So the turnout at the launch of the Brixton Pound - the UK's first complementary currency specific to an urban neighbourhood - is an awesome sign of how important these initiatives are in tough times. (treehugger.com)
Outside crisis situations, complementary currencies and near currencies have a primary role in promoting symbolic identification with a community and its local economy. (steadystatemanchester.net)
The complementary currency itself has declined in importance over the period while levels of overall consumption of goods and services have increased (although it is unclear whether the recent digitisation is to change this) A detailed study (steadystatemanchester.net)