• Absorbing 50-60% of water runoff
• Sound insulation
• Heat insulation – cooling in summer
• wildlife habitat
• air quality improvement – so long as vegetation survives
• reduced energy requirements for air-conditioning – if I had any
• Extending the life of felt roofs – reduced UV exposure

And the pitfalls

• well for me,  I collect as much water as I can off the roof, so benefit 1 is a problem when rainfall is light!
• weight – one account for a garden shed relayed how it sagged despite having been reinforced
• access for maintenance – messy if you do get a leak
• the need for tending, whether watering in dry weather, or replanting if bits fail

I havent taken the plunge yet, I fear this may grow into a total re-roofing, which will in turn lead to a new kitchen, and so on. To start with, I was only planning to prise the side off the roof to see how much insulation is there (not much from the limited view). Any ideas or expert guidance most welcome !

If youre interested, worth looking at www.livingroofs.org though as they are selling them, you don’t get the downsides emphasised.

Andy

Ben and Lee, who both worked at the Goldy’s Farmshop that was on this site previously, and are full of enthusiasm for sourcing local good food, and acting as a hub for local food production, and potentially community space, education and craft groups too.

They are keen to stick to produce from Dorset or near borders (eg New Forest), and providing an outlet for smaller producers that have not broken through to supplying the supermarkets.

They plan to continue the successful butchery, and prepare charcuterie. They are part of the Purbeck Products marque, and aim to cut meat on behalf of farmers who are keen to sell at markets directly to the public. They sell bread from Winterbourne Bakery, and are supplying them with sausage meat and skirt steak for sausage rolls and pasties. Longhorn Beef, and rose veal come from Bere Farm itself, the young cattle roam the Purbeck heath. They source pork from Sydling brook, and freerange lamb from Cedar Organics (at Corfe), and Kingston. They aim to use the  Gourmet Goat farm at Winterbourne Kingston to supply meat for making salami.

They source tea from a kitchen producer in Poole, and jam from the Purbecks.  There is an Orangery near Ringwood, which may provide in quantity when they have a glut. They have cropped wild sorrel, nettles and blackberries from the estate, and wild cherries locally. They have wholemeal bread flour and rye flour from the farm, and have a stonegrinder, creating flour which is good for shortcut pastry, pastries, cakes and biscuits, but they are still experimenting to perfect the bread flour

There is a spinner, Sue who spins on site most Saturdays in the tearoom.  They have talked about pressing juice, or trying to persuade one of the local brewers to branch out into soft drinks. Do not currently have a license for Alcohol, but working on it. As the summer has approached, they have opened a coffee/tea shop, serving cream teas.

They have toyed with ideas around box schemes, and working with taking heritage vegetable crops, and potentially swapping produce from households. There is a polytunnel, and 10 allotments out the back, and they are hoping someone will take these on, and provide crops to sell in the shop.

They are interested to host shooting/foraging expeditions on the farm (the 3,000 acres Lees estate), soap making, potentially cheesemaking. The health and safety implications of have a go butchery are probably beyond where they want to be.

Harriet described some of the Dorset food initiatives, many around labels highlighting the local provenance. Direct from Dorset, New Forest, Slow Food, Purbeck Product and Eat Dorset. There will be another Dorset Food Week in October, though not an associated film festival this year.

We talked about some of the Poole Transition Town projects, and how we might link with Purbeck Larder.

On the Abundance project, processing and sorting fruit, Lee highlighted the need for speed – 3 days from cropping to preserving. There is an open barn which might be a useful space to use.

Suzanne mentioned a Mulberry Tree in her garden, which needs ladders to crop. Kate has a small apple tree. Jamie mentioned wild plums along the Stour Valley. Ideally we need to identify candidate trees, skills and availability to crop items to Cherry. The form is over on the Google group.

Turners Field, the local councillors are interested to meet with us, and to understand what we aim to achieve. Lee mentioned Henry, who is working with the homeless in Bournemouth at the night shelter, growing food. Harriet will try and arrange a meeting at the site for next week.

Gwyn mentioned Purbeck Vinyard, which aims to harvest on Oct 16th, and is looking for volunteer labour to help get the crop in. Several asked what return for one’s labour – being paid in wine would be fine.

Louise talked about an idea of a Local Food Website, with an online blog and website links, with the opportunity for people to interact and vote on their experience with producers and local shops. At The Green, she has 500 Facebook fans, and sends them special offers and news about new products. Her shop in Ashley Cross  is online at http://www.the-green.co.uk/ and http://www.facebook.com/thegreendeli

Gwyn thanked Ben and Lee for their hospitality, and asked for a volunteer to run the next meeting.

8th September 7:30pm. venue to be arranged. Louise volunteered

Sue and Ian ran an event for their street last year, FeltCon Communty Group near Constitution Hill. This year, Sue reports that they had good fun again. 38 people across the entire age range came, and the event ended with a game of giant Jenga. 

Jenga at Poole Big Lunch

Andy and Clare hosted the “Heart of Stanley Green” lunch. We had 18 people come from Stanley Green Road, Hiley Road, Oakfield Road, and Vicarage Road. Many of them had not met before, and though we’ve been here for 18 years, I recognised few faces. Good chatter and far too much good food in the sunshine. 

Stanley Green Big Lunch Cooking underway

Emily and Paul set the Poole Old town lunch going. 

There’s an entry and some pictures on their website at www.reconnect-poole.org.uk 

Paul says : We had a good day – not massive numbers but great atmosphere and really appreciated by all who came – some possible contacts for the Children’s Centre garden.

Andy facilitating, 9 members

Andy suggested consider what was good from Grooves on the Green, and what could be done better another time.

Good
Half a dozen new people made contact and gave details
A good target group, though very few wandered our way
Social event for us
Gary’s goosberry crumble to share
Someone in the team knew the topics that people wanted to discuss

Better
More at the front of the stall, so people didn’t have to feel trapped
Need a tag line to tempt people in
More giveaways – cakes, mors bags, plants
Getting and giving away samples – free homemade beer
Didn’t have a plan and a clear message – need to be more joined up
Drawing people in – a slide show or films
perhaps projector powered by a bike -> John has some of the stuff, this could be an energy group project
highlight how hard it is to match the energy from oil.
Think TT Bridport have a ‘rig’. May be worthwhile to put a call out for ideas/kit to borrow.

Perhaps the venue didn’t suit
Big green fortnight – people are already connected with the ideals
Dorset Food week/bite the light

Andy then asked “how would you get a message about Transition or one of the Transition concepts over in a few sentences ?”

Discussion around gauging the person – age – older people – how things used to be. younger about what you want from life or for children.
Pedal car grand prix – local TV and papers – an innovative idea gets press coverage, link to TT topics.
If you could save the planet, would you ?
Margaret head quote – big change takes individual people
Einstein quote – wont solve problems using the set of thinking that got us there.
What sort of future do you want ?
Specific about location – do you know about the plans for this park – what would you prefer ?
We don’t tend to know or value what we’ve got until it is gone
What would you miss ? – perhaps picking items. Tony mentioned good consultation using lego bricks for budget topics.
What do we get for free -air, open space, rain
Consumer items – dependancy on availability of other things, ultimately Gaia
Bees -pollenation – perhaps a diagram showing the inputs to food and travel – back to the commons.

Tony talked about a carbon trading card. Gwyn suggested this would only work if a sliding reducing allowance. A feeling that the wealthy could buy their way to not change habits, though effectively a ration would be something of a leveller.
Comparing modes of travel and impact.

What do you think your fair share of the world’s resources is ?

If we lived to the 1 planet resource limit, what would life in Poole look like ? Gary suggested that this exercise was done by George Mombiet, and the answer is very significantly less than most people have now.

Change is coming – adapt or die !

Andy asked what other topics people would like to talk about
Harriet mentioned NI 186 – Carbon reduction for entire Borough. This is very congruent with Energy Descent Action Plan.
Vantage Point software, which models carbon emmissions.
Transition Taunton got together with the council – also Bristol
Steering group will learn more this week
Abundance – need to get on with identifying trees etc Andy had printed a few forms – return to Cherry
Transition Together
Dorset food Week – October – Harriet to find out what is on, whether Bite the Light or otherwise. Suggestion that we could invite the Southampton project of one couple sourcing food locally for a month to come and do a talk. They are attempting to live on food from a 15 mile radius.

Big Lunch. Tony mentioned that Neighbourhood Managers are supporting. Andy and Ian both suggested this hasn’t happened given we are two of the 3 advertised venues. Discussion about poverty of community spirit not just being in the most deprived parts of town. Perhaps worth considering for next year how Big Lunches could be supported around the whole borough – making it easy to close roads or use public space. Tony will discuss.

Harriet is producing a leaflet for local food – Gwyn to approach businesses to look for reciprocal links. Oxford Bakery and “The Green” were mentioned.

Community supported agriculture and fisheries was mentioned. Andy suggested for Fisheries, Greenslades on Hamworthy quay – down towards the Ferry Port sells lots of fish caught locally.

Gwyn mentioned an event at Ashley Cross tomorrow night – The Green – free cheese and wine tasting. He is also exploring getting together with them on delivery of Essential Trading orders – should be able to get a bigger discount, and perhaps collaboration on other purchases.

Transition groups get together and picnic Saturday 31st July – Upton Country Park -> ask if Walled Garden will be available – Andy to check.
Dorset Groups – Andy to invite
New Forest – Harriet to invite

Transition together
DEAC team as first pilot
potentially church groups, WI, PCSV – newsletter for Autumn – need to write content soon.

Suggestion of the next meeting at Purbeck larder- re-opened where Goldy’s used to be, out beyond Bakers Arms on the way to Bere Regis.

Sunday 8th August – pm so people could cycle out there.

Gwyn to facilitate, and to check booking.

Poole Transition stall at Grooves on the Green

We thought we had planned to arrive early enough to get a good pitch, but many were there before us. Plenty of space, and a good display thanks to plants from Cherry and Garry, banners from Harriet and crafts from Sue and friends.

John did a great job transporting the gazeebo, plants and and other hardware, though due to a mix up from the dry run, some of the poles were missing left behind. There were frantic calls, and Gary eventually appeared with the missing pieces.

Harriet spent much of the afternoon busy making Mors Bags, (http://www.morsbags.com/), exchanging one for a cup cake, and getting some to make their own.

The next generation making Mors Bags

Aside from drinking beer, Gary Andy and Ian engaged the occasional passer by in conversation, and we had some interesting conversations, including one with a mum, just off a Skype link with her son in India, keen on ideas for him to prepare a lesson for teaching engineering tomorrow.

Interest was quality rather than quantity, but it was a sociable event.

About 10 of us gathered, Gary was leading the meeting.

He asked us to work in pairs, and answer the following 4 questions;

• why are we here ?
• why are we here tonight ?
• Anything you want to discuss later ?
• What untapped skills do you have ?

The why are we here question was interesting, as the group was fairly evenly split between those of a religious view, “we are here for a purpose, to do God’s will”, and those of a non-religious, but still a spiritual or community focussed view, we are here to make the best of the world.

Why we are here tonight was variously answered, and I didn’t take notes

Discussions later tonight, topics were;

• Grooves on the green *
• Turners Field *
• Abundance *
• Future of the group
• Place in the wider Tranistion network
• Promoting transition
• 10/10/10 (the date, for green events)

* the top 3 here were most popular

Gary then asked us, in groups of 3 or 4

“What is the Answer”
My group immediately turned that into well what is the question we are going to answer (not knowing that was the next step).
So the question we asked ourselves was “what does success for TT Poole look like ?”

From the groups,
a) Journey to wellbeing – an opportunity for more time and community (vs a focus on GDP and wealth)
b) Network of communities living independantly, trading where necessary
c) achieving a tipping point, where 15% of the population support the transition ideals in some way.

Because we were a select group tonight, we didnt split up.

Abundance and schools
Andrew was going to do a linocut Abundance label. Not had time yet. Kate is waiting for copies of images to put together the Abundance leaflet.

Andy to put the ‘tree form’ online – now at http://transition-poole.googlegroups.com/web/Abundance_data_form.doc for those who are on our Google group.

Simon has talked to St Marys school, they have a garden area in the playground, and children can tend the crops during playtime. A common feature to schools is that it all goes to pot outside term time, and  it relies on a teacher or the head being keen. Compost bins in the playground had failed as an idea as they were not reliably emptied.The group at St Mary;s is called SMOG – St Marys Organic Patch.

Andy mentioned that the Old Town Community Garden is officially opening at the end of June.

Grooves on the green Sun 11th July 1pm – 7pm
Harriet volunteered to co-ordinate the stall, and to contact the organisers
Gazebo. Gary has two, it was agreed to meet at his house Fri 25th June and try to erect them, as he was unsure if all the parts are present.
Trellis – Andy has one made for handicrafts
Tables – Andy has a folding but stable table. Harriet and Sue & Ian have pasting tables
Plants – Cherry could potentially provide some
Transition flag – Harriet
Display boards – should show some details of projects in train
leaflet – TT Poole (Andy) and Abundance (Kate)

Anything else
Thurs 17th June 1-4pm Mors Pod again at West Howe

5-8 August Gaunts House Summer Gathering.

Next Transition Town Poole meeting Tues 13th July 7:30pm, same venue

Coffee, Cakes and Candy not open again (answerphone was on the blink), so moved to The Globe Café initially, then on to The Blue Boar after The Globe closed at 9pm.

Harriet and Kate co-facilitated the meeting.

After brief introductions and a quick statement about something that inspired us to be involved in Transition from the ten (later 11) attendees, Harriet read out the 12 steps of Transition and we discussed how/if we as a group were doing these things.

1.      Set up a steering group and design its demise/transformation from the outset

TT Poole haven’t done this, discussed whether this meeting was the steering group.

2. Start raising awareness

TT Poole have done this in a number of ways e.g. film screenings, seed packets with transition info on, Turner’s Field litter pick, food cooperative, and so on.

Harriet mentioned that Canford Heath has a population of 14,000 – easily big enough to have its own Transition group if it wanted. She has a couple of contacts there interested in a film screening and will investigate possible venues.

3. Lay the foundations – this is about networking with existing groups and activists.

TT Poole have worked with the 350 organisation, Big Green fortnight and other local groups such as Greenpeace, Poole Agenda 21 and Friends of the Earth.

4. Organise a Great Unleashing

TT Poole haven’t done this.

5. Form theme (or special interest) groups

TT Poole have done this: Abundance, Energy group, Friends of Turner’s field, Food Coop, Transition Together.

6. Use Open Space

TT Poole have and do use this approach of holding meetings where there is no fixed agenda and people can move from group to group as their interest takes them.

7. Develop visible practical manifestations of the project

TT Poole have the website but we discussed the possibility of using an empty shop front to have a visual display of what TT Poole are up to and how people can get involved. There was concern that this would have limited effect if it was only a shop front and there was no one to communicate with directly (Mark has experience of this). Considered running some kind of information stall from an empty shop – Time required from volunteers to run it could be an issue. Discussed possibility of liaising with Oxfam or other charity shop to promote TT. Someone suggested energy efficiency businesses may like to display TT leaflets.

8. Facilitate the Great Reskilling such as TT Christchurch has done – knitting, bike mending, cooking and making chutneys etc. Discussed Tatnam Organic Patch (TOP) as a visible example of what can be done and as an educational and skill sharing resource. Simon asked how happy TOP are to be visible as a reskilling/educational resource and Andy responded that it is definitely available as a community resource should anyone want to use it to meet or for education or similar. Stanley Green primary school (5 year olds) came to TOP recently and this was a great success although one child did manage to fall in the raised pond!

One idea for publicity for TT Poole was talking to the council about turning a roundabout from flowers into vegetables and promoting TT through this. Concerns about Health and Safety of getting onto the roundabout were expressed, also whether anyone would want to consume vegetables grown on a roundabout. However, could use recycled materials to make fake vegetables and turn it into an art installation and/or perhaps just have some nut/fruit trees which wouldn’t require so much maintenance. Derby’s corner roundabout was given as an example of a roundabout which has many trees on it already, but probably doesn’t need our help.

Could run a competition for an art installation.

9. Build a bridge to Local Government

TT Poole have done this, we have links with Poole Council via Don Collier and Tony Trent. We have a seat on the Environmental Forum which Harriet regularly attends.

10. Honour the elders

Harriet moved swiftly on from this one.

11. Let it go where it wants to go…

And this one…by default we have !

12. Create an Energy Descent Action Plan

TT Poole have not yet done this but discussed how we could be challenging the local council to create one although this is likely to be less radical than we would like, as the public would probably not like it otherwise. However TT is not a campaigning group. The word “plan” was challenged in terms of our input. Would “vision” be a better word to use? Andy suggested avenues of trees and more space for cyclists and walkers as examples of visions for the future. Christine suggested that decentralization of energy is essential for the future.

We discussed options for the open space sessions, considering things which needed most urgent action.

We then moved venue (because the Globe shut at 9pm), to the Blue Boar, and went into three open space sessions: Abundance, Schools and gardens, and Grooves on the Green.

Abundance – urban cropping

Cherry has started creating publicity posters for this project using pictures of blossom and describing the reasons behind the project as well as how people can get involved. Further leaflets and posters will be developed as well as forms for keeping a record of trees which can be cropped, including details such as location and ownership.

Decided to keep project fairly small this year to allow experience to be gained. If only one tree from each TT Poole member is cropped, that is still a lot of harvesting. If anyone knows of a tree which is likely to be a good candidate, let us know. Ideally each needs a ‘watcher’ to decide when it is ready to crop. We are probably going to attach the form to fill in to the TT Poole website.

Schools and gardens

Schools and gardens group are going to find out what schools in the local area are doing already about growing vegetables and green spaces as well as looking at www.edibleplayground.co.uk which is a useful resource for gardening projects in schools.

They will also contact Don Collier at the council.

Grooves on the Green

Grooves on the Green discussed various possibilities for the TT Poole stall at the upcoming festival on 11^th July at Ashley Cross including having cookery demonstrations with local food and children’s activities to get children and their parents engaged. However, unless someone is willing to come forward and be lead organizer of this event then it cannot happen. Various things need to be organized including getting gazebos, finding out about doing cookery demos on site and getting equipment for this as well as volunteers to run the stalls and give the demos. Discussed how the festival is less for children than it used to be, and might not be so good to have events aimed at children after all? Also discussed idea of making art installation from recycled beer cans etc from rubbish found on the site. Christine knows an artist who may be interested in doing this and she will try to contact him. Christine offered to do some organising but can’t be there on the day, so isn’t going to be able to lead. Still need someone to come forward for this if TT Poole is going to have a successful stall.

World Environment Day is on June 5^th

“Make a picnic – Make a difference” beach and garden party is being held by kind invitation at a beachfront house in Sandbanks in aid of WaterAid and RESULTS UK. £5 a ticket. Contact Harriet

Next meeting

Next meeting will (almost) DEFINITELY be at Coffee, Cakes and Candy at 7.30pm on Tues 8^th June as Ian has spoken to the owner directly and confirmed it with him.

Turners Field Jamie and Brendan litterpicking

We concentrated on the path adjoining the schools, partly as the litter  blows in from careless users on that side, and partly as the most people to chat to were using the path.

Bags of rubbish from Turners Field litterpicking

After about 2 hours litterpicking, we had about 8 bags of rubbish (much of it plastic), plus three bags of recyclable plastic bottles and cans. (Oh, and a few bits of twisted metal).

http://www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/steph-bradley/

Intended to be at Coffee, Cake & Candy – venue not open
so moved to the Lord Wimborne (Weatherspoons)
16 of us migrated up the high street or found the note and revised venue

Leigh was facilitating the meeting
Started by suggesting that in 2s or 3s we talk about our visions for 10 years time, and some progress or something good that had happened since the last meeting.
Some of the ideas that were fed back

• zoning to protect and value urban centres of food production – agriculture and access to land, not just considering everywhere for further development.
  • BoP currently accepting comments on the Sustainable Community Strategy
  • http://www.poolepartnership.info/sustainable-community-strategy/
  • I can’t find a link to the current consultation on BoP website, supposed to be open till the end of June  !
• valuing meaningful relationships
• community supported fisheries – localising, providing a market to minimise transportation
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_supported_fishery
  • http://www.walking-fish.org/
• that people appreciate and value the local area
• car free days (these happen, how do we get people to adopt/obey them!)
  • International Car Free Day 22 September 2010
  • http://www.metta.org.uk/car_free_day.asp
• that the normal mode of travel will be 2  feet – with needs met within walking distance
• local and fairtrade food availability, desire for local food businesses in the area
• promote communal ownership (rather than just being anti-private ownership)

There followed a discussion about how we get local communities voices, and a wider discussion about residents associations, often formed at a time of crisis, but subsequently a focal point for looking outwards, and potentially engagemen with TT by either us individually joining their groups, or by aiming to get invited to go and talk to them about Transition.
Again I couldn’t quickly find a list, but perhaps we can construct one

Residents associations I could find online

• Branksome Park & Canford Cliffs http://branksomepark.com/
• Branksome Residents Association http://www.communigate.co.uk/dorset/branksomeherald/
• Broadstone http://www.broadstoneresidents.org.uk/
• Poole Quarter http://www.swayhs.org.uk/20091118337/poole-quarter-residents-association-annual-general-meeting.html
• Hamworthy Matters http://www.aboutmyarea.co.uk/Dorset/Poole/BH15/Community-Hubbubs/Hamworthy-Matters/112798-Hamside-Residents-Association
• Oakdale (ORCA) Community Residents Association http://www.oakdale.me.uk/
• Talbot Village http://www.talbot-village.co.uk/

Intersting link to perhaps follow up
Dorset Federation Of Residents’ Associations, 15 Broom Road, Parkstone, Poole, Dorset BH12 4NL
Email: w.herring@virgin.net
There must be many more, potentially without websites

Abundance

- Cherry, Andy and Gwyn met at Gwyns. We mapped out the roles that would be necessary, a few candidate trees, and the tasks needed. Aim to do this in a manageable way so that we can celebrate the success of feeling our way through the process rather than be overwhelmed by an abundance of produce that we can’t distribute etc.
Looking for volunteers to “adopt” a tree, or a part of the process. We need commitment early in the year to assure ourselves that we will cope at harvest time.

Turners field

- planning to get to know the site better this Saturday, with a litterpick 2-5pm. Bring binbags and gloves. Plan to hand out leaflets to people passing too.
Working with Schools
- Stanley Green headteacher is keen to look at the whole orchard as an outdoor classroom resource. She wants our help to do a proper design before inviting parents back in to do the work, there was too much enthusisasm and too little direction. wants to broaden out to community involvement.
- Old Town Childrens Centre. Claire runs a session monthly, second saturday of the month. Keen for support if people are willing.

Feedback from events

Dorset Transition Gathering – at least 60 people there, well run, using openspace meeting style. Best bit was probably to realise that all Transition Towns across the area are in a similar place, struggling with getting from talking about acting to actually achieving progress. And a nice bunch of people.

TBH West Howe – event this Friday 10-12noon Harriet looking for volunteers – making Mors bags, recycling officer will be there. Opportunity to engage with local public.

PHP (Poole Housing Partnership) – Very keen on agenda around growing food in grounds of sheltered accomodation (for residents). Wanted support of local community groups. Andy wrote on TT Poole’s behalf in support of a bid they are writing.
Transition Tales Walker. Steph Bradley from Totnes walked through yesterday, met Harriet and Gary, and stayed with Andy. Part of her walk is an exploration of how Transition is getting on in various communities, also a theme of taking an item from one group to the next. We offered a Hazel sapling to take onwards to Transition Wimborne, and received a  carved cherrywood dibber from the Purbeck PEAT group.
http://www.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/steph-bradley/

Public Health Association Annual Conference – at the BIC

Gary, Harriet and Andy were invited to attend and speak at the UKPHA conference 25th March. Gary found the keynote speech inspiring- John McKnight from Canada talking about sustainable communities, but also the need to allow them to grow bottom up, and the sometimes bad impact of grants – where recipients are perversely incentivised to keep the problem going in order to attract funds. The challenge laid down to those involved in Public Health – Local Authorities and PCTs, was to create the opportunities for communities to develop themselves. http://www.northwestern.edu/ipr/people/mcknight.html
Andy was impressed that overall, the conference chose to be vegetarian catered, turned off the escalators, encouraged arrival by other than the car, using recycled bags (or making one – he tried), and generally led by example on being so far as possible a low carbon use conference. There were opportunities for bike rides, yoga on the beach etc. too !
Gary’s talk was in a session on food and health. There was a speaker from Tower Hamlets, where they had mapped the location of fast food outlets , and shops selling fresh fruit and other basics. Very hard to access good food within the borough.
Someone from Solihull talked about their initiatives to try and bring services to communities.
Gary talked abotu the patch, and tried to emphasise the overall yield, not just the food extracted from the site.
The room was then divided to debate topics.
The session that Andy spoke in included talks about a couple of projects in Scotland – School food in Lanarkshire, where the catering manager took the initiative to source local good food, at about a 20% price premium over the cheapest obtainable. But also, valueing the catering staff and getting results in good nutrition. He went on to talk about the backs of tenements in Edinburgh, which had largely fallen into disuse as wild spaces. One community came together to create a communal space with areas for washing lines, play, chilling, wildlife, and bicycle repair workshops and other communal activities. They have spread the idea, so many such communities now exist and have taken back their space in a communal way.
Two trainee doctors talked about how they were plotting their journeys and travel choices and the carbon impact of these, and trying to influence placement locations and journey choices.
Andy talked about Transition locally, but trying to highlight some of the opportunities and resources that are out there to find Transition groups and other initiatives.

Project opportunities

Mark mentioned a grant scheme from Barclays, we would fall under the Southwest area. A public debate on who gets funding £50K, with voting for the most popular scheme. He said there could be an opportunity for us.
Gwyn mentioned the Transition Town Poole Food co-op will be placing another order late April. He is up to Bristol 28th April, so can collect again. Contact Gwyn, Andy or Jamie for details.

Gwyn also mentioned Purbeck Vinyard, which is a very small vinyard just outside Swanage. 1 hectare of land, growing 7-8 varieties of grapes. He will be organising to go and help with the harvest sometime Aug-Oct, if anyone wants to get involved.

Tony mentioned the absence of debate in the Election discussions so far on Climate Change. The more questions to BBC and ITV news about candidates views on climate change, the better.

Next meeting Weds 12th May

Venue possibly Coffee, Cakes and Candy in the high street, or maybe upstairs in the King Charles in Thames Street

Harriet and Kate agred to facilitate the next meeting.  Andy cant make it so someone will need to scribe !

Gary can’t make Weds, but offered to facilitate the meeting afterwards if a Tuesday.