Minutes of Transition Willesden Core Group 12 Jan 2012

[Viv Stein]

Present:  Viv, Urmi, Sarah, Marjory, Brian

Minutes: Urmi

Chair: Viv

 

Matters arising from previous meeting

 

• Harriet has stepped out of the Core group.
• Viv has circulated the Transition Primer; all agreed it was a useful document
• Finances:

○        Currently funds stand at £93.24

○        Brian has bought a cash book and will instruct Viv on how to use it!

○        Urmi has looked at the expenses forms and all agreed it was not necessary to use them. Keeping receipts and using the cash book to keep records is sufficient.

• The public meeting on 24 November had 11 (mostly new people) attending. It was very interactive, successful in terms of the depth and enthusiasm of the discussion and participation, and attracted a good cross section of the local community.
• A screen printing workshop ran in December at Willesden library cafe space. 5 people attended, and it was good to connect with SLAM art.
• A banner making workshop ran at Viv’s and another is needed - this Sunday/Monday.

 

Willesden Wassail - 22 Jan

 

Viv/Marjory have been planning our involvement in this community event.

Transition Willesden will have a stall at the Library, serving punch from local apples, and cake, and promote the group.

A number of jobs still to do:

Sewing banner (Viv/Urmi)

Help carrying banner on the day

Pressing juice on Saturday 21st

Transporting juice and equipment on Sunday 22nd (Urmi/Marjory)

Shopping later in the week (Urmi)

Helping serving on the day (4pm onwards)

Viv will send an email to appeal for help early next week and make a sign up sheet.

Brian will borrow poles for the banner

 

Willesden Green Space Community Project

 

This is a partnership between St Mungo’s, Sainsbury’s, Ward Working and Transition Willesden.

There has been good progress - all parties have met several times.  Positive feedback from local Sainsbury’s, but head office, though enthusiastic, have not yet confirmed go-ahead of full scheme.  We can go ahead with a public consultation - tentative dates 17 and 24 March.

A Transition Willesden subgroup met for the first time this week to plan for this and first stage planting. They are enthusiastic and knowledgeable.

 

We also have permission for the first stage of planting. We  are pushing for use of re-usable materials, food growing, bio-diversity and education, plus action on recycling facilities.

Viv to speak about the project on Wed 18th Jan an at Willesden Area Consultative Forum.

 

Finances for the project already allocated - £5k from ward working funding & £1.5k from St Mungo’s.  We propose to ask Sainsbury to fund the ornamental planting - we should next focus on food planting.

 

Future Events

 

• Marjory will organise a coffee morning in late Feb - possibly at Queensbury Deli?
• Sarah will arrange a group visit to Gladstone Park Gardens allotments in March(?).
• Marjory has speaker for a foraging talk pencilled in for April
• Consultations for the Green space - March.

 

Other News

 

Brent Council are doing an Allotment consultation in Spring, Marjory has attended an initial meeting. Good news is that they are now willing to send information about community growing spaces in Brent to those on their allotment waiting list - previously would not do this.

Urmi will find out what happened to maps from the green fair on which people identified potential growing sites.

 

Marjory and Viv attended a networking event for ‘Capital Growth’ on food growing in London. Both to feedback in more detail later.

Viv attended a New Economics Foundation workshop as part of the New Windows on Willesden weekend.  This was looking at reimagining our High Street.  Viv to email more details.

 

Urmi raised a concern about plans for new Willesden Library. Sarah suggested pushing for community kitchen garden as part of planning gain. Urmi to find out when we can put this to the library consultation.

 

Urmi will arrange a meeting for early March (with Paul from TTBelsize) to develop a group website.

 

Viv and Marjory went to Transition London event in December.  London groups are looking at funded office space/web support as part of a  London HUB project.  Viv to forward details.

 

Brian plans to meet Brent’s bio-diversity officer. There is great synergy with food growing.

 

There is a possible screening of a new Transition film at the Lexi on 2 Feb.

 

Next meeting

 

Next core group meeting 27 Feb 7.30pm at Sarah’s.

Next public meeting Thurs 22 March - Brian to check on venue. [Update Rising Sun is booked.]