Think&Do Newsletter 2/12/2019
It is often said that in order to create and sustain a vision of the world we want, we need to be able to tell stories about it. This week at Think&Do, the power of telling stories and sharing our experiences came to the fore.
Thursday kicked off with a fantastic workshop led by the students at La Sainte Union who inspired us with their ideas of how to ‘Fix fast fashion.’ It was really poignant to hear the Sustainers and other students talk about the overwhelming role social media plays in their lives: about identity and how young people feel about being used to promote a brand. Our thanks to Little Hands for helping facilitate.
 On Friday, it was the turn of the students from Parliament Hill and William Ellis schools.Powerful stories were shared about workers rights and child labour in answer to the questions: “Why is my t-shirt so cheap?” and “How many clothes do I need?”
 
 Talking of over-consumption, we should all learn from the artwork produced by local resident, Petra, whose felt mantra: “joy in enough,” is one we should all embrace.
Friday 29/11 was an auspicious day. To celebrate International students strike, and rally against black Friday, Extinction rebellion inspired us all to say ‘Bye bye to the buy buy culture’ with a brilliant block printing workshop.
Kids enjoying using bike power to charge up the fairy lights.
 
 Later that day, we were joined by the amazing Rob Hopkins, Farhana Yamin and council leader Georgia Gould, who all fired us up with their vision for how Think&Do spaces can have a pivotal role in mobilising community and climate action: A treat of an evening in which we all visualised a pioneering LB Camden. Just who are those pesky dinosaurs…?
 Saturday kicked off with us all laughing like tortoises at Catherine’s great fun laughter yoga session.
The Camden Forest tree giveaway started. Soon the shop filled with queues of locals who came into adopt a rowan, field maple or bird cherry tree.
 
Here’s a pic of new Camden Forest story tree guardians: Eamon, Patricia, and Kativa, with their trees.
 
By the end of the day, over 150 trees were given out, and our Camden Forest is starting to take root! Due to the success of this, there will be a smaller tree giveaway at T&D this Friday 6/12 between 5-6pm. We are looking forward to giving away and planting hundreds more Camden Forest story trees next year. Watch this thicket!
It’s always so fantastic to see Think&Do shift into another gear ! It was time for Dr Bike to transform the space into a practical bike repair workshop. What is it going to take for us all to get cycling? Come and tell us about your children’s route to school and share ideas on simple changes that could make it possible to cycle: Saturday 6/12 -6pm.
 
This was a week of shared stories: Like those from Bryony Jones at the Camden Forest tree giveaway who spoke of how she wanted to become the storytelling guardian of a rowan tree ‘for her godson Rowan.’ Tula Saumi who ‘wishes to grow love,’ and Tash Pat and Mike’s story of a #birdcherrytreesoverburntbeanburgers!!
 Stories from young music producers like L!baan and RobbyC23shotz who wanted to talk about how they plan to embed stories of social justice and over-consumption in their lyrics.
 Sadiya with her son Ezudin who popped into Think&Do to pick up a tree said: “Think&Do is a good place for communities to come together to share our stories on climate change. To come up with ideas and connect as a community.” Sadiya told us about her home town of Beledweyne in Somalia which had recently been affected by huge floods. She generously told us about how the floods had hugely impacted people’s lives. Many people she knows who have been displaced. Many, including a close family friend, who have lost their lives. ‘When something happens in a different part of the world, by coming together in a place like Think&Do, we can share experiences and connect as a community”.
This is the last week of Think&Do in the current format. (plans are underway for what comes next!) We have a bumper pack of activities and events planned. A big highlight of the week is going to be the Friends of the Earth big gift swop. For some people, the festive season is the best time of the year, time to relax with families and switch off. However, for most it is also the most wasteful. Research shows that two million turkeys, 100 sq km of wrapping paper and more than 100,000 tonnes of plastic packaging get binned and a lot of items get put in the cupboards and are never to be seen again. This year, to give a positive change join us for a Festive gift swap on Saturday, 2 to 5 pm. Please book via Eventbrite.
Time also for a bit fun on Saturday night! Do join us in a vintage board game event and pop up supper with vegbox.org.uk . Now, just where is my box of Cluedo… Colonel Plum will in the kitchen with a…
Coming up this week
Thursday 5 December
10am to 12 noon: Test and Learn
A weekly session where we review and learn from what we are doing and continue to improve from week to week.
1 to 3pm: Solar together – Drop-in session
If you have registered for Solar Together and are currently considering your personal recommendation for solar panels, or you are interested in installing solar panels in your property, please drop-in to discuss any queries you may have on this with Council officers. This will be an informal session and will allow you to ask any queries you have around planning restrictions, the Camden Climate Fund, and anything else.
2 to 3.30pm: School debate. How can we stop fast fashion from destroying the planet?
A group of students from Acland Burghley will come together to debate the challenge of fast fashion, its environmental effects and what can we all do to address this issue. The Debate will be led by Transition Kentish Town and aims to activity students into action including a follow-up clothes swap event at their school.
4 to 6pm: Letters to the Earth Poetry and Spoken Word Workshop
Join us for a poetry and spoken world workshop to coincide with COPO25 in Madrid. As world leaders take action on the climate emergency, we will talk, write and perform. Creation is the antidote to despair. Led by Rakaya Fetuga, Roundhouse Poetry Slam Winner 2019; Kay Michael, Letters to the Earth and Culture Declares Founder; Kelly Hill, Photographer and activist.
Friday 6 December
10am to 12noon: Taking action on cleaning up the air around local schools and high streets. What can you do?
Drop in and join others who live and work around Kentish Town Road, to share ideas and plans for practical action to clean our local air. The conversation will be led by researchers from Imperial College and members of Camden’s Clean Air Action group.
1 to 2pm: School workshop/debate. Our throwaway culture
Join students from Kentish Town primary school is a workshop/debate on how to stop our throwaway culture at a global and local level. The activity will be led by Transition Kentish Town and aims to activate students into action.
1 to 3pm: Carnival Seed Crowns with @stellacecildesign
Theatre Designer Stella Cecil will be running a Carnival Seed Crown workshop for children and their parents. Using potato prints, compostable paper and natural embellishments this workshop will introduce children to materials that do not have a negative impact on the environment. The crown can be planted after being worn, allowing them to think creatively about waste and how it is of equal value to the piece itself.
4 to 5pm: NW London Urban Hedgehog Re-introduction Program
Come and learn about this successful hedgehog re-introduction programme into private gardens. Supported by a registered Wildlife Hospital, orphaned or rescued hedgehogs were released in private gardens and only months later they started to show all the early signs of settling and breeding in our habitat once more. A very inspiring story.
5 to 6pm: Tree giveaway. A Camden Forest project
Following last week's successful tree giveaway, part of the Think&Do project to create an urban forest in Camden, we will be giving away more trees this afternoon. If you are interested in offering a new caring home for a young tree, pop along and pick yours. We are looking for dedicate 'story tree guardians' to plant 2025 story trees in back gardens across Camden by 2025. We will also be hosting a follow-up meeting to further develop the ideas shared and make this project a reality.
6 to 7pm: Divestment Q and A: how Camden can fight the fossil fuel industry for climate justice.
Join Divest Camden for an informal evening to learn about what divestment is, how it can make Camden a climate justice leader, and how you can help. All welcome and no question is too basic to ask!
Saturday 7 December
10.30am to 1pm: Hackathon
Come and join us to help turn some of the week's ideas into action. This is an opportunity to work together and start connecting people, resources and ideas shared at the pop-up as a way of enabling new projects and activities to happen.
2 to 5pm: Camden festive gift swap. Book here
Help us reduce the potential environmental impact of the festive season by giving unused presents and other stuff a second life. Bring any item you received last year that you have not used, or anything that you have used but is still in good conditions and swap it for something else. Gift sets, candles, diffusers you have not opened, festive jumpers that you no longer love, clothes, shoes, accessories...everything is welcomed!
5 to 6pm Create safe routes for cycling to school
Join us for a conversation lead by Camden Cycling Campaign on how we can create safe cycling routes for cycling to schools. Tell us about your children’s route to school and share ideas on simple changes that could make it possible to cycle. For example, a safe cycle crossing over a main road or less motor traffic in a residential street. Parents and children welcome.
6 to 8pm: What is next? …and celebration with Vegbox Kentish Town. Book your ticket here
Join us for a reflection on what is next following the six weeks trial of the Think and Do pop-up shop on the clime emergency as we celebrate the ideas, energy, connections, friends, and much more this six weeks have delivered for all involved. We will be sharing a delicious communal meal made from surplus veg from Kentish Town Veg Box and play vintage board games… so get your game out of the cupboard and bring it on the evening.
Unless stated, booking isn’t required but please register your interest if you’re thinking of coming via Think and Do Eventbrite.
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