Time Banks

Here's a problem:
Mary loves baking, hates gardening.
Peter misses his mum's cooking now she's passed on.
Fred doesn't mind gardening, but hates ironing.
Betty loves ironing, hates wall-papering.
Peter happens to be quite good at wallpapering.

On Friday I attended a "Time Banking" seminar at Chicksands, hosted by Central Bedfordshire Council. Here's what happens: you volunteer an hour of your time to help someone, and get a credit of one hour in the time bank. When you need something done, you go to the time bank and prevail upon the skill that someone else has.

So, Mary does some baking for Peter. Mary's time bank credit 1 hour. Peter is debited 1 hour.
Peter does 3.5 hours wallpapering for Betty. Peter's time bank 3.5 - 1 = 2.5 hours; Betty is -3.5 hours.
Fred does 3 hours of gardening for Mary. Fred's credit 3 hours. Mary is now +1 -1 = 0
Betty does Fred's ironing for one hour. Betty now has -2.5hours. Fred now has 2 hours credit.

 A free software programme works out the balance of time for you. If you've got lots of credit, why not link up with another time bank in Cornwall, and get some free instruction on surfing? Or maybe you'd like to gift this time to mother for Mothers Day?

 Find out more at http://www.timebanking.org.uk