Spending time designing money

Two workshops on 21 and 22 April provided lots of lovely ideas for the design of the Tooting Pound.

It's early days for the community currency but that didn't stop the heated debates about who should be on the notes - should it be Wolfie (Citizen) Smith or Nurse Edith Cavell on the T£1; Hester Thrale or Samuel Johnson on the T£5 note; an ordinary Tooting mum or an Upper Tooting Road shopkeeper on the T£10; Paul Merton or George Cole on the T£20 note?

The workshops were convened by Sue Rentoul and took place in Sprout, the community arts space on Moyser Road in Furzedown, which proved an excellent venue. Casual visitors to Emma Forrester's show were also asked for their opinion about what the Tooting Pound could look like.

We have some lively lists full of ideas. But the workshops didn't stop there: some lovely drawings were created by budding designers and these will all inform the final designs. Here's one design:

Have a look at the lists of Tooting people, places, objects and animals that participants came up with over the weekend by placing stickers on images, or contributing new ideas:

Local Economy & Currency

At the First Tuesday event on 1st November 2011 members of the local community came together to discuss the issues facing the local economy and what could be achieved by developing a community currency.  Could a Tooting Pound become a reality?  With one of highest levels of independent small businesses in the country, people like Tooting’s quirky feeling of energy, which we would not want to lose in favour of tidiness or an influx of chain stores.

Encouragingly the group felt that a community currency might help facilitate connections in the local economy, while also boosting the sense of community, causing people to explore new places to shop.  Perhaps the successful night time economy could help drive the daytime economy and maybe the currency would enable small businesses to feel connected, resilient, and therefore stronger together.

Thanks to Alex from TT Brixton who gave us a fascinating account of their experience of developing, implementing and maintaining the Brixton pound, to Chuck for bringing his money facts and extensive collection of bank notes from round the world and to Tim for running the evening and continuing to champion the concept.

We are definitely encouraged to put more time into developing a community currency with the caveat that ultimately the success or failure of the project rests with local people and businesses who might use it. It is obvious that if people in our community feel important, valued and included in the project, then the currency is more likely to succeed. After all is said and done, it will become their money!

Local Economy & Community Currency Event

What can we do together to support the local economy?

What's the value in developing a Tooting community currency?

Many local businesses are in direct competition with national chains, the internet and large suburban shopping centres. When 'big business' wins, another local shop closes or a small business goes bankrupt.

If you, like us, are concerned about the local economy and wish to talk to other like minded people our Local Economy & Community Currency event on Nov 1st might be just for you! We will be discussing how to strengthen our local economy, build new relationships, and how we spend our money. We will ask if we want a thriving local economy, or are we happy with our money going elsewhere? Do we want extended supply chains or short ones? How would this benefit us? Would a community currency help?

Venue: Mushkil Aasaan, 222 Upper Tooting Rd 7-9 pm.  All Welcome.

Foodival & Roots

More photos from Foodival now online - thank you Chuck!  Keep 'em coming if you have any good ones!

Meanwhile congratulations to Tim for the successful first run out of a Tooting currency at Foodival with our prototype pound, already known on the streets of south London as a "ROOT" (rather than a quid). Go to the ROOT'S NEW WEBSITE (fast work there Tim) - it's the destination of choice for anyone out there even vaguely intrigued by the idea of helping put the Root in Tooting.