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Minutes Transition Sharrow/Nether Edge Mon 23 November

From 8.30pm – 10.00pm

Present: Marion Watson, Lucy Smailes, Jo Mills, Mary Williams, Steve Lewis (facilitator) Ronin Barkshire (minutes)
Apologies: Jenny Patient

1. What We Have Already Achieved

We have shown six films at Common Ground. One of which had 50 people in attendance, usually it was about 30. After every film we had a discussion raising awareness and drawing people into action. We ran several Open Space meetings attempting to ascertain where peoples interests in action lay. These indicated people's 'action interest' lay in growing/permaculture and sustainable transport. We ran several Transition stalls and have recruited 40 plus people to the email list. People are out there we just need a little more planning to get them back.

2. What Are We Doing?

We are meeting but our advertising has been poor recently and our meeting planning has lacked coherence as we struggled to find a way to move forward.

3. Future Meetings

It was agreed that a rota for organising and facilitation of meetings would help to distribute work load around the group. Two or more people would organise a meeting including Date/Time, Venue Advertising and a Theme.

There was a consensus to a move to a different venue. As we can no longer use Common Ground without paying to use it (£10 an hour for the facilities particularly heating in winter) and there was some dissatisfaction with the space.

It was agreed that we could perhaps meet fortnightly with the new formula as the approaching crisis means we felt time pressure to move things along in a positive direction.

Lucy to find out if the Coop (new café) would be available as venue.

Ideas for meetings included 'bicycle maintenance', 'sewing', 'home insulation', 'composting' and 'Computing for Activists': an idea to host an event to help people to use the great online resources Transition Sheffield has including editing this wiki site, forums, e-mail etc. (Ronin to contact Access space for availability)

4. Hub Group for Transition Sharrow/Nether Edge

It was agreed that a small group of committed people would get together, over snacks and treats to organise the next few meetings. Then we could relaunch the group with a new formula and renewed enthusiasm. Everyone who was present (except Mary who was at her first meeting) agreed to meet again at Jo Mills house on Tuesday 1 December at 7.30pm. This change will need to be announced and anyone who wants to attend to be made welcome.

5.Solstice Party

It was suggested that we hold a Solstice Party at the Coop if available and open to all Transition Sheffield to celebrate our achievements this year.

Deferred Agenda Items

• 12 Steps to Transition
• Transition movies
• inclusivity