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The Lewes Pound News
Keep up to date with Lewes Pound news and events!
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Archived newsletters: April 2011 May 2011 June 2011
July/August 2011 September 2011 October 2011
The Live Lewes Fund ~a fund made possible by the Lewes Pound~
Are you a community or voluntary group in Lewes building on community spirit and addressing climate change?
You could be eligible for a grant of up to £2000
from the Live Lewes Fund. The fund is made possible by a £5000 donation
of leakage money from the Lewes Pound CIC. The next deadline for
applications is 14th October 2011 so get developing those ideas in time to get your applications in!
You can find out more about the fund and download an application form here...
Lewes & Ouse Valley eco-nomics group (L&OVe) Valuing local natural capital
Many people in Lewes recognise the importance of a healthy environment...but how many recognise the strong links between the Lewes economy (its traders, businesses and institutions) and the health of the surrounding ecosystems?
But when we think about where our water comes from; where most of our bees and other insects that pollinate our crops hang out; what the floodplain can do to reduce flood risk; where our local climate is moderated …… then perhaps these links become more obvious?
Which local business doesn’t use water? – yet Lewes’s water comes mainly from aquifers running under the surrounding chalk downs and so, is dependant on local ecosystems;
What was the effect of the 2000 flood on Lewes’s economy? - is the Lewes economy well prepared for similar unforeseen shocks and do we recognise the buffering effect that the local environment can provide against things like strong winds, heavy rain, storms?
Would there be new local jobs from investing in the health of our local environment?
The new L&OVe group of TTL is starting to explore the value of the local environment to the Lewes economy and to raise awareness of how important healthy local ecosystems are to the resilience of the local economy. They are also starting think about where the Lewes Pound could fit into this process.
Find out more and keep updated here...
The Lewes Pound AGM and Review
Thanks to everyone who came to the Lewes Pound AGM on 16th March. It provided a great opportunity for reflection on where the Lewes Pound is at now and how you would like to see it develop. Particularly, lots of interesting discussion came out of the World Café session.
“Some … imagine the aim of economic localisation is complete self-sufficiency at the village level. In fact, localisation does not mean everything being produced locally, nor does it mean an end to trade. It simply means creating a better balance between local, regional, national and international markets. It also means that large corporations should have less control, and communities more over what is produced; and that trading should be fair and to the benefit of both parties. … Localisation is not about isolating communities from other cultures, but about creating a new, sustainable and equitable basis on which they can interact.”
Ed Mayo in Douthwaite (1996:ix)
The Lewes Pound 'How To' Guide - Setting up a local currency
The Lewes Pound CIC and the Transition Network are delighted to announce the launch of 'The Lewes Pound "How to" Guide'. This guide was commissioned to help communities interested in setting up local currency schemes. The guide aims to give an indication of how to set up a local currency scheme, based on how we went about developing and running the Lewes Pound.
Download it here if you're interested in setting up a local currency or want to find out how we went about doing it.
What is it?
Essentially the Lewes Pound is a voucher or token, redeemable for goods or services with local traders and anyone that wants to use it. It is complementary to sterling, and by using it, we can all help support local producers and traders and raise awareness of the importance of shopping locally.
Lewes Pounds can be bought or redeemed for sterling at any of the issuing points. Click here for a full list of traders and issuing points.
What else?
Unlike sterling, the Lewes Pound can also be used as a tool to help reconnect and rebuild the once vibrant web of local businesses and traders in the community, by bringing people together.
Here are just a few examples of how it's being used creatively to encourage trade:
- Cliffe traders are currently running a prize draw whereby each Lewes Pound in circulation is effectively a lottery ticket. Three lucky serial numbers are selected at random once a month and the first person to hand in one of the winning numbers wins a great przie. See our website and Harveys window for details.
- Some local traders are offering discounts and deals for payment of goods in Lewes Pounds. A complete list of current offers can be found on the Offers page of our website.
- Other traders and suppliers have truly embraced the Lewes Pound and are using it to good effect, for example, by paying their own suppliers in Lewes Pounds, who in turn spend them with other Lewes businesses, thus creating a virtuous circle that benefits the town.