Core Group

The core group has existed from the very first days of planning Transition Norwich - that is since January 2008.

The core group is not an executive, management or steering group. Transition Norwich is a gathering of empowered individuals who come together in various groups, and the core group doesn't seek to manage that process.

Rather, the core group seeks to "hold" or support Transition Norwich, noticing what's happening across TN as a whole, seeing where there are gaps, opportunities or problems, and looking for ways to fill those gaps.

This means that the role and feel of the core group has changed over the years. Between January 2008 and the Unleashing in October that year, the core group took a lead on raising awareness and preparing for the Unleashing. Then for the next two years the group was active in initiating groups and projects, from organising and supporting the first round of theme group meetings, to suggesting the TN2 initiative, the Resilience Plan and the proposed Transition Norwich Projects company.

From October 2010 it feels like the core group is entering a third phase that is more focused on process than content. That is, the group wants to work with other groups in TN on issues like conflict resolution, consensual decision-making, and creating activities as an alternative to meetings.

A principle of the core group is that its membership should change over time. In its first phase the core group members were self-selecting; in the second they were elected by TN's membership. In this third phase we invite anybody who has been involved for a while with TN and wants to join the core group, to apply to join. Applicants are invited to attend a couple of meetings and then assess their potential contribution to the group. If they want to stay, other members will choose to step aside in order to keep the group to a manageable size.


At its October meeting the outgoing members of the Core Group began the process of handing over to an almost entirely new group. Chris, Christine, Jane, Alex and Tully have all decided to step aside. We thank them all for all they’ve done in starting and supporting Transition Norwich over the last 3 years. Fortunately Tom stays on, while Jane and Alex have agreed to attend a couple more meetings to smooth over the transition. Elena, Kerry, Liz and James were the new faces trying on the Core Group for size, and we hope that some or all of them will decide to join the group and make it more valuable than ever to Transition Norwich. New members are always welcome, so if you are active in Transition Norwich and are interested in joining the core group then let Kerry know (kezereky_the_first@hotmail.com).

Minutes of the Core Group are public and can be downloaded from the "files" section of the tn-announcements google group page.

Pix: Tully, Jane, Chris and Christine at the TN2 First Meeting on June 16, 2009; Christine at the TN stall in the Forum; Chris with Celeste at the Lord Mayor's Procession; Alex feeding ducks.