Transition Leytonstone started in autumn 2009. We currently have 11 people on our steering group and a further 272 on the mailing list. We have run some awareness raising events and started foraging in Epping Forest. We also ran an eco-poetry reading, where we announced the results of a national Transition poetry competition, as part of the 2010 Leytonstone Festival. We have run a whole series of diverse events since September 2010, including seasonal and local food celebrations, ‘make do and mend’, the 1st UK preview screening of ChangeMedia’s Climate Change? No Thanks!, The Green Winterfaith Festival. During Climate Week we ran ‘Cut the Cost’, a DIY energy efficiency workshop.

Over the summer of 2011, we have become increasingly active in the community in terms of practical projects:

On July 16th we launched a weekly fresh fruit and veg stall in partnership with Organiclea. The stall carries a mix of certified organic and non-certified local produce from assorted growers. It was an overnight success with the local community, who for several years previously had no choice but to go to a supermarket for their 5-a-day.

We have been pondering the global economic crisis, and looking for ways in which we can strengthen the resilience of Leytonstone to outside circumstances. Building relationships now as an insurance against complete isolation, anarchy and fear was one of the key messages delivered at the 2010 Transition Conference  by respected financial blogger Stoneleigh. We decided to invite Stoneleigh to speak to local residents on September 2nd at A Century of Challenges. Many people attended – and we are following up this event with several more, all geared up to helping a phoenix rise from the ashes of our shattered economic system. The next event is scheduled for October 10th: Your Money and Your Life. It features entities such as a local credit union, LETS, and Cygnus, a community trust run by local restaurant owner and social activist Shah Ahmed.