07022012

Hub group meeting, 07 February 2012, Blue Moon Cafe, Sheffield
Present: Joan Miller, Rick Watson, Susannah Diamond, John Baker, Jennie Bateson, and Jackie

We discussed:

Next event - We discussed recent Transition Cafe events as numbers seem to have been falling off. However we agreed they were still useful as a space to link people up. For the next event we considered coming up with questions focusing on the Sustainable Communities Act, Peak Oil, Economic Growth, or Land for Growing, or showing some more films. We considered inviting the Incredible Edibles down to speak at the cafe, but Rick mentioned the possibility of inviting Chris Shaw out from the Council to dicuss the Sheffield Food Strategy, and Rick agreed to take this forwards.

Bank account - need to get one set up if we want to apply for funding, would also help in maintaining a subscription for insurance, and thereby being able to host for volunteers to grow the organisation. Best options seem to be the Coop or Unity Trust, and either would do. We agreed that two signatories would be required for taking cash out of the bank account although more than two people would be signatories of the account. Susannah to take this forwards.

Insurance - Susannah had come up with a few insurance quotes of around £100-£200 to insure Transition Sheffield volunteers say 10 events of 10 people per year. We need public liability and employees insurance if we are to advertise for volunteers with VAS or the students' unions. This insurance could include skills workshops etc. The suggestion was made to ask about increasing the cover to events of 30 people. Susannah to follow up.

Publicity - Susannah has taken on the Twitter account from Clare. Would be good to display this in the Drupal account - Susannah to follow up with Chris. Also discussed moving the forum onto Sheffield Forum if it is free to use as it would get a higher profile. Susannah to explore this and report back.

Food conference - We discussed the proposed Food Conference. This would link in with the Sheffield Food Festival being planned for September, but provide a more-thought provoking and investigative angle. It would be good to move the discussion wider than just healthy eating, towards other aspects of sustainability - e.g. unused food waste. (Clay Pits Cross was mentioned as providing possibilities for food growing.)

 Skills workshops It would be good to run these again, and to ask for additional contributions - e.g. for sourdough, soap making or bread making.

AOB We also discussed the idea of coming up with a questionnaire for or a wall wisher with a focus on what we would like the council to do to support community led transition activities. Such activities might be : Finally we mentioned the idea of an 'unleashing', and agreed it still wasn't particularly relevant for our context.
 * one way streets with bicycles
 * shops for selling home grown veg
 * community garden leased from the council
 * car free days