Transition Café

This is a free monthly event series with lively conversations, talks, films, workshops and presentations about all the things we're passionate about to build a great community in our city. It takes place in central Cambridge (or online depending on public health guidance). All welcome. After the event, you are invited to stay to meet like-minded people, network, explore new ideas, and get to know others involved with Transition Cambridge.

Get in touch with Matt if you would like to become part of the Transition Café organisers team; if you would like to suggest a topic for a café evening; or if you have any questions, such as about facilities or access.

Picture from our Café at OtherSyde

Upcoming Transition Café events in 2021

Date and Time Description Booking
Wednesday (tbc)

19:00-20:30

Living in Community: Panel Insights (details below) Booking not yet open
Wednesday (tbc)

19:00-20:30

How Creativity and Imagination Can Solve the Climate Crisis (details below) Booking not yet open
Wednesday (tbc)

19:00-20:30

Car Clubs and Electric Vehicles (details below) Booking not yet open

Living in Community Panel

Wednesday, 19:00-21:00 date tbc

As we look forward beyond the pandemic, we try to see the emergence as an opportunity to motivate real local change.

This session will bring together a panel of people who have experience in living in various modes of intentional community in Cambridge, to share their experience, and to stimulate discussion. This is a great opportunity to explore what living in a more communal state might mean, how it can be more sustainable than nuclear living and how it might offer opportunities for positive wellbeing.

This is a free event.

How Creativity and Imagination Can Solve the Climate Crisis

Wednesday, 19:00-20:30, date tbc

Science tells us that problem solving is at its best when the mind is calm and curious. This workshop explores techniques to prepare our minds for an exploration of how to create the world we want to see: clean air, abundant nature, and healthy, happy lives for all. Drawing on Rob Hopkins' recent book, "From What Is to What if," we will use play, imagination, curiosity and creativity to find our own small solutions to the climate crisis. 

This is a free event.

Car Clubs and Electric Vehicles

Wednesday, 19:00-20:30 date tbc

Transition Cleanwheels is a project to lobby for improved car club provision in Cambridge. Car clubs have the power to remove many old vehicles from the street scene and replace them with just a few up to date, clean, reliable vehicles. They can also begin to change the habits of a lifetime...

CleanWheels will be electrically powered, zero emission at the point of use, but what about emissions from the grid and from vehicle manufacture? Does our society really need cars that can travel 300 miles without stopping? Come to our café night to discuss these questions and hear about our progress.

This is a free event.

Previous Transition Café events in 2020

Date and Time Description
Wed, 8th July

19:00-21:00

Embracing Emotions for True Transition - Going Forth (details below)
Wed, 17th June

19:00-20:30

Doughnut Economics Talk and Discussion (details below)
Wed, 20th May

19:00-20:30

Covid 19 Responses: opportunities and threats (details below)
Mon, 27th April

19:00-20:00

Transition Café Planning Meeting (details below)
Mon, 23rd March

19:00-21:00

Transition Café Reflection & Improvement Meeting (details below)
Wed, 19th February

19:00-20:30

How can we Have Sustainable Holidays and Travel? (details below)
Wed, 22nd January

19:00-21:00

Embracing Emotions for True Transition - Seeing With new Eyes (details below)

Embracing Emotions for True Transition - Going Forth

Wednesday, 8th July 2020, 19:00-21:00, online
The fourth workshop in the series (spread within the Transition Cafe programme) explores emotional responses to the climate and biosphere crisis. Participants can expect a variety of experiences including meditation, pair work, group work, role play, and ultimately the opportunity to connect, release and fundamentally embrace emotions both joyful and painful. This can help galvanise action by first accepting pain and fear in spite of the overwhelming change the world is facing. Each workshop fulfills a full spiral of the 'Work that Reconnects'. This workshop will complete a cycle having started with Gratitude in April 2019: this particular workshop will focus on 'Going Forth'. Returning attendees will get most benefit to complete their work, but newcomers will find it equally easy to join as a standalone event. The work is inspired by environmental activists and eco-psychologists Joanna Macy and Ro Randall.

When attending please be aware that the workshop may bring up difficult emotions. The space is a confidential space: all participants attend with commitment to respecting this agreement.

This is a free event.

Doughnut Economics

Wednesday 17th June 2020 19:00-20:30 online
Transition demands a fresh narrative for our economic life. Oxford economist Kate Raworth has offered the Doughnut model for our enlightenment and Martin Roach will lead a discussion on how we could apply this in the Cambridge context.

Since the neo-liberal narrative is so powerful and deeply rooted in western economies it is helpful to know that change is afoot at a high level. The Wellbeing Economy Governments (WeGo) are questioning the wisdom of growth culture and this ten minute TED talk by Nicola Sturgeon sets the scene for our Cafe evening. There is no obligation to watch the video but it can provide a helpful perspective.

This is a free event.

Covid 19 Responses: opportunities and threats

Wednesday, 20th May 2020, 19:00-20:30 - online event

The lockdown and social distancing required to handle the Covid 19 pandemic has changed our lives in many ways. Many of these are bad but some are good, the most obvious being cleaner air from reduced traffic. It so happens this is good for sustainability as well as our health. Can we identify other changes that have environmental benefits? How can we ensure we don't just go back to the bad old days when the crisis is over? What changes have had other impacts that are not so good? How can these be mitigated? In this online discussion we will share ideas for how to maximise the good that comes out of the crisis, personally and for the environment.

This is a free event.

Transition Café Planning Meeting

Monday, 27th April 2020, 19:00-20:00 - this meeting will be on zoom, please contact Matt to receive the link
Booking: No booking is required. Agenda:

  • Socially connect, check-in
  • Discuss immediate implications of Pandemic on activities of Cafe
  • Discuss longer term aims of the Cafe
  • Create topics and group for events for the rest of 2020

Currently, 10 people are actively involved in the organisation of the Transition Café. If you are interested in helping to keep this wonderful project going, please join us at this planning meeting. We will decide on themes and build small groups for the café nights from July to December 2020. Each of these groups will then organise one event.

Transition Café Reflection & Improvement Meeting

Monday, 23rd March 2020, 19:00-21:00, online
Currently, 10 people are actively involved in the organisation of the Transition Café. For over one year, we hold one café evening each month. This meeting is an opportunity to reflect on the Transition Café in general and to discuss improvement potential. Also people who aren’t involved in the organisation (yet) are very welcome to join - it is always good to have an outside perspective.

How can we Have Sustainable Holidays and Travel?

Wednesday, 19th February 2020, 19:00-20:30 at The Waterman (The Potting Shed in the back of the pub), 32 Chesterton Road, Cambridge, CB4 3AX
Love travel? Love the environment? How can we reconcile the two? This Café evening will explore how we can have more sustainable holidays. We will start with a discussion on the impact of some example holiday destinations, then break into groups to brainstorm and share ideas on how to travel sustainably: what motivates us, what are the good sides, and what are the down sides? We will finally come together to share what we have discussed. Spaces are limited, so please make sure to book on Eventbrite.

This is a free event.

On the Transition Cambridge Blog, you can view a list of tips and links compiled during this event.

Embracing Emotions for True Transition - Seeing With new Eyes

Wednesday, 22nd January 2020, 19:00-21:00 at The Waterman (The Potting Shed in the back of the pub), 32 Chesterton Road, Cambridge, CB4 3AX
Our workshop series (spread within the Transition Café programme) explores emotional responses to the climate and biosphere crisis. Participants can expect a variety of experiences including meditation, pair work, group work, role play, and ultimately the opportunity to connect, release and fundamentally embrace emotions both joyful and painful. This can help galvanise action by first accepting pain and fear in spite of the overwhelming change the world is facing. Each workshop fulfills a full spiral of the 'Work that Reconnects'. We are also mid-way through an annual cycle having started with Gratitude in April 2019: This particular workshop will focus on 'seeing with new eyes'. Returning attendees will get most benefit, but newcomers will find it equally easy to join at any point in the cycle. The work is inspired by environmental activists and eco-psychologists Joanna Macy and Ro Randall.

When attending please be aware that the workshop may bring up difficult emotions. The space is a confidential space: all participants attend with commitment to respecting this agreement.

This is a free event.

Previous Transition Café events in 2019

Date and Time Description
Wed, 20th November

19:00-20:30

Water - Are we Using too Much? (details below)
Wed, 23rd October

19:00-21:00

Climate Justice: Gender, Poverty and Climate Change in Cambridge and Beyond (details below)
Mon, 21st October

19:00-21:00

Transition Café Planning Meeting (details below)
Wed, 18th September

19:00-21:00

Embracing Emotions for True Transition - Honoring Our Pain (details below)
Mon, 16th September

19:00-21:00

Transition Café Reflection & Improvement Meeting (details below)
Wed, 21st August

19:00-21:00

How to Respond to the Climate Crisis? Documentaries Screening + Discussion (details below)
Wed, 24th July

19:00-20:45

How to Make Your Own... Practical, Homemade Tips for a More Sustainable Lifestyle (details below)
Wed, 19th June

19:00-20:45

Globalisation or Localisation? How to Achieve a Fair and Adaptive Global Society (details below)
Wed, 22nd May

19:00-20:30

Sustainable Finance: How do you Make Your Biggest Impact? (details below)
Wed, 17th April

19:00-21:00

Embracing Emotions for True Transition (details below)
Wed, 20th March

19:00-20:30

Discover Transition Cambridge's Farming and Community Gardening Projects (details below)
Wed, 6th March

19:00-20:45

Transition Café Planning Meeting (details below)
Wed, 20th February

19:00-20:30

How to Change the Climate of our Climate Conversations (Workshop) (details below)

Water - Are We Using Too Much?

Wednesday, 20th November 2019, 19:00-20:30 at The Waterman (The Potting Shed in the back of the pub), 32 Chesterton Road, Cambridge, CB4 3AX
Booking: Please make sure to book here.

Download the factsheet here (pdf)

Have you noticed the low flow rates in the River Cam lately? The Environment Agency classified both river flows and ground water levels as exceptionally low through the summer including September. (Perhaps they have improved since.) Granted, we have had below average rain for three years in succession but this is not an exceptional drought. The local Wildlife Trusts and Cam Valley Forum think we are abstracting too much water; they are so concerned they have just launched their River Cam Manifesto calling for all of us to use less water, and other measures. Climate change is likely to make this situation worse.

This is not just a problem for Cambridge. The Chief Executive of the Environment Agency reports in his 'Jaws of Death' speech that all water companies are facing a crisis within the next 20-25 years, with increasing threat of drought and increasing population.

What can we do? The Cambridge Local Plan requires homes in new developments to use no more than 110 litres/person/day. The average Cambridge resident uses 30% more than this! How much do you use?

Today we will have a speaker from Cam Valley Forum to explain their concerns and their manifesto. Plus we will have an ambassador from Anglian Water - because this is not just a Cambridge problem, water is short across the region. We will also discuss water saving strategies we can deploy ourselves, including rainwater harvesting.

This is a free event.

Climate Justice: Gender, Poverty and Climate Change in Cambridge and Beyond

Wednesday, 23rd October 2019, 19:00-21:00 at The Waterman (The Potting Shed in the back of the pub), 32 Chesterton Road, Cambridge, CB4 3AX
Booking: Please make sure to book here.

Climate justice is a term used for framing global warming as an ethical and political issue, rather than one that is purely environmental or physical in nature. A fundamental proposition of climate justice is that those who are least responsible for climate change suffer its gravest consequences.

This cafe will motivate climate justice by exploring how climate change, poverty and gender inequality relate. It will highlight how understanding this interrelatedness may be key to effectively navigating towards a more sustainable future.

Two invited speakers, Susan Buckingham and Sandy McClure, will describe the relevance of climate justice locally - in Cambridge - and internationally. Susan will focus on poverty in Cambridge and how gender and environment strongly relate. Sandy will present global cases for climate justice and efforts that are undertaken by the Global Greengrants Funds to empower local communities.

Susan Buckingham is an independent researcher and consultant on gender and environmental issues, with thirty years experience of academic research, teaching and management, and fifteen years experience of volunteering in women's organisations. Sandy McClure has 20 years of experience in the international development and human rights sector in project management and fundraising roles. She has worked for international NGOs such as Amnesty International, Action Aid, and Progressio. Sandy is now working as the Director Of Philanthropic Partnerships of Global Greengrants Fund, a grassroots organisation that invests in the people who have the most to lose from climate change and who are acting now, actively advocating for increased support of women’s environmental projects.

This is a free event.

Transition Café Planning Meeting

Monday, 21st October 2019, 19:00-21:00 at No. 30 Coffee Shop, 30 Chesterton Road, Cambridge, CB4 3AX
Booking: No booking is required.

Currently, 14 people are actively involved in the organisation of the Transition Café. If you are interested in helping to keep this wonderful project going, please join us at this planning meeting. We will decide on themes and build small groups for the café nights from January to July 2020. Each of these groups will then organise one event.

Embracing Emotions for True Transition - Honoring Our Pain

Wednesday, 18th September 2019, 19:00-21:00 at The Waterman (The Potting Shed in the back of the pub), 32 Chesterton Road, Cambridge, CB4 3AX
Booking: Please make sure to book here.

Our workshop series (spread within the Transition Café programme) explores emotional responses to the climate and biosphere crisis. Participants can expect a variety of experiences including meditation, pair work, group work, role play, and ultimately the opportunity to connect, release and fundamentally embrace emotions both joyful and painful. This can help galvanise action by first accepting pain and fear in spite of the overwhelming change the world is facing. Each workshop fulfills a full spiral of the 'Work that Reconnects'; this particular workshop will focus on honoring our pain for the world. The work is inspired by environmental activists and eco-psychologists Joanna Macy and Ro Randall.

We invite that you come with an open mind, a willingness to connect with others, and open to your own fears and anxieties. It is recommended that if you have recently or are suffering a mental health crisis, you consider carefully if it is the right time for you to attend this workshop. The space is a confidential space: all participants attend with commitment to respecting this agreement.

This is a free event.

Transition Café Reflection & Improvement Meeting

Monday, 16th September 2019, 19:00-21:00 at No. 30 Coffee Shop, 30 Chesterton Road, Cambridge, CB4 3AX
Booking: No booking is required.

Currently, 14 people are actively involved in the organisation of the Transition Café. Since February, we hold one café evening each month. This meeting is an opportunity to reflect on the Transition Café in general and to discuss improvement potential. Also people who aren’t involved in the organisation (yet) are very welcome to join - it is always good to have an outside perspective.

How to Respond to the Climate Crisis? Documentaries Screening + Discussion

Wednesday, 21st August 2019, 19:00-21:00 at The Waterman (The Potting Shed in the back of the pub), 32 Chesterton Road, Cambridge, CB4 3AX
Booking: Please make sure to book here.

We will watch two short documentaries about two different responses to the climate crisis: Firstly, a community who came together to explore and demonstrate a simpler way to live and learn how to live in community. Secondly, action that is being taken on the frontlines by people fed up with the power and pollution of the fossil fuel industry. In a discussion we will explore strengths and weaknesses of both strategies, and find out where we think we fit most.

This is a free event.

How to Make Your Own... Practical, Homemade Tips for a More Sustainable Lifestyle

Wednesday, 24th July 2019, 19:00-20:45 at OtherSyde (The Engineer's House, Museum of Technology), Riverside, Cambridge, CB5 8HN
Booking: Please make sure to book here.

During this café evening, local people will share simple "How to Make Your Own" practical, homemade tips for a more sustainable lifestyle. You will walk away with three recipes each for cleaning products, cosmetics and staple food, which you can test at home.

This is a free event, however there's a suggested donation of £2-3 per person to cover venue hire.

We have put together a booklet with all recipes, which you can download here:

Globalisation or Localisation? How to Achieve a Fair and Adaptive Global Society

Wednesday, 19th Jun 2019, 19:00-20:45 at OtherSyde (The Engineer's House, Museum of Technology), Riverside, Cambridge, CB5 8HN
Booking: Please make sure to book here.

Have you ever wondered if a fair globalisation is possible? Or even questioned the validity of globalisation in our changing societies? This Transition café evening wishes to explore our collective visions for the future, addressing the pros and cons of globalisation, and sharing ideas on how to evolve locally and beyond.

This is a free event, however there's a suggested donation of £2-3 per person to cover venue hire.

Sustainable Finance: How do you Make Your Biggest Impact?

Wednesday, 22nd May 2019, 19:00-20:30 at OtherSyde (The Engineer's House, Museum of Technology), Riverside, Cambridge, CB5 8HN
Booking: Please make sure to book here.

Banking, Investing, Mortgages, Avocado? Join us for a brief presentation and discussion on the impact of our personal finances and how we can make the most drastic gains for sustainability. We will focus on practical steps to make a positive change - NOW.

This is a free event, however there's a suggested donation of £2-3 per person to cover venue hire.

  • Here you can download the slides which were presented during this event.

Embracing emotions for True Transition

Wednesday, 17th April 2019, 19:00-21:00 at OtherSyde (The Engineer's House, Museum of Technology), Riverside, Cambridge, CB5 8HN
Booking: Please make sure to book here.

Our workshop explores emotional responses to the climate crisis. Participants can expect activities that centre around gratitude, and strengthening connections with each other and the Earth as we consider the emotional process involved in affecting personal and social change. This work is inspired by environmental activists and eco-psychologists Joanna Macy and Ro Randall.

This is a free event, however there's a suggested donation of £2-3 per person to cover venue hire.

Discover Transition Cambridge's Farming and Community Gardening Projects

Wednesday, 20th March 2019, 19:00-20:30 at OtherSyde (The Engineer's House, Museum of Technology), Riverside, Cambridge, CB5 8HN
Booking: Please make sure to book here.

Spring is coming! Which means the growing season is getting going too! This café evening is a chance to find out more about Transition Cambridge's farming and community gardening projects - and maybe join in as a volunteer.

  • Cropshare is based at an organic veg farm close to Cambridge, volunteers participate by planting, weeding and harvesting - and enjoy a delicious bring-and-share lunch…More info here.
  • Growing Spaces finds neglected patches of land around the city and transforms them using edible landscaping. More info here.
  • Empty Community Community Garden group meets on a Sunday to tend the garden and work together. More info here.
  • At 'Grow your Own' sessions on an allotment, participants learn how to grow veg - simple! More info here.

This is a free event, however there's a suggested donation of £2-3 per person to cover venue hire.

Transition Café Planning Meeting

Wednesday, 6th March 2019, 19:00-20:45 at the Six Bells Pub (11 Covent Garden, Cambridge, CB1 2HS). If you like, you can get a drink (and food if you're hungry) at the bar. Please join us in the back room.

Currently, 14 people are actively involved in the organisation of the Transition Café. If you are interested in helping to keep this wonderful project going, you can join us at our next planning meeting. On 6th March, we will decide on themes and build small groups for the café nights from July to December 2019. Each of these groups will then organise one event.

How to Change the Climate of our Climate Conversations (Workshop)

Wednesday, 20th February 2019, 19:00-20:30 at OtherSyde (The Engineer's House, Museum of Technology), Riverside, Cambridge, CB5 8HN
Booking: Please make sure to book here.

Why is it sometimes difficult to raise the topic of climate change with family, friends or colleagues? How can we make conversations easier and more fruitful? This workshop provides an opportunity to share thoughts and observations on these topics. We will survey the kinds of opportunities for conversations which may arise - and which of them are most worth pursuing. We will consider the feelings and attitudes, in ourselves and others, which make things stressful. And we will explore the kinds of moves which may put things on a better footing. This workshop is facilitated by Jane Heal. Jane has worked with Cambridge Carbon Footprint for ten years and been a Trustee since 2013. She has lived in Cambridge since 1986 and retired from teaching philosophy at the university in 2012.

This is a free event, however there's a suggested donation of £2-3 per person to cover venue hire.

Our Mission

Transition Cambridge aims to help Cambridge make the transition to ways of life that are more resilient in the face of rising energy prices and a changing climate.

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