Stroud Commons now has a website – stroudcommons.org. Please tell anyone you know in Stroud about us.

We’ve got a few public events coming up, which we’ll blog about; and we’re also talking with people around the country (and in other countries) who’d be interested in doing similar things in their communities.

There are various ways that people can get involved.

Members of specific commons groups

We’re putting together groups of people who are interested / have skills and experience in specific sectors of the economy. For example we’re talking with people with experience in water supply, energy, land, housing and education. We’re looking for others to join them, and to launch groups interested in commoning other sectors, such as transport, health, social care, broadband, food – ultimately, everything.

We’re working with commons specialists who will come to Stroud to run co-design sessions with these groups, and to offer advice in providing finance for developing commons infrastructure in those sectors, and to bring existing infrastructure into the commons.

Investors

First, we’re looking for investors in the housing commons – people with some savings – maybe a pension, maybe a deposit for a house – but who realise they’re not actually going to be able to buy a house, and who don’t trust the banks and pension funds, in terms of a) what they’ll do with the money, and b) whether they’re secure.

Instead, you can invest your money in your community, to help build commons, community-owned housing – local bricks and mortar (so totally secure). Later, you could have a portfolio of investments in commons energy, water, social care, food, housing etc. that will represent a real, inflation-proof pension, based in community, not owned by banks or pension funds.

We have several people interested in investing over half a million pounds in total, and homeowners interested in putting their house into the commons, in exchange for ‘rent-credit obligations‘, that can provide secure savings / pension.

Small business owners

Members of business networks who might be interested in a credit clearing / mutual credit scheme.

Contact us if you might be interested in any of the above.

List of articles about building the commons in Stroud.