Minutes from Transition Liverpool meeting – 07.06.09 at Domino Gallery
The following people attended the meeting:
Mark Shooter
Margaret Smith
Guy Anderson
Albert Killeen
Sergio Martinez
Michael Jones
Mark Jackson
Karen Lucas
Rod Leung
Dan Pixie
Felicity Wren
The meeting began with short introductions from each person, and then Mark Shooter asked if people had ideas/information they wanted to describe/share.
He explained to those who had not attended previous meetings that TL was started about one and a half years ago. Meetings at first took place at Liverpool Cricket Club, and essentially it is about empowering people to deal with the twin problems of climate change and resource depletion (including peak oil) at a community level - without having to wait for others to act.
1. Guy Anderson introduced the first item – Parity Eco-Solutions http://www.parityecosolutions.com/ He spoke about the number of old houses in the country which need a lot of work to bring them up to sustainable standards. Russell Smith bought an old house and refurbished it and now runs his own company (PE-S) helping people to refurbish their own places.
The company produces a report on how to improve, then either they will do the work or customers can use their own people.
He is letting Guy run with the idea in Liverpool so that people can be trained to do the work creating a “self-perpetuating mode”!
He said it is about thinking BIG!!
2. Next was Mark Jackson.
He spoke first about a book called “The Transition Timeline” by Shaun Chamberlain.
He explained that the difference between successful and not-successful transition towns is the percentage of the population involved/engaged – it needs 15-20% of total population (approximately 80k people in Liverpool!)
It was suggested that it would be best to break down into wards and/or communities – grass-roots movements.
An induction pack would need to be produced with the relevant information and needed a clear route for people to go down in order to effect change. Necessary would be sessions introducing the ideas followed by discussions to encourage people to think for themselves and build their own solutions to problems identified. There would be dvds for people to take away at the end, and a website would be set up to disperse information.
Artists would be invited to contribute ideas etc.
An awareness-raising sub-group would be set up (including “guided visualisations”??)
It is essential that all ages, abilities etc. (including actively involving, for example, people with mental health issues) are involved.
He described “Popular Education” – a community development technique.
Guy Anderson said it needs to guarantee jobs as people always ask “how do you make your money?” we want people in homes, earning money and who want to do this – can see the economic point!
3. Next Rod Leung introduced the Summer in the City art exhibition and events/workshops taking place each day from 12.30 to 3.30pm from Tuesday 21st to Thursday 30th July in the Liverpool Academy of Arts on Seel Street. This, he said, is open to anyone affected by mental distress.
4. Next Dan Pixie described his engagement that day at the Green Day at the Wildflower Centre in Huyton. He spoke about permaculture, community orchards, “one straw revolution”, an idea explained by a Japanese man at the Centre, and the soil association (?)
Karen asked if he could email the flyer he said he had designed and distributed but he hadn’t saved it – he will email the information to TL.
Guy Anderson suggested we produce a TL business card, not personalise, which would be good to give out to encourage people to participate.
Dan Pixie talked more about community orchards, about gathering people with specific skill bases, getting funding, creating a lobbying group. A Channel Four programme called Landshare was mentioned as an exemplar. He remarked that the Council is opposed to food being grown in parks!! He also said that orchards are incredibly productive.
Mark Shooter mentioned a £200k scheme started in Manchester: http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1109505_fruit_tree_revolution?rss=yes
This is is Also an other Food growing initiative in Manchester: http://abundancemanchester.wordpress.com/
Dan Pixie asked for people to come to the TL allotment on Mersey Road – it is free and open to anyone but mainly aimed at TT network – for people to “experience growing”!
Felicity Wren asked if anyone knew about wild mushrooms as she knew someone years ago who gathered them in Sefton Park and distributed them amongst friends (including FW, and they were delicious!!) – apparently Moore Nature Reserve does mushroom walks.
It was suggested that maybe meetings should be held at the allotment when the weather was good (!) – perhaps Dan Pixie would talk about permaculture and empowerment?
Albert Killeen said permaculture is much more than just growing – it is a whole philosophy.
Michael Jones then spoke about Newsham Park and a bid he made to the Department of Health for money to save/use the orphanage. He wants to make the whole of Liverpool sustainable! He’s created a website – www.thegreentreesproject.ning.com
Felicity Wren mentioned Clara Paillard’s People’s Parks Event on 27th June – follow this link to NML to see details and book - http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/mol/galleries/historydetectives/peoples_parks.aspx
Michael Jones finished off the meeting by saying “Liverpool can be the flagship for the rest of the country”!! Maybe that should be our slogan???
Next Meeting:
Tuesday 7th July, 7pm, Green Fish Cafe
11 Upper Newington street,
L1 2SR