News / Better Bristol
‘Working together, we can make our city better for everybody’
Better Bristol and Better Business is a new approach from the team at Bristol24/7 to find a more sustainable model for our social purpose, and also an attempt to see if we can find a more collaborative way to deliver social and environmental impact locally.
At its simplest, it’s about getting some great people and great businesses together who care and finding a way of making change together.
Ahead of the launch event a meeting of the founding members was held on the Terrace Bar of Colston Hall with representatives from over 30 businesses discussing the priorities and possible outcomes of the Better Business membership.
is needed now More than ever
Over 350 people from businesses across the city joined us in the evening over the two floors of the foyer for the official launch of Better Bristol and Better Business.
Live art created on the night will be auctioned to support Bristol24/7’s Better Bristol initiative
Bristol24/7 Managing Director Ben Wright said: “Bristol is booming in so many ways but there is so much disparity between one side of the city and the other… It’s easy to forget the other half of the city; the poverty, the lack of opportunities.
“We all have a responsibility to start thinking about how we can address these inequalities, how we can start being more sustainable as people and businesses, and all help make things a bit better. And I believe we can do that best when we work together.”
Better Business will help businesses do better in Bristol, with more than 50 business members already signed up.
It will help us all do more business with each other; amplify stories; make connections; and make staff feel happier, rewarded and part of something good. And we can do lots to make things better for the rest of the city.
The Square Food Foundation team serve food alongside the Young Chefs
Food on the launch night was prepared by young chefs from one of Bristol24/7’s first social impact projects, on which we worked in collaboration with the Square Food Foundation in Knowle West.
Before that, canapes were provided by Wapping Wharf restaurant Box-E, with welcome drinks provided by Bristol Beer Factory and Matthew Clark.
Aerial performance from Circomedia’s Lyn Routledge
Entertainment began with a circus performer from Circomedia showing her dazzling silks skills in the Colston Hall foyer and ended with DJ Cheeba presenting a special Bristol audio-visual set.
Alongside Ben’s speech about Better Bristol and Better Business, other people talking were Rosa Corbishley, head of development at Bristol Music Trust; Donna Thomas, investment manager at Resonance; Elsie Kinlock, head of media relations at UWE Bristol; Jess Prendergast of Onion Collective; Josie Adams of Farmdrop; and Barny Haughton of Square Food.
Over 350 people from businesses across Bristol attended the event
Better Business can help by amplifying businesses’ voices, encouraging collaboration, creating new relationships, strengthening old ones, celebrating business in the city, making staff happier and finding ways that as a community we help solve some of Bristol’s problems.
The Better Business network will help Bristol24/7 to fund impactful social and environmental projects and host events to bring businesses together under a shared goal of making our city better for everybody.
The complete artwork which was painted across four canvasses over the course of the evening
The collaborative artwork that was produced by artists Sledone, The Hass, Aimes and Tekart can now be yours. We are accepting bids for the canvasses with 50 per cent of the proceeds of the sales going to the artists and 50 per cent used to support the Better Bristol initiative. Find our more here.
Find out more about Better Bristol here.
If you would like more information, please leave us your details here or contact josh@bristol247.com.
With many thanks to UWE Bristol, Wapping Wharf, Resonance, Farmdrop, Weston College, Box-E, Budvar, Matthew Clark, Bristol Beer Factory, Square Food Foundation, the young chefs and Colston Hall
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