Totnes’ First Community Assembly a Buzzing Success!
There was a real buzz in Totnes Methodist Church Hall last Wednesday (15th October), as the area’s 1st Community Assembly saw more than 80 residents turn up to share food, build friendships and have their say on what matters most to them. Attendees of all ages, backgrounds, and perspectives deliberated on the town’s biggest priorities — from local NHS services and youth provision to affordable housing, food, and climate.
Different perspectives were raised
Totnes Area Community Assembly is a chance for everyone to come together, meet neighbours, listen and be heard, so that residents can really shape what happens locally. Despite the wide range of opinions, on Wednesday, voices were only ever raised in response to the volume of enthusiastic chatter in the hall thanks, in part, to the team of trained facilitators who ensured all voices were heard. Fiona Green, 82, a Totnes resident for 67 years and renowned artist said the event had ‘a buzz of energy that didn’t subside until the end, two hours later. I learned so much about our town and what the folk here see as vital to wellbeing.’
At the other end of the age spectrum, Mika Cassingham-Tourell, 21, a Poet who lives in Totnes said: “I was really excited to see the breadth in knowledge and questioning that we each brought to the assembly. The issues became more whole once they had been discussed. Different perspectives were raised that were vital for a better understanding of each topic. I left happy and hopeful to see how many people care and are ready to work to be heard”
The top 3 questions identified by Totnes’ first Assembly were:
- How to empower communities to secure affordable, sustainable housing
- How to change power structures to build a resilient, inclusive local food system
- How younger people can be supported and contribute to decisions.
The first two assemblies will identify what the key questions people wish to address, what topics matter most to them and therefore what future issue based assemblies should focus on. The next Community Assembly will be on Sunday, 26th October, 2-4 pm at St John’s Church, Bridgetown TQ9 5AB Doors, drinks, food to share from 1.30 pm. All welcome. Tickets available free here on Eventbrite.
The First topic based assembly, with expert input will take place 2-4pm on Sunday December 7th
To book your place on any forthcoming Assembly or find out more visit www.timetoassemble.org/totnes
Those unable to attend in person can also have their say with the Totnes Community Assembly survey
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScsg9R9TvoTlGvxU_nIQzPL0NKcNSd08wYKbw7SUXDRS2RcJw/viewform
There is also a Totnes Community Assembly Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/share/1GXw66suwb/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Email: TotnesCommunityAssembly@gmail.com
Signs of an alternative (non-totalitarian) “New Word Order” has been seen in the most unlikely of places.
Hardly known for his concern for the poor, when he was President, Richard Nixon became convinced that the passage to world peace can only be undertaken through economic justice. In March 1986, the Pasadena Star News (California) published his call for “a peaceful revolution of progress” for the Third world. Here are some quotes from his column:
“A world one-third rich and two-thirds poor will never enjoy real peace. America cannot be at peace in a world of wars. Where freedom is destroyed anywhere, it is threatened in America. We cannot have a healthy economy in a sick world economy.
Appeals to our highest ideals have never failed to move the American people to support great causes. To make the world safe not only for ourselves but for others, is a great cause. Even greater is the challenge to give millions of people in poor nations a chance to share the blessings of freedom and progress we enjoy”.
Compare Nixon’s wise words with Fidel Castro’s interview, published by a periodical called World Press Review, and in Share International, April 1986.
“We are now in a third world war – an economic war. It is undeclared, fought with extortionate interest rates and unfair prices. The aggressors, the rich nations, claim there is no war, and there are no casualties. Those nations have enriched themselves by making the poor poorer.
The creditor cannot afford to kill the borrower. Therefore, an economic crash will happen as a part of the current international economic disorder, which is more a financial than a commercial problem. The ‘Titanic’ of the world financial system, believed to be unsinkable, will sink.
But why not rescue capitalism by re-establishing the rules of capitalism? The project is simple: re-establish conditions as they were before 1979. We should avoid (the crash).
Prevention is much cheaper than a cure. And with cuts in military spending we would see a miracle – without endangering national defense and without a tax increase. We would see relief from interest rates, and relief from missiles.
A tenth reduction in arms budgets would establish a basis for reduction in international tension. American taxpayers, who now finance the arms race, should enjoy seeing their money go to a nobler cause. But the alarm bells have been ringing since 1982 and we have seen no change!”
Thoughts shared by http://www.share-international.org
I attended every London lecture by Bennjamin Creme from 1980 until his death in 2016.When I told him, face-to-face, in the corridor of Friends Meeting House Euston that there was no-way that MI5 MI6 and the Mossad agents acting to draw aside the money-lender’s veil from the eyes of the general public. He agreed with me in 1987 that the Michael Grade (the managing director of the BBC, at that time) would indeed be censored by the land-owning aristocracy and the established Christian. and Islamic fundamentalists, but, however, even the ordinary intelligentsia were hardly prepared to listen or become interested enough about the arrival of the World Teacher, or Christ, from His Retreat in the Himalaya, that a delay in the promise of inviting Him and His now immortal Disciple, the Master Jesus, to answer questions about their social or spiritual status on Channel 4 News, linked to main t.v channels around the globe (now known to have invited Him privately, themselves in Russian, China, Japan, Brazil, Mexico, etc).
So he just winked at me, and we did not share our view with member of his group, who had assembled to help him and publish all his information, and a vast list of Questions and Answers, in every one of them… So – what the hell? I did no join his assembly, either!
Nevertheless, Best wishes to you all, and all who sail in you!
The self-proclaimed ‘poets’ and ‘artists’ that mince around Totnes lost in the self-regard of their spiritual and political superiority. God help us.
You have been warned about insulting comments previously – once again, this is not FaceBook. Please self-moderate your comments so that they express a point of view rather than attempting offense, otherwise you will be typing into the void in future.
As a follow-up to this Assembly, the Totnes “progressives” had a meeting (invitation only). The usual suspects turned up, a mixture of local Greens and Lib/Dems. Top of the agenda was how to curb the rise of Reform UK! Suggestions such as a ban on local Reform meetings and forms of activism to
stop the far right. They`re doing this for your benefit, and not their own power base. Keep a keen eye on what emerges from future Assemblies.A ban on local Reform meetings? What the actual? Reform is not illegal, and who has the right to ban activism and political meetings? It’s appalling that anyone should think that’s OK, especially in a so-called progressive town like Totnes. Win the argument with persuasion and example, not by banning meetings of people you don’t agree with. That is a very dangerous path to follow.