Steering Group Meeting, 13 June 2011, 8.00pm at The Maynard Pub

Present:  Steering Gp: Pamela (Chair), Gillian (minutes), Tilly, Jacki,

Minutes from last meeting (15-05-11) agreed. 

Matters Arising

·       Ed Compton has been in touch re website.  The next stage is to discuss content but this was left over to a later meeting.

·       There will be a meeting about the Crouch Hill Community Park on Wednesday 22 June, 7pm at Crouch Hill Park, entrance from Crouch Hill.

Agenda Items

1) Reporting back

Gillian reported that the North London Bike Power Workshop held on 11 June was a great success.  Magnificent Revolution had found previous courses difficult to fill but this one attracted 15 people. The outcome will be greater collaboration between TCE, Magnificent Revolution and the Green Lens Studios, and a joint venture with other North London Transition Groups to produce a bike-powered generator.

Pamela gave a brief summary of Haringey Council’s 40:20 Conference held on the same day.  There were three presentations from Councillor Jo Goldberg, Cara Jenkins from the 100 Homes Project and a representative of Brent Green zones. This last initiative was very inspiring, a volunteer-run project which involved local activists going round houses and encouraging residents to be responsible for their locality.  Despite the project’s success, funding has been cut due to the change in government.

Pamela has arranged a meeting with her local Councillor Paul Strange to discuss a similar project.  She would like to replicate Muswell Hill Sustainablity Group’s 100 houses project and start a solar panel buying group in Crouch End.  She also proposed a green hub, where people could find out about energy saving, etc.  Gillian suggested HVCC which could also be a centre for recycling.

Tilly reported back that Green on the Screen’s showing of No Impact Man attracted over 40 people; the film was a complex and sometimes challenging view of how to follow a sustainable lifestyle.

There was also information on the two Capital Growth sites: the Harold Road Community Garden and HVCC Kitchen Garden.  Concern was expressed about David’s leaving since he has played a considerable role in organising and overseeing the budget.  There will be a meeting on Wednesday 15 June at 7pm to discuss the future of the site and a farewell celebration for David.  Some suggestions were greater involvement of MORSSH in the project and leafleting local residents.

Richard has been in contact with the Selby Centre to make raised beds for HVCC.  It might be cheaper to collect the beds and assemble on-site and Richard is looking into this.

2 Up and Coming Events

a)Sustainable Haringey Summer Gathering – Sunday 26 June at Railway Fields.

Lunch at 1pm followed by discussion on waste from 2pm onwards.  The three main talking points will be:

·       Veolia’s contract with Haringey Council

·       theproposed incinerator at Pinkham Way

·       increased use of supermarkets plastic bags in Muswell Hill and Crouch End

b)Meadow Orchard Open Day – Saturday 9 July 2011

c)HVCC/TCE Reuse/ Recycle/ Tabletop Sale event 24 September 2011

d)HVCC/TCE  Apple Day 15 October 2011

Note for the last two events,forward planning will be necessary to ensure tables are allocated beforehand.  There is an HVCC Events Meeting on Thursday 15 June at 7.30pm in Meeting Room 2, HVCC to discuss these and other events.

There are two more opportunities to collaborate with other groups:

Transition Finsbury Park’s Well Oiled Festival on Saturday 17 September and the Urban Green Fair in Brockwell Park on Sunday 4 September.

3 Any Other Business

Andrew Thornton has requested a representative from TCE to attend a photoshoot on Wednesday pm to promote the Pennies for Plastic Fund at Budgens.  Pamela will check if Kate or Gemma are free then.  Gillian will find out how the images are to be used and in what context.