Meetin Minutes - Monday 17th August 09

Social Centre meeting minutes 17/08/2009

Agenda:
Go around and name games
Update on the social centre and how we got to where we are.
How we got the space and who it belongs to.
Dan’s message
What has been done.
What still needs done/what do we need.
Funding
Working groups, what to talk about next week.

1. Go around – we had Juliana, Tilly, Omar, Connie, Thomas, Michael, Sam, Dan, Gordy, Johnny, Mila (sorry if I missed you!)

2. Update – lots of this can be found in older records on the website. Basically we have been going since last December trying to work out how to start a social centre from scratch. Some momentum was lost but now we have a space so let’s use it!

3. The Space – we have been given the space on Osborne street on temporary loan by the African and Caribbean Network whilst they wait for full funding to completely fit the place. Now we just need to make it look nice and get folk in it!

4. Dan’s message from Leeds social centre and the melting pot in Edinburgh: their advise was two main things to bear in mind: 1) our ideals 2) hard core infrastructure. Claire who sorted the melting pot is going to come on September the 2nd.

5. What has been done; painted walls and surfaces white, floors cleaned and painted, junk cleared out, bathrooms cleaned.
The electricity works although only plugs nearest the front working and there are very few lights downstairs. The water boiler seems to be working.
Lance is going to go in and check out the plumbing and electricity.

6. What still needs done: strip old paint of walls and roof, clean downstairs, sort out plumbing and electricity, paint floor downstairs, check for asbesdos.

7. What do we need:
The tat list is in the centre, so I can’t quite remember but the main things are:
- furniture, especially couches
- paint
- curtains
- books, magazines
- tool box and tools
- tape, blue tack.
- phone
- Also: bank account, timeline.
We need to work out how folk can phone a number when they see a good item to get it picked up. The idea was to get a phone and that person can be called.
We need to make sure that there’s a good legal document – Pearse is on this (?).
Check out health and safety.
A trip to the landfill was suggested to get loads of stuff.

If anyone is on freecycle then please look out for furniture we need.
Contact other centres including Pearse Institute and Ruckhill Centre.

8. Funding: we need a funding group to work out what avenues there are. There is a funding book to write in when money goes in/out.

9. Working groups: We decided for the initial stages there should be 4 working groups:
1. Building (including tat, decorating etc.)
2. Publicity
3. Funding
4. Constitution/group workings etc.

To talk about next week: workings of the centre initially - how often is it open, roles for people, security - we'll create a list on the blog for next week.

Action points to be done:

Juliana – timeline, freecycle and sofas, posters in window.
Tilly – decoration & painting, constitution.
Omar – constitution.
Connie – to decide later.
Thomas – building, fundraising, equipment.
Michael – finance, funding, Unity centre, possibly constitution.
Sam – funding, decoration, kitchen, speak to his Mum.
Dan – consolidating advice and put in newsletter.
Gordy – publicity, constitution.
Johnny – asbesdos, building, information/publicity.

Next meeting Monday 24th August 7pm.