Tell me more
Over the summer and autumn of 2009, a group of interested people in North Berwick came together to set up Transition North Berwick. It is intended the group would be part of the rapidly growing Transition Town Network (http://transitiontowns.org/).
What does this mean?
The first Transition Town started in England only five years ago but the concept has spread rapidly throughout the country. There are now over 130 Transition Towns established in the UK with 8 in Scotland (including Dunbar and Haddington) and many more abroad. Over 70 other community based groups in Scotland also have links to the Transition Movement.
The Transition Movement encourages and supports local communities to do what they can at a local level to tackle the related problems of climate change and reliance on oil in anticipation of declining stocks and rising prices. At its core is the aim to enhance a community’s resilience and ability to cope with future change by taking practical action that supports greater self-reliance. How this is done is very much up to each community depending on the interests and skills of those involved. Groups built at a grass roots level will be best placed to assess local priorities and opportunities. There are a huge number of different ways to make a contribution, examples of which include:-
· Growing more food locally and promoting allotments and garden sharing
· Introducing local markets for local produce and other products
· Encouraging improvements to local public transport and schemes like car sharing
· Promoting methods of saving energy such as energy audits and home insulation
· Setting up small scale renewable energy schemes to offer low-cost energy
· Setting up a community orchard or woodland
· Re-skilling people in areas like growing your own food or repairing and re-using
· Encouraging local enterprises and local job creation that support the above
Transition Towns are not protest groups nor are they part of any political movement. They seek to contribute in a practical way at a grass roots level to one of the major issues of our time – one which threatens all our livelihoods and quality of life over the next 10-25 years and beyond. The aim is to do this in ways which are enjoyable and which help to involve and strengthen the local community.
Taking forward an idea like this will need time for communication and planning. It can also involve anyone in the community who wishes to be a part of it. The intention is to work with all existing organisations in the town which may share similar aims or wish to be involved in some way. There is no desire to ‘step on the toes’ of other bodies or duplicate the many positive things that are happening already. It is more likely there will be opportunities for close collaboration. It will also involve building constructive relationships with East Lothian Council and local politicians.
Try our Useful Links page to find out more about Transition Towns.
What does this mean?
The first Transition Town started in England only five years ago but the concept has spread rapidly throughout the country. There are now over 130 Transition Towns established in the UK with 8 in Scotland (including Dunbar and Haddington) and many more abroad. Over 70 other community based groups in Scotland also have links to the Transition Movement.
The Transition Movement encourages and supports local communities to do what they can at a local level to tackle the related problems of climate change and reliance on oil in anticipation of declining stocks and rising prices. At its core is the aim to enhance a community’s resilience and ability to cope with future change by taking practical action that supports greater self-reliance. How this is done is very much up to each community depending on the interests and skills of those involved. Groups built at a grass roots level will be best placed to assess local priorities and opportunities. There are a huge number of different ways to make a contribution, examples of which include:-
· Growing more food locally and promoting allotments and garden sharing
· Introducing local markets for local produce and other products
· Encouraging improvements to local public transport and schemes like car sharing
· Promoting methods of saving energy such as energy audits and home insulation
· Setting up small scale renewable energy schemes to offer low-cost energy
· Setting up a community orchard or woodland
· Re-skilling people in areas like growing your own food or repairing and re-using
· Encouraging local enterprises and local job creation that support the above
Transition Towns are not protest groups nor are they part of any political movement. They seek to contribute in a practical way at a grass roots level to one of the major issues of our time – one which threatens all our livelihoods and quality of life over the next 10-25 years and beyond. The aim is to do this in ways which are enjoyable and which help to involve and strengthen the local community.
Taking forward an idea like this will need time for communication and planning. It can also involve anyone in the community who wishes to be a part of it. The intention is to work with all existing organisations in the town which may share similar aims or wish to be involved in some way. There is no desire to ‘step on the toes’ of other bodies or duplicate the many positive things that are happening already. It is more likely there will be opportunities for close collaboration. It will also involve building constructive relationships with East Lothian Council and local politicians.
Try our Useful Links page to find out more about Transition Towns.
