THE POLITICAL IDEA OF A NORTHERN POWERHOUSE IS GROWING BUT WHAT IS ITS PURPOSE? WHAT’S OUR RESPONSE? HOW DO WE BENEFIT?
How can we shape our local Northern economics using grassroots projects, networks and ideas to inspire collective action & economic resilience?
Join some of the UK’s most enterprising individuals and organisations for a day of discussion and planning on how WE shape the future economy of the northern powerhouse.
9:30am – WELCOME
10am – Chairman’s opening: Stephen Armstrong journalist (the Guardian, Sunday Times, Elle, GQ, Wallpaper) and author – The Road to Wigan Pier, Revisited
David Fernandez-Arias, Greater Manchester Referendum Campaign for Democratic Devolution
Setting a new economic scene – “The Northern Powerhouse” – What does it mean for local people and economies? What are the opportunities? Threats.
Laura Outhart, Transition Network
REconomy – creating new livelihoods and developing new ways of providing essential goods and services is the essence of a resilient local economy. Hear how other groups are already running projects & enterprises and learn the practicalities of creating your own.
Pam Warhurst, Incredible Edible, Todmorden
The local food economy – Incredible Edible is becoming a worldwide brand. Learn how the incredible Pam Warhurst did it back then, and keeps doing it now.
11:00 – 11:15 Questions
11:15 – 11:30 Coffee Break
Kath Godfrey, Positive Money
Positive Money – A new economic model for the country? What can we do to help at a local level?
Professor Mark Burton, Steady State Manchester
Regional Currency/Innovative Technology Platforms – What is the “Manchester Social Platform” and what are “Community Loyalty Points”? Mark Burton describes a new initiaitive that is under development.
Donna Hall, Chief Executive Wigan Council
Mission Impossible? Battered by funding cuts of more than £100m since 2010 and with another £60m to go, how is it possible for a council to stimulate and sustain a local economic recovery? Donna Hall explains “The Deal”.
12.15am – COLLECTIVE WISDOM: Open forum and questions to panel – Questions from everyone, to everyone
12.45pm – LUNCH & NETWORKING
1.45pm – Stephen Armstrong
The Road FROM Wigan Pier – where does it lead? Stephen will set the scene for the afternoon session, inspire collective action and push for a clarity of goal outcome that we can all walk away with at the end of the day
2pm – Introduction to the afternoon sessions
Purpose – work with others to explore ideas sparked by the morning sessions. How could these work in the NW, what are the next steps needed?
How it will work? – groups of up to 10 people around a table with a leader / facilitator. Groups will be asked to capture three key opportunities and three key challenges related to the idea they are exploring. A scribe will be allocated to capture these.
A few pre-determined world cafe sessions will be hosted by the mornings speakers to dive deeper into the opportunities, and guests will be invited to lead their own sessions if they would like to do so.
2.15pm – World cafe sessions
Session A: Mark Simmonds – Building a Transition Enterprise – from beer mat to business plan
Session B: Debate with Donna Hall, Chief Exec of Wigan Council – “Devloution and The Wigan Deal – what’s in it for you? How could it be used to stimulate Wigan’s local economy and how could it be exported beyond Wigan’s boundaries as revenue-producing service that community-based organisations might profit from?”
Session C: Mark Burton Mark will ask participants to challenge the possibility of a “non-monetary exchange system to promote community action and share resources that would otherwise be wasted.”
Session D: tbc
Session E: tbc
Session F: tbc
3.15pm – Tea Break
Round table trouble-shooting to sort out the smaller problems; the Big Nettles to grasp will be identified and parked
3.30pm – Sharing of opportunities and challenges identified by each group, then discussion with morning panellists of how to tackle some of the common key challenges
4.15pm – Stephen Armstrong
What we need to do today; tomorrow; and over the next six months – summary of next steps
4.30pm – Thankyou and goodbye
(Free creche facilities are available if pre-booked)
- When
- Saturday, February 6, 2016 from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM (GMT) – Add to Calendar
- Where
- Academy of Live and Recorded Arts (ALRA) – The Mill at the Pier. Trencherfield Mill. Heritage Way, Wigan WN3 4BF GB – View Map
