| Date | <24/04/2013> | Chairs | |
| Time | <19:00 - 21:00> | Secretaries | |
| Location | Quaker Meeting House | Type of meeting | Meet-up |
|
Attendees (add yourself if missing) |
Peter V, Sue, Peter H, Gordon, Oliver, Nic | ||
Table of Contents
presenter: Peter V
It was a good event - about 40 attended. A report and video will be posted on the wiki shortly, after checking with Ben. [Now on the Past events page]
Ben gave us some copies of “Where does money come from” and “Modernising Money” which we can sell for £10 at meetups and at summer festivals.
Transition Sheffield hope to host an event in June to which we might be invited, and we might be able to hand out flyers etc and/or have a table.
Transition are about low carbon, sustainable local economies, and we would need to choose suitable flyers. (Gordon to liaise)
There is a possible link up with a social justice group in Nottingham, through a contact made at the Ben Dyson event. This might lead to a “meetup” group forming. Awaiting further details (Peter V).
Due to the very small attendance, we were not able to make as much progress as hoped.
We discussed 4 target audience ‘sectors’
The “Unite the Resistance” campaign has a strong activist network for resistance to the benefit cuts. It was thought they would be unlikely to take an interest in the sort of change agenda proposed by Positive Money. It’s a campaign on behalf of those that are suffering the most, but at the same time the public mood is swinging towards austerity and that should be our target.
There is still scope for targeting the Union movement more generally, as discussed in previous meetups (eg. Unite Community Union) – needs someone to take this on.
Pilot study – as previously minuted – no-one so far come forward to facilitate this.
Initially needs someone with personal experience to thrash out the pros and cons of reform.
Do we ourselves believe that reform would be good for SMEs? – Gordon said “yes”, others non-committal.
Possible targets include
Put in abeyance until/unless someone comes forward to facilitate
We have good contacts with Occupy, Quakers, Transition and Greens.
This is our core target audience with most scope for increasing support, though we might be talking to the same people through several routes.
Still to be approached are
Our message should be that cuts are unnecessary.
It was suggested that we could use placards to draw people in, eg. at Peace in the Park (or at other public events). Gordon has a contact – David E – who has done this before.
What are the killer questions? some suggestions included
Sue and Peter H agreed to take this forward – speak to Gordon’s contact then bounce some slogans round by email.
Nic offered to distribute some flyers and booklets at the May Day festival in Chesterfield on May 6th.
One of Ben’s messages was that we need to approach journalists.
What about Owen Jones? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owen_Jones_(writer)
He’s local (born Sheffield) – Nic hopes to see him on May 6th and will give him some of our stuff.