We are pleased to share the news that Bristol Green Capital Partnership and Ujima Radio have been successful in our bid to the National Lottery Community Fund, the largest funder of community activity in the UK, for a grant of £175,000 to deliver the ‘Black & Green Ambassadors for Bristol’ programme. Over three years, the programme will recruit, mentor and support nine Ambassadors – emerging leaders with environmental and social justice ambitions – to work between Bristol’s diverse communities, businesses, organisations and individuals on issues of environmental sustainability, equality, diversity and inclusion.

Although our plans to launch the programme will be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, over the next few months we will be spending time putting in the groundwork for this important project which aims to address social and environmental inequalities in Bristol and promote greater community resilience and inclusive action on climate change.

The three-year programme, co-delivered by Ujima Radio and Bristol Green Capital Partnership, will see a significant scaling-up of the pioneering ‘Green & Black Ambassadors’ pilot project which began in 2016, following Bristol’s year as European Green Capital. The programme will support Ambassadors, representative of Bristol’s Black, African, Caribbean, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, to develop and deliver an extensive programme of activities intended to enable bold and inclusive action towards a more sustainable Bristol.

Workshops and research developed by Ambassadors will bring people together to identify solutions and develop new projects that will address environmental issues and tackle inequalities, whilst their regular radio shows, media work and community engagement will celebrate existing culturally diverse approaches to environmental sustainability, champion inclusive best practice and stimulate debate. Ambassadors will raise awareness of environmental justice issues and inequalities, open-up spaces for challenge and bring perspectives of diverse communities and inclusive approaches into decision and policy-making forums.

Sandra Gordon, Director at Ujima Radio, said: “We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund is investing in a new generation of leaders whose work will showcase the inspiring work of Bristol’s Black, African, Caribbean, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities as well as catalyzing new community-led initiatives and ideas. Building on the great work undertaken by our pilot project Ambassadors, this programme has huge potential to build greater connectedness, awareness and understanding across and within Bristol’s communities, leading to a more diverse, representative environmental community which celebrates and recognises the knowledge, perspectives and efforts of all.”

Lizzi Testani, Chief Operating Officer at Bristol Green Capital Partnership, said: “The enormous changes that are required for Bristol to become carbon neutral by 2030 need to involve all our communities and we know that many cultural traditions alive in the city contribute to reducing Bristol’s carbon emissions but often go unrecognised. The Ambassadors programme will play a critical role in Bristol’s journey to becoming carbon neutral by helping to inspire innovation and action across the city and we thank National Lottery, our supporting members, our project Steering Group and all those individuals who have helped to shape the project and bring us to this exciting point.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the resultant challenges that many individuals and organisations across the city will be facing at this time, preparations will begin with an aim to launch this programme later in 2020 with the ongoing support and guidance of the National Lottery. In the meanwhile, we will be extending an invitation to businesses and organisations to become supporters of the programme as we move into this exciting next phase. If you would like to discuss this further, please get in touch with vicki@bristolgreencapital.org

About the National Lottery Community Fund (NLCF)

We are the largest community funder in the UK – we’re proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Since June 2004, we have made over 200,000 grants and awarded over £9 billion to projects that have benefited millions of people.

We are passionate about funding great ideas that matter to communities and make a difference to people’s lives. At the heart of everything we do is the belief that when people are in the lead, communities thrive. Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, our funding is open to everyone. We’re privileged to be able to work with the smallest of local groups right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life.