Transition - from What to What?

One of the main topics of conversation last night at the Transition Towns meeting was what a rubbish name Transition Towns is! At any rate, it's very hard to explain in one sentence when someone asks. There's a book about it, but that's about an inch thick!
However, one definition might be that the transition is from a world with cheap oil to one with very expensive oil. That will have an impact on our communities, and the transition towns movement is there to ease the transition from one to the other by encouraging local food, and transport that isn't all based around the car. There's a lot more to it than that, of course, but I think that would do to begin with.

The Transition Hay group were also talking about a lot of positive and fun things.
Sadly, the local Friends of the Earth group has folded, but Charles,their representative and treasurer, came along to offer all the money they had left in the kitty to the Transition Towns group - which is around £100.

Next week, Steph Bradley is coming to Hay. She's walking around the country (in flip flops!) collecting stories about what life was like before we all relied on the car, and talking about it. She'll be talking to some of the old people in Cartref (the old people's home on the edge of town). There'll also be a party up at the Community Garden on Tuesday evening, with music and a campfire. On Wednesday evening at around 7.30pm she'll be talking at the Globe (free!) and on Thursday morning at 11am she'll be talking at the Library (also free!).

On 25th September, a big street party is planned. Last year there was the bike day, which was a great success, and this year they're planning for it to be bigger and better. They're even applying to have Castle Street closed for the day, as well as the market square. So far they've approached several traders along Castle Street to see what they think of the idea. Isis cafe would like to do a tea party in the street for the old people from Cartref and the Luncheon Club from Open Door - they rather enjoyed having the gas mains dug up, when they put a carpet down in the road and had the tables outside. There should be hopscotch and skipping going on nearby, which should get the children and the old people talking. They're also hoping for communal games to be played in the Castle Gardens, a cycling proficiency course around the square, and people to refurbish bikes, and lots more!
Of all the people they've approached so far, four are positive, one was put down as 'neutral negative' ("he wanted to object but he couldn't really find a good reason") and one said "Over my dead body!".
Some of the older kids from Gwernyfed will be doing stewarding and general helping out towards their baccalaureate qualifications - some of the Transition town people have been doing talks in the school.
The art exhibition may well be put up again in the Buttermarket - hopefully this time more of the parents of the children will be able to see the results.

When they talked to Hay School, Fiona Howard mentioned the "walking bus" that they run, and said that it would be nice to make it a "cycling bus" except that some of the children don't have bikes. Transition Hay have found four bikes so far, and are re-furbishing them for the children, but they would like to find more. Other schools in the area might like to join in, too.

So there's lots to organise!
(There may also be "I'm Making Hay for the Future" Tshirts....)