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GVEG  
Golden Valley Environment Group

FAQ and Background Notes
Prepared by:   Dave Prescott, January 2009
What are Transition Towns?
Experts believe that we are now approaching the end of the era of cheap oil. We will never run out of oil, but it will be become harder to find and extract, and so increasingly expensive. This will have a profound impact on all aspects of life and work, including food production and farming, home heating, medicine, construction and transportation. The aim of a Transition Town is to help the community plan and prepare, in a practical and creative way, for a less oil-dependent way of life and work. This should help everyone save money as well as helping to foster community spirit. 


Who is involved?
The TT movement is coordinated by groups of local volunteers in over 100 towns and communities in the UK, Ireland, Australia, USA and Japan. The number of TTs has doubled in the previous five months. Local TTs include Brecon, Kington, Presteigne, Lampeter and Talgarth. The Brecon Beacons National Park strongly supports local Transition Towns.


How do Transition Towns work?
TTs are encouraged to follow a structured plan based on experience in other towns across the country. An initial phase raises community awareness about the end of cheap oil, using film screenings, talks and discussions. This followed by the creation of working groups who oversee practical, community-based projects in areas including repairing, cooking, fixing bikes, natural building, loft insulation, home energy efficiency, recycling, practical food growing…Some specific projects include:


Project (Transition Town Location) Relevance

Loan of land from a local farmer for use as allotments and/or community gardens, and establishment of a community seed back. (Kinsale, Ireland)
Enhances local food production with associated benefits including education, recreation, exercise and building community spirit.

The introduction of a local currency, which is pegged to sterling, accepted initially in 30 shops, and issued by the local branch of Barclay’s. (Lewes, UK) 
Helps to support the local economy and reduce transport costs and food miles, as well as acting as a draw for tourism.

Coordinating with the city council to plant a ‘city orchard’. (Bristol, UK)  
Central buying of trees for productive planting by individual homeowners - helps local food production and acts as a prominent (and awareness-raising) green space within the city.

Solar Buyers Club to bring costs of solar panels down as much as 400 pounds per home. (Presteigne, Wales)
 TT Presteigne plans to coordinate a group of local buyers to achieve an economy of scale on solar panel purchases, reducing local energy usage.


The longer-term objective for TTs is to reflect working group findings into public policy via an ‘Energy Descent Action Plan’.


Who funds Transition Towns?
The Transition Towns Network is a national charity supported financially by various Foundations including the Tudor Trust and the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation. They provide training courses, expertise, tools and resources and the opportunity to learn from and link with other Transition Towns. Local TTs raise funds and seek in-kind donations from public and private bodies.

A small initiating group (Simon Forrester, Ainsleigh Rice, Dave Prescott, Christine Turnbull, Phoebe Boulanger and Bob Hilton) are running a series of awareness-raising film screenings, practical workshops and presentations in Hay throughout 2009. These will culminate in a major public meeting at which local residents will be invited to vote on whether or not to become a formal 'Transition Town'.


Explanatory videos featuring Transition Towns founder Rob Hopkins are available on YouTube.   See also www.transitiontowns.org 

If you would like more details, please contact:  tthayonwye@gmail.com
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