Up until December last year, we conservatively estimated that TTT had generated roughly £236,000 for the town and district.  We thought that was pretty good going but being awarded £500,000 in one whack really does trump the figures. 

As highlighted elsewhere in this bulletin, the DECC-funding is fantastic news and will enable us to make significant progress.  Among all the jubilation, it is worth observing that the funding for this project is understandably, heavily ring-fenced. Just for the record, TTT has not just suddenly become horribly rich!  Funding TTT’s core costs remains an outstanding priority for all of us. 

We have a strong case to put to funders.  After all, if we have achieved all this with so little, imagine what we can achieve with a little more!  However, while some funders do seem keen to support us, the messages regarding the terms under which they will do so are becoming clear and consistent.

1. Totnes needs to be demonstrating itself as a hub of pioneering social enterprise.‘Transition in Action’.  If EDAP is the new community plan, we need to develop the businesses and community services in order to implement it effectively.  The value of ambitiously piloting this process on a community scale cannot be underestimated.  No one else is doing it yet and with severe public service cuts on the cards in the near future, many people will be looking to us for ideas and examples. Developing appropriate social enterprise and investment models is necessary for the implementation of EDAP – ‘EDAP Phase 2’, if you like - what we are calling

Transition Streets is but one of several catalytic project that is underway or gathering on the horizon.   We will be featuring others through this bulletin in the forthcoming months, looking forwards to how and when all our work on ‘Transition in Action’ will be having significant impact on the infrastructure and social fabric of the town and district. 

2. TTT needs to become self-financing.  Funders do not have a habit of writing cheques to fund the same thing year on year.  Quite understandably, they want to see benchmark achievements and they want to see an end-point, when their financial support is no longer needed, ideally through the emergence of a self-financing, economically-robust venture.

We reckon the DECC award and publication of EDAP represent some pretty outstanding benchmark achievements.  So we now need to show that we are emerging as a self-financing venture. 

As we are currently submitting bids for further funding, we are doing so by demonstrating that we have a clear route to TTT becoming self-financing in three years.  It is ambitious but realistic and, at the end of the day, absolutely necessary to TTT’s ongoing survival.   There are a couple of key threads to this journey - one being our ability to raise financial support from our supporters.  So, yep, you’ve guessed it.  Here is the big ask!

New for 2010, we are launching the ‘TTT Supporters’ programme.   In order to become an official ‘TTT Supporter’, we are asking that people set up a standing order monthly payment to TTT of a minimum of £5.  We are aiming for 300 TTT Supporters over the next year.

So expect to see Lou, Hal and maybe one or two other volunteers out and about at forthcoming events.

Click here to download one of our Supporter Forms. Don’t be shy – this could be one of the wisest investments you’ll ever make!

Many thanks for all your support and energy!