Clothes swapping to the sounds of a ukulele

Twenty people or more attended the April Trading Day in the Albion Peace Centre on Sunday 15th. This time the theme was a Clothes Swap, and there were many secondhand garments on offer, but also trading was quite varied as usual. Clothing, plants, puzzles and many other items changed hands. Meanwhile Isabelle was busy in the kitchen again (a delicious stir-fry cooking demo – thank you!) and Josephine entertained us with beautiful ukulele music while Simon sang.

Simon also gave a short talk, announcing the work he has done to plot all our members on a map, and discussion followed. The map will make it easier than ever before for active traders to find other members who live close by, and it will facilitate more trades, carpooling and support.

BrisLETS meetings are very social with lots of chatting and catching up. Who else had a problem solved or found out useful information they needed? I know it wasn’t only me. At the event I was lent a “granny tracker”, or that’s what I’m going to call it. I had posted my rather unusual Want on CES and someone in the group came up with the goods as happens so often in this network of helpful and knowledgeable people. (Thank you Jo!)

For my Mum’s 90th birthday celebration on Cockatoo Island we thought a good party game might be for guests to track her movements which also will allow them to catch up with her, whether it be at the Biennale exhibition, snacking in the Heritage Houses or playing games by the foreshore. She doesn’t use a smart phone, so this gadget I have hired should be the solution. She will have a little device to carry in her pocket and we can locate her with our phones.

E stands for “Energy” in BrisLETS, Brisbane Local Energy Trading System, because it is a network of local people who support each other in many and diverse ways.

Alison Bird
Events Team (Assistant)