Bristol24/7 secures funding to continue Climate & Sustainability Editor role

Bristol24/7 has secured funding to continue the role of Climate & Sustainability Editor after the initial six month pilot supported by NatWest, ended in January.

The funding was generously given by The Extra Mile, a guide to alternative and local services for motorway users with a strong focus on sustainable, independent businesses.

Bristol24/7 was keen to secure funding to extend the role of Climate & Sustainability Editor after the success of the initial six month trial and the amazing work of our current Climate & Sustainability Editor, Valentina.

More broadly, amid the increasingly urgent need to combat climate change, Bristol24/7 is keen to ensure environmental issues are prioritised in our coverage and in Bristol.

We will continue to have a dedicated Climate and Sustainability Editor to engage conversation, inspire people to take action, hold authorities and companies to account and report on the positive work already ongoing in the city.

We believe the most impactful action we can take in response to the challenges the world faces is to extend this dedicated role to ensure environmental issues are front and centre of our coverage.

We recognise the climate crisis can only be tackled with an inclusive approach that doesn’t leave anyone behind and will seek to reflect this in our coverage and work with people in the city to shine a light on the projects that are making a difference while reporting on the facts of the climate crisis.

Bristol24/7 will continue to report on the climate emergency – photo: Rob Browne

Bristol24/7 Managing Director Ben Wright said: “We’ve done a lot of thinking about how we can make the biggest difference in addressing this huge and global challenge on a local level.

“We decided that keeping the climate and the environment at the forefront of city conversations and inspiring individuals, businesses and the government to take meaningful actions on a local level will be vital to hitting the challenging targets we’ve set as a city.

“As a local independent media organisation with a large and engaged audience, we feel we are in a great position to do this. With the support of our members and key partners and now with the additional funding we have received from The Extra Mile, we are delighted to now be able to recruit for the role that we believe can help make this happen.”

How will the role be funded?

Our independent journalism, as well as our social and environmental impact work, is supported by our public members, Better Business members and key partners. Find out more about Bristol24/7 membership and supporting initiatives like the Climate & Sustainability Editor by visiting my.bristol247.com/join.

We have secured further funding of £5,000 from The Extra Mile to pay for the part-time Climate and Sustainability Editor role.

While The Extra Mile will be sponsoring the role, the company will have no say over the content that is covered or how it is covered, and our journalism will remain independent as it always has been.

The Extra Mile has chosen to fund the role as part of their own work on environmental commitments.

Kerry O’Neill, author of The Extra Mile, is a writer from Bristol. Having formerly worked for Bristol-based charity, Sustrans, Kerry is no stranger to campaigning for more sustainable ways to live and work.

The Extra Miles logo – photo: The Extra Mile

She said, “The Extra Mile team is excited to be supporting Bristol24/7’s Climate & Sustainability role. Our guidebook helps people support small food businesses across the UK, seeking out and buying food that is seasonal and more locally grown, clocking up fewer food miles.

“The Climate & Sustainability Editor at Bristol24/7 will help Bristol businesses and people to shop, live, work and run their businesses in more sustainable ways.

“It will champion both those who are doing a great job already, and those who are just starting to make moves in the right direction. We’re looking forward to getting more involved as the year progresses.

We are now recruiting for a part-time Climate and Sustainability Editor who will continue to work on regular news articles, as well as in-depth features, podcast interviews, events and videos.

Buy your copy of The Extra Mile: www.theextramile.guide/shop 

The aim is to keep people informed of what’s going on in the city, and beyond, connect individuals, organisations and businesses, hold institutions to account, give practical advice and drive forward Bristol’s ambition to be net zero by 2030.

Recruitment for the role will begin on Friday February 10. Find out how to apply.

Main photo: Rob Browne

Read next:

• Bristol24/7’s Climate & Sustainability Editor – the story so far
• The unexpected industry seeking to take more climate action in Bristol
• Blue plaques appear around Bristol

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