Last Saturday TTT hosted Looking Out For Tooting, a workshop designed to ‘celebrate the people and groups that care for Tooting and its future’. 
Members of over 20 local Tooting organisations and groups took part.
See the list of participating groups here, and the invitation here.

We aimed to focus on four areas: 
1. to meet others and make connections
2. to discover and celebrate Tooting’s diversity 
3. to inspire, challenge and encourage us all 
4. to share perspectives, and explore shared priorities for action

What did we achieve together?
By the end of three hours, we had explored Tooting’s positive features and also its challenges, and begun the process of seeing if and how our own priorities are aligned with others..’so the sum could add up to more than the parts’ as one participant said. So, we took an important first step together by acknowledging we can have greater impact together.

We identified several shared objectives, and we recognised that some of these are long-term projects. TTT designed ‘LofT’ exactly for this reason, to provide the space for projects of this scale to start their development. 

Shared ideas included:
> Whole neighbourhood planning to encourage ‘good change’ locally
> Community and school food growing and gardening
> Creating shared community spaces
> Creating a Green Way from Tooting all the way to Clapham Junction

Stained glass light shines on the Green Way group

What was the format of the workshop?
We began the workshop by sharing who was in the room, over 30 individuals representing a rich diversity of neighbourhood groups.
We talked about what makes us well and helps us thrive as humans – referencing the New Economics Foundation’s 5 Ways to Wellbeing – a set of evidence-based actions which promote people’s wellbeing. They are Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Give.  
 

Before heading out into Tooting on four different guided group walks we thought about what we would look for as individuals and as a group – we were given individual or pair ‘secret tasks’ to undertake as we walked.
Details of the four walks we undertook are here, including reflections from each group. We did this on our return, along with much needed tea (thank you Martin!), Tooting samosas and scones bought direct from Devon by Lucy.

Finally we moved on to think about ‘what next’.  
Each participant identified a key priority, and then we grouped around themes emerging from our own observations of the walks, and experience of Tooting

One theme in more detail:
There was a particular focus around local planning and a desire to identify and encourage ‘good change’ in Tooting. The group discussed creating a Neighbourhood Plan (see notes here).

We briefly mentioned current research, including the Royal Society for Public Health’s 2015 report, Health on the High Street.

Participants’ feedback on the workshop
Have a look at the summary workshop feedback here. That’s a powerful list demonstrating tremendous energy to work together for the benefit of Tooting’s people and environment.

Take part in our next Looking out for Tooting workshop
TTT will offer ‘LofT’ again, so we can build up further energy behind local organisations working together. 
Please get in touch if you would like to take part...all welcome.