Nine things you can do to make Bristol a better place

Bristol24/7 rounds up nine ways you can make a real difference in Bristol:

Supporting local arts and culture venues
From Bristol Old Vic and Watershed to the Louisiana and the Arnolfini, Bristol’s independent cultural venues need help to keep going.

Help by donating to the venues directly, supporting online content and visiting when they reopen. You can even support locations such as Lakota and Circomedia through their beer gardens.

Watershed, Arnolfini, Bristol Old Vic, RWA, M Shed, Bristol Museum & Art Gallery and Spike Island are among the venues who have reopened with new safety measures.

#BeyondTheHashtag 
Take the fight against racial inequality beyond a hashtag on Twitter or Instagram, and virtually protest as well. #BeyondTheHashtag was created by singer Ngaio Anyia and her friends in response to the death of George Floyd.

It’s a virtual place to keep the conversation around race going, offer resources and provide a virtual space for people to join Black Lives Matter protests, share messages of solidarity and make a commitment to change. Find out more and take part at www.beyondthehashtag.co.uk

Continue the fight for racial equality. Photo: Charley Williams

Be an active member of your local community 
Bristol is a city of neighbourhoods, and now is a great time to get involved with local community groups and organisations. From history groups to mass litter picks, keep an eye out for flyers on local notice boards, join the hyperlocal social network Nextdoor or visit your nearest community centre.

TAP for Bristol 
Launched in July last year, TAP for Bristol raises money for homeless prevention services, as well as supporting people who are currently homeless.

Donation points located in the windows of businesses, office buildings and cafes around the city centre, and you can make a donation of £3 by tapping using your contactless credit or debit card. All money donated through the contactless points is by Quartet Community Foundation and divided equally between a grant pot and Caring in Bristol.

TAP for Bristol at the Tesco on College Green. Photo: TAP of Bristol

Volunteer for local organisations 
There are hundreds of volunteer opportunities across BRISTOL, from gardening roles at the city’s farms to trustee roles at established charities or be a befriender for isolated people. To find localised volunteer opportunities, visit www.candobristol.co.uk and www.voscur.org.uk 

Support Bristol24/7 
Bristol24/7’s website, daily newsletter and magazine are completely free to access, but we need your support to continue producing the award-winning, independent journalism.

In a perilous time for local news at a time when it is needed more than ever, the best way that you can do this is by becoming a member for just £5 per month. Your money goes directly towards supporting local journalism and social impact projects.

Donate to food banks 
Non-perishable food items can be donated to many food bank locations across the city. The Trussell Trust, a nationwide network of food banks, has locations in Avonmouth, Horfield and Easton while businesses can use FareShare South West, which supports more than 170 organisations in the city feed people with food that would otherwise go to waste.

FareShare South West volunteers are helping get food to those who need it most. Photo: FareShare South West

Mentor young people 
Babbasa, a St Paul’s-based organisation supporting young people through training and networking, are often looking for new professional mentors. Visit www.babbasa.com to find out more.

Shop local 
Bristol is a hub of independent stores, with well-established shops on almost every street corner. Now is a great time to ensure that small businesses survive the pandemic.

For groceries, try Fox & West on Wells Road or Reg the Veg in Clifton. Buy gifts from east Bristol-based BAM Store + Space, or Old Market’s Good Store Studio. Try Bloop in Totterdown for eco-friendly toiletries and Zero Green in Southville for plastic-free foodstuffs.

Zero Green is located on North Street in south Bristol. Photo: Anna Doherty

For clothing, head to Gloucester Road’s independent stores and for furniture, visit the SOFA project, Rag & Bone, Atelier Studio Co or the recently opened reuse shop at Avonmouth Recycling Centre.

Main photo: FareShare South West

Read more: Southville Deli opens zero waste store