Just a quick note to say that there probably won’t be many blog posts on the site over August as the Core Group are having a month off meeting while people are off on their Summer holidays, but we hope you’ll keep trading over the Summer and please keep sending us your comments and submitting your WANTS and SMALL ADS! : )
Archive for Announcements for Members
Check out our new Frequently Asked Questions page!
We have now added some Frequently Asked Questions to our site to help answer important questions about how LETS works, tax issues as well as links to the Members Agreement which has recently been updated. LETS Rules and our own new Constitution will be published in future too.
This information is already available in print with your joining pack but you may have misplaced yours by now, so now you can access it easily whenever you want online.
LETS Downloads
The following LETS information and forms are available to download below as PDFs (if you haven’t got a paper copy already).
You will need Adobe PDF Reader – if you haven’t got it already get it for free at http://get.adobe.com/uk/reader.
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LETS GET STARTED – INSPIRATION LIST
Many people express difficulty knowing what they can OFFER and what they WANT from their LETS so you can download our Worksheet and Inspiration List to help you, as it is designed to get you thinking about what you can get from your local LETS.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD LETS WORKSHEET & INSPIRATION LIST >>
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LETS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION / RENEWAL FORM
(INCLUDES DIRECTORY ENTRY FORM)
It’s simple to become a member of Dorchester & South Dorset LETS or to renew membership annually. Download the Application Form below and then post it to us when completed along with your payment by cheque as per the instructions on the form to the address provided. This includes the form to enter your Wants and Offers.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD LETS APPLICATION/RENEWAL FORM >>
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LETS MEMBERS AGREEMENT / A GUIDE TO USING YOUR LETS
The Dorchester & South Dorset LETS Members Agreement includes A Guide to Using Your LETS which helps you understand and use LETS. All members agree to accept the Members Agreement by joining/renewing.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD LETS MEMBERS AGREEMENT >>
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LETS CONSTITUTION
The Dorchester & South Dorset LETS Constitution is our governing document. It is reviewed and voted on by our members at our AGMs.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD LETS CONSTITUTION >>
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We’re in the Money!!!
Yes, real ££££££s!!! Dorchester & South Dorset LETS are very pleased to have been awarded a small grant from Dorchester Car Boot Charity. The money must be spent on publicity (leaflets, banners and event venue hiring) and should be spent in full within 12 months. So ‘thank you’ to the car booters of Dorchester and also to LETS member Sally Cooke who is such an expert at tracking down grant-giving bodies and persuading them that we are worthy of their largesse. It should enable us, through publicity, to enlarge our membership even further. We have over 70 members now and are still growing…
LETS Display Boards Available to Borrow
We now have some brand new exhibition boards which explain how our LETS scheme works and are available to be borrowed for any events where LETS can be publicised. If you would like to borrow them please contact Anna Celeste Watson on info@annacelestewatson.com.
LETS Blitz-It Together in 2009
Our new LETS Blitz-It Gang Coordinator Justin Oakley, invites you to join one or more of the LETS Blitz-It Gangs to help people tackle those jobs, big and small, that they either cannot do themselves, put off until another day or just do not have the time for. A job tends to be harder to tackle the longer that it is left. Getting these big jobs out of the way will make people’s lives that little bit more pleasurable, it may even be a turning point in their lives.
- GARDENING GANG
- DECORATING GANG
- DE-JUNKING GANG
- CLEANING/TIDYING GANG
- MOVING GANG
- CAR CLEANING GANG
- SHOPPING GANG
Please phone Justin Oakley on 01305 264543 or 07968 213833 or email JustinGMOakley@Hotmail.Com for more details or to join or book a Blitz-It Gang.
New Core Group Members Wanted!
LETS Core Group Member Vacancies for 2009
In January 2009 we were very happy to welcome Sabine Bale to our Core Group as our new Members Support / Trading Activator.
In April 2009 we were also very pleased to welcome Julie Lloyd to our Core Group as our new Publicity / Promotion Person and in May we now also welcome Justin Oakley as our new Blitz-It Gang Co-ordinator.
We still have the following vacancies in the Core Group as of April 2009:
- Group Co-ordinator (currently being filled by our Events Co-ordinator Katy Murrell)
- Minute Taker for Meetings - would be paid 20 Marts per meeting (to take notes and type up) – there’s no need to join the Core Group officially unless you want to!
If like us, you feel that our LETS is too good a thing to let go to waste, then we would love you to spare us some time by filling one of the above remaining roles, and joining us in our monthly meetings. As a bonus, any members who host the meetings at their home get paid 10 marts and all Core Group members get paid in marts for any time we spend working for the LETSystem.
If you would not like to be an official Core Group member but think you could still help us in some way on occassional work or regular admin tasks without having to attend our monthly meetings, that would be great too!
If you would like to find out more or offer your help, please contact Katy Murrell on (01305) 262253 or email katy@dorchester-lets.co.uk .
Dorchester & South Dorset LETS AGM and Trading Day 2009 (April 4th)
Saturday 4th April 2009, 10am – 5pm
Dorchester & South Dorset LETS AGM & TRADING DAY
At The United Church Hall, South Street, Dorchester
We are currently planning our next Annual General Meeting and Trading Day for Saturday 4th April 2009. It will be open between 10am – 4pm to the public and open 2 hours earlier at 8am for members to set-up. Our AGM will also be held later at 4-5pm for members only.
The AGMs are your opportunity to contribute your ideas and help decide how our LETS is run; to do some trading; to join as a member if you haven’t already, enjoy some entertainment and to meet other members.
We aim to provide more entertainment this year and are more central in Dorchester town so we can invite more of the general public in. Non-members can also trade with LETS members.
We’ll be doing another good quality Clothes Swap Shop, Shared Trading Stalls, a Snack/Tuck Shop (for sterling), and hopefully Entertainment such as Music, Comedy, Demos, Talks etc. If you are a member and would like to provide some entertainment please let Katy know - you will be paid Marts for your time. We are also looking for Artists to display their paintings for an Art Exhibition – they can also be for sale. Katy may even do a Yoga demo with students who are LETS members! All other ideas welcomed! Please contact Katy on (01305) 262253 or email katy@dorchester-lets.co.uk.
Please mark the date in your diary and we hope to see you there! : )
ENTRANCE IS NOW FREE FOR EVERYONE!!!
Dorset LETS Photography Project & Exhibition by Pete Millson
Dorchester & South Dorset LETS are very excited to have been invited to be involved in a project by the amazing photographer Pete Millson, who is a member of the South West Dorset LETS (and as we are also part of the Dorset LETS Network). Pete is planning an exhibition of selected photos from his LETS Project at Bridport Arts Centre in June 2009, and hopefully a book in future too.
We have therefore given Pete a list of our members contacts so expect a call or email from him! He would like to ask your personal permission to come and photograph you. On the Core Group we feel very honoured to be invited and hope many of you will too (although obviously it is your choice!).
Pete says;
“I’m currently involved in photographing members of our local LETS (Local Exchange Trading Systems) group. Rachel and I joined this year and this is a project which should turn out to be an excellent exhibition and possibly even a book… It’s painless and not at all stressful I promise! And, yes, I know you hate being photographed but this should be a great project to show the many and varied people around here who make up this LETS group.”
Have a look at Pete’s blog to see how the project is going and his latest photos for it on http://petemillson.wordpress.com/lets-project. Check out his main website portfolio too on www.petemillson.com - you may spot some other familiar faces there!
Our Web Manager Anna Celeste Watson was the first of the Dorchester & South Dorset LETS members to have her photo taken in January (check out her comments below) – perhaps you’ll be next?!…
LETS 2009 Membership Fee Due for Renewal by April 1st
IMPORTANT NOTE FOR DORCHESTER & SOUTH DORSET LETS MEMBERS:
All existing member’s subs are now due for renewal for 2009. Please make your payment by the deadline of April 1st 2009, including of course those of you who were late in paying renewals and so have only just renewed for 2008. New members who joined on or after October 1st 2008 DO NOT have to renew again until 2010 (so effectively get up to 3 months FREE membership!).
The Individual/Family membership fee for 2009 will remain at £5.00 sterling per year (or £2.50 concessions + 3 Marts) or £8.oo for Businesses. There is also still a charge of 6 Marts every six months (so 12 marts per year / 1 mart per month) which is automatically deducted from your LETS account.
Early Bird Bonus!!!
If you make QUICK PAYMENT of your renewal fee BEFORE April we will add 3 Marts to your account as a thank you (effectively meaning you only pay 9 Marts instead of 12 per year - in the long run!).
Please send your payment to:
Dorchester & South Dorset LETS
Maiden Cottage
Weymouth Road
Martinstown
Dorchester
Dorset
DT2 9JJ
Please make cheques payable to ‘Dorchester & South Dorset LETSystem’.
Alternatively download the Renewal Form below and then post it to us when completed along with your payment by cheque.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD LETS MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL FORM >>
A Note from the LETS Web Manager:
Please note that although the whole point of LETS is to be an alternative and complimentary currency with as little use of sterling as possible – like many members, the LETS System itself does also incur many expenses – for; printing, postage, web development and event venue hiring etc, so we really appreciate your support in paying your annual membership fee to keep things running. If everyone renewed before April it would be a fantastic boost to our Sterling Account and help to pay for costs of our AGM (planned for April) and other trading events, and go towards the Web Development for an Online Members Area through LETSlink UK which we are starting now. We also have other plans to attract more new members which will benefit everyone on LETS, and for LETS Community and Eco Friendly Projects, so we are also applying for Sponsorship and Funding/Grants to pay for more ambitious projects to make our LETS even better!
Dorchester & South Dorset LETS Join LETSlink UK
In Winter 2008, we are pleased to announce that our Dorchester & South Dorset LETS have joined LETSlink UK – the UK’s Local Exchange Trading and Complementary Currencies Development Agency.
The benefits of membership to LETSlink UK include:
- access to their members area
- access to their national discussion forum
- access to their national resource exchange
- an account for intertrading with other UK LETS groups
- reduced attendance fees at regional and national LETS events
- the opportunity to volunteer or vote for regional LETS representatives
- access to general advice documents such as Legal Issues (e.g., Liability and Tax Issues)
- help developing our own Rules and Constitution
- LETSlink also provides web-based systems and development services to member-groups including management advice and technical support and training
We are looking forward to working with LETSlink UK who will implemeting their web system for us so in 2009 we can launch our own full Online Directory with a Members Area so all members can access and update their own Marts account, which is very exciting and will take our LETS into the 21st century!!!
For more information on LETSlink UK visit www.letslinkuk.net.
Some of our LETS Core Group Meeting with LETSlink UK to discuss web development in November 2008
Dorset Community Action – FREE Events & Lunches
LETS Members are invited to attend the DORCHESTER AREA COMMUNITY LUNCHES
Hosted by Dorset Community Action
At the Dorford Centre, Bridport Road, Dorchester
Are you actively involved in your community (if a LETS member then yes!) or do you want to be? Then join DCA’s Community Lunches. A great networking and signposting opportunity – with time to meet and mingle. Enjoy a tasty, hot, home-cooked buffet prepared and served by the team from ‘THE UPPER CRUST’, including gluten free, vegetarian and vegan food.
2009 Lunch Dates:
Thursday 21st May
Thursday 17th September
Thursday 3rd December
If you would like to attend PLEASE CONFIRM YOUR PLACE by contacting Kris Hallett at Dorset Community Action on 01305 216409 or by email at kris.hallett@dorsetcommunityaction.org.uk.
LETS Core Group Members Chris Slade & Jenny Eddison attended the DCA Day on Monday 3rd November 2008 – Article below by Jenny Eddison:
The day was well attended by people wanting to help voluntary organisations and some themselves! It was aimed at the 3rd Sector and commissioning and had organisations such as VOLNET there also. If you don’t know what these are I will explain at the end! I regret to say that most of the day was taken up with this sort of “jargon” which I, personally find very difficult to understand! Why can’t people speak English?
Chris & I were there to do some “networking,” and from that point of view it was fairly successful. LETS members Toni McKee, Julie Pemberton, and new member Paul McIntosh were there. I managed to take some leaflets of organisations that were there, with the idea of sending them Info Packs later. There was a lady who was very interested in the idea of a barter system, from Bournemouth, and turned out to be a funder, so I have her telephone number!
We attended 2 workshops each, which basically were all on different subjects surrounding money, as all other charities there, were worried about it. (But I thought workshops were where you were able to join in and take part)! There was one funny slogan on their projector screen, which no one else seemed to think was funny – “Keep it Personnel to the Organisation,” and there were no jokes made about it! There were a lot of trustees there, most based in offices, and Chris & I wondered with all this talk whether we should be getting Public Liability Cover for LETS (but how would you do that in a garden gang)? You can also go on courses for “Training in Health & Safety” – just let me know if you’re interested.
Anyway, the DCA lady, Kris Hallett, said we could regularly come, once a month, to advertise LETS at a community lunch they have and they will provide display boards for us, as long as we have some laminated publicity to put up. They did have a good lunch there, and for veggies and vegans – anyone interested? You earn Marts for your time.
Apparently the Fire Service lets organisations have space for meetings also – so how about that as a venue for the AGM, and the DCA have copies of leaflets where people can meet?
Oh yes – 3 Sector means voluntary organisations, commissioning means aiming to do, and VOLNET means voluntary networking! Easy really. . . when you know.
ALSO FREE TRAINING DAYS 2009
For full details and a list of upcoming Training Days in 2009 visit DCA’s website – http://www.dorcom.org.uk/DisplayPage.aspx?GroupId=15666&ID=20304.
New Core Group Members Seeked for 2009
LETS Core Group Member Vacancies for 2009
In Winter 2008, our Core Group had gone from a very healthy 9 members to 6 (due to members relocating or having to set-up their own new businesses) and as the success of any LETS is largely dependent on the hard work of the Core Group, we seeked more members to join us.
In January 2009 we are very happy to welcome Sabine Bale to our Core Group as our new Members Support / Trading Activator.
If like us, you feel that our LETS is too good a thing to let go to waste, then we would love you to spare us some time by filling one of the remaining roles below, and joining us in our monthly meetings. As a bonus, Core Group members get paid 10 marts per meeting plus extra marts for any additional time we spend working for the LETSystem (and the Hosts get an extra 10 marts per meeting too!).
We have the following vacancies in the Core Group as of February 2009:
- Events Co-ordinator (Currently being filled by our Group Co-ordinator Katy Murrell)
- Publicity / Promotion
- Minute Taker (for meetings)
Many thanks to Anne Donelan, Patsy Freeman and Simon Jackson for their support during their time on the Core Group and we wish them all well in their new ventures in 2009.
If you would like to find out more or offer your help, please contact Katy Murrell on (01305) 262253 or email katy@dorchester-lets.co.uk .
ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS: YOUR NEWSLETTER AND DIRECTORY WILL NO LONGER BE PRINTED AND POSTED BUT INSTEAD SENT BY EMAIL
In an attempt to cut the sterling postage and printing costs of our LETS System and also to help care for the environment as part of our pledge to have more ‘Green Benefits’, please note that for Winter 2008/2009 we hope that ALL LETS Members will receive their by-monthly Newsletter and 6 monthly Directory by email rather than printed in the post, UNLESS YOU SPECIFY YOU WOULD PREFER TO KEEP RECEIVING BY SNAIL MAIL.
If you do not have or use email or simply prefer NOT to have yours emailed then please contact Jenny ASAP on jenny@dorchester-lets.co.uk or call her on (01305) 889782.
We hope that most of our members will help support us with this aim and understand our reasons for doing so. We will of course still be keeping the Newsletter content as interesting, informative and as in-depth as always, and we also have longer-term future plans to get an Online Directory up on our site with a secure Members Area so watch this space!!!
