Wairarapa TimeBank has just become a member of the Wairarapa Green Dollar Exchange. This will allow us to tap into the great range of goods, skills and services that the exchange offers and also enable us to pay for this using their virtual currency. The Exchange has been operating locally for well over 20 years and with their resources now more available to us our TimeBank should benefit greatly.
The Green Dollar Exchange has also just become a member of our TimeBank. We are confident that by being members of each others group both organisations will benefit. Also as most of our current members are also members of Green Dollars mutual membership will add other options of exchange especially where goods are concerned.
Now that we have completed our limited software trial new members are now welcome to open an account and join us. However due to the limited membership support available it is recommended that only those who are; self-starters, familiar with the concept of timebanks, friends with an existing member, competent with website navigation and have ready access to the internet should join at this time.
To open an account go here http://wairarapa.timebanks.org/
With the help of our foundation members we have been able to thoroughly compare the two most popular on-line TimeBank websites. While CES (Community Exchange System) was more comprehensive and easier to administrate most members preferred the cleaner, simpler and less cluttered CW (Community Weaver).
The accounts on CES will shortly be locked so all exchanges can only be entered on Community Weaver. CW costs US$25 per year to use and it is hoped the cover this with either sponsorship or joining fees.
We thank all members who participated in this trial and encourage them to visit CW frequently to view and update offers and wants.
Despite several months of trying to recruit further members to the steering committee (in order to have the core group required to effectively run our timebank) no new members have joined. Now, due to other commitments, Antoinette and Stephanie have reluctantly decided to resign from the committee. As this only leaves Hayden as the sole member the committee is now in recess.Antoinette and Stephanie will stay on as ordinary members, bank account signatories and are happy to be Trustees when our legal documentation is completed.Hayden McGrail is now the sole voluntary coordinator and contact person. He is happy to keep things "ticking along" but can only provide limited support to prospective and existing members.If you are seriously interested in joining and restarting the steering committee then write to us at wairarapa.timebank@gmail.com.
For those wondering what skills or services they can offer to do for other members of our TimeBank we have added a comprehensive list of ideas.
You can view the list here.
A directory of NZ Timebanks is available here.
The prices of Cahn’s book and Money
Fix are both heavily reduced in
Living Economies sale – ending
24th May.
