Present: Harriet, Gary, Andy, Cherry, Michael, Kim, Gwyn, Theresa, Julie
Guest: Sam, Green Unity Fairs

Minutes from previous AGM are available on the archive on the TBH website.

Group Updates
Christchurch is continuing to hold monthly meetings, attendance is improving again after going through a lull. Has own website. Change in the planning group, the group is now being steered by Elliot and Anne, with around 7-8 people attending the last planning meeting. Not sure who is representing the group now on the CCP High Quality Environment Group. A lot of the group’s energy has lately been diverted to the save Druitt Hall campaign, hopefully this will not detract from the group’s main activity.

Bournemouth has a core group and new Chair. The group hopes now to move towards more awareness raising, film showings and programme running. However, they have got the Schools Programme running, involving 4 local schools in environmental workshops – Gwyn mentioned the Bourne Academy would like to be involved also. Community garden at Ensbury Park is being established. Participating in Bournemouth 2026. Links also forged with fair trade campaign. Bournemouth Council wish to work more closely with the group. Successful funding bids have facilitated a lot of activity. Meetings are going to be 3rd Wed of the month at Bourne Spring Centre. Green Drinks continue to be successful, providing an opportunity for informal socialising, and Kim is working on getting Green Teas up and running too for those wanting a daytime meet-up.

Poole has been successfully involved with Turners Field community project. Poole Tidal Energy Partnership got LEAF funding. Bring and Take day is being considered. Regular monthly meet-ups are generally well attended. Good contacts with the Council. Gwyn is helping the council to organise a State of the Environment Day on 12 April to form a local food and packaging policy. Lush are very keen to be involved with Transition after successful collaboration building their straw bale cold store unit. Nothing yet heard on funding bid re apple press.

Green Community Fairs & Transition
Sam from Green Community Fairs spoke about how the two complement each other in raising awareness locally. Sam needs more help from volunteers to deliver aspects of events, from planning to on the day. She also needs help with contacts that anyone has with local Councils so that she can explore more possibilities for local events. She is careful how she uses the Transition BH name. Next events are 13/14 April at Moors Valley Park, with a planning meeting being held on 2 April 1200 at Bourne Spring Centre. On 3 & 4 June at Poole Park. There is the option in future for Sam to run events in different areas in co-operation with the local transition group in that area, it is a flexible tool. The consensus was that currently both sides are very happy with the working arrangement, although the steering group need to channel volunteers Sam’s way. Gwyn and Sam will draw up a one page Working Agreement, just to define our working parameters.

Treasurer’s Report
Currently £746.91 in the bank, split between the different groups, including Wimborne.

Core Steering Group
Maximum of 12 people can be on the steering group. Everyone was happy to remain on the steering group, it was agreed that the opportunity to sit on the group be made frequently, and members would be happy to stand down to give others the opportunity as and when demand arose.

Communications
The Google Group can be subject to abuse, after some discussion it was agreed that monitoring any situations as they arise, and from time to time issuing guidance on “netiquette” would be desirable. Retaining the Google Group facility still believed worthwhile. Bournemouth will look at their home webpage so that people can more easily get in touch.

Gwyn is aiming to issue the newsletter monthly, at start of the month, please contact him with items for inclusion at least the week before. The different groups need to contact him to add new contacts to his database.

It is worth remembering that the Hub is now a member of CVS, opening up avenues for volunteers and training and possibly help with accessing funding.

Future Initiatives & Dates for Diaries
It would be really desirable to have a few more events, like the music event, which could perhaps make use of the Green Hotel. A swishing evening/fashion event or craft event was discussed. Sam suggested a Green Community Xmas Fair would be do-able. Another Transition picnic was agreed for the summer, at Parkstone green possibly involving a game of boules. Gwyn will check out dates.

Around 40 of us gathered at the Green House Hotel, thanks to Gwyn for organising the evening, the team at the Green House for hosting us (for free), and most of all, Alex Roberts for entertaining us (also giving his time for free), and then leading us in participative music. You can find Alex music at www.alexrobertsmusic.com

Gwyn introduced the session that rather than ‘taking’, we should all be giving of our time, and Alex exemplified this. Alex confessed to be a bit nervous – getting a whole bunch of adults to do participative music, which he normally does for free.

He threw into the introductions to songs time he spent in India, studying music, nearly a year spent in a tipi on a farmers campsite on the Purbecks, working the land and composing music, but he seems to have drawn inspiration from a wide variety of musical traditions and cultures from across the world.

After a brief set, including a poem set to music and played on his wedding present (a bouzouki brought back from Athens), and a tune on a steel hawiian guitar made in Christchurch, we were all led in deep breathing, making shared vocalisations that north american Indian tribes might use to make sound together. And then drumming.

An entertaining and sociable evening for folk involved in Transition from across the BH area.

Letter below didn’t make it to the Echo but in the Advertiser 3.11.11 which one kind friend alerted me to and another has just given me her copy. It’s under the heading “Solar array is producing good amounts of power,” with a pic of some panels (not ours).

Drizzly days are very poor (only 0.5 , 0.9,). Winter months score quite a bit worse.

Total: 3,464 KW for year Oct 10- Oct 11. We used 9,923KW (terrible- recommend hibernation) as I keep it at 20 degrees- Malc feels the cold, even upstairs. Big place to house Malc’s fab archive.

Feed-in-tariff took a year to deliver first cheque of over £1,000. Now getting quarterly (nearly £200- not as good as hoped). Not the best rate as we went for more panel coverage (4.7 KW) than recommended (over 4 whatever it was) so only I think 37p a KW, instead of 43p KW (?). It’s also 3.1p for our 50% “deemed export.” Yingli 235.

Cost £17,474 after the fiasco of calling the installer back for 2nd inverter, plus £850 for removal of 2 east side ( where there are now 12 panels) chimneypots. On the west we have a dormer window so only 8 panels. Malc thinks it’ll be a very long payback but who know what electricity’ll cost in a couple of years. Only gas now in the house is bottled (like some family members) for over Christmas.

Solar thermal (£5,000-ish) on south -facing balcony, handily feeds straight into water-tank. Works with air-source heat pump (£7,700 ) for good heating results tho downstairs is cooler: big kitchen extension. Malc mostly upstairs thanks to wonder-reconditioned-Stannah. A weep from the water tank (or was it me?) went on for a while despite 3-4 callouts last year, fixed eventually. Also the air-source heat pump mysteriously started giant-crashing-around-upstairs noises, which confusingly started at the same time as a nothing-to-do-with-it squeak from the loo system. Just as mysteriously noises have now stopped.

Malc wasn’t happy at night with the vibes from the heat pump so they took it off the wall, put it on legs. A nice bonus is the water I collect from underneath to flush the loo.

Cavity wall insulation (£1,000 worth; free to us lucky pensioners) went in a year ago, was a top-up. Also had new carpets & front door to eliminate draughts.

When I have time in another decade I’ll try & compare bills.

Ambition in life to have compost loo (as in Dick Strawbridge’s “It’s Not Easy Being Green” prog ) meantime using butt water/shower water and donations of wee to compost. Friend of Earth Conference had, “When it’s yellow let it mellow, When it’s brown flush it down” notices on loo doors but that tends to stain the bowl (cured with lemon juice but bit of a palaver). Best was Climate Camp- choice of loo with hay bales etc tho’ you have to know what you’re going to do beforehand which ain’t always poss, says the old girl. Bathwater’s reused too. I’m told soldiers use v little water for personal dailies so trying to copy good example. Jug & bowl anyone?

Inspired by Mark’s forest garden but ours has turned into an allotment. Fruit trees apple, pear, plum. Soft fruit throughout summer ; strawbs, raspberries, loganberries, blackcurrants, redcurrants, whitecurrants, blackberries and M’s fave- golden raspberries-still, incredibly, picking after much second fruiting. Teeny weeny pippy grapes, quite sweet. Greens still growing (& I remember even picking small amounts through snowy times), runner beans until my wigwam fell over in high winds. A few tomatoes, lots of lettuce. Passion fruit struggling a bit- not had fruit this year (changed location).

Just dug out last of taties a week ago. Courgette flowers nobbled by something this year (fox prime suspect) but good results last year. Malc used to do slug patrol at bedtime with a torch and big foot. I’ve tried the (fiddly, expensive, kind) beer-pots but now tend to squash when I see ‘em. Sorry but you’re in our garden. Hugh F-W tried a slug recipe but it wasn’t v nice. Snails are allegedly better- you have to feed them for a week on lettuces or something. Have not tried yet.

Malc did quite a long report for Transition website a couple of years ago.

Green Party Open Meeting tomorrow- Moordown Community Centre 10-12 morning.

Keystone XL pipeline (tar sands) deferral- Obama has mercifully listened to the 12,000 activists who surrounded the White House but grim news from IEA re global fossil overload “World given 2017 climate deadline” Guardian p 3 yesterday.

Happy 11.11.11 (11.11. & 11 secs)

SC

Dear Sir,

The urgent need to find low-carbon, clean, energy sources meant we’ve installed renewables in our house which are generally working well. Mike Roberts-Butler (Echo letters 19.10.11) finds solar panels “a horrendous eyesore” and questions their viability. There are alas many uglier (eg oil wells) and more dangerous (eg coal mines) sources of energy.

Our solar array has had teething problems but is now producing good amounts of electricity; 3,867.6 kilowatts over the last 15 months. The first three months were very poor as a second inverter had to be installed on our east/west roofs. I am monitoring daily. The best day was 8th June (23.9KW), the best week 17-24th April (130.9 KW) with other very close contenders over the summer. The worst days were 2nd & 3rd December when snow was on the roofs- nothing at all! Four friends have written to me of their good PV results; one in Australia (hardly surprising!)

I’ve been astonished by the daily variability of results and it has made me much more energy aware. The washing machine and other items are used in the day with apparently fractional electricity use. The heating in our largish house is what really adds up, despite much insulation. Mike Roberts-Butler expresses his dismay at the planning system. I am astonished that our planners allow such poor building regulations and that there is complacent acceptance of our heat- leaky homes. Passivhauses, being super insulated, do not need external sources of energy.

Yours faithfully,

Susan Chapman

Marianne had a visit from her cousin, who is a member of TT Freiburg. She was keen to meet up with Transitioners in the Bournemouth/Poole area, so a group of us met at the Surf Cafe near Boscombe Pier on a sunny evening.

Sadly the beers were not local – Gwyn did ask. Not sure that the barbacue was serving local sausages either, though the mackerel were quoted as from Boscombe bay – the charts say it’s all Poole bay !

Monica introduced the structure of the Freiburg TT group. TT Freiburg is fairly new, and exploring lots of possibilities. http://www.transition-initiativen.de/group/ttfreiburg suggests they started in Jan 2011.

Freiburg TT has a number of small groups:

1. Publicity,
2. Heart Soul,
3. Guerilla Gardening, also a preserving garden produce (tomatoes/cucumbers etc.) group.
4. Equitable/ Ethical Economic Management/ethical consumption/sustainability group;
5. A steering group of 12 people who meet monthly.

TT Freiburg have a local currency linked to the Euro, but some people prefer sharing to using that currency.

There are several sub groups responsible for separate actions, that send one or two representatives to the monthly TT meetings. All the groups get together every three months.

The Garden Co-op has 200 members (who are also part of TT)

Each person paid €400 for the start-up for the gardening project to buy the tools etc. The vegetable crop is shared out between the 200 people

Members pay €30-€60 per month for the employment of a professional gardener and two helpers

They have leased 7 hectares (17.3 acres) of land, of which 2 hectares (4.9 acres) have been planted, the remaining 5 hectares soil is being improved with green compost. The lease is for 10 years with the option to buy it after 10 years. In some of the part where the veg didn’t do well they have planted wild flowers. They also have 2 polytunnels for Tomatos etc.

The site is 22 Km from the town. They have a little building in the middle of Freiburg where the veg is stored, collected and from where it is delivered by bike. Monica shared some pictures of the bikes with enormous  trailers – 16 crates laden with produce.

The co-op idea originated from the Jardin des Cocagnes (Garden of Eden), near Geneva, Switzerland. www.cocagne.ch which has been going for 30 years. (I also stumbled across another site with some delightful pictures of Swiss allotments at http://housetohaus.blogspot.com/2011/02/did-you-eat-your-veggies-today.html)

For Freiburg’s co-op see: www.gartencoop.org I contrasted that we pay £7 per year for membership of http://tatnampatch.org.uk, but we don’t get enough produce from Tatnam to feed ourselves !

Apparently a nearby town to Freiburg is trying to use a parallel currency. Andy highlighted that Totnes, Lewis and Stroud have done so in England.

I asked about the guerilla gardening. Monica said that this is mostly with consent, and often on communal land around housing developments. We have held discussions in Poole with the social housing trust, who are keen to encourage food growing on their land, but not yet happened. Also the attempts to get at least part of Turners Field into a community resource/productive garden.

They are exploring an idea of everyone being given a basic income (originated in the 1600s by an Englishman), and that each do work that they are skilled and interested in. A similar system was tried in a town somewhere in Africa for one year and was very successful. There is a film – Gruntagen – apparently the local government forced its abandonment (presumably didn’t meet their aspirations).

Other projects that TT Freiburg are considering includes looking after elderly people – in collaboration with others in a similar situation.

The city has invited TT Freiburg to help with a scheme where 400 people families are encouraged to join in reducing their carbon impact. 80 people came to the film: In Transition. Harriet contrasted the Transition Together work we have started in Poole and Bournemouth. We haven’t achieved on that scale yet – our target is 100 but recruiting is proving hard.

25% of Freiburg’s traffic are bicycles, and there is car sharing in many cities. They can use cars from other towns. Members pay €300/€400 to contribute towards buying the cars. The money also goes towards hiring someone to service the cars. They can book the car online. The same car share system works in Switzerland too. They can get all the information about the car they want to use, such as whether it has a motorway sticker for other countries like Austria or Switzerland. Freiburg has 12-15 cars. Next year they are planning to buy 2-3 electric cars. The city administration of Lorrach also use the car share facility. There are some schemes in the UK, but small numbers (Whipcar has about 8 cars in the Bournemouth/Poole area). Bournemouth and Poole have better than average UK cycling rates, but less than 10% of journeys to work are by bike. Can’t lay my hands on the figures just now.

We mentioned the Abundance scheme, started in Sheffield, which we have done in a limited way in the conurbation, and the Mors bags project.

Notes by Marianne and Andy

1st June The Green House Hotel

A mix of business, academic, public sector, voluntary and environmental folk gathered to be challenged on the topic ‘OUR COMMUNITY – OUR ECONOMY – OUR FUTURE – Something has to change’

The theme was “A Green Economy for Bournemouth and Poole”, and this started with a talk by Dr Alan Knight OBE of Southampton University followed by a chance for stimulating, lively discussion for people who live and work in the conurbation.

Dr Knight’s talk was based on this slideset

http://www.soton.ac.uk/mediacentre/features/southampton_city_lecture_2011.shtml

The challenge laid down by Dr Knight was to identify what is unique and important for Bournemouth and Poole, and how we positively engage business in delivering an agenda which they can sell to shareholders and stakeholders. Campaigning and negativity may get less progress than shining a torch and encouraging businesses towards the light. (I paraphrase, I was late to the meeting)

A Green Economy for Bournemouth and Poole

Transcription of the main points from each table’s discussions

Task :

• How to get everyone to sign up to the common goal of sustainability
• If that is satisfied then people will understand resource/energy implications.
• Benefits to be highlighted rather than the negatives

Table 1:

• Quality and upgradability of goods – What is the value relative to “Buy and Chuck”
• Joined up thinking: social, health, safety – public transport
• Public debate of the issues
• Celebrating sustainable practice
• Consider profit in more than monetary terms – welfare, good health, happiness as well as £, $
• Valuing mending and re-use
• Information on opportunities available to buisnesses e.g. car clubs (see near the bottom of our getting around page)

Table 2:

• What do we need to start looking at in B&P?
• Meaningful communication – positive messages – inspiration
  Engaging others with motivation and feelings from the heart
• Connection with those who can change things
• What can be done in “local” areas?
• Focus Attention
• Find out the options and new practicability
• What will make you act now?
• What are you willing to change/do?
• Make it easy to join in and add to the debate
• Engaging others/motivate others (and ourselves!)
• Education – and LEARNING
• Who participates? How to attract others to participate?
• Local – regional – national – global

Table 3:

What does B & P do?

• Education – hospitality – finance – travel
• Poole – port, import, fish
• Less travel? Energy reduction? Product design?
• “Sunlight” !!

Table 4:

• Bournemouth and Poole competition
• Models of organisation that work with communities
• Education, inspiration and Enlightenment – Communicating messages through medium for changing attitudes
• Green Legislation/ Political pressure

The meeting carried on upstairs in the bar, sampling local beers and further wideranging and lively discussion.

Many thanks for the Green House Hotel for hosting our event,  to Harriet for the idea, and to Gwyn and the Association of Sustianability Practitioners for running the event.

On the downside – no thanks to the Echo for virtually ignoring the entire event. A shame. The website BH Beat , on the other hand, gave great lively coverage of several events as they happened. http://bhbeat.com/

Here are some photos of occasions I happened to catch on camera.

The BGF kicks off on Friday 20 May with East Dorset Friends of the Earth’s Eco Fashion Experience at the Pavilion Dance Centre (3–8pm)

On the evening of Sat 21 May there’s a treat in store – a screening of Yan Arthus-Bertrand’s stunning film “Home” at the Lighthouse in Poole (free!). [Incidentally, it’s not part of the BGF but there’s also the Green Party’s Barn Dance at YMCA Winton on Saturday 21st (tickets £5 from hfwoodall@googlemail.com).]

Next day (Sun 22nd) there’s a rare opportunity to visit Mark’s (from Tatnam Org Patch) amazing Forest Garden in Branksome (42A Gorleston Road, 11–4pm).

Tuesday’s talk by Geoff Jones on “Building an Eco Home from Scratch” at Bournemouth Natural Science Society promises to be interesting. Organised by Dorset Humanists.

On Wednesday 25th PA21 are screening “Age of Stupid” at Broadstone Methodist Church.

Then on Thursday 26th we have Transition Poole’s cycle-powered film screening and discussion at Hamworthy Fire Station. You’ll need to book in advance because there’s limited places. But invite your friends – we need a good crowd.

Saturday 28th is the Tatnam Organic Patch Open Day from 11-4.

Then on Tues 31st there’s a pretty hard-hitting film about food at the Lighthouse “Our Daily Bread” (8.30) with discussion. Tickets from the Lighthouse.

Wednesday 1st June Transition BH Hub and Association of Sustainability Practitioners invite you to a talk and discussion on “A Green Economy for Bournemouth and Poole” at the Green House Hotel, Bournemouth, 7.30 with Dr Alan Knight of Southampton University. An opportunity to get to grips with the tricky questions around our local economy (see http://tinyurl.com/bgf2011gh).

Fri 3rd daytime is “Public Heath Showcase: Going Green is Good for You” at the Wellbeing Centre, Bournemouth University (10–4).

Sat 4th join in the family fun at the Green Unity Fair, Bournemouth’s first offgrid entertainment and educational event, from midday until 10, Shelley Park, Boscombe. Free.

Finally, Sun 5th June The Big Lunch – in your own neighbourhood!

Further info about all these events at www.poolepartnership.info/BGF/ or www.bournemouth2026.org.uk/bgf/

Present: Harriet Stewart-Jones, Andy Hadley, Theresa McManus, Gwyn Jones, Paul Smart, Julie Smith, Gary Finch, Sue and Ian Challis
Review of Year
With the aid of flip chart & pens, the group came up with the following highlights of Transition BH
Events
Picnic in the Park
Grooves on the Green
Big Lunches
Big Green Fortnight 2009
10.10.10 Event plus this year’s Cycle
Communications
Overhaul of TBH website
Perpetuating the Google Group
Giving presentations & information to local groups
Transition Training
Launch of Christchurch website
Campaign Involvement
Airshow questionnaires
NOPE Portland Biofuel plant
Alaska Wind Farm
Air Show Symposium
Turner’s Field
Involvement in local consultations
Local Initiatives
Powerdown Study and Discussion Group
Food Co-Op
Herb Group
Green Drinks
Allotments & Community Orchards & Hedgerows
Film Screenings
Dorset Urban Food Project & other local food
Group wide initiative
Launch of Transition Together
Treasurer’s Report
The Steering Group holds funds for Transition Together plus funds for those groups that do not have a bank account. Current holding is £972.69.
Election of Steering Group
The following people were either re-elected or elected onto the steering group:-
• Harriet Stewart-Jones, Gary Finch, Andy Hadley, Jamie Heckert, Gwyn Jones (Transition Poole)
• Theresa McManus (Transition Bournemouth)
• Julie Smith (Transition Christchurch)
Transition Wimborne has temporarily folded, but a place is available on the steering group whenever they become re-established. Additional people can join the steering group during the year, up to a maximum of 12 people. It is desirable to have more representatives from Bournemouth and Christchurch.

Green Unity Fair
There is a proposal for an off-grid day festival at Shelley Park as part of the Big Green Fortnight in June. This will be organised by a third party but they are seeking to use the Transition BH name to access funding and for publicity. Concerns were expressed over where responsibilities and liabilities lie, and these will be taken forward to a meeting with the organisers. The consensus of the group was that it would be better to defer the event rather than to potentially expose the group to risk.
The Future
It would be good to provide a summary of what Transition BH has done on the website.

Gwyn offered to send out a quarterly newsletter covering events & activities across the group. He will need the email contacts held by the various Transition groups to achieve this. Members of the steering group agreed to provide Gwyn with these. Gwyn will contact steering group members to request their articles for inclusion in the newsletter. The aim for the first newsletter is mid-May, to reach people before the Big Green Fortnight starts.
Anything Else
Paul said he has good contacts with youth groups in Poole and Bournemouth, and is happy to put people in touch with these. He has also had experience in Boscombe of the LETS group and Landshare.

I’m sure you’re aware that there is significant unmet demand for allotments in the UK.  We did a survey of allotment waiting lists in England earlier this year, and you can access figures for any principal local council with allotments on National database.

Bob Russell, MP, has submitted for an Early Day Motion (EDM 687) for debate stating “That this House welcomes the big increase in home-grown vegetables, with seed sales up 14 per cent last year; is pleased that the number of people wanting an allotment has increased by 20 per cent in the past 12 months; is concerned that according to the National Society for Allotment and Leisure Gardeners there are 100,000 people on waiting lists for an allotment; and calls on the Government, local authorities, other public bodies and private landlords to make land available for new allotments.”  To-date 28 MPs have signed the Motion.

I’m wondering if Transition groups around the England would consider checking if their MP has signed the motion and if they have have, thank them for their support and offer to meet with them to discuss the situation in their constituency and if they haven’t, to seek their support.

Margaret Campbell, Transition West Kirby

Which is very interesting (no local MPs I could see there yet), but it led me to look more closely at our local provision. Will update in a bit, but all is not as it seems;

Have created a separate page to summarise the allotment provision across the conurbation which is constructed mostly at Borough level from the FoI requests Jan 2010 undertaken by TT West Kirby, and at detailed level by me checking websites, and emailing people.

http://transitionbh.org/todo/allotments-around-bh/