TTH team member Alison Cooper/photo ZR

Onwards and upwards for Transition Town Hastings

The Transition Town Hastings vision became a reality in 2015, set up with the intention of creating a more connected, healthier and self-sufficient community. HOT’s Zelly Restorick reports.

The Transition Town Hastings team is part of a much wider national and international network. “We want to ensure that both environmental and economical sustainability are at the heart of regeneration, along with equality and diversity. Most of all, we want to have fun and get to know each other with an aim of working together to find positive solutions.

“We are working with local residents to share their visions on how they see the town’s future in the areas of local economy, planning, waste, food, transport and energy.”

The core team have a number of different projects progressing alongside one another – and one of them is transforming Warrior Square station.

Warrior Square station transition/photo TTH

Calling all gardeners!

Pre-Christmas, Transition Town Hastings and local gardeners gathered at St Leonards Warrior Square station with transformation on their minds! Much progress was made – and you’re invited to come along and help with the next stage of metamorphosis.

Very symbolic, the Transition Town’s goal of transforming the Warrior Square station into something more beautiful and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. First came the idea – and now, little steps of united action to make the vision a reality. Symbolic of what the Transition Town represents.

“On our first attempt, we cut back the grass and brambles on either side of the steps to the north platform and chucked away all the rubbish (respectfully, obviously!).
We found 5 unopened bottles of beer, two road traffic cones, bits of an old TV, a bucket, several pairs of shoes, a frisbee, a ball and at least six bags of recycling. One of the many drinks cans had a sell by date from 1987! Hastings Museum?”

Many hands make light work

Even if you only have a short period of time to spare – or you’d like to help, but have no experience of gardening, the TTH team would be really pleased to see you. The next session is Sunday 3 January from 10am to 1pm. The plan is to trim back the last bit of bramble, clear the brick ditch and collect more rubbish around the station fencing, etc. If you’re free, please come along, with (or without) your garden tools… the team now have some spares.

And here’s a request – a call-out to anyone with an eye for design and envisioning. “What we also really need now is for some people with landscape gardening experience to come along and help us plan what to do next and to brainstorm what is the best thing to do for these spaces. We need your advice! If you can’t come on this date, please let us know when you are free.”

Clean up rubbish!

The Transition Town Hastings team will also be posting some ‘Clean Up Rubbish’ dates soon, so get your long-handled pick-up gadget from ESK – and get ready to join in some time soon. As someone who has cleaned up the beach and other natural areas for years, it really is a very satisfying feeling to look back at the area you’ve covered and see a rubbish-free zone.

Pot luck meal

The team are also planning a get-together, to which you’ll be invited. “We are also planning a Pot Luck Meal gathering for anyone who can make it! This will be in a community hall somewhere, where we can all turn up with something to bring to the table and welcome in 2016 with a lovely meal together, in a Transition Town Stylee!”

Transition Town Hastings

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