Six new groups join Community Climate Action Project
Six new Bristol community organisations will be supported to co-develop their own responses to the climate and nature crises, after joining the Community Climate Action Project learning and mentoring programme.
Shirehampton Community Action Forum, Rising Arts Agency, Bristol Older People’s Forum, Hotwells and Cliftonwood Community Association, One Green Kitchen, and Gloucestershire County Cricket Club & The Next Test will be provided with a £7,750 bursary, a series of free workshops, peer mentoring and resources to co-develop climate action plans with their communities.
Their involvement will see the project expand into more wards across the city and help increase the diversity of people taking part in climate and nature conversations and action in Bristol, following in the footsteps of the 11 community organisations that have already developed community climate action plans.
The Community Climate Action Project puts community leadership at the heart of citywide and local action on climate and inequality. Through the project’s learning and mentoring programme, this new cohort of organisations will learn from community climate leaders who pioneered Bristol’s first community-led climate action plans.
The project is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund’s Climate Action Fund and coordinated by Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership with support from the Centre for Sustainable Energy and Bristol City Council. A range of climate and nature experts from across the city will provide additional support to the new cohort.
‘We are excited to welcome six more communities of place, demography and interest to the community climate action project. By next year there will be 18 community climate action plans for Bristol, helping to ensure the city’s transition to net zero is shaped and informed by diverse community priorities and insights’.
Amy Harrison, Head of Community Partnerships, Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership
All the organisations joining the project are embedded within a specific Bristol community and are committed to going on a climate and nature action journey together.
The focus of their plans will be climate, nature and social priorities developed through engagement with their communities, and it is hoped that the project will inspire and encourage more, and more, diverse people to take local action for climate and nature.
Bristol Older People’s Forum work to promote the rights of older people in the city of Bristol and promote Bristol as an Age Friendly City.
Ian Quaife, Engagement and Development Manager at the Bristol Older People’s Forum says: “We at the Bristol Older People’s Forum are excited about the development of our community climate action plan. We feel that the collective voices of older people should be at the centre of the climate agenda, with a particular focus on decent public transport, tackling food poverty, warm and carbon neutral homes and age- friendly urban environments.”
Shirehampton Community Action Forum are a community development organisation based in North West Bristol. Since 2001, they have worked to improve the local area and the quality of life of all who live, work, and play in Shirehampton.
Community Development Officer Ash Bearman says “We are raring to go! There is so much passion, knowledge and skill in Shirehampton that we are keen to tap into as we develop a community climate action plan. We want to build a plan for all who live and work here, to speak to our local needs and reflect a just transition for Shire.”
Rising Arts Agency are a community interest company (CIC) and not-for-profit creative agency based in Bristol led by young underrepresented creative thinkers. They work with over 100 artists in Bristol who are under 30 to shift the focus and grow inclusivity in the sector.
Sid Boyer, Agency Producer, says “We’re feeling really energised and grateful to be able to dedicate this exciting resource to developing a climate action plan with our community.
Climate justice and a just transition for Bristol are at the heart of many of our community member’s creative practices, we hope this programme will give our creatives hope, tangible action and momentum to keep making their incredible work. Our community can often experience burnout in the face of the climate emergency and this programme will allow us to provide invaluable space for our young people to come together and see they’re not alone in this work.”
Hotwells and Cliftonwood Community Association (HCCA) was set up over 50 years ago to support everyone who lives and works in the neighbourhoods of Hotwells and Cliftonwood.
Anna Haydock-Wilson, trustee of HCCA, said “I am so excited to be part of this amazing cohort of Community Climate Action Project mentees embarking on a learning journey, sharing ideas for working with all our different communities.
I have been a massive fan of this programme since it started and being supported to engage with residents and workers in Hotwells, Spike Island & Cliftonwood will help people feel connected with each other and with others across the city, giving us all confidence to create plans towards social and environmental equity.”
One Green Kitchen run green food and wellbeing hubs in St Pauls, central Bristol and soon in other parts of the city to create welcoming, diverse and inclusive space to connect people, especially women from diverse backgrounds.
Founder Anne Su said “With the vision of ‘having green meals to change the World’s future, One Green Kitchen supports marginalised groups such the elderly and women from less representative communities so that they can be involved in this discussion.
We look forward to working with Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership and taking our mission of food and sustainability and environment to a whole new level as we continue on this journey.”
Gloucestershire County Cricket Club (GCCC) and The Next Test working together to engage with the cricket community on climate issues. GCCC are based just off the Gloucester Road in the Bishopston area. Established in 1870, they were one of the 18 first class County Cricket Clubs in the UK. The Next Test is a solutions-based not-for-profit organisation working to promote and support climate action in cricket.
Neil Priscott, Chief Operating Officer at Gloucestershire Cricket, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be a part of the Community Climate Action Project. At Gloucestershire Cricket we have ambitions to be trailblazers in the world of cricket when it comes to promoting environmental sustainability and are passionate about our goal to achieve Net Zero and inspiring others to follow us on that journey.”
Xeena from The Next Test says: “The Next Test are a growing hub for climate concerned cricketers. We are excited to be a part of the Community Climate Action Project beside some amazing community organisations in Bristol led by Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership. During this project we will be supporting the Gloucestershire County Cricket Club to meet their sustainability goals. Together we will be reaching out to Bristol’s Cricket community at all levels of our game from grass roots to professionals.”
This new cohort of community organisations started the learning and mentoring programme on 1 May and you can follow their journeys via the Partnership’s website and social channels.
Cohort 2 recently launched their plans after a year in the programme. Five organisations from Bedminster, Brislington, Hillfields, Knowle and Southmead developed their new community climate action plans outlining their climate and nature priorities for their local communities.
Read the plans and see how you can help champion inspiring, community-led climate action across our city.
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