History

Transition Streets was created in 2009 by Transition Town Totnes (TTT). In the first phases of the project around 500 households in Totnes cut an average of £570 from their annual household bills and 1.3 tonnes from their carbon footprint. Around 38% of them -  homeowners, tenants, community living and sheltered housing residents - had low disposable incomes. The project went on to inspire similar projects all across the UK and in 8 other countries, with TTT providing a support package for other communities and inspiring what is now a well-established Transition Streets programme in both the U.S. and Australia. Following a recent relaunch of the project in Totnes and a lot of interest from across the UK we are now planning to roll it out more widely. Check out our Crowdfund campaign here.

Transition Town Totnes

Transition Town Totnes (TTT) is a community-led and run local charity that exists to strengthen the local economy, reduce our environmental impact, and build our resilience for a future with less cheap energy and a changing climate.We are a grassroots organisation, run by a collection of local volunteers with a small staff team, who come together to work on projects. Anyone can get involved.Our projects and groups are ever-changing and evolving, and we always welcome new ideas. Our work ranges from increasing low impact affordable housing, sharing skills, creating livelihoods, reducing energy costs and carbon emissions, growing our local food economy and working in partnership with other local projects.

Ruth Leonard-Williams

Project Manager

Ruth manages the Transition Streets project. Her background is in community engagement around the issues of climate change and low impact living and trying to support and motivate people in ways that are creative, positive and inspiring. She lives in Ashburton with her family and is part of a land share cooperative.

Ruth Leonard-Williams

Ruth manages the Transition Streets project. Her background is in community engagement around the issues of climate change and low impact living and trying to support and motivate people in ways that are creative, positive and inspiring. She lives in Ashburton with her family and is part of a land share cooperative.

Project Manager

Ruth Leonard-Williams

Ruth manages the Transition Streets project. Her background is in community engagement around the issues of climate change and low impact living and trying to support and motivate people in ways that are creative, positive and inspiring. She lives in Ashburton with her family and is part of a land share cooperative.

Tilly Postlethwaite

Project Assistant

Tilly is a student at the University of York studying Human Geography and the Environment, but is in Totnes currently, undertaking an Internship . . Before university, Tilly took a gap year, and she experienced community projects in three voluntary placements working with children in Nepal, India and Indonesia.

Tilly Postlethwaite

Tilly is a student at the University of York studying Human Geography and the Environment, but is in Totnes currently, undertaking an Internship . . Before university, Tilly took a gap year, and she experienced community projects in three voluntary placements working with children in Nepal, India and Indonesia.

Project Assistant

Tilly Postlethwaite

Tilly is a student at the University of York studying Human Geography and the Environment, but is in Totnes currently, undertaking an Internship . . Before university, Tilly took a gap year, and she experienced community projects in three voluntary placements working with children in Nepal, India and Indonesia.

Guy Erlacher-Downing

TTT Coordinator

Born and raised in Totnes, Guy is passionate about working in the community. He has been involved in TTT since 2018, most recently volunteering with Transition Streets, before taking the role of Coordinator. He lives in the off-grid community ‘Landmatters’ and loves growing food, writing music, and wandering Dartmoor.

Guy Erlacher-Downing

Born and raised in Totnes, Guy is passionate about working in the community. He has been involved in TTT since 2018, most recently volunteering with Transition Streets, before taking the role of Coordinator. He lives in the off-grid community ‘Landmatters’ and loves growing food, writing music, and wandering Dartmoor.

TTT Coordinator

Guy Erlacher-Downing

Born and raised in Totnes, Guy is passionate about working in the community. He has been involved in TTT since 2018, most recently volunteering with Transition Streets, before taking the role of Coordinator. He lives in the off-grid community ‘Landmatters’ and loves growing food, writing music, and wandering Dartmoor.

Jem Friar

Transition Streets Facilitator

Jem is a Wellbeing and Resilience Coach and an author. He has been working with several councils and community climate emergency groups since 2019 and is actively involved with setting up the Totnes Climate Hub. He is passionate about helping local communities to respond more quickly and effectively to the challenges of climate and ecological breakdown.  www.jemfriar.com

Jem Friar

Jem is a Wellbeing and Resilience Coach and an author. He has been working with several councils and community climate emergency groups since 2019 and is actively involved with setting up the Totnes Climate Hub. He is passionate about helping local communities to respond more quickly and effectively to the challenges of climate and ecological breakdown.  www.jemfriar.com

Transition Streets Facilitator

Jem Friar

Jem is a Wellbeing and Resilience Coach and an author. He has been working with several councils and community climate emergency groups since 2019 and is actively involved with setting up the Totnes Climate Hub. He is passionate about helping local communities to respond more quickly and effectively to the challenges of climate and ecological breakdown.  www.jemfriar.com

Nick

Transition Streets Facilitator

Nick grew up on the edge of Dartmoor where he still loves walking and adventuring. He has lived in Totnes for 10 years, was involved in setting up the Totnes Community Bookshop and currently volunteers with the Totnes Bike Hub and Totnes Climate Hub. He has two small children with bags of energy who love singing and cycling, climbing and camping and days at the beach!

Nick

Nick grew up on the edge of Dartmoor where he still loves walking and adventuring. He has lived in Totnes for 10 years, was involved in setting up the Totnes Community Bookshop and currently volunteers with the Totnes Bike Hub and Totnes Climate Hub. He has two small children with bags of energy who love singing and cycling, climbing and camping and days at the beach!

Transition Streets Facilitator

Nick

Nick grew up on the edge of Dartmoor where he still loves walking and adventuring. He has lived in Totnes for 10 years, was involved in setting up the Totnes Community Bookshop and currently volunteers with the Totnes Bike Hub and Totnes Climate Hub. He has two small children with bags of energy who love singing and cycling, climbing and camping and days at the beach!

Jill Lewis

Transition Streets Facilitator

Jill taught literature for most of her working life, while also being involved in a wide range of youth HIV awareness projects. She has a son, daughter and three small grandchildren. She is active with Beyond Borders Totnes & District and has been passionately involved in climate issues in recent years. She has lived in Totnes since 2002. Her street was involved in the first TTT Streets project – and she loved it.

Jill Lewis

Jill taught literature for most of her working life, while also being involved in a wide range of youth HIV awareness projects. She has a son, daughter and three small grandchildren. She is active with Beyond Borders Totnes & District and has been passionately involved in climate issues in recent years. She has lived in Totnes since 2002. Her street was involved in the first TTT Streets project – and she loved it.

Transition Streets Facilitator

Jill Lewis

Jill taught literature for most of her working life, while also being involved in a wide range of youth HIV awareness projects. She has a son, daughter and three small grandchildren. She is active with Beyond Borders Totnes & District and has been passionately involved in climate issues in recent years. She has lived in Totnes since 2002. Her street was involved in the first TTT Streets project – and she loved it.

Barry Cohen

Project Support and Facilitator

Since retiring from healthcare regulation in 2018, Barry has tutored maths, been involved with Extinction Rebellion, and currently plays bass with Devon Afrobeat Collective & in the Holly Ebony Band. In November 2021, he joined TTT as a part-time office manager and is now developing his project support role, initially with the relaunch of Transition Streets.

Barry Cohen

Since retiring from healthcare regulation in 2018, Barry has tutored maths, been involved with Extinction Rebellion, and currently plays bass with Devon Afrobeat Collective & in the Holly Ebony Band. In November 2021, he joined TTT as a part-time office manager and is now developing his project support role, initially with the relaunch of Transition Streets.

Project Support and Facilitator

Barry Cohen

Since retiring from healthcare regulation in 2018, Barry has tutored maths, been involved with Extinction Rebellion, and currently plays bass with Devon Afrobeat Collective & in the Holly Ebony Band. In November 2021, he joined TTT as a part-time office manager and is now developing his project support role, initially with the relaunch of Transition Streets.

Hilary Bee

Transition Streets Facilitator

Hilary Bee

Transition Streets Facilitator

Hilary Bee

Wendy Stayte

Street Support (trees & gardens)

Wendy is happy to mentor any group interested in greening their street or tree planting. She is a retired doctor and psychotherapist, and more recently community gardener. This has included the restoration of a nearby 65-acre estate through edible gardening and tree planting. Now she focuses more on planting native trees and enabling more wildlife in our town.

Wendy Stayte

Wendy is happy to mentor any group interested in greening their street or tree planting. She is a retired doctor and psychotherapist, and more recently community gardener. This has included the restoration of a nearby 65-acre estate through edible gardening and tree planting. Now she focuses more on planting native trees and enabling more wildlife in our town.

Street Support (trees & gardens)

Wendy Stayte

Wendy is happy to mentor any group interested in greening their street or tree planting. She is a retired doctor and psychotherapist, and more recently community gardener. This has included the restoration of a nearby 65-acre estate through edible gardening and tree planting. Now she focuses more on planting native trees and enabling more wildlife in our town.