Welcome to the second edition of What Matters? New England Electorate (WMNEE) Newsletter. We aim to publish one each month to keep you in the loop with our progress.
With the current restrictions Kitchen Table Conversations (KTCs) have slowed, with a number of them being cancelled. However, we are not deterred and will be conducting them by Zoom, with the pilot zoom KTC to be held on 30th July. After that, we should have the protocols for zoom KTCs confirmed, so please contact us, and Bar Finch, our KTC Coordinator will help you get your KTC set up with a facilitator and scribe.
What Matters? recently received good coverage in The Northern Daily Leader and the online Armidale Express. The journalist’s story was rather optimistic about the number of people we wished to include in the KTCs, but maybe we should take this on as a challenge and see how many people we can cover? After all, this could be an upside of the covid restrictions, if we can conduct many more KTCs by Zoom, or when the weather improves, via outdoor gatherings.
If we are to progress this endeavour seriously over the next few months, we really need our members and other interested members of the community from around the electorate to step up and host KTCs and help us with the infrastructure for the Group. Skills in IT and communications are in short supply, so if you know anybody that can assist us, please let us know.
Each month we will provide a brief picture of someone involved in the Group, and this month it is Bar Finch, who as KTC Coordinator is probably the person who is the busiest at the moment.
Member Spotlight — Bar Finch
Bar has lived in Armidale for 48 years, and can’t imagine living anywhere else. Originally a 10 pound Pom, she worked as a town planner and public servant in Sydney and Armidale, and for the last few decades has been a low key designer-maker of fine furniture. She’s a mother and grandmother, has done some hands-on house building, rides a bike around town, and has time for bushwalking. Always energetically engaged in community organisations, Bar edits the Newsletter for the local reconciliation group, Armidale ANTaR, and is involved with Sustainable Living Armidale “I’m volunteering for What Matters? because I think it’s a great opportunity to do democracy better.”
