BATCA Open Forum ‘Let’s Make Tooting Better’

TTT were delighted to join in BATCA’s (the Balham and Tooting Community Association) Open Forum on the theme ‘Let’s make Tooting Better’ on 17 March at St Augustine’s Hall. As Kate Allan of BATCA reports: 'The event drew a good crowd and generated a stream of ideas on improving Tooting. Both individuals and community organisations took part. A huge, colourful map of Tooting town centre on the hall floor helped focus ideas.

Cllr James Cousins, supported by Audrey Helps, Tooting Town Centre manager, gave a presentation on the ‘Tooting Together’ initiative to achieve cleaner streets, reduce clutter and litter, deal with fly tipping and eyesores, and attract new stores to Tooting. Lively questioning followed.

A workshop followed, where participants enthusiastically brainstormed ideas for improving Tooting. This was facilitated by Paul Squires of the New Economics Foundation and focused on key themes for wellbeing emerging from NEF research – ‘ connect’, ‘be active’, ‘ take notice’, ‘keep learning’, ‘give’. Lots of ideas emerged for realising these in Tooting – more people friendly streets; safe, easy places to meet; more greenery and trees; redevelop Tooting Market; facilities for the arts and learning; and many others.

The is was a stimulating evening that made clear how passionately people feel about Tooting , and gave lots of food for thought.  For more info about BATCA, email allanraallan@aol.com or phone 020 8870 1550.

TTT Food Grower's Event!

Bring your Seeds and Gardening Needs!

On April 6th TTT will be holding a Seed Swap and Food Growing event at Mushkil Aasaan from 7-9pm and the event needs YOU!

Do you have any spare packets of seed lying around from last year? Do you have any unloved gardening tools or would you like some for free?? Do you have any questions about urban growing or any tips to share?? If so, the TTT Food Grower's event definitely needs you!
There will  be a seed swapping stall with free gardening tools refurbished by inmates from Wandsworth Prison.  Alongside this will be tips on how to grow in urban environments and how to get garden equipment like plant pots from the dump (the ones I got last week were ace :)) there will also be details of how to get a special TTT 10% discount at local garden centres so don't miss out.

Bring a dish to share food and talk over your gardening successes and disasters with all of the TTT network and get inspired to grow some grub for this Autumn's Foodival.

See you there!

Susan's Eco Retrofit

Award-winning sustainable architect and TTT stalwart Susan Venner has been underatking an eco-retrofit of her Balham house for some time and you can visit it as part of the SuperHome Spring Openings on 28th March.  There's plenty of and varied insulation including an exterior cork wall plus solar water heating and a wood-burning stove.  It should be fascinating to snoop around ... ahem, under Susan's watchful guidance of course!  The opening is from 11 till 3 with half hour tours limited to 8 people at a time on the hour and half hour.  Book via Sustainable Energy Academy where Susan's home is listed as Cornford Grove, Balham.  

Also don't forget the BATCA Open Forum tonight at St Augustine's Church in Broadwater Rd between 7.30 and 9.30 pm.  The subject is "Let's Make Tooting Better" 

Also there's the Islam and Permaculture course next Sat 27th and the next First Tuesday on April 6th to look forward to, where the theme will be Food.  See our Events page for full details

Oscar Season continues ...

More good publicity but ... let's not forget our co-Champion Hilary!

Palme Verte Goes to "Mine"

Last night at Transition Town Tooting's inaugural First Tuesday event, a screening of the best in environmental short films, the coveted Palme Verte was awarded to Mine - story of a sacred mountain, a moving documentary by Survival about the Dongria Kondh tribe of the Niyamgiri Hills in India. The Dongria Kondh's whole way of life is threatened by the British company Vedanta Resources' plan to decapitate their scared mountain and mine its bauxite. Read the latest information on Survival's campaign for the Dongria or watch the film here.  Second place went to the Story of Stuff by the Tides Foundation.  It was powerful first to see the impact of the consumer world's craving for "stuff" and then to understand the very specific effects that craving can have on a people who live in a much more symbiotic way with the natural world.

A successful evening was capped by lively discussion and of course tasty food - thanks everyone who helped out.  Next month's First Tuesday on April 6th will focus on Food, with a seed swap and advice on what to plant this spring.  I can't wait!  DT