Transition Derby

April 3rd 2010

“What do we want to see in Blagreaves in 2020 in the light of Climate Change and Peak Oil?”

In the beginning, way back in late 2009 we were invited to tender for a relatively simple project involving organising an event to carry out some Market Research for the Blagreaves Neighbourhood Forum Board, but we didn’t realise how many hours we would be putting into it.

Basically it was to develop an action plan on behalf of Blagreaves neighbourhood Board to address one of its neighbourhood priorities s of tackling climate change. As part of this we would try to

• identify key partners for delivery
• devise appropriate actions for the neighbourhood around the issue of climate change
• identify projects for potential delivery in the neighbourhood
• identify the priorities for action and activity within the issue of climate change
• understand the extent of knowledge and awareness and then devise appropriate action to increase knowledge and awareness in the local community
• engage residents, partners and the wider community around the issue of climate change
• contribute to the Blagreaves neighbourhood Plan and define actions and outcomes around climate change

We decided to organise a community event using an Open space format, to which local residents, services, organisations and partner would be invited and during this the residents would identify a variety of actions with a priority of importance. The event was organised for a Saturday, when most people had some time off and we would offer some food from 10am until 3pm.

The main priority was to promote the event and for this we decided to use:

• posters in shops and pubs and schools
• door to door leafleting for every house in Blagreaves and some in Littleover and Sinfin, which were on the border
• radio interviews on Radio Derby
• ringing and promoting the event with local community groups

April 3^rd dawned sunny and no rain, so a good omen and it was all hands to the pump to set up the room at the Littleover Community Club on Blagreaves Lane, which used to be the British legion Club.

People began to trickle in at about 10.30 and we started the Open Space, which became more like a World Café but we worked with what we had.

In the end we had over 30 people come to the event and we were able to get six discussions going. For each subject area ideas were then brainstormed, which were then voted on to get a list of priorities – see below:

The results we presented to the BNFB on March 14^th 2011 were:

1. The 30 plus residents who came to the day despite all the promotion – leaflets, posters, calls to local Community Groups - was not a representative sample of Ward
2. Bridge too far – Create awareness and request options - in one sitting
3. Need to use funds to first generate Awareness over time and then create an Action Plan
4. Must use Primary Schools to get message into youngsters to take home to educate parents i.e. Silverhill Primary School
5. Think about the City Farm and Allotments on Millennium Wood

Note: It is important to remember that since then, 12 months ago, petrol by under 20% and food costs have risen over 6%. Possibly now that more people are aware of the implications of Climate Change more would come if the event was held today.

In conclusion, the Board commented that they have £16,000 in the budget and have asked Transition Derby to help local Primary Schools, and maybe others, apply for some of it to create Forest Gardens as part of their Curriculum.

Overall the project involved lots of hard work and we achieved a solid result … Congratulations for everyone involved.                                 

©William Barron

Transition Derby

March 15^th 2011