So here we are. 2015 is almost at an end, and what a year it has been. Having played such a central part in helping the City win the prestigious Green Capital Award, we can now look back with pride on what we have collectively brought to the wealth of projects, events, campaigns and initiatives that have left such a strong mark on the city and beyond.

Yet as all of us know the job is of course far from complete.

So I am delighted to be able to announce that the next phase of the Bristol Green Capital Partnership’s journey is only just beginning. We have worked tirelessly all year to develop a strong and sustainable model for our on-going work, with the ability to deliver greater strategic vision, focus, leverage and influence to support the bigger step changes we all want to see in the city and the world.

In January we will be bringing in a new structure, which you can read all about here. Everyone involved is fully committed to using this new Partnership model to support both the City and you – our 850+ member organisations – to be able to work much more collaboratively and strategically on our bigger goals, and to enable big pieces of funding to be brought to the city and delivered in partnership.

Part of that structure will see two elected pledge members join the new Board, and nominations for those posts will be opened in the New Year. Please take the time over Christmas to discuss with colleagues whether you might wish to stand for these important roles. Look out for more details on this at the start of January 2016.

So a huge thank you to you all for everything you have done this year. Alongside our flagship projects this year, including Healthy City Week, Good Transport Plan and our role as part of the International Fairtrade Towns conference, 100s of our member organisations have delivered projects large and small – and we are already hearing of even more ambitious and transformatory action that has emerged from the year that will help deliver the equitable Zero Carbon city we seek.

Finally, save the date for an energy themed quarterly partnership gathering on the afternoon of February 23rd January 2016 and a West of England Consultation event with the Launch of the Good Transport Plan on 21st January.

Thank you again for all you have done and enjoy a well earned break in readiness for an amazing 2016.

Liz Zeidler, elected Chair of Bristol Green Capital Partnership and the BGCP CIC team

Thank you to 29creative at Copper Consultancy for designing the infographic.