2009-01-13-Heeley-Meersbrook-Meeting

These notes have also been posted to the web site and the email list.

=Heeley/Meersbrook Transition Meeting 13th January 2009 Notes=

30 people attended the Heeley/Meersbrook Transition public meeting on Tuesday evening 13th January. The invitation was to meet other local people, discuss our aims for a sustainable and thriving Heeley/Meersbrook and plan how to build connections with all of the groups and communities in our area.

Craig, Izzy, Heather, Kevin and Chris planned the evening.

Getting to know each other
Izzy led a very engaging warm up, enabling people to meet each other by having one minute conversations on interesting questions.

Mapping our connections to local groups
Craig enabled people to literally map their connections to groups they were engaged with locally and also noting groups not represented. This will be a very useful resource for planning how to build our connections.

Aims and principles
Heather lead a discussion on Aims and guiding principles using the proposed aims and principles already drafted by Transition Sheffield as a starting point.

Heather lead a discussion on Aims and guiding principles using the proposed aims and principles already drafted by Transition Sheffield as a starting point.

Draft Aims
"'We are motivated by the challenges of climate change and the energy crisis to engage as many people and communities as possible in Heeley/Meersbrook in the transition to a sustainable society. We aim for healthier, happier, inclusive, creative and resilient communities, free from dependence on fossil fuels.'"

Draft Guiding Principles
We embrace the following as guiding principles for our working processes
 * Being inclusive and open, avoiding all forms of discrimination, avoiding stereotypes, and reaching out to others to overcome divisions
 * Working in ways which empower others, by supporting consensus decision making, decentralising decision making to the most appropriate level, helping others to access good information, trusting them to make good decisions, and enabling sharing and networking
 * Building resilience (the ability to be self reliant, flexible and to adapt under stress)
 * Generating positive ideas and open possibilities rather than campaigning against things
 * Paying attention to inner world views and belief systems as well as external physical processes i.e. understanding the importance of attitudes and feelings as well as actions

People worked in 5 small groups to discuss changes they wanted to the aims and which of the principles they felt were most important

Proposed changes
There were 2 main proposals for changes to the statement of Aims;

Proposal one: to change the order of the sentences to read:

"'We aim for healthier, happier, inclusive, creative and resilient communities, free from dependence on fossil fuels. We are motivated by the challenges of climate change and the energy crisis to engage as many people and communities as possible in Heeley/Meersbrook in the transition to a sustainable society.'"

This was agreed in principle by everybody. Mary offered to have a go at improving the wording, perhaps starting by "We are people in Heeley/Meersbrook area ..?"

Proposal two: to change "free from dependence on fossil fuels to "radically reduce our dependence on fossil fuels". There was a good discussion for and against with no time to reach consensus at the meeting..so further thoughts and debate welcome.

Everyone thought we would need a fuller explanation to back up this short statement-perhaps a half page explaining the crisis and possibilities in everyday language with examples. Perhaps with a strap line, something like "Aiming for a Sustainable Heeley/Meersbrook" but also wanting to keep "transition" in there somewhere! Any one want to have a go at a draft?

Process for Feedback and Comments
Suggestions welcome for


 * improving understandability in wording of aims
 * contributions to discussion on "less" or "free from dependence on fossil fuels"
 * a draft for explanatory half page

Please send to [mailto:Heather.Hunt@blueyonder.co.uk Heather] and copied to [mailto:craig@quakerism.net Craig], [mailto:e.a.price@shef.ac.uk Izzy] and [mailto:chris@aktivix.org Chris]

We thought if they are sent to us it will keep the traffic down on the e list and we will bring suggestions to the next meeting for a brief discussion

Next meeting
Focus will be on ways to engage the range of groups locally and set realistic objectives for the next 12 months

Rachel, Dan, Simon, Heather, Chris and Craig offered to plan the meeting and will meet for this at Craig's, 8pm Tuesday 27th January

Notes made by Heather Hunt 15.1.09