other places to see the homes. Apparently there are only two or three similar Open Homes schemes around the country - Stroud leading the way again!"

Walks and Cycle

Photos (6 to 8): Cycle group off to visit another home, details of external insulation at one home and in another home learning about lime plaster.

A cycle and walk tour went around the homes over the weekend and one further walk is going ahead on Sunday 21st September as part of the Walking Festival The four mile walk will be 10am- 4.30pm (approximately) and go around Rodborough including Tranquility House.

Philip Booth added: "Many people expressed concern about rising energy prices and the challenges climate change presents. Houses account for a quarter of UK CO2 emissions. New builds only account for less than 1% of homes and so even if we do them more sustainably we still have to sort out our older homes. Retrofitting older buildings is preferable to demolition as it avoids waste and saves the embodied energy within them rather than using more energy to make new buildings - quarrying, transporting and processing raw materials as well as construction all take lots of energy. It has been great to see the enthusiasm from the community for this Open Homes project from people in all walks of life. Let us hope it translates into eco-renovations across the whole District!"

Notes
(i) Transition Stroud will be compiling a brief report on the day: not all feedback forms from the homes have been collected yet, but the figures are based on numbers counted or estimated by the homeowners.

(ii) In addition to thanks to the homeowners thanks must also go also to Stroud District Council for funding the leaflet, Debbie Hewitt for organising the walks, the Greenshop for funding our website and Transition Stroud members who helped organise especially Paul and Claire Sheriden, Greg Dance, Dave Crane, Dave Cockcroft, James Beecher, Imogen Shaw and John Albar