Weaving Strong Networks
Transition Together supports the Transition movement across the UK to develop and grow. It’s part of Transition Network – the international body supporting communities leading change in 50 countries. A key goal is to build up Transition groups and build connections between them, across Wales, England and Northern Ireland. In June 2024, a team of Network Weavers joined us to deepen the work of listening to groups on the ground, forging relationships and holding a dialogue with the movement about the kind of future we want.
What does a Network Weaver do?
As Network Weavers visit and talk with groups, they’ve discovered many groups are already connecting, inspiring and supporting each other in many ways. Collaboration is a critical part of how we like to do things.
Each conversation is unique; the perspectives emerging as varied as the groups themselves. So part of the Network Weaving project is making these different experiences and views visible, to ourselves and each other, as together we identify the principles and visions we share. We do this by capturing and sharing stories of the Transition online platform Vive, and starting to map the links between us. We are also inviting people together into wider conversations about our movement at the Transition Assembly, and in events preparing the ground for it this autumn.
Jess Farr is connecting with groups across the middle of England, from Bristol to Norwich.
Joanna Poulton is focusing on links with groups in Wales and the Welsh border counties.
Laura Tyley is building links with groups across the South West of England.
Phil Frodsham is reaching out to groups across the north of England.
Rich Couldrey is connecting with groups in London and the South East, with support from Hilary Jennings and Rakesh Bhambri.
Transition Assembly 7-9 February 2025
The Assembly will gather people involved in Transition across the country to explore the role we want our Movement to play in shaping a more just and sustainable future, and how we’ll collaborate to build it. Organised by the Network Weavers, the Assembly is the culmination of their dialogue, and includes a People’s Assembly-inspired space to decide the way ahead together.
To ensure many Transition groups and people from different life experiences can participate, we are holding space for a maximum of two from each group. Read more about the Assembly plans and support available to attend in this article. In November, the Network Weavers host these online sessions to prepare.
The threads that connect us
Despite our varied experiences, there are things that we fundamentally share – our seven Transition principles, and a passion for supporting our local community through climate change. Illustrator Imogen Donegan helped us capture how the Assembly will bring us and the different threads of experience we hold together in a strong and vibrant pattern, in her lovely artwork above. Part of our project is exploring the possibility of knitting together our emergent networks to form a wider movement capable of both supporting and representing us all at the national level.
All of us are currently supported by the international Transition Network, but having an independent body capable of responding to and addressing our specific needs as Welsh and English groups could help us to make the changes we need happen quicker. It could also help us to engage with many other wonderful climate and community networks operating at the national scale. This is one of the key things to be discussed at the Transition Assembly and we’d be excited to hear from different groups whether there is energy or need for this to happen.
CONTACT WEAVERS