Timebanks - people matter

At the end of 2014 we saw the launch of Kings Heath Timebank

'Kings Heath Timebank is a skills and time-sharing co-operative set up and run by people who live and work in the Kings Heath area of Birmingham, England. We use time as a currency – so that people can get things done without money.'

A fabulous alternative means of sharing your skills and expertise locally, which could really benefit indiviuals, smaller businesses, everyone, and it doesn't have to cost a penny.

There are, of course, financial reasons to be involved, but there are also social ones, opportunites for 'co-production', and a wonderful means of building a real, co-dependant local community, with all the rather harder to measure, but easy to see, benefits.

It is one of a number of measures recommended by NEF - The New Economic Foundation  :

'The UK's leading think tank promoting social, economic and environmental justice. Our purpose is to bring about a Great Transition – to transform the economy so that it works for people and the planet.'

NEF are politically independent, and have conducted long term and sustained research, making both accurate economic predictions and suggesting measures we can take (both as individuals and collectively) to really transform our economy.

The Time bank is just one of them, and well worth investigating!

Here's my local:

https://www.facebook.com/KingsHeathTimebank