Transition journeys point the way for Communities for Change

An innovative project in Greater Manchester is highlighting and celebrating community organisations involved in grassroots environmental change.

Culminating with the Communities for Change event on Saturday 12th September at MMU’s Didsbury campus, the projects will see a series of Transition Journeys throughout Greater Manchester in which community-led environmental groups travel by low carbon transport to visit and learn from each other’s projects. Communities for Change is overseen and funded by a community empowerment partnership including Manchester Metropolitan University, Community North West, the Federation of Community Development Learning, Neighbourhoods North West  and North West Together We Can. (Many of these are members of the Low Carbon Communities Network).

Transition Journeys

During August and September people involved in community-led environmental projects will be able to participate in  a series of Transition Journeys throughout Greater Manchester. Each journey features a different form of low carbon transportation including bikes, trains, canal boats and even a red routemaster double decker bus.

Participants on the Transition Journeys will visit each other’s projects learning and being inspired by stories of environmental change, from community cafes and urban farms to centres of sustainability and education.

Over 25 groups will take part in Transition Journeys all over Greater Manchester including Wigan, Tameside, Manchester, Stockport and High Peak.

Communities for Change

Featuring films, music, food and discussion, the Communities for Change event will take place 10am-4pm, on Saturday 12th September 2009 at Manchester Metropolitan University’s Didsbury campus. Attended by over 50 community and Transition Town groups taking action on the environment and sustainability, the event will offer a chance for networking, inspiration and exchange. It will showcase amazing projects in which people and communities work together, featuring everything from bikes, to food, solar panels and allotments.

The event will also feature documentation and stories from the Transition Journeys. Films, photographs and audio stories will track the journeys while participants will be on hand to share experiences.

The event is free but spaces are limited and booking is essential.

Info:

To enquire about booking or for more information please contact:

cheshire@lowcarboncommunities.net

or

Contact Hilda at Community North West

Telephone. 01282 692 323

Email. info@communitynw.org.uk

1. MMU’s Campus

Contact Details: Wilmslow Road, Didsbury Manchester M20 2RR

Reception tel: + 44 (0) 161 247 1385

Directions

2. Links to partnership organisations

More information about the following organisations can be found on their websites:

Community North West
Federation of Comunity Development Learning

Manchester Metropolitan University

North West Together We Can

Neighbourhoods North West

3. Confirmed dates for Transition Journeys

Bolton-Manchester, bus/train, tbc

Ashton-East Manchester, canal boat, 12th August 2009

New Mills-Heaton Mersey, train, tbc

Manchester bike ride, tbc

* The photo featured here is from a previous community event and features an FCDL worker talking about a banner made by a community group in response to local coal mining and climate change.