Author: Bashoo

  • How to

    How to

    Login to edit the website using this link https://www.transitiontooting.org/wp-login.php?
    You will see the WordPress Dashboard in your web browser. This is where the fun begins!

    Never add any Pages. We only use Posts in this website. Only the top level pages (What we do, etc) are Pages.

    Garry

    Most of the site is automatically generated based on the tags on each post – wrong tags messes shizzle -up!!

    Here’s How to;

    1. Find my project post to edit
    2. Undo a mistake.
    3. Edit an existing page/post
    4. How does the Block editor work
    5. Add a link
    6. Create a new post
    7. Move Blocks around
    8. Change the order of the Active Projects
    9. Archive a no longer active project
    10. Add a project to the ‘Things we’ve done’ list
    11. Add an Allied project
    12. Add a sub menu
    13. See a list of all the tags and categories.
    14. Add jump to specific part of a page/post

    Top tips

    When you are typing in WordPress if you want to create a new line of text
    Like this. You need to press the SHIFT key + the RETURN key. This creates a new line.

    If you just hit the RETURN key you create a new paragraph, just like this puppy!


    Can’t see the edit you just made on the live site?

    You either did not save (Update) or you need to clear your web browser cache. This is how and why to clear your cache


    Find my project post to edit

    There are two paths to follow….

    Either navigate to the post on the website. When you find the post/page you want.
    Click on the ‘Edit Post’ button at the very top of the screen.

    OR you can search for it.
    Go to the Dashboard

    Then click on ‘Posts’ and use the Search to find what you are looking for.


    Edit my page/post

    NB You will only ever edit and create ‘Posts’ (NOT Pages). Only the top level pages (Like What we do, Contacts, etc) of the site are really Pages. Any hooo…

    Only the items in the pink boxes are of interest.

    If your page already exists then click on the ‘House’ button at the top of the screen. The site will load and you can navigate to your page/post.

    When you have finished editing you must click the ‘Update‘ button to save. Otherwise all your edits will be lost.


    How, do I undo a mistake

    Easy use the keyboard short-cut for undo; on a
    PC is Ctrl + Z,
    Mac is Command + Z

    If this does not take you far enough back (you can Ctrl+Z several times). Then you can look back at *all* the ‘revisions’ that WordPress automatically saves . Here’s a video that explains how to undo.


    How do a create a new post

    Click on the ‘+ New’ button
    Click on the ‘Post’ button

    A new blank Post will open – see below

    Start by adding a Title

    Then add the text, images, video, etc

    Learn more about Blocks of content

    Don’t forget to hit the ‘Update’ button when you are done!


    See a list of all the tags and categories

    Go to the Dashboard view.

    Click on ‘Posts’

    Then click on ‘Tags’.
    You will see a list of all the tags used on this website. You can search them too!


    Change the order of the Active Projects

    The order the active projects appear is dictated by the date that WordPress thinks the Post was created. So we change the date of the post and, relative to the other active project posts, a post will move up or down the order. NB this date is not displayed to the user (until the post is no longer active).

    1. Go to the Posts list
    2. Click on the Active project category – So only the Active projects are displayed.
    3. The Posts are displayed in date order – the same as on the live website.
    1. Click on the ‘Quick Edit’ link of the post you want to move
    2. Change the date to move it relative to the other active projects
    3. Click ‘Update’
    4. You will need to refresh the browser page to see the new world order that you have created.

    Archive a no longer active project

    To change where a post (project page) appears you just change its’ Category.

    Open the Post you want to change.
    With the ‘Post’ tab selected (on the top right of the edit screen).
    Scroll down to the ‘Categories’ section.
    Click on the ‘Active project’ box to un-select it.
    Press the ‘Update’ button to save your changes!


    Add a project to the ‘Things we’ve done’ list

    To change where a post (project page) appears you just change its’ Category.

    Open the Post you want to change.
    With the ‘Post’ tab selected (on the top right of the edit screen).
    Scroll down to the ‘Categories’ section.
    Click on the ‘Herstory’ box to select it.
    Press the ‘Update’ button to save your changes!


    Add an Allied project

    • Add a new Page
    • Type in the Title – the name of the project
    • Add a Cover block and add an image to this block (this gives you the wide image- like Fishponds page.)
    • The layout from here on is up to you. I used a columns block (2 columns) to give the layout on the Fishponds page.
    • Critical
    • In the ‘Page’ tab of your new page. (see image below). Scroll down the righthand column and open up the ‘Page Attributes’ section.
    • In the ‘Template:’ dropdown menu
    • Select ‘Allied project’
    • Click the ‘Publish’ button to save your changes.

    This displays the page with just the Footer from the TTT site.


    Add a sub menu

    Garry looking serious

    This is not a simple process. Question whether you can achieve the desired effect using a single page and anchor points to specific parts of the page – just like this one.

    Garry

    Before you start create all the Posts that you want to link together. On a piece of paper write out the structure you want. Use post titles that will make sense to the visitor – not just to you!

    You are going to need to login to the site as a site administrator (contact garry@smallmouse.com or Hilary for this). With great power comes great responsibility – please be very careful in there!

    This is a lovely tutorial – maybe better than mine – please read it

    https://pixelgrade.com/docs/header-and-footer/different-menus-different-pages/

    First create a new menu
    Appearance/Menus: click ‘create a new menu.

    Type in a useful (brief and descriptive) name for your new menu.
    Leave the Settings boxes unchecked
    Click ‘Create menu button.

    Now add the posts you want in your menu.

    Select the posts and click the ‘Add to Menu’ button.

    When you are done click the ‘Save Menu‘ button.

    To find out more from the people who made this plug in
    https://themify.me/conditional-menus

    Click on the ‘+ Conditions‘ then click the ‘Pages’ tab and check the box next to the page you want to add this menu too.

    Save your changes!!!

    Check your page and WTF it hasn’t changed. Yeah, there is one last thing… we need to change the page template to one with a top menu.

    Change your page template to ‘Allied p with Menu’. To do this go to the page in edit view  and change the Template in the ‘Page  Attributes/Template:’ dropdown.

    ‘Update’ and you’re done.

  • Foodival

    Foodival

    Our 2021 Tooting Foodival was again a great success, with Volker and team serving locally grown street-cooked food throughout the day to a constant stream of visitors.

    The sustainable theme was more congruent than ever with many relevant stalls selling handmade local produce, a variety of workshops and attractions utilising a larger road space, the music drawing people in, well integrated with interesting speakers on climate topics. The sustainable fashion restyling and catwalk were great new additions.

    Thanks as ever to Naseem at Mushkil Aasaan, Brian at BJ Hardware and the residents of Hereward Rd for the use of their spaces and especially to all the volunteers who came to help set up, take down, decorate, serve and recycle.

    Could Foodival #14 have been the best yet? Quite possibly! 

    Here’s a short video to give you a taste of the day!

    All about our Annual Foodival

    View Post

    Tooting Foodival is a community festival celebrating all things locally grown, cooked, re-created and re-imagined. Shining a light on how we can try to live sustainably in a time of global climate change.

    Running since 2008, the event showcases all things locally grown, cooked and produced with stalls selling local produce, music, dancers, speakers, competitions, a soap box and much more. Find out more https://tootingfoodival.blogspot.com/

    Keep an eye on this page for the date of our 2022 Foodival or follow the social media channels below…

    Tooting Foodival Blog

    [instagram-feed]

    Contact Mal via transitiontowntooting@gmail.com for more information.

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  • Pollinator paradise

    Pollinator paradise

    Thank you to everyone who took part in our 2021 Pollinator Paradise competition.

    We had over 40 entries across the Tooting and Balham area.

    And the winners are:

    In the Front Garden Competition;

    Brightside Crescent

    Judges’ comments

    The planting was well chosen to be attractive to pollinators and to provide a succession of flowering over the summer months and into the autumn. The choice of flower colour and shape of flower was also very varied making for a colourful visual tapestry of plants. The judges particularly liked the fact that a small dry hedge of old dry leaves and sticks had been squeezed into the garden under the laurel hedge at the side of the garden, providing nesting and hibernating spaces for some of the pollinator insects and other insects and bugs.

    “I am hugely flattered my garden proved so popular with the judges. I have tried to plant a garden dedicated to supporting as many different bees and other pollinators as possible and have squeezed in a lot of species and varieties of flowers to provide forage. And the insects have turned up! It has also prompted many conversations about plants and bees with neighbours and passers-by. It has been great to participate in the project. And I have been learning as I go and shall continue to do so. The garden is very much a work in progress………… I feel I have gained a great deal from participating. Thank you again for running the project.”  The winner Brightwell Crescent

    In the Street Competition;

    Joint winners are

    Bickersteth Road and Montana Road

    These two streets reflect different approaches taken to providing a pollinator paradise in the context of a whole street; by planting up street tree pits and by planting up a cluster of front gardens.

    Both of these street entries made a marked and pleasurable difference to people walking along the streets and of course to pollinating insects. Here are some recent pictures of the winner in the Front Garden competition in Brightside Crescent

    More about the competition

    Pollinator Paradise launched in March 2021 to encourage the planting of flowers that are specifically pollinator-friendly in and around Tooting.

    You can find our more information over at the Pollinator Paradise Blogspot

    A Pollinator Paradise could be a front garden, a balcony, window sill, hanging basket or even around the base of the street tree outside your home. Entry was open to any place or planter that could be seen safely from the street and where there was permission to plant. There were two parts to the competition; an individual competition and a street competition – to encourage people to team up with neighbours and try to make as many pollinator-friendly habitats as possible!

    Instagram @tootingpollinatorparadise

  • Green Drinks

    Green Drinks

    Green Drinks is all about exploring the wonderful new world being created under our very noses. Through speakers, discussion facilitators and movies, Green Drinks seeks to inspire and provoke in a friendly and respectful way. 

    COMING UP NEXT: Richard Glassborrow (London Beekeeping Association) brings all his knowledge of pollinators and bee keeping. Wednesday 19th May, 7.30 -9pm.

    [catlist tags=green-drinks thumbnail=yes excerpt=yes posts_morelink=”Read more…” template=perfectlist]

    We meet pretty much every month, online at the moment, and have discussed loads of different aspects of the transition we seek to a low carbon, socially and environmentally just future.

    Green Drinks is a really open way to meet people and hear informative and entertaining presentations by excellent people, it really is for everyone! Its also served as a lovely way for people to introduce themselves to the group and see of Transition Town Tooting is for them.

    What would you like to see at Tooting Green Drinks? What would you love to hear more about in a fun and informal setting? Do you have an experience to share? 
    If you’d like to join, please request to join the Tooting Green Drinks Private Facebook Group.

    Here’s what we’ve been chatting about stretching back over the last 3 or 4 years:

    • April 21st: Incredible Edible Todmorden come tell their wonderful story of food activism that has inspired so many Incredible Edible gropups around the world. We’ll be joined by Mary Clear, Chairperson and co-founder. Youtube of the talk is here.
    • 20th January: Vegetanuary Special – sharing stories about food! 
    • 16th Dec. End of Year social.
    • July 1st: Mental Health in Lockdown and the importance of Connection, with David Thorne
    • June 17th: Movie night! The Economics of Happiness, a 65 minute movie about re-localization, great counterpoint to the role of big business
    • June 3rd: Sustainability and business – what’s happening? Who are the leaders? Can we achieve the change needed within the current paradigm? with Jacqui Machin. Blog is here.
    • May 27th: Intro to Permaculture with Muneezay Jaffery
    • May 13th: Tooting Healthy Streets – how do we open our streets to be healthier, more pedestrian and cycle friendly?
    • April 29th: Transition Stories and Song – a takeover by Rapid Transition Alliance.
    • April 22nd: Open Forum for Community Discussion
    • April 15th: Green and Open Space – Who needs it anyway?
    • March 18th: Community response to Coronavirus – a space for conversation
    • February 2020, we were joined by Rebecca Newsom, Head of Politics at Greenpeace UK, for the lowdown on Pushing for Policy Change.
    • January 2020 saw Vegetanuary! Our annual month sharing and enjoying vegetarian/vegan food. An excellent sharing of all the ingredients of our food system.
    • Resina who helped us make Ecobricks! 
    • Resina and Belinda who gave a wonderful talk and debated Ecobricking.
    • Kath Church from Friends of Streatham Cemetery, who organised a fantastic bat walk around Streatham Cemetery!
    • We developed new ideas around a Films for Action night in Tooting – watch this space.
    • We all shared our experiences of Extinction Rebellion protests during April and explored what that inspires for local action.
    • Tanya and Leyad from Bring Your Own in Tooting Market came to talk to us about their packaging free shop.
    • Professor Robin Matthews talking about the Global Economy and how interconnected everything is!
    • Alex Murray gave an intriguing talk on the work of Stopfundinghate and the emerging network of ethical advertisers.
    • Vegetanuary! recipe swop – very popular!
    • Rosena Chowdhury for an impromptu look at eco-bricks!
    • Dermot Jones the Electric Van Man for bringing us up to speed on his first 5000 miles. 
    • Green Drinkers one and all for getting their sleeves rolled up and stuck into the IPCC report
    • MASSIVE thanks to Kemi Akinola of Be Enriched, Sue Sheehan of Incredible Edible Lambeth, Robyn Knight of Sutton Community Farm and Dr Robert Biel of UCL who sat on our panel for “Local Food is an Expensive Luxury”, read the blog HERE.
    • Fio Adamson explored creativity, memory and our connection to nature as well as telling us about the Furzedown Oak and Oakomotion!
    • We heard from Susie Morrow about Liveable Neighbourhoods. Check out https://www.livingstreets.org.uk . And a useful link to find out more about “Liveable Neighbourhoods: CLICK HERE
    • We held our first debate! Is Capitalism the best way to achieve a truely social, environmental and economically sustainable future? Standing Room only! Read our blogpost here
    • Richard Couldrey for a presentation and discussion on Transition Towns across the UK and the ingredients for groups to thrive and scale up.
    • Jenny Edwards from the Climate Reality Project for a great presentation and conversation about the impact of our food choices on climate change.
    • We heard all about the Tooting Bec and Broadway Neighbourhood Plan and participated in the initial consultation phases thanks to Jane Briginshaw, Co-Chair of the TootingBB Neighbourhood Forum.
    • We got the stats on Wandsworth Borough Recycling and quizzed what could and couldn’t be recycled – sharing ideas for the tricky materials! Thanks Eleanor Glen for the research and presentation!
    • We heard all about Global Action Plan and communicating about Climate Change issues.
    • Simon from London Green Drinks in Brixton came along and told us all about his Green Oil company for bike cleaning and lubes.
    • Nikki Jones – a freelance expert on oil, gas and energy: http://www.exploringoilandgas.co.uk
    • Yen Chet Chong talked about his Climate Action Academy calling on more daily direct action and… 
    • Nic Fearon-Low from Transiton Town Kingston who gave us a potted history AND let us into some new ideas they are working on like the Million Mile Borough bicycle project – watch this pedal!
  • CARAS

    CARAS

    Transition Town Tooting work with a number of partner agencies. One of the agencies we have a long history of working with, is Community Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers. There have been a number of projects over the years, but the current projects are: 

    The Youth group project

    This supports users of the CARAS youth group and  is facilitated by Dermot Jones and Nikki Hafter. The project focuses on supporting young people with mental health needs through activities such as carpentry, art and games. 

    The CARAS women’s gardening group

    This is a weekly gardening group for the users of the CARAS women’s group who meet once or twice a week. This group focuses on supporting the women to develop gardening skills through enabling them to grow vegetables and flowers in Tooting Community Garden. This is facilitated by Resina Chowdhury, Nicola Pattinson and Sharon Gray. 

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  • Seed & plant swap

    Seed & plant swap

     Enables local growers of both flowers, fruit and vegetables to swap their excess seeds, seedlings and fruit and vegetables with other local growers.

    The Seed and vegetable swap group is a whatsapp group which enables local growers of both flowers, fruit and vegetables to swap their excess seeds, seedlings and fruit and vegetables with other local growers. The group was set up in 2020 and lead to a large number of swaps between growers, thereby ensuring that no seeds were left unused or seedlings wasted. The group is generally active in the Spring, Summer and Autumn months. It also provides gardening advice to new growers which is helpful in encouraging more people to grow their own edible food. The  great thing about the group is that the swaps may result in people growing something they have never grown before, which can help them develop their confidence as growers.  The group is loosely based in the Tooting / Graveney/ Furzedown area but is open to anyone further afield who is prepared to travel.

    To join, please contact us transitiontowntooting@gmail.com with your phone number so that you can be added to the WhatsApp group. 

    [catlist tags=swap thumbnail=yes excerpt=yes posts_morelink=”Read more…” template=perfectlist]

  • Vegetopia!

    Vegetopia!

    Vegetopia – promotes plant based meals through the sharing of recipes and articles and visits to restaurants and festivals. The group began as a vegetarian version of Veganuary and operated mainly in January but now we have moved to an all year round offering. We’ve had live cooking sessions on Zoom for specific meals and run a Green drinks session sharing people’s food stories.

    Vegetopia is not just for vegetarians or vegans, but for anyone who is looking for inspiration to cook more plant-based meals.  The group operated as a Facebook group and now as a Whatsapp group – email us at transitiontowntooting@gmail.com for a link.

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  • Share & Repair

    Share & Repair

    Celebrating repairing, fixing and making in our local community – read all about our different activities.

    Repair and mending sessions

    UPCOMING SESSIONS – all 13.00 – 16.00 hrs

    Sat 1 November 2025 – Tooting (United Reform Church, Rookstone Rd, London SW17 9NQ)

    Sat 10 January 2026 – Balham (St Mary’s Church, Balham High Rd, London SW12 9BS)

    Sat 7 March 2026 – Tooting (United Reform Church, Rookstone Rd, London SW17 9NQ)

    Sat 2 May 2026 – Balham (St Mary’s Church, Balham High Rd, London SW12 9BS)

    Sat 4 July 2026 – Tooting (United Reform Church, Rookstone Rd, London SW17 9NQ)

    Sat 12 September 2026 – Balham – Green Fair at (St Mary’s Church, Balham High Rd, London SW12 9BS)

    Sat 7 November 2026 – Tooting (United Reform Church, Rookstone Rd, London SW17 9NQ)


    Tooting Repair Club

    Repair Club is a group of like-minded local people who meet regularly in Tooting to share and develop repair skills and fix stuff, in a social setting. If you’re already a keen fixer, or an interested beginner who would like to develop your skills, everyone is most welcome!

    For more information and news including dates of regular open sessions contact info@repairclub.org


    Tooting and Balham repair Maps

    The map shows local repair businesses in purple and venues for the 2021 Tooting Repairfest in yellow. Click on the location pointers for more info. If you have a business you would like to add to the map email us details at transitiontowntooting@gmail.com

    Below is a Sustainability map created by Neighbourhood Network SW12 & SW17 which lists all the places you can reuse, refill, recycle and repair things in the local area.



    READ ALL ABOUT some great events we have hosted….

    Community Stitching Upcycled Fashion Show – more HERE

    Sew it! Show it Picnic and Parade – more HERE

    Fixing Fashion – A show with a difference – at Tooting Market in 2022- more HERE

    Broken Assembly with Furzedown Primary School – more HERE

    Restart Party at Mushkil Aasaan – more HERE

    Photography Exhibition at Tooting Market – more HERE

    Sewing Box workshop with CARAS Women’s Group – more HERE

    Collaborative Protest Coat – Repair for our Future and Fix Your Knitwear – darning workshop at the Woodfield Pavilion’s Big Green Weekend

    Our First Ever Repair Week in July 2021 – more HERE


    • Sharing details with us of any local businesses that do repair, fixing, mending or alterations – this could include working with electrical or electronic goods, furniture, clothes, leather goods, upholstery – and more…
    • Letting us know if you have fixing or mending skills which you’d be happy to share with the community through this group – or you know someone who does….
    • Telling us if you have something to offer the Share & Repair community – space, materials, tools or other skills like project planning, communications, social media, photography – anything which might help us build our work.
    • Project tweets and posts will go up on Transition Town Tooting’s Twitter and Instagram
    • You can join the Share & Repair Facebook Group for project-specific updates

  • Community Garden

    Community Garden

    Come on down and get your hands dirty!

    We have a large space converted into a productive and beautiful urban garden with plenty of vegetables, herbs, fruit and play equipment for children.

    We are always looking for volunteers – no skills necessary. Contact us via the emails below if you would like to get involved.

    Our usual times at the garden are Saturday between 11:00 and 13:00. We also open on some weekday evenings and some Sundays PLEASE CHECK OUR FACEBOOK PAGE (link below) or instagram @tootingcommunitygarden for latest session times.

    Address: 5 North Drive, Tooting Bec London SW16 1RL

    Find the latest information on the Community Garden facebook page.

    Contact Barbara ba@woex.net or email us at transitiontowntooting@gmail.com

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  • Sankova Returns 2020

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