Three Transition-related events in January

[Dave Crossland]

Hi!

There are three Transition BH related events in January, and both are
open to everyone and free to attend:

1. On Friday 16th January at 19:00 in the Dorchester Town Council
building, a meeting on the new Sustainable Communities Act.

2. On Monday 26th at 19:30 at Poole Civic Center there is a Poole
Agenda 21 meeting.

3. On Tuesday 27th January at 19:30 at the Grasshopper pub there is a
Transition BH Open Meeting.

1. Sustainable Communities Act meeting
-------------------------------------------------

Location: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=The+Corn+Exchange+Dorchester+DT1+1HF

The Act came about through the http://www.localworks.org project, and
empowers local communities to protect and promote local services,
shops, trade and the environment and create thriving places to live.

It is set to be a large, high profile meeting, that aims to tell
people how they can use the new powers in Sustainable Communities Act.
I expect this Act will be useful for Transition purposes.

Please write to your local councillors using the free, quick and easy
http://www.writetothem.com service, asking them to support this Act in
your area.

2. Poole Agenda 31 Meeting
--------------------------------------

Location: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Civic+Centre+Poole,+BH15

Poole Agenda 21's monthly meeting will be at 19:30 in Room 134 in
Poole Civic Centre. This existing group has strong links with Poole
council, and lots in common with Transition Towns. Their website is
http://www.pa21.org.uk/

3. Transition BH Open Meeting
------------------------------------

Location: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=grasshopper+pub+poole

This is an open meeting for anyone, and will be an "open space" style
event with us dividing into sub groups, each discussing a different
theme.

Some ideas have already been put forward, but dont let that stifle
debate - if you have a topic that you feel should be discussed then
please bring it along. If you are an expert then be prepared to
facilitate that group, or if not an expert, please suggest a topic and
an expert may step forwards.

The benefit of "open space" is that you are free to move off into
another group as the mood takes you. One of the great things about
transition and permaculture is that it both encourage and support
exploration and empowerment. It is worth remembering that we are
still in the process of forming, so opportunites to meet informally
are important.

They allow us to get to know each other, and explore what transition
means to us individually and as a group, before looking at the formal
stuff like aims and objectives and where focus should lie. That
doesn't mean we can't get on with stuff in the meantime though - and
these meetings also allow for people to lay foundations and start new
projects or support existing work. If we wait for official training
and or others to take resonsibility then the planet is sunk. To
paraphrase Bill, "I can't save the world on my own, it'll take at
least three of us."

Ideas for subgroup topics include:

* I'm new to all this, what's it all about?

* How can we produce more local food and fuel?

* Anyone up for organizing "A Party not a Protest"
during the Big Green Fortnight in May?

* How can we spread the word about Transition?

* What comprises "a community" in the context of
a sprawling conurbation?

* What is Permaculture and how does it relate to Transition?

Cheers,
Dave