LETS go! Exmouth LETS to launch on Thursday 5 August

By TheGreenMan | Wednesday, July 28, 2010, 11:02

EXMOUTH LETS – an innovative cashless barter system for goods and services – launches this evening (Thursday 5 August).

Exmouth LETS will bring cash-free bartering to the town
You can sign up to Exmouth LETS at the launch party

An application for start-up funding was recently approved by the town council’s finance committee. Work has begun on an interactive website that will enable LETS members to manage their own accounts. Membership application forms will be ready soon, with a directory of goods and services to follow.

To celebrate, a launch party is to be held tonight (Thursday 5 August) at The Famous Old Barrel, Princess Street, Exmouth EX8 1JA (London Inn car park) with live music from the Paul Strange Quartet and GSG. It starts at 8pm, entrance is free, with a fundraising collection for Exmouth LETS.

An application for funding the system's start-up costs has just been rubber-stamped by the Town Council’s finance committee. Most of the £1,000 grant will be spent on creating a sophisticated interactive website that will allow Exmouth LETS members to manage their own accounts online.

A lifeline for families struggling with the economic downturn and an effective way to rebuild local resilience, LETS (Local Exchange Trading Systems) allow members to pool their skills and resources by trading goods and services without spending money. Instead of pounds and pence, the Exmouth system will use its own currency – the Cockle. To ensure equality, all services will be valued at the same hourly rate.

“LETS groups are working well elsewhere in the country and around the world, where thousands of communities operate similar systems,” says Delia Pemberton, Chair, Exmouth LETS. “There are over 450 LETS currently operating in the UK, and more than 40,000 people are actively involved in cash-free trading. It’s a fantastic way to source the goods and services you need by offering skills you enjoy using. It’s also brilliant for making new friends and bringing the community closer together.

“Membership is open to all Exmouth residents aged 18 or over, and organizations such as schools, churches, clubs and societies, small businesses and community groups are also welcome to join. We believe Exmouth is a great place to live, and LETS has enormous potential to benefit our town. So… LETS make it happen!”

Exmouth LETS is a non profit-making group, but members will be asked to pay a small subscription fee of £5 per year to cover administration costs. If you’re interested in joining Exmouth LETS, come along to the launch party this evening. If you can't make the launch, email Delia at exmouth.lets@yahoo.co.uk to join. In addition, you can find out more about LETS at an Allotment Open Day in Exmouth on Sunday 15 August (10am-12 noon). More details from Craig: cj.ttexmouth@btinternet.com (07777 670473).

Exmouth LETS is affiliated to Transition Town Exmouth.

For more about TTE, go to Transition Town Exmouth

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Comments

Hi Coastal Mummy. The Exmouth LETS email address should work. Check that you have a dot between exmouth and lets. (exmouth.lets@yahoo.co.uk)
If it's the correct email address and the email is still undeliverable, go to the Transition Town Exmouth site, and then to the LETS page.
http://tinyurl.com/2f9xwjd
http://tinyurl.com/2f9xwjdgroups/lets/
If these links don't come through on this reply, Google Transition Town Exmouth. Once you've got the site up, go to the LETS page from there. There are more contact details on that page.

By TheGreenMan at 08:20 on 09/08/10
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Hi Green Man. I emailed Delia at the address above but it came back as undeliverable. I'm interested in getting involved. Is there another email address or phone number?

By CoastalMummy at 22:46 on 08/08/10
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Thank you! I'm going to have a think about what I could offer and will definitely mention it to friends and family. My cousin-in-law bakes incredibly delicious and beautifully decorated cup cakes and celebrations cakes - she might be interested.

By Rockwell1 at 15:08 on 05/08/10
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Hi! Well, we have all kinds of stuff - homebaked bread, pottery, allotment veg, childcare, dog walking, PA equipment hire... all of which will go into a Directory which will be available shortly. The system will get under way properly in a few weeks' time, when our website goes live, as this will allow people to update their offers and requests as often as they like, and to manage their Cockles accounts online.
You could certainly request a man (or woman) and van to come and pick up your rubble - if someone responds, you would pay them for their time in Cockles, and for their fuel and any disposal fee in cash. (Members cannot charge cash for their services, and all work is costed at 10 Cockles an hour. They can, however, ask for any out-of-pocket expenses such as material and travel costs to be reimbursed in cash.)
When your rubble has been collected, you simply log on to the password-protected website and credit the appropriate number of Cockles to the provider's account - they will be debited automatically from yours. The provider can spend their Cockles on whatever they like, and you can earn Cockles doing whatever you enjoy.
If you like to walk, offer dogwalking, if you do a weekly supermarket run, offer to pick up shopping for someone who can't get out, if you're home in the daytime, offer to wait in for tradespeople, if you like to bake, make some extra cakes... really, the only limit is your imagination! You may want to offer your services on a regular basis, or just now and then - it's up to you. And remember - your account doesn't need to be in credit before you start spending - it's commitment to the system that makes a LETS work.
If you'd like to know more, contact Exmouth LETS on exmouth.lets@yahoo.co.uk, and we'll be happy to help.

By TheGreenMan at 14:28 on 05/08/10
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A fantastic idea and I really hope it works. What services and goods are already signed up for the launch, as an example? Is it expected that it will take off really quickly? Are local tradesmen likely to use it - eg. if I could get someone to pick up a huge bag of rubble from outside my front door, from some building work we did, what sort of thing could I offer in exchange? Would I have to offer it to the same person who does the collection for me, or would he just earn cockles to use in any way he wants to? How would I pay him in cockles? Sorry, just want to be clear about how it works as I can't get to the launch tonight.

By Rockwell1 at 12:01 on 05/08/10
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