Transition in Action, Totnes 2030, an Energy Descent Action Plan

2021-2025

Neighbourhood watch has become similar to the WWII Fire-watch scheme with global warming making fires a serious threat. Neighbours work in pairs during the summer on street rotas to check sparks from chimneys and cigarette butts don’t start fires in the night. On hot dry days picnic areas are patrolled too. Many volunteers have joined the voluntary fire services to support the services which were getting overrun. All young people are now being trained in fire prevention and how to deal with fires as part of their Community programme. The sand buckets and hoses on all street corners have been very ornamentally decorated.
Families and neighbours are closely integrated and share and borrow many things. Most streets have car share schemes and parking is shunted to the end of the street to allow for open public space where children play. Many parents are very involved with local schools giving time to help with the meals and vegetable growing on site. Older people are very respected and feel involved and helped by their neighbours.
People are benefiting from their extra time for community and domestic activities. Some experienced a few difficulties to start with but those who used the day to join with Friday Community Action groups found this really helped make this extra time very productive and opened up opportunities to learn new skills.

Community billeting groups have emerged to support the large numbers of climate migrants now arriving almost daily into the area. Some people have formed dinner clubs to share the community cooking and others help organise sleeping placements. Local Guilds have been making ‘Arrival kits’ of beautifully crafted sleeping rolls with quilts to welcome newcomers. Churches and community halls are being used for temporary accommodation. The Transition Building Company are working with the migrants to create wooden and cob houses on the old industrial and commercial sites, many migrants are sharing interesting wood carving and gardening skills with local people.
Totnes Food For People Co-op has opened an intervention food store “Totnes Open Pantry” for migrants and others having difficulties getting enough food. Producers with spare foodstuffs drop donations off and community dinner groups can take food to produce local meals. There are plans to expand the popular scheme to all the villages in the district. The glut of apples in 2022 resulted in 500Ib of chutneys and apple sauce being prepared by Totnes Preservation Society.

The 10 year assessment of the Rationing Debit Card system finds a 99% popularity with local people who have found the cards took the pressure of getting hold of fuel, worrying about bills or even worse the thought of the food queues that were back all over Russia again in 2011. “Working with the community groups and parish councils on this rationing has brought the local authorities closer together and created outstanding community cohesion,” said Cllr. Phyllis Massai the new Chairperson of SHDC.
SHDC Transition Officer issues a 20 point checklist for households still facing problems with making ends meet and/or whose homes consume a lot of energy to stay warm. Under the revised affordable warmth scheme, Building Officers make house calls to help people audit their homes and recommend improvements. Wood products and water rationing are to be added to the ration debit card scheme, although it is hoped this will be short term only.