September 2025 Activity Report

Highlights

September 2025 was a month of exceptional community activity as members prepared for the Swell Festival in October. The exchange facilitated 174 transactions totaling 4,611 waves across 45-46 active participants, representing an 87% increase in daily activity compared to the summer months.

Community Activity at a Glance

• 174 transactions in 30 days
• 4,611 waves exchanged
• 45-46 active members trading
• 5.8 transactions per day (up from 3.1 in July-August)
• Average transaction: 26.5 waves
• Transaction range: 2 to 480 waves

What We Traded

Transaction Categories

Food & Produce Highlights

Members traded a remarkable variety of local food:

• Lamb: 324 waves (including half-lamb sales and butchering service)
• Vegetables: 120 waves across multiple transactions
• Apples: 55 waves
• Bread varieties: 50 waves
• Jam: 37 waves
• Eggs: 30 waves
• Plus: mackerel, tomatoes, soup, cakes, and more

Services & Activities

• Beach yoga classes: 10+ sessions
• Art therapy & meditation: 6 sessions
• Community singing: 13+ gatherings
• Regional transport & lifts: Supporting members across the North Coast
• Professional services: Photography, translation, IT support, video editing, social media
• Repair services: Bike repair, shoe repair, fence painting, sewing
• Hospitality: House sitting, accommodation

Community Growth

Total Membership: 137 Members

Growth Since 2022:

• 2022: 18 members (founding year)
• 2023: 42 members
• 2024: 27 members
• 2025 (Jan-Oct): 50 new members

September 2025: 6 new members joined

Activation Rate: Approximately 36% of registered members actively trade – this means 1 in 3 members are regularly using the exchange, with many others participating occasionally.

Geographic Reach

The North Coast Community Exchange spans the entire region:

Active Trading Areas

• Portrush: 17 active members (37% of September activity)
• Coleraine: 13 active members (28% of September activity)
• Ballycastle: 7 active members (15% of September activity)
• Cross-border participation: Members from the Republic of Ireland actively trading

Transaction Patterns

• Hyperlocal: Strong neighborhood-to-neighborhood trading
• Regional: Members providing services across multiple towns
• Cross-border: Genuine North-South cooperation

September Stories

Swell Festival Preparation

Community members contributed significant volunteer hours preparing for the October Swell Festival, with festival coordination accounting for 30 transactions. This demonstrates how the exchange recognizes and values volunteer contributions.

Major Community Project

The exchange funded a major interview and video editing project (540 waves total) – the largest single project in NCCE history – creating content for community events and documentation.

Food Security & Local Production

From garden vegetables (2-20 waves) to significant meat purchases (150 waves), the exchange handled transactions at every scale, demonstrating its capacity to support both small producers and substantial local food trading.

Volunteer Recognition

REACH Portrush volunteers contributed 11 sessions worth 230 waves, showing how the exchange supports and values community volunteering.

How We’re Growing

Transaction Size Accessibility

• 47.7% of transactions were under 10 waves (micro-transactions)
• 35.1% between 11-30 waves (small transactions)
• 17.1% larger transactions for substantial services and goods

This distribution shows the exchange works for everyone – from small garden produce swaps to professional services.

Community Investment

The admin account distributed 547 waves net into the community during September, supporting:

• Major content creation projects
• Community organization (meetups, newsletters)
• Donations to local organizations (REACH, Swell)
• Social media promotion
• Volunteer recognition

System Health

Strong Retention

90%+ of summer participants remained active through autumn – no seasonal drop-off

Peer-to-Peer Focus

91% of transactions are direct member-to-member trades, showing community self-sufficiency

Service Diversity

80+ different types of services and goods traded in September alone

Cross-Border Impact

Members from across Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland participate, with some services delivered online

Looking Ahead

Swell Festival (October 9-12)

The NCCE will be highly visible at Swell Festival 2025:

• Documentary screening (Oct 9) – admission in waves!
• Big Lunch (Oct 12) – community buffet with wave-based contributions
• Creative Riot (Oct 12) – NCCE stand for trading and new member registration

We expect October to be our most active month yet, with significant new member recruitment and community celebration.

Join Us

137 members strong and growing!

The North Coast Community Exchange demonstrates that local, community-led economies can thrive. Whether you have vegetables from your garden, professional skills to offer, or simply want to connect with neighbors in a new way – there’s a place for you in this growing network.

What You Can Trade

Anything legal and ethical! From food and crafts to professional services, childcare, transport, repairs, and creative skills. No transaction is too small.

Getting Started

Visit our website to learn more about joining the North Coast Community Exchange and becoming part of this thriving local economy.

September 2025 Community Report – Published October 2025

The North Coast Community Exchange uses the Community Exchange System (CES) platform and trades in “waves” – our local community currency.