The final Transition Thursday: Slaithwaite, Yorkshire
By rob hopkins 29th July 2013
Over six weeks I have travelled up and down the country visiting Transition initiatives to pay a visit, to hopefully give their efforts a boost, and to give The Power of Just Doing Stuff a bit of a push. It’s been amazing I must say. I’ve been to (in order) Crystal Palace, Sheffield, Downham Market/Swaffham, Worthing, Louth/Horncastle and lastly Marsden and Slaithwaite in Yorkshire. Marsden & Slaithwaite in Transition (MASTT) is one of the earliest Transition initiatives to form, and sits in the beautiful Colne Valley, where all sorts of great groups, initiatives and projects are underway, some of which consider themselves part of Transition, and some of which don’t. Here is the video that I made of the trip:
The day started with a visit to the Handmade Bakery, a fantastic co-operative bakery which regular readers will be familiar with. We then went to the Slaithwaite Community Centre to drop in on a ‘Just Doing Stuff’ day for kids, who were planting up pots with seeds, making animations, masks, as well as learning to cook. It was great fun. Then I gave a talk at Marsden Library which was fun, and talked about 10 innovations that come through Transition that have the potential to save the world.
We then paid a visit to the Green Valley Grocer, one of the stars of The Power of Just Doing Stuff, a co-operative grocers taken over by the community and now running very successfully having created 4 jobs.
The evening event was back in the Community Centre, and as well as delicious food provided for those attending, I gave my, by now, finely honed presentation about Transition and The Power of Just Doing Stuff. After some questions and a break, representatives of the many projects and groups in the valley spoke about their work which was fascinating and very inspiring.
There was a great buzz, and lots of good conversations afterwards. The next morning we paid a visit to the Green Building Store, based just outside Slaithwaite, one of the foremost sources of green building materials and products, including their legendary triple-glazed windows. Much talk of Passivhaus approaches and the challenge of retrofitting the nation’s worst homes.
And then off and away home, on a Cross Country train (yes, it’s name and shame time), which had so many people on and so few seats that it was really a disgrace (right, that’s that off my chest). Thanks to everyone in MASTT for their kindness and hospitality, for wonderful food and conversation.
While I was there, as in each of the other Transition Thursday, I asked people what, for them, is Transition?
… and also why do they do Transition? Here’s what they said …