Untitled Document

Mornington Grove

Community

	Information about us
	The houses We have a pair of large semi-detached houses which are over 150 years old, and grade II listed. A new extension connects the two houses at the back and provides a lovely sunny communal space. Each house has 7 bedrooms for members, plus a guest room, kitchen, living room, bathroom, shower room & 2 toilets. We also have a communal tool room, a food store, networked access to the internet, gardens, bike/woodshed and a conservatory.
	Who we are There are currently 11 adult members aged c.25-55 and two small children. Membership is diverse and varies over time. We are men and women, currently bi- and hetero-sexual, one couple live together in the community and others have partners elsewhere. We are involved in a wide range of work: theatre, community development, teaching, design, computing, office & museum work, and study.

	Ethos
	There is no defined ideological focus. We could loosely be described as greenish, leftish and feminist but our main common commitment is to communal living and working by consensus. The community is vegetarian and non-smoking.
	Structure Legally we are a fully-mutual housing coop with formal rules, but we also have the community way of doing things. All decisions are made by consensus. Community meetings held fortnightly on Sunday nights, alternately for business issues (such as finance and maintenance) and socials. Social/relationship meetings provide an opportunity for us to gather and address wider concerns relating to community life. Every member takes on a share of the work needed to run the community. Each household also meets once a month to discuss house things, such as cooking, cleaning and the use of communal house space. One house eats together regularly.

	The Community year
	January: making sure all financial records are up to date February: doing the accounts and submitting them for audit March: advertising for new members April: doing the annual budget, setting the rent, community jobs meeting May: community weekend away June: midsummer party July or August: lots of people away, so no business meetings September: welcome back meal for community December: midwinter meal for community and partners

Finance and food

The community’s projected expenditure is assessed each year, and an average rent is calculated from this. Rent is paid monthly and covers the mortgage, water, gas, electricity, telephone rentals (but not calls), internet access, repairs and all other overheads.

Shopping for food is done by everybody and organised within each household. We have standard charges for each meal eaten in the community, and a monthly charge to pay for tea and toilet paper etc. There is an agreed list of what foods we do and don’t buy for the community.