The Community Centre
Almost fifteen years ago I started a local veggie growing group which over the years morphed into a sustainable living group. I ran it out of the community centre near our local shops and while the attendance varied over time, we did develop a core of people who turned up most meetings, while others would come and go.
Unfortunately, the group did not survive very long after the occurrence of Covid. We did try the whole ZOOM thing but it did not work very well and after a couple of times we wound it up. I was still hopeful of things getting back to normal, but in the end I took the community centre key back to the council in early 2022. It is possible that it may spring back to life in the future, but I doubt it!
It was quite a bit of work to set up, and for most of the time it was while I was working full time but it was worth it for pleasure of working with the people who would come along, and the stuff I learned along with them.
Learning about seed sowing
The routine was –
- I would get home from work and have dinner, pack the car and drive the short distance down to the community centre.
- Take the key and unlock the community centre, turn the alarm off, switch the lights on.
- Go back to the car and bring back to the room my computer, the screen, the projector and the wheelie bag with all of the cups and some biscuits.
- Set up the table out the front and then the computer/projector and the screen. Sometimes I would just use the white wall as the screen but the real screen gave a better picture.
- I would then set up any tables required for practical activities and all of the chairs, usually a dozen or so, in two lines in front of the front table.
- I would do my bit, then we would have coffee and biscuits, often the members would bring something to share.
- Then, with the help of the members, all the furniture would be put away and someone would sweep the floor. They would help me drag my stuff out to the car, while I did a final check around of the room, turn off the lights, set the alarm and lock the front door.
- While that was theoretically it, there was often some discussion in the carpark as well, then we all headed for home.
The seating - and smiling faces!
Perhaps my most enduring disappointment was that I really wanted the group to be a local group. Local as in most, if not all, of the attendees living in St Clair. It was local in terms of western Sydney, but we had attendees from the Blue Mountains, Windsor and Winston Hills. I am certainly grateful for those who came, but the original terms of reference for it being a St Clair group never eventuated.
Tea & Coffee: always important!
Having said that, I do not regret one bit of the time and effort that went into the group.
For more information -
Individual articles may be found here
The St Clair Sustainability Group eBook may be downloaded here
