Transition Culture

An Evolving Exploration into the Head, Heart and Hands of Energy Descent

Transition Culture has moved

I no longer blog on this site. You can now find me, my general blogs, and the work I am doing researching my forthcoming book on imagination, on my new blog.

Come find me at robhopkins.net

Independence Day 2012, Frome

Date November 17th, 2012

Time All day

Venue Wesley Chapel

Place Frome.

With debate raging about the future of the High Street, the increasing dominance of the big four supermarkets and the nature of our villages, towns and cities, this is a perfect time to discuss such huge issues.  For many of us, these subjects are also matters of urgency: in Frome, as in so many places, there are plans to redevelop part of the town, which sparked the founding of the pressure group Keep Frome Local, pledged to resist proposals for a giant town centre supermarket.

Now, after a vibrant and successful first 18 months, we want to bring people together – from our town and region, and beyond – to share their experiences of campaigning, using the planning system, and lobbying local government; and to discuss the bigger picture.

What kind of places do we want to live and work in? Is there an alternative to so-called ‘big box’ retailing? How do we ensure that regeneration and redevelopment include a central role for independent business and the interests of local communities? For one day of workshops, speaker-led sessions and more, all these questions will on the agenda.

Independence Day will take place on Saturday November 17th, from 10.30am – 4pm at the Wesley Chapel in Frome town centre. The opening and closing sessions will be led by keynote speakers, including Joanna Blythman, the food writer, and author of Shopped, the brilliant expose of British supermarkets; and Andrew Simms, a fellow of the New Economics Foundation and the author of the acclaimed book Tescopoly, with more to come. In between, there will be breakout sessions, focusing on the nitty-gritty of campaigning, the planning system, and bigger picture subjects: what will happen to the British High Street, how to create a different sort of retailing, what vision of society unites those concerned about supermarkets, and more.

For more information click here.