“Exploring ways to feel empowered in a changing world”
Did you go to the fabulous Wirksworth Carnival procession on Bank Holiday Monday? It had more floats and participation from residents than it’s had for years. Our Transition ‘Grow Your Own Local Food’ entry was a great hit, with amazingly inventive costumed fruit and vegetables! Everyone had a wonderful time together – a real celebration of our diverse and creative community!
Or didn’t you know it was happening? Finding out ‘What’s On’ in this town is a matter of luck. Wouldn’t it be great if www.wirksworth.net and its calendar of events were working properly?
The Core Group recently heard from Cllr Alison Clamp, chair of NOW (New Opportunities Wirksworth), telling us about their current attempt to get wirksworth.net up to speed – by starting to raise £10k to employ someone ten hours a week (initially for one year) to work with residents to get their information onto the site. Once enough material is on, people will start using it and adding to it.
Alison Clamp, Chair of NOW wrote: –
“NOW would be pleased for Grassroots Wirksworth to be part of this project, as the Transition aim of building a strong, resilient local community coincides with ours.
To meet this aim, both NOW and Grassroots Wirksworth must take full advantage of modern information technology. Making good use of the internet is essential for facilitating improved communication between all local organisations, residents and visitors. Hard copy communications still play a part, since many people prefer to read longer material on paper and some still don’t have ready access to the technology – but it must be in addition to what is now mainstream – making use of the internet. Having up-to-date means to communicate and interact is a key requirement.
I hope you agree that a web worker to develop, integrate and coordinate a Wirksworth community website would be the best way at present to achieve this.”
We are including this in our June newsletter for the information of members on our address list. The Core Group felt that the lack of a good interactive community website is a constant barrier to achieving our aims. And would like to donate £500 from our funds to help in their bid to raise £10k to employ someone ten hours a week (initially for one year) to work with residents to get their information onto the site. If you object to Grassroots Wirksworth making this donation, please contact wirksworthti@gmail.com by 7th June.
If you agree with our reasons for making the donation, come and add your support to the meeting about the Future of Community Fayre on 16th June (7.30, Town Hall). We are sad about losing Community Fayre and pleased it might carry on, but we think it should be produced in collaboration with a working community website. The CF invitation includes the following: “Tell us how you think Wirksworth, its life and its communities should in future be reported, celebrated and recorded.”
Editorial by Mary Ann Hooper
NEWS FROM THE LOCAL ACTION GROUPS
“if not now, when; and if not me, who”?
Our 2016 AGM
THE CORE GROUP AND COMMUNICATIONS
Contact: wirksworthti@gmail.com
THE COMMUNITY GROWERS
Main Contact: Rosemary Blenkinsop: hernesrose@w3z.co.uk
The Community Garden is on Coldwell Street, opposite Wirksworth Railway Station. To become a Grower, or a Friend of the Growers contact Rosie Rosie.shaw@btinternet.com
WORKDAYS
Workdays at the Community Garden are the1st Sunday of the month, from 11 a.m (and other Sundays and/or Thursdays as well.)
THE RUBBISH GROUP (WASTE AND RECYCLING)
Main Contacts: Judith Green 01629 825675 and Richard Finnigan richard.finnigan2@btinternet.com
THE ENERGY AND HOUSING GROUP
Main contact – BrianHebron brian@bhebron.orangehome.co.uk
TEL: 01629 258914. We meet monthly and have several projects on the go aimed at reducing carbon emissions.
ACTIVISTS SUPPORT GROUP
Main Contact: Hilary Hebron: hilaryhebron@orange.net
TEL: 01629 258914 . We are an informal group who support each other, share email campaigns and meet when we feel we need to…. We are concentrating our efforts his year on action against fracking and on promoting divestment from fossil fuels.
STONEY WOOD
Contact: Chris Bristow: chris@number37wirksworth.co.uk
If you want to hear about what’s happening in Stoney Wood – “like “ our Facebook page.
END OF NEWSLETTER!
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