News / Environment
What’s next for Bristol’s Green Capital?
The closing ceremony of Bristol’s year as European Green Capital took place at the Colston Hall on Friday afternoon, focusing on its lasting impact.
A new campaign for 2016 has been launched with the tag, “It doesn’t stop here”. The aim is to continue the momentum started by the Green Capital, with the Bristol Green Capital Partnership particularly focused on expanding their network of organisations, and continuing to support green initiatives.
is needed now More than ever
Avon Wildlife Trust CEO Bevis Watts said: “The year has been fantastic in getting people who don’t necessarily live green lifestyles working for green organisations and thinking about environment issues.”
Vicki Woolley, operations manager for the partnership, was excited for the year ahead: “We’ve just appointed a new board of directors and it’s a real leadership consortium of organisations in the city.”
The panel of organisations includes the city council, the two universities and organisations such as Avon Wildlife Trust, who want to work together to address some of the challenges in Bristol.
A crowdfunded campaign called Better Bristol will also combat the problem of projects that may have been overlooked due to oversubscribed grants. The campaign will provide support to new projects in order to maximise changes of finding funding through the crowds.
Outside the ceremony, a demonstration took place over a lack of transparency in the accounts for the Green Capital Year.
Mayoral candidates Kay Barnard and Paul Saville were both present. Kay Barnard stressed: “We want to make sure that the accounts for Bristol’s European Green Capital are open and transparent. We want to be sure that the money was spent wisely and that there is good value for money.”
Former Bristol West MP Stephen Williams also spoke. He said: “This is tax payer’s money, it’s not private money, and all of us as citizens do have a right to know how that is being used.”
Read more: Green Capital’s ‘hidden’ millions