Transition Town Tooting

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  • Fixing and Mending is on the Up!

    Fixing and Mending is on the Up!

    We’ve been running fixing and mending workshops in Tooting for nearly four years now with the help of the Restart Project and their team of volunteer fixers. 

    Our amazing volunteers have fixed everyday items like irons, hairdryers, kettles and toasters and made repairs to trousers, dresses, rucksacks and bags. We’ve even tackled more unusual challenges like industrial food mixers, portable amplifiers, toy dogs and even a drone. During those years we have saved tonnes of electrical and electronic objects from landfill. 

    In the last year or so we’ve seen a huge increase in the number of people bringing items to be fixed – perhaps because of an upsurge in awareness of environmental issues and the need to reduce our consumption and waste. We’d love to grow our group of regular volunteers so if you’re already a keen fixer – or you would love to learn more – do come along and find out more! 

    We will be holding regular fixing parties in early 2020 – see dates below. At our February workshop we will have a special focus on computers. If you have a problem with your computer or if your computer has become too slow and can’t be used for much we’re happy to try and assist by either trying to fix it or make it a bit faster by installing another operating system. 

    Upcoming Restart Parties:
    1st February – 1.30 – 4.30pm 
    28th March – 1.30 – 4.30pm  CANCELLED
    16th May – 1.30 – 4.30pm 

    at Mushkil Aasaan, 220 – 222 Upper Tooting Road, SW17 7EW (next to Nando’s) 

    Do remember that our Restart Parties are a community self-repair space where you take responsibility for your own gadgets and data, so please don’t forget to take any back-ups beforehand, if relevant – and if possible arrive during the first two hours to allow time for fixing! 

    More info about Restart including details of regular skillshares at www.therestartproject.org

  • TTT Makes the Guardian in Rob Hopkins Article

    TTT Makes the Guardian in Rob Hopkins Article

    TTT is pleased to be included in today’s Guardian newspaper article featuring Rob Hopkins’ new book What Is to What If: Unleashing the Power of Imagination to Create The Future We Want 

    The paper version of today’s Guardian

    Well done to media mogul Mal for getting some photos sent over in the nick of time featuring the Community Garden, Tooting Twirl and Foodival. The article also references our regular Restart repair cafes.

    The online version HERE has a great photo from last month’s Foodival courtesy I think of Franco Ruarte. Other TTT pics are featured in the paper version above. Thanks to Simon Maggs, Jenny Teasdale, Bryony Williams and David Thorne for these!

    Rob is running an event at Batersea Arts Centre with help from TTT’s Lucy Neal entitled Pop-Up Tomorrow (click thru for tickets) which invites you to “step into an imagined future to collectively vision, playfully build and then physically inhabit a 3D vision of a Zero Carbon Britain in 2030”.

    Meanwhile don’t forget tonight’s talk with Resina and Belinda on Ecobricking at Tooting Green Drinks. All welcome to the Selkirk Pub SW17 0ES for 7.30pm

  • Thank Yous for Foodival 2019

    Thanks everyone for creating a memorable Tooting Foodival No.12 last weekend. We hope we have not forgotten anyone!

    Venue Hosts:
    Naseem & Mushkil Aasaan thank you as ever for the provision of your special community space for us
    Brian & BJ Hardware, thank you for the use of your yard, power and handyman skills!
    Residents of Hereward Rd thanks for lending us your streetscape for the day

    Volker, Sarah & Isla preparing vegetables

    Donors:
    David & Malsara, Ramsden Rd: marrows, tomatoes, sage, rocket, thyme, oregano, mint, St John’s Wort
    Ben, Endlesham Rd: many cooking apples
    Rod & Jane, Streatham: apples
    Sarah, Balham Park Rd: beetroot, carrots, tomatoes, borlotti beans
    Chuck, Becky & Becky, Kay, Ryan, Katherine, Rosalind, Anuja & all at Tooting Community Garden: Picasso potatoes, pumpkin, tomatoes, leek, garlic, cucamelon, Jerusalem artichoke, herbs, pattypan squash, runner beans, kale
    Susie & Mike, Earlsfield: tomatoes, snake squash, butternut squash
    Maggie, Burntwood Lane: mint & nasturtiums
    Debbie, Nimrod Rd, Charlotte potatoes, apples, Gris de Provence and Dinizza squashes, rhubarb, courgette, leeks, apples, potatoes
    Becky, Tooting High St, carrots
    Kath, Garratt Park alloments: 2 wonky courgettes, runner beans, rainbow chard
    Lea, Price Close: salad greens, chilli, tomatoes, cavello nero
    Rachel, Ruislip Close: baby peppers, aubergines, cucamelons, courgettes, cucumbers, beetroot, chillis
    Jenny, Larry, Erin & Harley, Moffatt Rd, apples
    Poppy & Teo, Streatham: tomatoes and beans
    Elisabetta, Dahomey Rd: apples, chard, beetroot, carrots, beans
    Hilary, Trevelyan Rd: plums
    Fio, Dahomey Rd: apples
    Jane, Tamworth Allotments: marrow, cucumber, courgette
    Ian, Cotefford St: cucumbers, apples
    Rose, Balham: bay leaves
    Libby, Tamworth allotment: apples
    Nikki, Tooting: potatoes, apples

    Special thanks to local not-for-profit veg supplier Local Greens who donated butternut squash, courgettes, onions and potatoes.

    Emily and Annette front of house

    Chefs
    Volker of Essential Ingredient for co-ordinating cooking in the street with help from local chefs Manisha from Pooja, Rick of Rick’s Dining Room, Elisabetta from Minestra and gluten-free chef Sarah.

    Volunteers
    Richard, Sharon, Hilary, Ben, Jenny, Mita, Emily, Annette, Larry, Millie & Lewis.

    Tooting Community Garden Team
    Anuja, Barbara, Becky H, Becky K, Katherine, Kay, Rosalind & Ryan.

    Creative Activities Team
    Annie, Chuck, Nicola, Nikki, Matt, Paul & May from Butterfly Conservation. Beata & Think Outside tucked in with us.
    Enterprises who were donors to the creative activities included Brindisa, Flashmat, Get Juiced, Milk & Work & Play Scrapstore.

    Everyone who spoke on the Soap Box with special thanks to Mermaid Jasmine for her eye-catching performance and ocean plastics talks. Also special thanks to Millie & Erin for their help with the creative activities & their impromptu speeches. 

    Kay and Ryan hosting the Community Garden Table

    Top Tooting Cook
    Thank you Sophie @thecornerplot for co-ordinating and judging with co judges Sarah and Mark. And thanks to all those who entered the competition!

    Music
    Thanks to Dermot for co-ordinating his meltdown and to his support team of Stave, Howard and Tye. To all the performers including Dermot himself, Resina Chowdhury, Natyalaya Academy of Tamil Art, Dan Caleb, Friend’s Circle Group, Ranjit’s Karaoke, Vincent Burke, Pensa & Reid, Georgia Maria, The Troubadors de L’Avenue Verte and Alex Wonderland  

    PhotographersBryony & Franco, the latter taking all images in this post.

    Logistics
    St Anselm’s Catholic Primary School for gazebos, Volker & Charlie’s Catering Hire for catering equipment, Furzedown Network for the PA, Miss U Stationers for printing, The Phantom Knitter for the Foodival banner and Jane for knitting an edit to show this year’s date!

    Thanks also to all stall holders and Foodival visitors who made this a memorable day in the sun.

    Love from the organisers, see you in 2020!

    Chuck, David, Mal and Volker