Community climate celebrations take over the city

A citywide festival will celebrate the action for climate and nature taking place in communities across Bristol.

Led by the Bristol Climate and Nature Partnership, events under the banner of a Fringe Programme will showcase work around food, energy, wildlife and more, hosted by communities including Easton, Hartcliffe, Lawrence Weston and Lockleaze from June 8-22.

At the heart of this programme, a largescale gathering of community groups, businesses and figures from the public sector on June 18 will celebrate the power of community members in leading the charge for a cleaner, greener city.

Ashley Community Housing, which recently celebrated its community climate action plan development with a green crafts workshop, is hosting an open day as part of the celebrations – photo: ACH

As part of the Fringe Programme, Really Wild Lockleaze are holding an RSPB bioblitz around Lockleaze sports centre on June 8.

Attendees will learn how to identify different bird species and can take a tour of the group’s recent improvements for nature in the area that include a wildflower meadow, orchard, pond and wetland.

They are also joining forces with OVO Youth for Climate group to organise a day festival of climate and nature on June 21, with music and a shared feast.

Hartcliffe City Farm are also hosting a collective feast, with access to the playbarn for children and tours of their onsite composting and flower farm, on June 13.

A Patch to Plate cooking workshop takes place at the Atwood Drive community allotment in Lawrence Weston on June 16, and a drop in session at Ashley Community Housing invites people to learn more about their work opening up green sector opportunities to refugees and migrants.

The Fringe also includes events targeting environment professionals, community organisations and council workers.

The communities involved hope visitors will learn more about the significance of local environmental action and be inspired to take action in their own neighbourhoods.

“We want to ensure that climate action reflects the reality of people’s lives,” said Emily Fifield, of Eastside Community Trust which has been leading on developing climate action plans in Easton.

“It’s about climate justice – we need to improve people’s quality of life whilst tackling climate change.”

Easton’s is one of 11 Community Climate Action plans that have been developed over the last three years with neighbourhoods and communities experiencing inequality and disadvantage.

The others are based in Bedminster, Brislington, Hartcliffe and Withywood, Hillfields, Knowle West, Lawrence Weston, Lockleaze and Southmead, and focused around the communities of Disabled people and refugees in the city.

Organisations brought community members together to discuss their priorities for climate action alongside ways to improve lives for people in the neighbourhood.

The work has resulted in plans for reducing energy use and lowering bills, creating opportunities for local food growing, transforming verges and green spaces into habitats for wildlife, implementing closed-loop food waste systems, and developing skills for green employment.

Explore the full Fringe Programme at bristolclimatenature.org/news/citywide-celebration-of-community-climate-action

Find out more and book a place at the Bristol Climate and Nature Partnership gathering on June 18 at events.humanitix.com/celebrating-community-climate-action-a-partnership-gathering

Main image: Eastside Community Trust

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