Meetingarchive1

DEFYG8-NO2ID
The no2id visit has triggered a vast joint effort...

A meeting has been arranged in co-ordination with some other local anti-G8, defyID cards and the police database state- groups for Thursday 10th February 05, starting at 6pm at the New Roots Cafe at 86 Spital Hill, Burngreave, Sheffield. Based upon a Seeds for Change format, you are WELCOME!

There are plenty of buses - the 20, 75, 76 and 97 all stop pretty much outside and directions to the cafe are here - http://tinyurl.com/5yuc5

There will be some food provided for those who have come straight from work and want their dinner!

A no2id rep in Sheffield will also be bringing along some leaflets and pamphlets for distribution. We are planning this meeting to coordinate efforts and create a united front channelled against next G8-summit and the "terror" enforced both on foreign nationals and British nationals by the many bills of which the IDcard and "Serious Organized Crime" bills are but two major items.

The anti-ID card campaign was included in Leeds Social Forum's main agenda for its launch; it has also spread like fire in Liverpool and Manchester: we suggest that, following general guidelines of agreement, a DefyG8-no2id campaign is included in fora's agendas. Support, help and advice from both the DefyID and No2id teams is available to any local social forum wishing to act.

You may contact Catherine, sheffield@no2id.net ______

Web page under construction. Links: http://www.no2id.net/

http://www.defy-id.org.uk/

http://www.riseup.net/

where you can subscribe to no2idsheffield@lists.riseup.net

Manchester - Protest Against ID Cards | The Ministry of Truth | ID Cards - Who Profits? | Identity Cards Bill - a brief guide | Liverpool Defy-ID Group Take Action | Also

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/sheffield/2005/01/304516.html


 * 17th Feb: it's the Big Open Meeting!''' at

St. Andrew's Church Hall Upper Hanover Way Broomhall(ish) 7 - 9.30


 * Most future meetings will be at:

New Roots Cafe, 86 Spital Hill, Burngreave

Lots of buses including 20, 75, 76, 97 stop outside. Time: 7.30 to 9.30 pm

... but phone 07968 997861 (Dan) to confirm, if you like.


 * Every first and third Thursday of each month.

Democracy Cafe '''Tuesdays
 * January, February, March... First Tuesday of each month.

6 - 8pm. Blue Moon Cafe 2 St James' Street (next to the Cathedral; map).

For people editing agenda items or minutes:


 * Lists are easy to do:
 * start every line with a star
 * more stars means deeper levels


 * 1) Numbered lists are easy too:
 * 2) Start every line with a hash (#)
 * 3) More hashes means deeper levels

New Roots, Spital Hill 7.30 to 9.30

=Minutes 3rd february 2005=


 * 1) We discussed the flyer for the BOM (Big Open Meeting) on the 17th.
 * 2) Dave rightly pointed out that Dan had produced a draft flyer, posted to the list asking for opinions and then ignored everybody's opinion and printed the flyers anway. Dan justified this on the basis that 'I get really into making the flyers. They're an artistic endeavour'.
 * 3) The conclusion was that Dave would also make his own flyer and make some of his own contacts, and that Dan would try to genuinely accommodate other people's views and not be so precious, as well as doing a photoshop / flyer workshop at some point.
 * 4) Hallam Action, 14th Feb:
 * 5) Not sure of time, or details, but will keep people informed...
 * 6) It was noted that no-one wanted to make students unhappy, and that RAH should try to make their case to students.
 * 7) The BOM: the Big Open Meeting, Feb 17th, St. Andrews
 * 8) Started with Amp proposing that No2ID come along, as well as DefyID from Liverpool.
 * 9) There is a meeting on 10th Feb, Spital Hill New Roots, 6pm to plan no2id stuff.
 * 10) Brief argument re. Whether SSF could 'endorse' it. Split between the 'campaigners' and the 'open-spacers' as usual.
 * 11) Open spacers arguing that the BOM was a mini-social forum, in effect.
 * 12) Two most witty comments of evening go to Chris:
 * 13) ”You can be put under house arrest if Charles Clarke doesn't like you.”
 * 14) ”This isn't the thin end of the wedge any more – we're on the middle bit of it.”
 * 15) Dan outlined two issues for the BOM:
 * 16) Forward planning: having a programme of stuff, ways of being involved, etc in the SSF itself for people who come along.
 * 17) The structure of the actual day. We talked a lot – but didn't conclude very much.
 * 18) Start with giving any group that wants it 5 minutes to talk
 * 19) Break meeting into sections, with food and drink and mooching break
 * 20) reconvene at end
 * 21) Strike an exact and perfect balance between organisation and fluidity
 * 22) Chris and Dan to phone around some people to get them to confirm. Dan to organise phoning list.
 * 23) Dan to draft a structure for the evening, and solicit other ideas.
 * 24) Everyone else to contact whosoever they can, and get them along
 * 25) Dan highlighted the tri-partite focus of Make Poverty History, G8, Peace in the Park, and the fact that DECSY had agreed to support the school outreach workshops, leading to a youth 'event' at PiP – and that they're applying for funding along these lines for the next three years, so this could become an established institution. How cool is that? Woo hoo!  (Sorry!)
 * 26) Alice to be in charge of bringing tea and coffee
 * 27) Others to bring various food items. Dan bringing wonderful home-made houmous.
 * 28) Make Poverty History:
 * 29) 16th Feb – the University Arts Tower is to host the launch of MPH. More details from Chris!  How can we help?  Well – we can go and flyer them!
 * 30) Welfare: Sheffield Welfare Action Network wants to get going.
 * 31) There's a call for able-bodied people to join in, and to make room for the hard-work politics of welfare, that might not seem as exciting as, say, breaking TVs.
 * 32) 24th Feb: Church Action on Poverty meeting on welfare – Dave and Jase doing a presentation.
 * 33) Suggest: get flyer done for SWAN / SSF meeting to promote there. Date of meeting – Thur 17th March
 * 34) Moz pointed out that staff as well as claimants may well be up for joining in the campaign.
 * 35) Website: needs overhauling.
 * 36) Andy has produced an accessibility document.
 * 37) Dan to have a look...
 * 38) Feb 17th meet will hopefully get some willing volunteers
 * 39) Burngreave and Firvale Masterplan & Spital Hill Local Voice
 * 40) Minuted that Deacon Dave has done a fantastic job of getting everything done for this. Two articles in the Star in as many days, and the council have agreed to a task group to work out the way forward!
 * 41) Dan noted that WEA have agreed to help fund and support a reseach 'active citizenship' project to support participation. We have to supply a proposal...
 * 42) 'Then we drank beer. It woz gud.'''

Rage Against Hallam
http://www.rage-against-hallam.co.uk/

The campaign leader spoke to us:

There's a planned televised rally on

Monday 14th February (the day it opens to students!)

...to protest against the loss of the centre to Hallam, Hallam's nasty tactics and the fact that it cost the public £20M, whereas Hallam paid £1.4M for it. ("Can we have our money back please?")

ACTION: To discuss and plan our role in the rally action at the next SSF meeting.

Already possible: Samba Band, fire-spinning, 'can we have our money back please', valentines day - 'we love our centre! Why did it leave us!?'

Also: as part of power analysis workshop, to trace the links between the various boards involved... CIQA, Yorkshire Futures, Council, Hallam, etc...


 * Ideas please for next meeting, and on this list!*

Communication, forward planning, getting people, and a big meeting...
These all tie together into a, um, STRATEGY!

Communication


 * 1) The announcements list to be regularly done, shortly after a meeting. (Dan or Jase is doing this for now: I'll do this one?  Any other volunteers?)
 * 2) Indymedia: Adam to cross-post announcements etc to Indymedia
 * 3) Website - we didn't get round to this! But needs to be worked out.
 * 4) Dan: to work out a little comms chart just showing which things need doing when - for the big meeting, so we can try to get volunteers.
 * 5) Next meeting: we'll look at the Seeds for Change doc on publicity!

Related is -

Newsletter


 * 1) To set a print date for a first filthy radical newsletter
 * 2) To tie this to a writing workshop
 * 3) Will contain stories (e.g. Burngreave, Hallam, G8, Action and PiP strike me as initial stories... front cover: maybe again, 'Switch off yer TV set... Sheffield gets radical in 2005...)
 * 4) And also listings of events for the coming months...
 * Dan: to arrange a meeting specifically to discuss this proposal
 * 1) Everyone: proposed names? Sheffield Digger? The Hardcopy?

Big Open Meeting, 17th February!

 * 1) We're to have a Big Open Meeting, Thurs 17th February (venue tbc)
 * 2) Aim: Sheffield 2005 - come and find out what you can do this year!  With lots of info, not only from SSF, but e.g. PiP, Lantern Festival, Spital Hill Local Voice, Rage Againt Hallam and whoever else we can get - a free market of things to get involved in!
 * 3) Dan: drafting publicity
 * 4) Alice: checking on Broomhall Centre
 * 5) Dan: Checking on the Drum
 * 6) Everyone: to think about how the meeting might be structured, and bring ideas to next meeting
 * 7) Everyone: to help get publicity out, and tell people. (Will let you know when it's done!)

Peace in the Park n SSF

 * 1) Speakeasy: a much more ambitious version of last year's democracy cafe: SSF to organise this space for political stuff, with New Roots (nearly confirmed), debates, poetry, (music?) - as to the content, that's now open to the SSF in the usual way! It'll basically be a mini-informal-forum
 * 2) Peace tent: a tent for positive, peaceful solutions, to fit in with the festival: NVDA / mediation etc - for the G8 lead-up, and for things like subvertising training.
 * 3) Youth: Again, possibly a separate tent - involving 13-18 year olds through the government's very own J8 programme, a leading them to PiP where we can do something like a youth parliament. (J8 will be taking a manifesto they've written to present to the J8 leaders.)  Thoughts? (Note: they'll just happen to be next to the NVDA tent... hope none of them stray... :) )
 * 4) Yoof2: when DECSY get info packs, work with others (SMPH and P&P) on going into schools to get the debate going, and get kids planning for PiP.

Sharrow Lantern Festival
It's happening! 3rd April!

As part of the 'Big Open Meeting' (BOM!) we've asked 'em to come and make lanterns, rope people in to taking more part in events... (not literally!)

Burngreave Masterplan
'Housing Renewal Pathfinder' scheme being challenged by local people: it's a democratic black hole!

(Note: Dan is re-starting the SSF research group as part of this. List will be going again soon...)
 * 1) Petition being handed in to council 2nd Feb
 * 2) ACTION and publicity event on day! Can SSF help with planning an action for this too? Would have to do this on list!
 * 3) Proposed questionnaire, and community participation and research plan forming: meeting with Housing bod David Shepherd to happen soon.

Make Poverty History

 * 1) Had big meeting this week
 * 2) 1 year focus for trade justice
 * Aim: to stop dependency on aid, to rid world of poverty through fair trade & trade justice.
 * 1) Coaches going to Gleneagles on 1st July, coming back 2nd July.
 * 2) 25 unwaged / £30 waged / £70 if staying over: phone Keith Burdett on 0114 2364353
 * 3) This is week before conference... need to find out more about why! Will need to make other arrangements if people want to to and protest during actual event, which is July 6th - 8th.
 * 4) Launch event for Sheffield will be held on 16th February in the Sheffield University Arts Tower, at 7.30pm. All welcome.

Next Meeting...
Thursday 3rd Feb New Roots, Spital Hill

Preliminary goals:


 * 1) a bit of meeting, facilitation and workshop training discussion based on the Seeds for Change documents. (Dan has printed a load of these.)
 * 2) Plan Hallam action
 * 3) Plan big open meeting

Minutes of Planning Meeting - Thursday 16th September
Apologies: Chris C, r7

Welome back from the summer break!


 * 1) Democracy Cafe Report Back
 * There have now been two successful democracy cafes at the Blue Moon. The first took the form of a large group conversation. The fact that such a large group may need facillitation was noted. The second took the form of much smaller group conversations. It was noted that it was difficult to get to speak to others once you were sat down with one group, perhaps a facilliated mix up of groups at some point would have been useful. The relationship between SSF and the Democ Cafes was discussed. While we agreed that the SSF should not be pushed on attendants at what is billed as being without agendas, it was nevertheless accepted that as the democracy cafes grew out of SSF meetings it was fair to continue some link, perhaps by just having a space to put some SSF flyers etc. We also noted that publicity beyond word of mouth might be useful if anyone has the time for it. Dave offered to do some flyer distribution.
 * 1) Freshers Fair 24th Sept
 * We've been invited by Celia of People and Planet to go to the freshers fair and bring some information about SSF and ESF for thier stall. This was seen to be a good idea. Kev offered to take some literature there.
 * 1) Publiciy
 * Dave wondered whether we could do a funky new flyer bigging up the SSF's list of achievements, the part we play as one group in a world wide movement, our drive for diversity, and the fact that we're different from the pressure politics of the traditional left organisations. Dan said he'd do something in conjunction with a general ESF publicity flyer he is working on. Flyers at upcoming conferences around food sovereignty and social inclusion need to be organised.
 * 1) Disability Allowance
 * Dave noted that Blair has recently included reduction of disability/incapacity benefit as one of the seven big challenges for the next term. We agreed that this is very worrying, especially as it is already difficult to get disability allowance, and there is undoubtedly a push to get people 'off the sick' and back into work when they may not be able. Dave is working on an article and big national meeting around the issues at some point in the future and would like SSF to endorse it.
 * 1) ESF
 * 2) *Info: We discussed what would be happening apart from the big conferences at Alexandra Palace. These include official and non-official events in the bloomsbury area, the solidarity village focussing on alternative economics, the Camden Center focussing on communication rights, and many wandering entertainments.
 * 3) *Local Social Forums: As far as local social forums are concerned there will be one seminar about them and a permanent space for local social forum networking and events over the weekend. We felt the need to contribute positively to that space and discussed the ideas of doing a democracy cafe there at some point.
 * 4) *Practicalities: Three coaches have been booked to take people down to london for the ESF. The prices will be very reasonable. One individual has had to put the money up front and we thought that it was only fair to contribute financially in some way. So for the dual purposes of publicity and fundraising we decided to organise a gig, hopefully for Thursday 30th September (two weeks time!). Dan and Kev are working on the venue and PA, Dave said he'd contact some potential musicians.
 * 5) Tale of Many Cities
 * Lots of photos of Sheffield views have already been taken to link together in a web-based exploration of the city and its inequities. Anyone who can get some digitised pictures of bits of sheffield should contact dan at aktivix dot org.
 * 1) Summary Action Points:
 * 2) *Dan to provide more flyers for Democ Cafes
 * 3) *Dave to disseminate flyers
 * 4) *Cuthbert to liase with New Roots about possible dates for Democ Cafes
 * 5) *Kev to gather some literature for Freshers Fair, deliver and spend some time at People and Planet stall.
 * 6) *Dan/Kev to organise venue and PA for SSF/ESF fundraiser/publicity gig
 * 7) *Dave to contact potential performers

Notes from Meeting to Organise forthcoming Democracy Cafes at Blue Moon
29th July 2004

The dates for future democracy cafes;
 * 6-8pm Tue 10th August
 * 6-8pm Tue 7th Sept
 * 6-8pm Tue 5th October

We discussed a few tangential issues, these notes just focus on the ones that (from my memory) were central, the solid structure we were going to use on the day, and action points arising from the meeting.


 * 1) Outreachy stuff
 * 2) *Discussed what we need to tell people who we're inviting, and the main thing is to come along, and if they want to bring ideas of particular topics, to do so.
 * 3) *Discussed possibility of inviting people who are professionally involved in politics. Said it was fine if people wanted to, but that they wouldn't be invited as speakers, though there may be other possibilities for doing so. Doing poster asap for Blue Moon window, then flyers - anyone who want some put something up on the list and we'll work it out.
 * 4) Group Dynamics
 * 5) *We talked about the difficulty that might be experienced by newcomers when they come across a group that already knows eachother well, and are confident to talking to eachother. So we said the SSFers at the democ cafes need to be aware of the way they are communicating with eachother as well as newcomers, trying not to appear to cliquey, and willing to keep quite to give others time to speak. Also, positive encouragement, without putting people on the spot might be necessary.
 * 6) Structure at the Cafe
 * 7) *We've three tables reserved for us, and we'll have a 'menu' of discussion topics, with a way of putting one topic prominently on each table.
 * 8) *There'll be two halves. In the first, people sit with whoever they want, and small groups decide on their own topics. In the second we'll have a way of randomly grouping people (assigning numbers 1,2,3 to people in order would do it) and people will be asked to sit with assigned groups; groups then select their own topic.
 * 9) *As people turn up we'll explain the format to them individually or in small groups, as the need arises. We'll encourage people to add topics they'd like to discuss add to the menu. When there seems to be enough people to get a group going we'll ask them to select a topic (maybe suggesting particular ones if people from the group had made suggestions to the menu) and make it clear on the table what the topics are.  Repeated with newcomers who are also invited to join the ongoing discussion.
 * 10) *Copies of the 'groundrules' (see http://wiki.sheffieldsocialforum.org.uk/Talking_Shops#D:_Groundrules) will be around and obvious; things to highlight may be that there's no absolute need to stick to the topic, and that if people seem to be tiring of a topic, anyone could suggest a topic change, plus, people should feel free to wander around, get refreshments or join another group.
 * 11) Facillitation
 * 12) *We decided that one overall facillitator would be necessary, just to check latecomers or interested bystanders (bysitter? byeaters?) are included, and to bring people together for the second half's experiment.
 * 13) *It was suggested that we should make sure that SSFers are at each table, and that they should take on a very minimal, informal facillitation role. The discussion doesn't require any guidance at all, given that theres no particular aims. However, SSFers might want to be aware of when the topic has changed completely, maybe its gone to another one from the menu and could suggest making that the topic and putting the appropriate card over the table to let others know. Most important might be to be aware of dynamics within the group, is anyone dominating? Is anyone looking like they might want to offer suggestions and not getting a chance to get in? SSFers might want to ask opening questions, relate them to things people have said, ask particular people for opinions or whatever, but should not take a formal, 'speak through the facillitator' kind of role.
 * 14) Action points
 * 15) *Dan's rejiging the flyer from Peace in the Park, with some text we put together in the meeting. He'll be posting suggestions to the list and printing flyers Saturday.
 * 16) *Alice is sending some info to the Telegraph for inclusion in their 'what's on' guide.
 * 17) *Kev's putting relevant info on web and announcement list.

Minutes from 8th July 2004
I doubt this meeting could count as 'quorate' - there were only three and a half of us there! Nevertheless -

1. Archived list - Agreed to go over to Burngreave.net, if those folk were still up for hosting. Dan offered to be one of the administrators of the new list. Kev has a fair ol' history of the Yahoo list, so we should be able to supply a history.

2. Democracy cafe: The democracy cafe at Pip - a very nice space, thanks to New Roots, and a little bit of debate - but not what we hoped for. Reasons?
 * Lack of facilitation by SSFers. We didn't involve people. Dan: "Someone actually turned up asking me how it worked, and I waffled a bit about just getting stuck in.  They stood on the edge looking confused.  The RIGHT approach would have been this - 'Well, what shall we talk about?  Sit down, I'll get you both a coffee - there's some topics over there on the board, or we can just make one up." That could have worked!
 * It wasn't a dedicated space - it was in the healing field, and in a nice chilled space where political argument perhaps didn't really fit in. The space wasn't solely dedicated to democracy cafeness.
 * Burngreave democracy cafe - postponed until Thur 29th July ... and we also had some difficulty in deciding on a name for it!

3. Kev's SSF pledge - we talked about a set of pledges that Kev had drawn up, designed for individuals within the SSF - and perhaps outside - to sign up to. The three of us there agreed in principle that it was a good idea, and that Kev's draft captured a lot of the key points. But more input needed!

4. Setting up SSF debates: Dan Proposed organising SSF debates around some key Sheffield issues, starting with something big like 'Is Sheffield's economic strategy helping the poorest in our city?'  (Based on the notion that 'trickle-down' from all the inward investment will float all boats...)

This would:
 * Get some 'big' people to argue opposing points of view
 * Raise the profile of the SSF
 * The meeting could break down into smaller 'tables' for discussion and argument, half-way through, to stop it being just speeches.
 * An SSF table could include stuff on how to involve yerself with local politics, how to organise to push our local institutions to act in our interests.
 * Proposed having these 'Big debates' every two months

5. I can't remember what else we talked about. I think that was it!

Dan

Notes from Democracy Cafe at Peace in the Park - Sat 3rd July
The cafe went ahead with New Roots working hard to provide tea, coffee and snacks all day. The actual 'democracy cafe' was lacking structure, though the various topics written up on cards pinned to psychadelic throw definitely started a variety of political/topical conversations. It seemed to be a general feeling that while the cafe was very nice we weren't forthright enough (or at all) about facillitating discussions. Part of this was definitely to do with the layout, being a big mess of cushions of rugs rather than defined and delimited seating areas which you could 'join' to take part in discussion.

Notes from ESF Mobilising Meeting - Thur 24th June 2004
The regular meeting was cancelled because a number of people wanted to attend the 'ESF mobilising' meeting initiated by NUJ/SWP instead. Please note that the following brief report is a personal one, not minutes, put up because it seems that no minutes will be circulated.

About 15 were present at that meeting. ESF was discussed in a general way, personal experiences shared. Ideas for 'mobilisation' were shared including an emphasis on communicating to people the practicalities of the event, ie information about transport, accomodations and 'how to survive' at ESF. A second emphasis was that while the big name speakers might draw some people, smaller already existing groups should pick and choose among all the different events at ESF to suggest to their members whatever is likely to be of most interest. To this end various concrete proposals for forms of publcity were suggested.

Unfortunately there was no real attempt to agree a common course of action or set up any working groups, the conclusion being 'you do your publicity, we'll do ours, and we'll compare results in a month's time'. Details of the next meeting will appear here when available.

Minutes from ESF discussion meeting
Saturday 12th June 2004, Quaker Meeting House

Present:

Some Sheffield Social Forum folk, some Sheffield folk, two Manchester Social Forum folk and Dave Timms from London Social Forum / WDM / ESF.

Dave Timms began by outlining some of the processes involved in the ESF. We concentrated on talking about decisions relating to plenaries and seminars, since these are areas where there is still room for input from local social forums – it’s all up for grabs in Berlin.

The ESF will have 6 themes, with 4 plenaries in each. The plenaries are likely to be fixed at the upcoming Berlin meeting.

Dave Timms believes that the seminars and workshops are the heart of the ESF. Plenaries are often too big, dull, and staid.

There are still problems re. the whole ESF process relating to:


 * Problems relating to London-centric, non-democratic control of the process – and the growing European-wide anger at this
 * Funding problems (esp money from the GLA which has not yet appeared) – although difficult to know what’s happening because the ‘London group’ do not make information freely available
 * Problems regarding resources – meeting rooms, translation, accommodation, catering

Culture at the ESF, and two sites

Dave Timms: Complete lack of importance attached to cultural activities by ‘London central’. However! There is a split between the proposed London sites:


 * Alexandra Palace: which will be not particularly autonomous, and where most of the deadening plenaries will take place.
 * Bloomsbury area: Soho! Could be a focal point for the vibrant, the autonomous, the self-organised and the fun!  Something like a fringe event… Although note that a statement from the co-ord committee is trying to make sure that Bloomsbury is equally as centralised, claiming that anything else would be undemocratic!

Other suggestions that came from this were:


 * The march should be positive – party and protest, with the scale tipped toward party
 * SF Flash mobs – doing plenty of stuff around London (one suggestion: more tube flash mobs – maybe party, maybe impromptu political debates and workshops!)

Dave Th’s points to take to Berlin


 * A call for bottom-up organising and a genuine commitment to openness and democracy, and for all those who believe in these principles to act in solidarity.
 * Giving culture – and especially grassroots culture – a higher profile, and more support.
 * Support for web-based, open organising methods so that decisions about merging seminars and (if necessary) workshops are not centralised. (Kev)
 * Connected to the above, support for translation services that come from the movement – e.g. Babel – above hiring commercial services. The Social Forum movement has been characterised by doing it for ourselves.
 * The meeting considered that the proposed fee of around £30 for the whole event might be acceptable (with a good concessionary rate) but noted that single-day tickets should be available very cheaply to encourage those with a more passing interest to participate.
 * A proposal has been put forward for Berlin for a continuous space at the ESF for local social forum meeting / networking – not just a one-off meeting. We support this. The proposal reads:

''We propose that for the whole duration of the European Social Forum events there be one dedicated space for the use of the local social forums of Europe. We believe that the interlinking of local social forums holds huge potential for positive social change in terms of learning, sharing and coordination around issue based campaigns and working methods. It is essential that those networks are created to be durable and independent of the spectacuar moments of gathering represented by ESF. ''

Mobilising – what should we do, and how should we relate to the SWP?

Background: The SWP have begun organising local ‘ESF’ meetings, calling themselves e.g. ‘Leeds ESF’ and ‘Sheffield ESF’. The Sheffield ESF wrote to WDM, asking if their director could speak at their meeting. WDM replied that they recognised SSF as the local SF group – which was nice!

Nevertheless, it presents some conundrums about how to related to them. The general consensus was:


 * To be as positive, open and friendly as possible with them
 * To see if we can make links re. ‘mobilising’ for the ESF (e.g. because the SWP are very good at organising coaches, and if they’re willing to take on the financial risk, that’d be great!)
 * To quietly, and in a very friendly manner, talk to some SWP folk about working together on this.
 * To turn up at their first ESF meeting as the Sheffield Social Forum
 * To undertake less meeting-centric methods, e.g. Democracy Cafes, that would allow us to do SSF work as well as tell people about the ESF.

Some general questions and points:


 * Q from Dave Th: what positive intervention can local SFs do?
 * Dave Timms: how to structure social forums so that locus of power is not possible.
 * Alice: is it possible to engage constructively with the SWP over mobilising for the ESF?
 * Jenny: ESF could be too much of a talking shop. Its structure is not related to what people are doing on the ground to change the world, and to learning from each other about what concrete steps we could be taking.  What could be done to change this?
 * SJ: Are ground rules set for SF / ESF meetings for courteous behaviour to each other? [Dave Timms – no: and they wouldn’t work anyway.]
 * Pete from MSF: There’s not enough public involvement in the ESF process – need to encourage debate.
 * Alison: ‘ESF central’ doesn’t talk at all to local SFs.  The process should be bottom up!
 * Pete (MSF) had just translated a letter from the Italian delegation to ? censuring the appalling behaviour of the central committee. See e-mail on list

SSF

A few other points were made on future SSF activity, which included:


 * Producing a 2 sided SSF newsletter
 * Getting guest speakers at our meetings
 * Forward planning!

Minutes from 10th June

 * Peace in the Park.

We have a space at Peace in the Park! Need clear notices for when events/discussions are on – make sure discussion space is away from the noise. Music and Café to bring people in – Conversation Café/Controversy Cafe. Could have a box full of hats/masks and you would have to argue like that person. Would need facilitators for conversation café.

Need cushions/decorations/soft stuff for tent to make it a welcoming space. Have possibly a gazebo, half-hemisphere tent and a large discussion tent. Could have stuff on the outside of the discussion tent. Idea of a 'LeftField', need to talk with other groups to make space holistic and make best use of resources.

Map of Sheffield – needs to be big – could have on it what you like/hate about your area. Information on each area. Who lives in Sheffield – a history of who came to Sheffield. Need information leaflets so there’s stuff available for people who want to know more about…


 * ESF

Much of this was in relation to the ESF meeting so look at those minutes to see more.


 * Publicity

Having a standard poster to put up and a standard leaflet to give out. Also regular meetings with good publicity. E-list does not seem to draw people in. Need to be at festivals (e.g. Abbeyfield Park, Sharrow, Manor), have events such as meals, bbq’s and picnics.

Older Minutes
April 2004 Minutes

March 2004 Minutes

February 2004 Minutes