> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://news.transitionnetwork.org/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # March 2014 – Transition Network Newsletter - URL: https://news.transitionnetwork.org/march-2014-transition-network-newsletter/ - Published: 2014-03-05T00:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2024-06-06T23:58:33.000Z - Author: Transition Network international - Tags: #News, #Import 2026-03-17 *This month the newsletter includes an invitation to become a Trustee, the Conference, a new Funding Primer, and more about the Network Initiative Support, which ties in with the theme of Resoucing Your Initiative. Our Social Reporters explore communications in Transition and the Free Press introduces its new team. Researchers offer to help you find out whether what you are doing is working plus the Training team have dates for the Launch and Thrive courses.* --- **NETWORK NEWS** **Transition Network Conference News for 2014!** We’ve been having a think about how best we can connect to, and support, Transitioners in the UK and have decided that…. https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/news/2014-03-06/transition-network-conference-news-2014 **Become a Trustee of Transition Network** Due to a number of our Trustees coming to the end of their terms of office, we are looking for four new board members to fill their shoes. https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/news/2014-03-05/your-opportunity-become-trustee-transition-network **Transition Initiative Support Coordinator** Meet Mike Thomas the Transition Initiative Support Coordinator and find out what he thinks of his new job and what he has planned. [https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/michael-thomas/2014-02/meet-mike-our-new-initiative-support-coordinator-and-his-new-support-ov](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/michael-thomas/2014-02/meet-mike-our-new-initiative-support-coordinator-and-his-new-support-ov?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org) **The New Support Overview** Transition network has produced a new page on the website that puts all the support resources we currently have online in one place, making it easy for you to access all of them from one place, one to book mark for future reference. [https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/support](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/support?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org) **Unveiling Transition Network’s new Funding Primer!** The first version of our Funding Primer with tips, suggestions and advice for getting your Transition group’s projects funded is now online. We hope you find it useful. [https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2014-02/unveiling-transition-networks-new-funding-primer](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2014-02/unveiling-transition-networks-new-funding-primer?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org) **New Directory of TN Webinars** Topics up so far include Getting Ready to Fundraise; Creating an Effective and Engaged Team; Building Personal Resilience; What is the Transition model of change? https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/webinars --- **NEWS FROM AROUND THE NETWORK** The theme for February on the Transition Network website was **‘Resourcing your initiative**‘. It kicked off with a piece from Rob Hopkins which framed the month as looking at the resources that Transition needs in the widest sense of the word, not just funding. Interviews included[ Transition Trainer Tina Clarke](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2014-02/tina-clarke-resourcing-your-transition-initiative?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org), [writer and comedian Rob Newman](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2014-02/rob-newman-power-misfits?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org), author [Paul Kingsnorth on the power of crowdfunding](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2014-02/paul-kingsnorth-crowdfunding?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org) and engineer [Zenrainman on the potential for rooftop agriculture in Banglalore](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2014-02/zenrainman-rooftop-paddy-fields-bangalore?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org). Sophy Banks, in her regular column, looked at [creating Transition initiatives with staying power](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2014-02/sophy-banks-creating-transition-initiatives-staying-power?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org). The founding members of Transition Town Totnes came together to recreate BBC Radio 4’s ‘The Reunion’ programme, reflecting on the resources that they drew on in order to get Transition under way in the town ([Part One](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2014-02/reflecting-resources-transition-town-totnes-reunion?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org) and [Part Two](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2014-02/reflecting-resources-transition-town-totnes-reunion-part-two?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org)). We heard[ the cautionary tale of the Transition initiative](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2014-02/cautionary-tale-when-funding-goes-bad?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org) who went after a big funding opportunity only for it to go horribly wrong. [We introduced StreetBank](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2014-02/introducing-streetbank-new-tool-rethinking-resources?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org), a great new resource for sharing resources at the community level. We heard from [Transition Town Peterborough in Ontario, Canada](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2014-02/resourcing-transition-peterborough-ontario?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org) about the resources they need to do what they do. Transition Network also [launched its Funding Primer](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins/2014-02/unveiling-transition-networks-new-funding-primer?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org), a great new resource for Transition initiatives. Throughout the month we also published a series of short pieces capturing people around the world’s [‘Stepping Up moments’](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/blogs/rob-hopkins?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org), the point when they decided to step across into being part of making Transition happen. By far the best read piece of the month (trebling traffic to the site in one day!) was our Open Letter to the BBC on Nigel Lawson’s appearance on the BBC Today Programme. It certainly seemed to strike a chord, and was reposted in many places. **The February 2014 Round-up of What’s Happening out in the World of Transition** Our tour includes a Swop Shop in South Africa, films in Germany, Urban Community Gardens in Bucharest, in the UK a bird garden in Honiton, a Sustainable Food Conference in Cambridge, the rain filled up Dorchester’s pond, Westcliffe and Linlithgow ran a Potato Day, Seed Swap days, plus more countries and projects. https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/news/2014-02-12/february-2014-round-what-s-happening-out-world-transition --- **TRANSITION FREE PRESS** To get to that exhilirating front page moment requires hours and hours of invisible work put in by lots of talented, practical, dedicated people – people you don’t normally see. With the next issue coming out in May, meet the new editorial and production team. http://transitionfreepress.org/2014/03/05/introducing-team-tfp-2014/ --- **OUR SOCIAL REPORTERS** *Communications is an important part of Transition at every level, from the Transition Network down to the smallest initiative. It’s necessary but it’s difficult. What are the key messages? Who are the important audiences and how best to reach them? The Social Reporters look at these and other questions as they explore communications in Transition.* **How Do We Communicate About Transition in our Neighborhoods?** The first sentence Sara Ayech says to someone about Transition, depends very much on whom she is talking to. Different messages for different audiences may sound obvious but it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of thinking that because we are moved to act by a particular argument, request or piece of information, then others will be too. https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/sara-ayech/2014-02/how-do-we-communicate-about-transition-our-neighborhoods **Checking Out the Communication Strategy** For two years social reporters have been “telling it like it is” from the patchwork of allotment plots sometimes known as “initiatives” that form the grassroots of the Transition movement. Standing in our gardens, we’ve been shouting, to no-one in particular, “Hey, look, you gotta see this!” Caroline Jackson looks at her local Transition initiative websites to find their communications strategy. https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/caroline-jackson/2014-02/checking-out-communication-strategy-northern-reaches **The Free Press Gang** Voicing who we are and where we are in time is part of being human. For thousands of years artists and communicators have sung in the day, we’ve sung praises and lullabies, shared stories, and learned, through the art of writing, how to convey our thoughts and feelings across the globe. But equally as people we have been silenced. Charlotte Du Cann talks about why the newspaper reaches places other comms does not. https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/guest-blogger/2014-02/free-press-gang **The Power of Communicating Stuff** Jumping in and ‘doing stuff’ works well for doing stuff, but not communications, at least not in the long run. A singular voice isn’t enough says Jay Tompt. What’s needed is a loud and boisterous orchestra. https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/jay-tompt/2014-02/power-communicating-stuff **Transition: a Year in Numbers** Is it possible to quantify the effect you are having as an initiative? We are usually so busy ‘just doing stuff’ that we forget to look up and take stock. And it’s not always easy to get a sense of how much difference our individual efforts are making until we look at the bigger picture. Grant Venner reflects on the fifth anniversary of Ealing Transition. https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/stories/grant-venner/2014-02/transition-year-numbers --- **TRAINING** **Launch online** starts again on April 23rd. It has sold out every time so far, so if you are thinking of attending this or know anyone who is, then now is the time to get in early while there are still places. [https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/events/network-training](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/events/network-training?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org) We are starting to offer **Thrive in Europe**, with Spain, Belgium, and Sweden leading the way, and have a full programme of Launch trainings, and a few Effective group trainings too. More details: [https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/events/network-training](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/events/network-training?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org) There is a special and highly recommended **workshop in Germany in April with Charles Eisenstein** entitled, Transition Activists and Leadership Intensive with Charles Eisenstein. [https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/events/2014-04-27/transition-activists-and-leadership-intensive-charles-eisenstein-and-gerd-wessling](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/events/2014-04-27/transition-activists-and-leadership-intensive-charles-eisenstein-and-gerd-wessling?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org) --- **RESEARCH** How do you know whether what you are doing is working? Want help in finding out? The School of Geography and the Environment (University of Oxford), in partnership with Transition Network and the Low Carbon Communities Network, are hosting a series of free workshops in April and May this year to help low carbon/community groups monitor and evaluate the work they do. Currently the workshops are running in Oxford (12th April), Manchester (26th April) and Totnes (10 May,) and possibly one in Scotland. More information about the project can be found here: http://www.geog.ox.ac.uk/research/technologies/projects/mesc --- **QUOTE OF THE MONTH** *“If you want to be a rebel, be kind.”* Neal Lawson [http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/04/technology-flat-earth-democracy](http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/04/technology-flat-earth-democracy?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org) --- **NEXT MONTH** This month on the website we’ll be asking people doing Transition around the world what climate change looks like where they live. How is it affecting their community, and are people noticing? --- Follow Transition Network on **Twitter** [http://twitter.com/#!/transitiontowns](http://twitter.com/?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org#!/transitiontowns) Be a Friend on **Facebook** **Film Reviews** [https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/films](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/films?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org) Transition **Youtube** Channel [https://www.youtube.com/transitiontowns](https://www.youtube.com/transitiontowns?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org) Find **previous editions** of the newsletter here [https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/tags/transition-network-newsletter](https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/tags/transition-network-newsletter?ref=news.transitionnetwork.org) Read **this newsletter** online https://archive25.transitionnetwork.org/news/2014-03-05/march-2014-transition-network-newsletter **Subscribe** to Transition newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/transitionregister This newsletter is published on the first Friday of each month. Next newsletter 4th April 2014 Newsletter Editor: Mike Grenville, from Transition Forest Row for the Transition Network Contact: [mgrenville@gmail.com](mailto:mgrenville@gmail.com)