Transition Streets
Transition Streets is an award-winning project that brings neighbours together. It creates more caring, more sharing and more connected streets and helps people reduce their carbon footprint and cost of living through taking practical action together.
How does Carmarthenshire Transition Streets work?
To take part, you and your neighbours form a group of 6-8 households. This can be on one street or within a small area.
You meet together over a few months to explore a range of topics including: Energy, Food, Travel, Water and Resource Use .
You meet together over a few months to explore a range of topics including: Energy, Food, Travel, Water and Resource Use .
Homes reduce their carbon footprint and cut their household bills by taking simple actions.
Connections are formed, friendships are made, more sharing takes place and all sorts of unexpected, wonderful things arise.
Connections are formed, friendships are made, more sharing takes place and all sorts of unexpected, wonderful things arise.
What wonderful things could you and your neighbours do together?
Taking part in Carmarthenshire Transition Streets supports you to imagine and create other ways that you can make your street a more caring, sharing, greener place to live.
“The outstanding benefit that we have all enjoyed about Transition Streets has been to feel community – some us for the first time; to know our neighbours; to feel part of a greater whole; to feel connected.”
We provide easy to use materials so that together with your neighbours you explore these five themes…
A simple guide to ‘Carmarthenshire Transition Streets’
‘Please note, the original ‘Transition Streets’ project was created by Transition Town Totnes. We at Ynni Sir Gâr have adapted the project to be relevant for communities across Carmarthenshire in Welsh and English. If you are from elsewhere please get in touch with Transition Town Totnes to register your interest. Ynni Sir Gâr are also happy to share our adaptations and Welsh versions of the materials with you to be developed further for different communities across Wales.’
1. Talk with one of the Ynni Sir Gâr team
Contact us and we can explain the process in more detail and send you the Carmarthenshire Transition Streets Starter Pack with simple materials to get you started.
2. Recruit your Neighbours
Within the starter pack is a guide and flyers to help you recruit your neighbours. We have also written a guide ‘Including Everybody’ to support you to include everyone on your street or area.
3. Hold your First Session
In Carmarthenshire we facilitate the first session for you, help the group form, explain the project and explore with you and your neighbours how you could connect more and make your street a fantastic place to live.
4. Get Stuck In
We suggest you meet every couple of weeks to explore the five key topics of Energy, Food, Resource Use, Travel and Water. We provide a handbook of easy-to-read resources, conversation topics and practical activities to help you cut your bills and carbon footprint.
5. Make your street amazing
In the final session you reflect on what you have achieved and look forward to what your street or area could do together next… Garden shares, dinner clubs, wildlife friendly verges, thermal imaging parties, car share schemes, street parties, sharing shelves, befriending projects, the possibilities are endless… We can connect you up with other Transition Streets to share ideas and inspiration
Frequently asked questions
I don’t really fancy having people in my home – can’t I do it on my own?
People who’ve tried it have found that it’s much easier to make the changes together – you keep each other going and enjoy the process much more. We’ll send someone who’s done it before along to the first meeting to help you all get started. If you find you really don’t enjoy it then you can leave at any time.
How many should we have in our group?
Six to eight households are ideal, but no more than 10 people.
How much money can I save?
Households who have taken part in Transition Streets have reported make changes which have saved them on average a third of their energy and water bills.
How do I find out more about Carmarthenshire Transition Streets?
For more information call 07966014348 or email trawsnewid@ynnisirgar.org. We can help put you in touch with others in your area who may be interested in joining a group and provide flyers to help you recruit others. Once a new group is formed we will provide materials for each household, and arrange for a facilitator to attend your first meeting to help get you started.
**There are stories and ideas from the original Transition Streets project in Totnes on the www.transitionstreets.org.uk website. We’ll start sharing similar stories from across Carmarthenshire as we develop the pilot.