Category Archives: Local Money

Tamar Valley LETS

 

LETS (Local Exchange Trading Schemes) is a way of exchanging goods & services with other people in the community without the need for money.  LETS help regenerate communities and rebuild the local economy. There are many LETS Schemes running successfully throughout the world.
The kick-off meeting for the newly-formed Tamar Valley LETS was held in Kingdon House in Tavistock on 17 May.  Robin Williams (local coordinator) and Rob Follett (Falmouth LETS) gave a presentation to introduce the concept to the audience.  Since that meeting Rob Follett has created the website for Tamar Valley LETS.

The link is:  http://tamarvalleylets.uk/.

The main purpose of this site is to enable members to keep track of credits (“Tams”) they earn when trading goods and services.

On the homepage of this website a link to an application form can be found.  People wishing to join LETS should download this form, complete it, and post it to Robin Williams.  They will then be given higher-level access to the site to enable them to begin trading.

LETS … coming to Tavistock

Have you heard of LETS – the Local Exchange and Trading System? It’s coming to Tavistock soon, so climb aboard and improve your quality of life.

The concept has been around for decades but now exchanging and trading your goods and services has been made easy due to user-friendly software that keeps track of credit points earned by LETS members.

The points for a traded good or service normally reflect its equivalent Sterling value so, for example, an hour of tutoring would earn a member 25 points – as £25 is a typical charge for this service.
Everyone has something to offer.  You can mow someone’s lawn, dog sit, trade fruit and veg grown in your garden, lend out a specialised tool, drive another member to a local airport, etc.  The list is endless.

A meeting will be held in the “Studio” in Kingdon House, Pym St, Tavistock, PL19 0AW on Wednesday, 17th May from 14:00 to 16:00 to explain LETS in more detail.
Rob Follett of the highly successful Falmouth LETS group will be on hand to demonstrate the functionality of the LETS software.
Robin Williams, a Tavistock resident, will lead the discussion.  His immediate goal is to form a committee of volunteers to create a plan for a local group.

For more information on LETS go to: www.letslinkuk.net

If you’d like to know more about various forms of Local Money check out the Transition Network’s 2010 publication ‘Local Money. How to make it happen in your community’.

Local Money

Great Channel 4 documentary last night – The Bank of Dave – see http://www.channel4.com/programmes/bank-of-dave and http://www.burnleysavingsandloans.co.uk/.
Perhaps we should consider a similar model for Tavistock? Or re-introduce a Credit Union?
… And Wadebridge have just launched the Wadebridge pound (http://www.wren.uk.com/currency.html).