Transition Together "Four-Day Fiesta"

Perhaps you’re not aware that Transition Ilford is part of the wider Transition Movement?

It was founded in response to the need to move from a way of living based on dirty energy and destruction of the natural world towards greener, flourishing communities. As one of the founders Ben Brangwyn said: "If we wait for governments, it will be too late. If we act as individuals, it will be too little, but if we act as communities, it might just be enough, just in time!"

Transition Together aims to link Transition groups in different parts of the UK so that good ideas and resources can be shared. To inspire us by seeing each other’s work, they organised a London regional gathering from May 11th-14th.

Meeting Rob Hopkins, one of the founders of the Transition movement at the Transition Together four-day gathering, as well as many of the active London Transition groups was inspiring and celebratory. The idea was that the different London Transition groups will visit each others projects to get inspired, meet fellow transitioners and establish new connections...

Transition Ilford started the four-day gathering on Thursday, May 11th with a visit of Camden, Think and Do, other fellow transitioners and a very welcoming bunch... Think and Do happens there every Thursday, offering a free lunch as well as workshops on a range of things, from repairing clothes, to energy efficiency advice, to advice about the cost of living and benefits, and much more. Halima who runs Sharing Space Eats from there, a social enterprise providing catering to local businesses was inspiring and encouraging.

With the Tooting and Highbury Transitioners

Listening to Halima

In the evening we had a meal together, cooked by Nadira and met different people who are part of projects that have spun off from Think and Do.

Delicious Vegan Bengali curry

On Friday, May 12th visits were arranged to a number of London projects, which included Canbury Community Garden, which is a project of Transition Town Kingston, community Garden and Save the World Club in Kingston, a huge warehouse of reclaimed/second hand stuff...

Last stop for Friday was the Transition Town Tooting Community Garden. It has been in place for 12 years now, and has played a key role in many of their community projects. They work with the spirit of diversity, migration, reaching out to different cultures, seeing that as one of their key strengths. A fitting end to an inspiring day.

On Saturday, May 13th as well as visiting Transition IG3 projects, the group came to visit our Forest Garden. Transition Ilford volunteers described the different projects we run, including the Food Coop, The Repair Cafe, the Energy cafe as well as the Forest Garden.

We were also privileged to have Rob Hopkins, one of the founders of the Transition Movement, join us.

At the Forest Garden

With Rob Hopkins

The weekend reached its conclusion on Sunday, May 14th with a visioning the future day at Everyone’s Warehouse, a great community space in Barking.

It was partly facilitated by Rob, with his time machine. Whilst 85% of people are worried about Climate Change, only 15% believe that we can do anything about it. We need to be able to imagine a different future before we can make it happen. Rob took us forward to 2030. We were encouraged to see, in our minds eye, what will be happening then if all the work we and others are doing now to create a green and more flourishing community has been fulfilled. Our very own Rakesh, Forest Garden designer and teacher, was part of the excellent facilitation team.

For more inspiration and information about the "four-day transition gathering", take a look at Rob Hopkins blog here.