Sunday 3 August 2014

Community Development Support From Hastings to Eastbourne in the wake of their pier fire











[default email footer]
Paul Crosland
Tel Zero7807 066 202 & I'll call back
https://www.facebook.com/EastbournePierFire



http://SussexCommunity.blogspot.co.uk
http://StLeonardsSharing.info
http://freelender.org
http://2066.info
http://telephonemediation.org.uk
http://ApologyPlus.org.uk
http://YouTube.com/toothpaste007 (please subscribe)
http://twitter.com/paulcrosland (please follow)
http://Facebook.com/paulcrosland1 (please befriend)
************************************
What would it take for you to be at least OK, if not pleased, for (some/all of) those on the Hastings pier on 5th October 2010 (& the alledged 30th July 2014 Eastbourne Pier arsonists) to be invited to re-open these Sussex Community piers in Spring?
*************************************









Suggested next steps:

1) Keep coming back to the values of "caring and sharing"
2) Where there is difference, build understanding and trust
3) Practice seeing "my" property/wealth as belonging to the community
4) Honour the "5 ways of well being": Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning & Give
5) Value community learning opportunities eg "Hastings Pier Fire Justice Fiasco"/ "We Need To Act If We Want Justice"
6) In responses to all conflagrations develop creativity & flexible nonviolent (direct) action
7) Earn our care in later years by acts of service this week
8) Generate support structures for all with as much wisdom and compassion as we can foster for self and other/world.
(http://StLeonardsSharing.info)
Radio 4 programme on the Sharing Economy - note to Freelending CIC co-director http://bit.ly/1fqs05K

Tuesday 4 February 2014

Radio 4 programme on the Sharing Economy - note to Freelending CIC co-director

Radio 4 programme on the Sharing Economy - note to Freelending CIC co-director

Here are the links to the programme as I put it onto YouTube
1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3KHDKrylQA
2) http://youtu.be/VJmXJsUQfkg
& in this 3rd part I go on to say something of the new economy idea that seems so compelling, daunting yet necessary; Heinz Wolff's Care4Care.mov
3) http://youtu.be/QV5rJVk9B1o



In the programme I liked Ali (from liftshare, who came to the freelender tent at the Buddhafield festival in 2009 & chewed the cud) for his succinctness: "Either we reduce the population, or use less or share more" & other snippets I hope to take out from the recordings and write about on the http://freelenders.blogspot.co.uk

As for what I'm planning I hope my footer & http://stleonardstimebank.blogspot.co.uk says it all.
I'd offer to meet in London soon to discuss plans etc, though the #2066 #Timebanking Gallery curating I'm doing is so absorbing/challenging to me that I'm cancelling appointments rather than making them.















Paul Crosland, Chair, St Leonards Sharing Consortium
(& Curator of #2066 #Timebanking Gallery, open most Mondays and Fridays 12-6pm/(9pm on request - text Zero7807 066 202)
Southwater Area Community Centre
Stainsby Street
TN37 6LA

Twitter: http://twitter.com/paulcrosland
YouTube: http://YouTube.com/toothpaste007
http://additionalinfo.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/my-email-footer-is-here-instead-of-on.html









TIMEBANK WORK
Keyboard players/ solo musicians and life models to wear the http://ActionForHastingsHappiness.blogspot.co.uk T-shirts needed for whenever the #Hastings #2066 #Transition #Timebank events are taking place at the #2066 #Timebanking Gallery.
36minutes - 15 hours work available by appointment; payment half in cash and half in Timebank hours (what this can be traded for includes 15hours from http://mariaarpa.co.uk) Apart from working in the gallery/ freelender.org Mind Body Spirit library, there is work leafleting, litter picking etc or suggest something you can do to encourage neighbours to do more for each other.

More info on:
http://stleonardstimebank.blogspot.co.uk

Register on http://stleonardstimebank.blogspot.co.uk/p/welcome-register-page.html
And for a general introduction to Timebanking from one of the national organisations who commissioned me to create a social media strategy for them, see http://timebanking.org.uk

Tuesday 7 January 2014

Freelender.org enquiry from someone in California wanting to create an online database for a select group (eg sports club) to share their things

Edmund wrote back:

Hi, thank you for the message.

Sure, the way it works is that if you tell us the name of your group, we can set it up. Then you and your friends put this group as your location, so your 'local' search results show the items belonging to people in the group.

These days we often advise people to check out other lending websites to see which ones are most active in their area. Most of the freelenders are in the UK, so we often recommend Streetbank (www.streetbank.com). If you only want to lend and borrow with trusted friends, that's less of an issue of course.

If you'd like to form a group, let us know the group name, which has to be 3 or 4 characters. Or if you have any further questions, let us know.

Edmund
Freelender Support Team

&
Love from Paul #FreeRange #Buddhist #2066
http://communicatingneeds.org and/or http://apologyplus.org.uk ? - and
http://actionforhastingshappiness.blogspot.co.uk/2011/08/maria-arpa-on-fairness-dialogue-road.html & history - see 9th-11th Sept 2011 on http://actionforhastingshappiness.blogspot.co.uk/p/national-importance-of-hastings-and-st.html 07807066202 (Tel).

*********






May everyone be loved well,
Paul
#FreeRange #Buddhist

+ Action For Hastings Happiness 'Pay It Forward' Rickshaw 'Captain'
& servant of the (WisdomCompassion?) machine that http://YouTube.com/toothpaste007 aspires to be for the world
(beyond my consciousness)
The latest of 2,000+ YouTube films from Paul Crosland:
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=UUUqx0gIWHhZZ7iMzSQQ5FeA
OR
Do you prefer to connect more straight-forwardly? :
Tel 0780 70 66 202

PS. How do you want to be loved?
PPS. What's my role in that?
PPPS. My preferred ways of co-creating a "more caring and sharing
community" around you me and us is on my home page:
http://additionalinfo.blogspot.co.uk
& what you can expect from me is here:
http://additionalinfo.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/my-email-footer-is-here-instead-of-on.html

Monday 16 July 2012

Freelender back at the Buddhafield Festival with a waterproof mission


Three years on from our visit to the 2009 Buddhafield Fetival as written about in "The Moneyless Man" (in 16 languages?), Freelender returned to the Festival to fulfil a new mission:

Sunday 27 May 2012

Jubillees; one in twenty-five year opportunities to rebuild connection with neighbours?

Don't wait another 25 years to build community again; build on the wish for it around the Jubilee & promote http://streetbank.com/ ; you know it makes sense!

Tuesday 22 May 2012

streetbank presents "community" as a (quality of life enhancing) response to the over-consumption of resources



Is there a better time than NOW to join http://streetbank.com & to contact the team ("Lend-It-All Man", Mediation Support, Freelending CIC and St Leonards Sharing Consortium) about how to go from having a few streetbank members to having a community that really shares it's resources and resourcefulness thanks to the dedicated work of those joining a six-week drive to build those caring and sharing connections around you?
Contact us through the Mediation Support contact form, or phone/text Paul on 0780 7066202.
More background on the steps suggested to building a "more caring and sharing community around you": 1) Lend It All Man & the Moneyless Man 2) The Moneyless Man (Mark Boyle) & Freelender at Buddhafield Festival 3) Turning these ideas (& A FEW MORE RECENT INTERCONNECTED IDEAS) into, what within my (spiritual) community is called a "Team Based Right Livelihood":

Tuesday 15 May 2012

Responding to a request to borrow the live-in vehicle "Anticipate Happiness" for a pilgrimage to Holy Island


Dear Ian (Copied to Steve and blind copied to Su, who has the other keys to the van -as an anniversary present) 
Steve has initiated you into the way of the freelender and I wonder how the journey will change you? 
I'd love it if you obtained a book on pilgrimage and shared it with me in some way eg YouTube -my channel is here (the book I nearly bought on Sunday about pilgrimage is this one by Rujumati - "Pilgrimage to Anywhere") 
In fact I'd love to here more about the spirit in which you wish to borrow a van in order to go on the pilgrimage. Have you given much thought to freelending yet and what are you going to freelend to which strangers? How will you test your boundaries in doing this, whilst still being a responsible custodian? 
When you rang, my woman and I were celebrating our anniversary by watching the film Shame -highly recommended and available from me and the Southwater Streetbank Depot. 
My calendar for availability of the van is on my additionalinfo.blogspot.co.uk hub site, and the calendar is specifically at: http://additionalinfo.blogspot.co.uk/p/paul-croslands-calendar.html 
Looking forward to hearing back from you and wishing you all the best with your dream cycle (Dream-Plan-Do-Review). Any thoughts yet as to how you might raise the £1,000 deposit on the van (Anticipate Happiness)?; Steve had £800 I believe.

Best wishes with your journey

Paul

Saturday 12 May 2012

Tuesday 8 May 2012

Three foot high fridge magnets convey the freelender manifesto


These magnetic hoardings are to be put on the Freelender van -Anticipate Happiness. See below:

Monday 7 May 2012

Having friends over or going camping etc?; borrow inflatable mattresses, sleeping bags, pillows etc if you are a freelender on streetbank dot com

 Become a streetbank freelender i.e. Step one of the great new world of sharing comes from offering to lend something (or everything -as "Lend-It-All Man" does!) for free to someone you don't yet know: http://streetbank.com

Saturday 10 March 2012

Visions of Hastings


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifydXMVaXd4
PLEASE SHARE YOUR VISION FOR OUR TOWN
THIS IS WHY I ASK.
Because:
I'm a Community development activist (promoting timebanking in particular as part of a transition economy). I'm a mediator, a Social Media Consultant (eg for Timebanking UK and the Centre for Peaceful Solutions), and an artist via over forty blogs & a thriving YouTube Channel. I'm also an Ambedkarite Buddhist who is in good communication with my teacher, Urgyen Sangharakshita and who has asked for ordination in the Triratna movement.
Where I am a Community Development activist is in Hastings & (especially) St Leonards, in Nagpur (central city of Nagpur -http://nagaloka-dream-cycle.blogspot.com/) & aspiringly in an area around Bodh Gaya and for the citizenship rights of the Chakma people in India. I'm also a carer for my terminally ill mum & for my dad.)
http://additionalinfo.blogspot.com/2012/02/themes-of-my-work.html

Wednesday 7 March 2012

GiftFlow is another organisation claiming to be a freecycle evolution

And see if something in this video inspires your next step in getting stuff used more sustainably. A pity that GiftFlow doesn't appear to tackle the challenge of simultaneous consumption (ie sharing) and is just about sequential ownership. Still, if flow starts with gifting, the connections might get more creative in terms of freelending and fractional ownership:

Tuesday 6 March 2012

Anticipate Happiness and Happiness is yours

The van going on http://freelender.org & http://streetbank.com this week:
Available with many accessories: family tent, sleeping bags, cooking equipment, chairs, inflatable canoe, bicycle(s), cuddly toy etc
Available for up to 6 months at a time. (Here's the link for the Anticipate Happiness Van in St Leonards, Hastings on Streetbank)




Sunday 4 March 2012

I'd like to live in a moneyless village, she said.

I'm a friend of "The Moneyless Man", Mark Boyle, who has now lived for over two years without money.

I've just replied (on Facebook) to someone who said that she wanted to live in the moneyless village that Mark Boyle is establishing (alegedely).
This is what I wrote in reply:
I've reduced my wages (for a 30 hour week) to just £1/day. As I live in a welfare state country, am a company director and know how the system works and how to protest against bureaucracy, the state pays me a "Basic Income" & most of my housing costs. Others in the world aren't so lucky, but they are fired-up with the mission of "Annihilation of Caste", to quote one of Dr Ambedkar's most famous challenges to Mr Gandhi: http://doctorambedkar.blogspot.com I can offer no moneyless village, though it isn't hard to find nearly moneyless villages in India; especially in Bihar. The social revolution that I'd like to engage people in is with friends in India who are getting dignity and education and building massive social change for just £1/day cost to support them in their studies & empowerment. Here is one such story:
http://nagaloka-dream-cycle.blogspot.com/2010/12/bishnus-vision.htm

Thursday 1 March 2012

Free Monet Day? No Free Money day!

http://www.energybulletin.net/stories/2012-02-29/sharing-common-cents-free-money-day-experience

by Donnie Maclurcan
On September 15, 2011, at over 60 locations worldwide, people handed out their own money to complete strangers, two coins or notes at a time, asking recipients to pass half on to someone else. Here are our reflections on the event, including why and how it happened.

Life Beyond Economic Growth

Most of the world's transactions do not involve finance. From parenting, caregiving, growing and sharing food, volunteering, and borrowing library items to doing household chores and exchanging ideas on the Internet, aspects of the informal economy are familiar to us all.

A brief historical look also reminds us that our current monetary systems aren't all we've ever known. In fact, even now, there are numerous alternatives currently in play. For instance, thousands of people around the world are engaged in bartering and gift economies which have persisted since 'pre-money' times. Others are developing and using alternative currencies, such as Local Exchange Trading Systems (LETS) and TimeDollars or Time Banking. There are also groups working on 'open-source' currencies, and families who are choosing to spend less money, buy less stuff, and live more simply.

Often drawing on these alternatives, an increasing number of organized initiatives are deliberately fostering sustainable economic and political systems. Think here of Transition Towns, the Centre for the Advancement of the Steady State Economy, the Post Carbon Institute, Via Campesina, the New Economics Foundation, Community Economies, and Occupy movements.


Photo used courtesy of Nudzejma Avdic.

Life-supporting economic principles are already evident in many worker-run cooperatives and businesses, sliding scale payment options, participatory budgeting approaches, social justice movements, Fair Trade efforts, Community Land Trusts, credit unions, barter clubs, family and clan-based production methods, collective housing arrangements, job-sharing arrangements, and other forms of the solidarity economy. Meanwhile, ecological economics provide a helpful alternative framework for thinking about bigger picture economic and environmental questions. Clearly, there is good cause to feel hopeful about the plausibility of providing for ourselves and communities without growth-based money systems at the center of activity.

In this light, the proposition that we can thrive without a growth model economy becomes increasingly believable. Indeed, it can be understood as more likely to serve us than the alternative: the endless pursuit of growth on a finite planet.

Given the relentlessness of growth messages from our media, governments, and each other, how might we collectively recognize the greater prosperity that can accompany shifts away from economic growth? How can we understand the relationships among existing sharing practices, new systems developments, and potentials for post-growth futures? How can conversations – about the meanings we give to money, the ways we use it, and alternatives to our reliance upon it – be nurtured in public spaces?

Free Money Day

Inspired by these questions and being big believers in the value of exploring the lighter side of grave challenges, we at the Post Growth Institute decided to conduct a social experiment: Free Money Day. Encouraging creative approaches, we challenged the peoples of the world to take to the streets to give away their own money. Signed-up participants committed to give two small coins or banknotes to strangers, asking these strangers to pass one of them on to someone else – as a symbolic gesture, not a donation.

Quirky? Yes. Likely to elicit questions and dialogue? We hoped so. The idea was for this simple exercise to act as an interruption to our trained response to the prospect of 'free money'. Curiosity was embraced as a conversation starter.

We created a website and invited participants to share what they did through photos, footage, or reflections they wanted to pass along to the wider world. The site included a world map, so people could find their closest event and observe the experiment's reach.

We scheduled activities to happen on September 15, 2011, purposefully coinciding with the anniversary of the 2008 bankruptcy filing by Lehman Brothers. One of the world's largest investment banks at that time, Lehman Brothers' collapse triggered a series of events which contributed to global financial mayhem, the repercussions of which are still being felt.

Video used courtesy of Billy Huang.

Why Focus on Money?

As a medium for exchange, money helps keep many economies running. A certain level of income is vital for people within such systems to be able to meet their basic needs. However, research consistently suggests that, beyond a certain point, having more money does not increase an individual's well-being. This obsession with making more money as individuals is mirrored by our societal addiction to unending economic growth.

The pursuit of these fixations is seriously impacting people's employment situations, livelihoods, ability to access food, and even the stability of the climate. The money systems in which we are currently enmeshed are fundamentally unstable – they create bubbles, and a destructive boom-bust cycle, which result in loss of jobs, homes, health, and even lives.

The U.S. government's repeated debt ceiling hikes may temporarily delay further economic upheaval, but an overarching problem remains: We cannot grow on like this! The world's formal financial systems, which are based on exponential growth, are fundamentally incompatible with a world that has limits to the availability of certain resources.

The Gift of Giving

As it turns out, there are plenty of people eager to liberate themselves from the entrenched relationships we so often have with money and, therein, growth. At the first global Free Money Day, there were 64 events registered in 44 cities, across 19 countries. The equivalent of approximately $3,000 (US) was given away to complete strangers. In addition, to their great surprise, some participants were handed money by strangers!

Participants took seriously the invitation to get creative: One person drew pictures, attached them to coins (with instructions), and left them in public places; one participant engaged 'virtually' as a way of overcoming material barriers to her participation in public; another participated via post. Several handed out money on the streets to passersby (on trains, in town squares, and even at the top of a snow-covered mountain).

Based on participant feedback, the predominant responses from the public were a mixture of confusion and amazement. Once people realized there was no catch, they were happy to chat in greater depth. One woman reportedly broke down in tears. She had just lost her job to corporate downsizing and said that whilst a dollar obviously wasn't going to change her situation, she was comforted to know people genuinely cared. Another person, deeply moved by the gift, said it was the first time they had ever been given something without any expectations in return.


Photo used courtesy of Amelia Bryne.

A common response was: "Give it to someone who actually needs it." However, the apprehensiveness of these passersby to accept the money often dissipated once they knew they could also give some of it away. And they did: In Sydney, where it took four hours to give away $1,000 outside the town hall, journalists came up to cover the story. When asked how they learned about the event, they said that their interest had been prompted when someone randomly gave them a dollar a few streets away!

Perhaps the greatest insights came from the people who were on the streets that day. Here is what some of them (givers and receivers) had to say:

"Those are the moments in life that I'm PASSIONATE about. Moments that challenge common conceptions, touch people in a different way that might actually make a shift in paradigm, generate debate and bring back LOVE to our lives." – Axel

"[The day] inspired me to become more pro-active about the things I value and believe could improve the standard of living of others." – Nudzejma

"I think about [money] all the time. I have a family, I want to look after them the best I can. So, obviously amassing as much as I can gives them the lifestyle that I want to give them. This concept of … having someone give it back to you throws everything on its head, gives me a chance to reflect … It never is enough. You just tend to spend as much as you make." – Ted

"I'm a homeless man and I often get confronted by beggars coming up to me in the street, cutting me off, confrontational, and asking for spare change. Now, the awareness of this today is so cool because if everyone went around giving, no one would be asking … and the world would be such a better place." – Joe

Free Money Day, 2012

Fueled by the energy and passion of last year's participants, Free Money Day 2012 will again take place on September 15 all around the world. This year we're partnering with debt relief groups to include 'forgiving' informal debts amongst friends and formal debts between countries and companies. If you would like more information or are interested in participating, please visit the Free Money Day website or join the conversation through Twitter with the hashtag #freemoneyday, and Facebook.

Then again, no need to wait until September to try it out – sharing money is always common cents!

###

Authored by Donnie Maclurcan and Janet Newbury with thanks to Axel Gutierrez for assistance in researching this article.

Sustrans believes every child deserves to be free range, with freedom from their front door to explore, play outdoors, and make their own way to school and beyond. Join in and add your voice at www.sustrans.org.uk/freerangekids

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See http://southwatercentre.blogspot.com/2012/02/st-leonards-community-planning-event-on.html?m=1

[Default email template:]

Cheers
Paul

http://additionalinfo. blogspot.com/2012/02/themes-of-my-work.html
How does this strike you?
Or if you want to go deeper:
1) What's new?
2) What's left unresolved from the past?
and/or 3) What's most important now?

Do let me know please if this email has been clear/helpful or not & what you would really like. Is that OK with you?

Tel 0780 70 66 202 for more connection than an e-mail; I'll probably have the spare minutes to call back.

Community Engagement and Community Development in Hastings and St Leonards:
http://additionalinfo.blogspot.com/2012/01/ community-engagement-and-community.html
& http://ethicaloutings.blogspot.com/p/links.html

Thank you for your time reading the whole email and following up what you were moved to do.

Mind-blown & impressed by what Google have been doing with all the data in our gmail accounts; underwhelmed with how they obtained (Informed?) Consent. This is soon to be an issue for http://ethicaloutings.blogspot.com

Mind-blown & impressed by what Google have been doing with all the data in our gmail accounts; underwhelmed with how they obtained (Informed?) Consent. This is soon to be an issue for http://ethicaloutings.blogspot.com
#google #privacy @BBC @Radio4 Listen 2 News at 1 after going to #iPlayer for Google Privacy interview on 1st March leading up to 8.22am #nvc


See http://southwatercentre.blogspot.com/2012/02/st-leonards-community-planning-event-on.html?m=1

[Default email template:]

Cheers
Paul

http://additionalinfo. blogspot.com/2012/02/themes-of-my-work.html
How does this strike you?
Or if you want to go deeper:
1) What's new?
2) What's left unresolved from the past?
and/or 3) What's most important now?

Do let me know please if this email has been clear/helpful or not & what you would really like. Is that OK with you?

Tel 0780 70 66 202 for more connection than an e-mail; I'll probably have the spare minutes to call back.

Community Engagement and Community Development in Hastings and St Leonards:
http://additionalinfo.blogspot.com/2012/01/ community-engagement-and-community.html
& http://ethicaloutings.blogspot.com/p/links.html

Thank you for your time reading the whole email and following up what you were moved to do.

Wednesday 29 February 2012

Collaborative Consumption event on 16th March at NESTA

In registering with Eventbrite for a Collaborative Consumption event on 16th March at NESTA, I was asked to express my interest in the area.
Thus, I wrote (as Co-director and Timebanking Social Media Developer, Freelending CIC)
For four and a half years I've co-designed tools for the "sharing and gift economy" as recognised by Forum For The Future, a section in the book The Moneyless Man, The Guardian etc. Despite arranging networks of developers I've yet to see the serious wish to collaborate transcend the greed of ego, or anyone take sustainability seriously or start negotiating with the really big players (eg Facebook linked to Amazon linked to a database of all we own) who could theoretically network to replace much consumption with sharing.

Time Banking Explained

TimeBanking Explained in 53 seconds:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GpyQNsoipE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

More information and support for timebanking at:
http://stleonardssharing.info

& http://additionalinfo.blogspot.com

The idling time of your possessions

I'd really like to trust that it's not just lip service being paid to sustainability and transition and localisation and neighbourliness and caring & sharing. Please tell me what you did last week (or will do next week) to enable others to benefit from the idling time of your possessions (& so build social connectivity/social capital)? My intention is to put a minibus on http://streetbank.com & http://freelender.org so that it is available to the community or for family holidays etc - family sized tent & other camping equipment/ inflatable canoe included.


See http://southwatercentre.blogspot.com/2012/02/st-leonards-community-planning-event-on.html?m=1

[Default email template:]

Cheers
Paul

http://additionalinfo. blogspot.com/2012/02/themes-of-my-work.html
How does this strike you?
Or if you want to go deeper:
1) What's new?
2) What's left unresolved from the past?
and/or 3) What's most important now?

Do let me know please if this email has been clear/helpful or not & what you would really like. Is that OK with you?

Tel 0780 70 66 202 for more connection than an e-mail; I'll probably have the spare minutes to call back.

Community Engagement and Community Development in Hastings and St Leonards:
http://additionalinfo.blogspot.com/2012/01/ community-engagement-and-community.html
& http://ethicaloutings.blogspot.com/p/links.html

Thank you for your time reading the whole email and following up what you were moved to do.

Awaiting news of UK AWARE 2012 as I usually organise a gathering of "sharing & gift economy developers" alongside this event; this will be year 3 for that and I hope that THE MONEYLESS MAN (Mark Boyle) will be there this time rather than in Portugal and on http://ted.com (More news to follow on http://Freelenders.blogspot.com)

Awaiting news of UK AWARE 2012 (sadly delayed from its usual April slot this year). Freelending Community Interest Company usually organise a gathering of "sharing & gift economy developers" alongside this event; this will be year 3 for that and I hope that THE MONEYLESS MAN (Mark Boyle) will be there this time rather than in Portugal and on http://ted.com, which was his 'excuse' last year for not being there.
(More news to follow on http://Freelenders.blogspot.com)

See http://southwatercentre.blogspot.com/2012/02/st-leonards-community-planning-event-on.html?m=1

[Default email template:]

Cheers
Paul

http://additionalinfo. blogspot.com/2012/02/themes-of-my-work.html
How does this strike you?
Or if you want to go deeper:
1) What's new?
2) What's left unresolved from the past?
and/or 3) What's most important now?

Do let me know please if this email has been clear/helpful or not & what you would really like. Is that OK with you?

Tel 0780 70 66 202 for more connection than an e-mail; I'll probably have the spare minutes to call back.

Community Engagement and Community Development in Hastings and St Leonards:
http://additionalinfo.blogspot.com/2012/01/ community-engagement-and-community.html
& http://ethicaloutings.blogspot.com/p/links.html

Thank you for your time reading the whole email and following up what you were moved to do.

Friday 23 December 2011

Quick update on Freelending CIC elsewhere in the blogosphere:

Quick update on Freelending CIC elsewhere in the blogosphere:

http://ethicaloutings.blogspot.com/2011/12/with-prince-charles-director-of-action.html

With love from
Paul
-Ethical Outings in Hastings:
Auditions on Weds 4th Jan 2012:
http://ethicaloutings.blogspot.com/2011/12/first-three-cast-members-january.html

Paul Crosland is currently:
1) Inspired by http://doctorambedkar.blogspot.com
& http://nagaloka-dream-cycle.blogspot.com I have become a playwright & tour guide.
Please also note http://ethicaloutings.blogspot.com/p/sangharakshitas-hand-in-writing-this.html
Find the next performance or tour (Brighton, Hastings, London etc) at: http://ethicaloutings.blogspot.com
2) In the process, co-directing the community interest company that is setting up St Leonards Sharing Timebank: http://stleonardssharing.info
3) Requesting you to please explore timebanking & register your interest in doing more of the things you like to do in your life. (The request is that you do that this week.)

Or tel 0780 70 66 202 for more connection than an e-mail; I'll probably have some minutes (2,000 a month) to call back.

Wednesday 30 November 2011

Director of (inter)national Action for Happiness sends his blessings



Date: 30 November 2011 11:36:21 GMT
To: Paul Crosland 
Subject: Re: CLARITY ABOUT MY MOVING-ON PLANS whilst keeping a strong-link to Hastings -wanting to return when the conditions are right again, & NatWest CommunityForce

Hi Paul - thanks for the update. Sorry to hear the NatWest thing didn't work out - I'm sure there was some very strong competition for the funds. Best of luck with the move to Brighton - really hope that all works out for the best. Love the idea of "lend it all man" and great to hear that you're connecting with the #occupy folks. Thanks for all the positive things you've done in the name of Action for Happiness. Stay in touch! Mark

-- 
Mark Williamson
Director, Action for Happiness

On 30 November 2011 11:19, Paul Crosland <paul.crosland@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear All (copied to Mark Williamson, Action for Happiness director)

Thank you all for the NATWEST COMMUNITY FORCE VOTES YOU GAVE AND ENCOURAGED OTHERS TO GIVE.

For me this unsuccessful attempt at raising timebank finance was a litmus test of Hastings/St Leonards neither being ready for what I'm offering or the way in which I'm offering it.

The controversy of my bringing the pier into the issue is well highlighted by this video:

I thought that some of you might like to see the results -as offered below. Can I also ask a favour? Has anyone got time to research how many votes it took to win in 'Ashford & hastings' area & how many it will took to win in Brighton?
I ask because I will be moving to Brighton (and commuting back to St Leonards for two nights a week-ideally WEDS & THURS) if:
1) I can set up the better conditions I seek in Brighton (This basically consists of a supermarket shelf-stacking job through FRIDAY, SATURDAY & SUNDAY nights & living in a Buddhist household committed to the Bodhisattva Ideal)
2) I get offers of accommodation in Hastings/St Leonards to enable me to visit as planned.

Meanwhile, I've moved into a smaller and much neater office upstairs at the southwater centre that has all the vibe of the healings that were done there during "AGoodWeek".
Sue Coates is a keyholder and I would like Graham to accept back a set of keys so that he can use the office (when Sue and I aren't) in order to do the work of The Hastings Happy Crew.
I imagine that others of you can create some value by using the resources of the Mediation Support office, with its computer (just sign in as 'guest'), printer, comfy (orange) chair, display on the board and door of some achievements over 6 months, and streetbank library.
I'm in negotiation with the co-director of Freeelending CIC, Edmund Johnson, about the changed name and direction of the Community Interest Company; perhaps shortly to be called:
Timebanking & Freelending CIC.

Cheers
it's been a pleasure to have your company on this leg of a journey that reaches another crescendo this afternoon by the pier, where a poignant gravestone is being laid by a group of us.
(Don't worry, you'll be able to catch it all on http://www.youtube.com/user/Toothpaste007)
Paul

P.S. On Tuesday 13th December I'm giving the following talk (6-7pm) at the Occupy Brighton Camp:

Lend-It-All Man on increasing the role of the sharing & gift economy

-it would be great to see you there!

More on 'Lend It All Man' is here:

and my latest facebook update:
Excited by the prospect of the BBC Interview I did yesterday at the Occupy Brighton Camp leading to the recruitment of a team to knock on doors in Brighton and offer to do an hour's work for everyone we meet. (It's a bit like 'bob-a-job' from my youth). http://brightontimebank.info/

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: CommunityForce
Date: Tue, Nov 29, 2011 at 10:40 AM
Subject: NatWest CommunityForce - The results are in
To: 

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NatWest CommunityForce
Dear Paul,

As you will know, in July this year we launched CommunityForce and asked local charities and projects to take part and apply. In September, we invited members of the public to get involved and vote for the projects and charities they felt were making a big difference in their communities. In total more than 360,000 votes were cast for over 5,000 projects across England and Wales.

We are delighted to tell you that the winners have now been announced. Visit natwest.com/communityforce to find out if the projects you voted for have won a £6,000 CommunityForce award.

What will happen next?
You can continue to support CommunityForce by volunteering for many of the charities and projects that applied this year. If you would like to volunteer it's easy to get involved. Explore the full range of projects and see who is looking for help near you here.

We're also delighted to announce that CommunityForce is working with Localgiving.com to help provide a sustainable future for local charities and community groups, by making it possible for you to find and give to these projects. To find out more about Localgiving.com click here.

Thank you for continuing to support CommunityForce.

Yours sincerely,
Fraser Kennedy
Senior Manager, Community
Looking to volunteer? - Find out about volunteering opportunities in your area by visiting natwest.com/communityforce Want to donate? - Visit Localgiving.com to find projects in your area


NatWest
     
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--
Dear friend,
How are you? Is there anything that I can do to make things (even) better for you?

Kind regards
Paul
0780 70 66 202 - if a call will work better for you than an email?

Asking you about your interest in happiness & sharing:
http://stleonardssharing.info

"St Leonards Sharing" Timebank videos & press release at:
http://actionforhastingshappiness.blogspot.com/p/ideas-bubbling-out-of-happiness.html

Thank you for your time reading the whole email and following up what you were moved to do.




Sunday 27 November 2011

Brighton (Triratna) Timebank - your feedback please on this synthesis of ideas please

This email is sent to fellow friendly (& challenging :-) members of the Triratna Buddhist Community & copied to others whose opinion matters most and whose support sustains.
*************************

Brighton (Triratna) Timebank
- sparking new ways to help each other in the new economy

(underneath a logo of a Catherine wheel comprised of 3 Jewels, an arrow to the nail that holds the Catherine Wheel.)

What most firmly keeps the Catherine Wheel safely sparking into the world is a firm shared valuing of the values of the Timebank; the word 'Triratna' meaning 'three jewels'.

These values transcend many philiosophies and religions & are expressed in this Brighton (& South Coast) based Timebank as:

('Triangle Illustration' here)
Apex -Compassion
Left base - Learning
Right base - Team-building

1) Compassion (led by the example of the Buddha, who his closest friend described on his passing as "he who is so kind")

2) Learning (informed by the Buddha's teaching, which included a team-based generosity economics)

3) Team-Building (With our development of wisdom and compassion through working together and mutual generosity we become a stronger "Sangha"; setting a collective lead in troubled times, where ego-leading & greed have led to the un-economy.)

The un-economy was described on Radio 4's Sunday programme (27th November 2011) in the following terms:
Unfair
Unstable
Unsustainable
(& making lots of people) Unhappy.

Have you considered shifting your economic activity so that:
1) No more than one third of your economic activity is in the monetary economy?
2) As much as one third of your economic activity is traded through Timebank credits (free from money & yet able to pay for food, rent etc)? With creativity and good connections Timebank credits are even more potent and flexible than monetary credit in obtaining a wide range of the the things that matter.
3) All the rest of your economic activity becomes generosity- the "sharing and gift economy", whereby things flow freely without expectation of reciprocation.

People have the capacity to support each other meet not just their basic needs. A guy called Maslow wrote of our highest needs as our need for 'self-actualisation'. The more we go beyond 'self and other' & see "your needs (as) equal to mine", the healthier our communities become.

For all the benefits granted by late-modern society and competitive, debt-based economics, we can do better still.

If you want something better than what we've had to date, spend time finding out how the creative and socially-just application of timebanking (founded by Edgar Cahn) transcends the limits of money, the limits of barter & the limits of those local exchange schemes that have no brokerage-team to make wonderful things happen with no money.

The Moneyless Man, Mark Boyle, in his book of the same name celebrated with us at Buddhafield festival 2009 what could be done to lift the human spirit and re-connect us outside our monetary relationships.

Now in 2011/2012 the same organisation that founded freelender.org*, is coming of age, renaming itself Freelending & Timebanking CIC and seeking to build a strong team that makes a difference to many. Start by registering your interest via http://brightontimebank.info

(*Celebrated by Forum for the Future -alongside Landshare & Hospitality Club- as ahead of it's time in generating the low carbon economy)


Dear friend,
How are you?

Kind regards
Paul
Thank you to so many people in Hastings & St Leonards; most recently Patrick Glass, for his searing critique of the 6 months work I did here in setting up this 1st Happiness Group in Hastings;
http://actionforhastingshappiness.blogspot.com/p/those-who-have-made-good-week-happen.html

Tel 0780 70 66 202 - if a call will work better for you than an email?

P.S. I hope you have time to arrange a time to pop into the Hastings & SL AfH & Mediation Support Centre for tea & chat this week? Ideal for me would be
Thurs or Fri.
And, cheesy though it sounds, is there anything that I can do to make things (even) better for you?

And do let us (at the Timebank etc) know of your interest in happiness & sharing, if any:
http://stleonardssharing.info

"St Leonards Sharing" Timebank videos & press release at:
http://actionforhastingshappiness.blogspot.com/p/ideas-bubbling-out-of-happiness.html

Monthly updates on Paul's juggling of so much (seriously playful) stuff at: http://additionalinfo.blogspot.com

Thank you for your time reading the whole email and following up what you were moved to do.

Friday 7 October 2011

THE NAT WEST Community Force VOTE IS CRUCIAL

This I've just sent to the great networker and dynamic force that has generated so much Freegle-ist activity in the UK; may she and you ignite the local networks so that the model of generating a "more caring and sharing Hastings & St Leonards" is enacted to the benefit of all of us.

From: Paul Crosland 
To: "Cat (Freegle) Fletcher"
Subject: Fwd: SENT IN THE NAME OF TRANSPARENCY ABOUT FINANCE AND A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF HOW CRUCIAL THE NAT WEST VOTE IS

Dear Cat,

How are you? Is there anything that I can do to make things (even) better for you? 
There's one thing in particular that you could do for me, and that is in my email signature and the email of financial transparency below.

Kind regards
Paul 
http://actionforhastingshappiness.blogspot.com/p/ideas-bubbling-out-of-happiness.html

And the voting address to promote (all the way through to 23rd October is still): http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/5827

- though please warn people that the steps are:
1) try to vote
2) be told by the web page that you need to register first to be able to vote 
3) register - a one-two minute task
4) open your email & click on the link
5) find 
again & VOTE
6) Let me know that you managed it or ask me for telephone support to complete the CommunityForce challenge!
7) Encourage your friends to have this little adventure too and to feel the satisfaction described on the left-hand side of http://agoodweek.info
8) Say 'Phew' & keep your fingers crossed.

"Freedom is a scary thing; not many people really want it" Laurie Anderson. Use ur nxt 4 mins fdom 2 vote 4 sharing: http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/5827
http://additionalinfo.blogspot.com/2011/10/you-are-trim-tab.html

Thank you for your time reading this/ actioning it.

Begin forwarded message:

From: Paul Crosland <paul.crosland@gmail.com>
Date: 7 October 2011 08:22:13 GMT+01:00
To: afhh

Dear friends,

I send this IN THE NAME OF TRANSPARENCY ABOUT FINANCE AND A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF HOW CRUCIAL THE NAT WEST VOTE IS.
Also I hope it inspires about how much social change is possible with so little money.

Sue Coates has researched how well we're doing compared to the other groups in the whole 'Ashford & Hastings' area and sees the challenge as being only one of getting a few scores of votes (eg 80) to be sure of £6,000. I hope others will research this too and provide a fresh target as we get closer to 23rd October.

I wrote the following email as a result of being "fired up" by this incoming one:

Dear Paul,
 
If you could convince me that this project will  pay off your debts & earn you enough for yourself to cover daily expenses in the medium to long term, without accumulating even more debt then I would vote for you - definitely!   

And the voting address to promote is still: http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/5827

- though please warn people that the steps are:
1) try to vote
2) be told by the web page that you need to register first to be able to vote 
3) register - a one-two minute task
4) open your email & click on the link
5) find 
6) Let me know that you managed it or ask me for telephone support to complete the CommunityForce challenge!
7) Encourage your friends to have this little adventure too and to feel the satisfaction described on the left-hand side of http://agoodweek.info
8) Say 'Phew' & keep your fingers crossed.



Subject: Re: Making clearer my request for an on-line vote

Dear x
If the NatWest money comes through it will pay wages to me (or rather to Mediation Support) for 8 hours a week at £8.61 an hour? Mediation Support intends to only pay me £1/day for my work and I intend to claim £52/week working tax credit. & my housing benefit on top.
I intend to lobby Amber Rudd MP for support with getting working tax credit, but I may fail to get this income.
The £5,000 odd change that Mediation Support Ltd gets in the bank then goes to pay off it's credits ie me for the money invested over 5 years; this in turn pays off nearly all my credit card debt.
So I'm almost on an even keel for 12 momths ahead, and much leds in debt if I get this grant. As the requirement of the NatWest funding I'll be bound for 1 day a week to do timebanking, leaving me the rest of the week to chase other funding in the areas of sharing, care for elderly (the personalisation agenda) & work that meets crime & disorder with Restorative JUSTICE.. (there's a December deadline I'm working steadily towards for a great Home Office fund). The relationship
being built with the police seems to be on track with that eg two PCSOs came into the office yesterday to see a film and talk with me about how they prepare for a crime related 'community conference' of 20 people next week:

"Freedom is a scary thing; not many people really want it" Laurie Anderson. Use ur nxt 4 mins fdom 2 vote 4 sharing: http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/5827
http://additionalinfo.blogspot.com/2011/10/you-are-trim-tab.html

Thank you for your time reading this/ actioning it.

Thursday 6 October 2011

Freelending CIC administers "St Leonards Sharing"; whose bright future is in your hands

-and produce (or collect) flyers etc for cafes etc to engage others:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWQ7VNrlePs&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Wednesday 5 October 2011

How you can boost the local streetbank work, what you do next makes all the difference

Please be the trim-tab, which is a an expression by Steven Covey. Here's how you could be that influential within the next 2-4 minutes of your life: http://additionalinfo.blogspot.com/2011/10/you-are-trim-tab.html

Thank you for your time reading this/ actioning it.

Fwd: Streetbank Community Request notification: Southwater Depot

Dear Ali, (copied to Sam at Streetbank & Edmund, co-director Freelending CIC & posted simultaneously to the blog)

I like this message that you posted. I'm surprised how it arrives in my email with visible html code; a streetbank bug?
It will be good if we agree a timetable for regularly promoting the Wednesday depot day as a regular thing - at the Southwater centre until the end of NOVEMBER at least . (From then, most likely to be moving into the United Reform Church, London Road - see http://freelenders.blogspot.com for updates 
(NB remind me to train you on blogging on that blog if you want)

Also let's incentivise the visit (& build our friends projects simultaneously) by plugging the concurrent community veg morning and saying that this is a popular day for people to come in and have a free cup of tea & meet up with others nearby. 

Kind regards
Paul 
http://actionforhastingshappiness.blogspot.com/p/ideas-bubbling-out-of-happiness.html

Here are the instructions:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ2QRoHf7GQ
You have until the 23rd October, but please save me much stress & give another 2-4minutes now to registering & then voting for:
http://communityforce.natwest.com/project/5827

Begin forwarded message:

From: streetbank <noreply@streetbank.com>
Date: 4 October 2011 13:21:36 GMT+01:00
To: paul.crosland@yahoo.com
Subject: Streetbank Community Request notification: Southwater Depot

Streetbank - Lending, giving away, skills

Dear Paul Crosland

Southwater Streetbank Depot made a request on streetbank

Southwater Depot Community request : Southwater Depot

<p>Please come along to see all the things you can borrow at the depot on Weds am from 10-12pm&#8230;.at the Southwater Centre&#8230;<br /> cheers<br /> Alison</p>

Click here to reply:
http://www.streetbank.com/request/1337



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Monday 3 October 2011

Voting for St Leonards Sharing & hearing about The People Who Share

Please vote for St Leonards Sharing:
Here are the instructions:
You have until the 23rd October, but please save me much stress & give another 2-4minutes now to registering & then voting for:

Begin forwarded message:

From: Ed 
To: Paul 

Hi Paul,

I just voted – am now full of a warm fuzzy sharing glow (and cake).

It all looks good – sharing seems to be gaining momentum as a concept as far as I can tell – have you come across this lot? http://thepeoplewhoshare.com/

Cheers, Ed

 *******

Great Ed to hear from you.

I've had great conversation about you with Maria (now CPS is part of the St Leonards Sharing Consortium I've set up).
I hope that you can spare 2-4 mins to give us a much needed vote on line; enough votes =£6k - a year's funding the way I live.

Would you email me when you've voted? That makes my list keeping of friends (in need/indeed) easier.

Kind regards

Paul 

& Here are the instructions in a slick YouTube presentation :

You have until the 23rd October, but please save me much stress & give another 2-4minutes now to registering & then voting for: