Human Rights Commission

Project Lyttelton is a non-profit grassroots organisation committed to building a sustainable, connected community.

Through a range of innovative projects, PL is harnessing the power of community and fostering hope and inspiration to create a collective future. Our values-based approach is inclusive and participative – we recognise all people have intrinsic value.

Some of our projects include; a weekly farmers market, community garden, supporting local food production, creating opportunities for people to come together to play, share information and skills (for example our Time Bank and annual festivals), the initiatives continue to grow!

The PL model is attracting interest both nationally and internationally and we are happy to share what we’ve learned.

Projects 2012

The Community garden

Growing people, growing community, growing food! The Community Garden operates on a sweat equity basis – turn up, garden and take some veg for your time. Gardeners regularly meet on a Wednesday for a morning’s hard work and a shared lunch. We have chickens and fruit trees, a green house, there are wonderful organic veggies and plenty to be shared. There are weeds too, the paths nearly always need hoeing but it’s a haven where everyone’s time is valued and we all learn as we go!

The Earthquake Fund

After the earthquakes many people showed their support for our community by donating money. Through a donate button on our website and other donors we collected money and created the Project Lyttelton Earthquake Fund. A diverse group of residents offered to be on the committee to assess the applications and the committee met every month. Applications were invited from the Lyttelton Community for community focused initiatives and projects. More than $30,000 has been distributed to date.

The Farmers Market

The Lyttelton Farmers Market is on every Saturday from 10-1pm. Stall holders sell everything from local organic fresh fruit and veg to bread, locally smoked eels, hand crafted cheeses, manuka honey and more. Musicians lively up the morning whilst locals, Cantabrians and tourists shop, browse and generally make a great hustle and bustle! The market is a great way to get local food to local people but also is a significant economic boost for the town, attracting visitors who then also spend time and money in the township.

The Food Security Project

We are embarking on a journey to develop a local food production base & network that will help meet the dietary and nutritional needs of our community. We are setting up a weekly barter market for residents to exchange their own produce, developing a programme of educational events and courses and exploring Community Supported Agriculture possibilities in the area.

Festivals

The Winter Festival of Lights is a week-long celebration with local events and activities and a huge street party with fireworks, masked parade, food and stage with local bands, performers and musicians.

In the past we have also run summer street parties and a festival of walking. These have been cancelled with the earthquakes but we hope to re-develop our festival programme in the future.

Garage Sales

Every Saturday the garage doors open and a treasure trove revealed to the world. Volunteers arrive, donated goodies are brought out and arranged, and customers visit, browse, chat, laugh and shop. Every penny of the money goes directly to support community groups in the Lyttelton Harbour. The sales can be booked by a Community group as a fundraiser – they arrive with their own volunteers, manage the sale between 10am and 1pm, pack it away and keep all the proceeds for their cause. We raised more than $8500 last year with proceeds going to 9 different community initiatives. We plan to build on this in 2012 and have recently started a Thursday afternoon opening.

Lift Library

In partnership with Living Economies we have the LIFT (Living economies, Inspiration, Facts, Transition) library of over a hundred books available to borrow. Topics include economics, the transition movement, alternative currencies, sustainability and community development. Book groups, written summaries and tea and discussions with the voluntary Librarian are all developing as part of this new initiative.

Lyttelton Time Bank

Time Banking is a way of trading skills in a community. It uses time, rather than money, as the measurement tool. Members of a Time Bank share their skills with other members within the community and are given time credits for the work they do. With the credits they gain, each member can ‘buy’ someone else’s time, and get the service they need. Lyttelton Time Bank has over 400 members (about 10% of the population) who collectively trade upwards of 300 hours a month.

TBANZ (Time Banking Aotearoa New Zealand)

We have launched a National Time Banking movement to help foster and promote the development of Time Banking across New Zealand. The first ever Time Banking Conference or Hui was held in 2011 with over thirty people attending from around NZ. A website and forum have been launched and continue to grow.

Evolving with the Times (Timebanks for Not-for-Profit organisations)

The interactive workshop will consider the potential role of timebanking for Canterbury community organisations and their members as we look to move forward in the constantly changing operational and funding environment.

This is an opportunity for your group to be a trailblazer as we explore collectively how we may be able to use timebanking in your community and for not-for-profit groups.

The workshop will be jointly presented by Margaret Jefferies, Chair of Project Lyttelton, the community organisation that holds the Lyttelton Time Bank.    Lisa Cardosi is the Timebank Co-ordinator.

Date:              Wednesday, 15 February
Time:              9.00 am to 12.00 pm            (Morning tea provided)
Venue:            Conference Room YMCA, 12 Hereford Street. 

Limited on-site parking, metered on-road parking available.

Registration form available from Carolynn Hull, mail@justdollars.org.nz or Ph 03-366-9978 or 027-2100-676

Welcome Bags

New comers to Lyttelton can expect a warm welcome. We produce a welcome bag that consists of a handmade cloth bag containing: local information leaflets, Lyttelton map, bus and ferry time tables and some home baking! These are put together and hand delivered to new residents by a team of volunteers.

Contact : Project Lyttelton, office@lyttelton.net.nz or Ph 03 3289243