Charlie Tallis
Community Gathering
Building small actions to collective movement
We invited individuals, changemakers, community and grassroots groups, local and regional organisations to come together for a free, in-person Community Gathering event.
Where: Sparks Bristol – Department of Imagination (first floor)
78 Broadmead, Bristol, BS1 3DS
When: Saturday, July 11th, 10:00am-3:00pm
Cost: Free to attend
About the Community Gathering
This event was about connection, collaboration and shared learning. We explored how action at every level, from individual actions and community-led projects to city-wide and regional strategies, can support nature’s recovery and help build a stronger, more connected wider movement.
Whether you’re just getting started or already involved in nature or climate action, this gathering was designed to spark new connections, share ideas, and build confidence to take the next step. We heard from a range of voices, discovered what’s happening across Bristol and the wider region, and had space to ask questions, share challenges and successes, and explore opportunities to work together.
The focus was on conversation, participation and networking, creating a welcoming and inclusive space where everyone’s experiences and perspectives matter.
Speakers included:
- Avon Wildlife Trust Wildlife Champion Claire Stone
- Avon Wildlife Trust Wildlife Champion Emily Coyte
- Youth Leadership Group members Etta and Sumaya
- Warmley Community Nature Reserve Member Geoff Wilmer
- Totterdown Urban Nature Reserve Lead Penny Russell
- Lambridge and Walcot Community Nature Haven Lead Sarah Skeels
- Really Wild Lockleaze Project Coordinator Eleanor Fairbraida
- West of England Nature Partnership Manager Zoe Davies
- Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership, Head of Community Partnerships Amy Harrison
- Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership, Climate and Disability Advocate Emma Geen
- Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership, Activist Filmmaker Euella Jackson
- Bristol City Council, Nature Together Coordinator Natalie Watson
More about the speakers
Claire Stone is a proud Wildlife Champion (thank you, Avon Wildlife Trust!) and is currently aiming to save a local pond from drying out while building a community group with her friend and Co-Champion, Sarah Beresford.
It all started with a concern about some overly zealous mowing near some newly planted saplings, and their project just keeps on growing.
Emily Coyte is a Wildlife Champion for BS6 and creator of Creature Seekers: a new trail and accompanying interactive web app, which launched in St Andrew’s Park this summer.
The Creature Seekers trails are a new way to engage with local efforts to support wildlife, and get to know some overlooked and under-loved species, both online and outside!
I am a member of the Green Shoots Youth Leadership Group in Bristol, alongside being a member of Bristol City Youth Council and the UK Youth Parliament. I joined the Green Shoots project so I could help to build a better, more eco-friendly future, whilst encouraging other young people to join in.
I also help to spread the word by mentoring year 7's and 8's at school to actively teach young people about nature.
I am currently studying at college and I joined the Green Shoots Youth Leadership Group because it fits in with my beliefs.
Being part of the YLG makes me feel proud. I have met incredible, amazing people and I'm impressed with how much knowledge you can gain from others, and how much knowledge you can give them. I am excited for the future!
Old but young at heart and still moved every day by what nature can do to brighten our lives.
I love Warmley, both the local people and resident wildlife. We can and should all do our bit to make this happen, nature never ceases to surprise and give that tingle that makes you feel special in this world!’
Penny has lived in Totterdown for 24 years and is a director of the Totterdown Residents environmental and social action group (TRESA). A keen birdwatcher and amateur gardener since the 1990s, she has watched with dismay the decline of bird populations in London and Bristol. She is passionate about grassroots activism and bringing communities together to improve their local area inclusively.
She leads the Totterdown Urban Nature Reserve (TUNR) within TRESA and cares deeply about protecting and improving urban biodiversity. In Bristol, gardens are a vital link in the biodiversity chain, a key focus of the TUNR.
Sarah has been actively involved in tackling the climate and biodiversity crisis for the past 8 years. She leads the Lambridge and Walcot Community Nature Haven project, alongside a Front Gardens for Wildlife campaign in Bath, with a mission to increase biodiversity and build community locally.
She volunteers at Bath City Farm, supporting their Nature Connection/Wellbeing group and Ecology programme, including work in the Wildflower Nursery. She loves growing native wildflowers, plant-insect relationships, and discovering who we share our green spaces with.
Eleanor Fairbraida has been an environmental activist for most of her adult life and is currently the Project Coordinator for Really Wild Lockleaze, the award-winning nature recovery programme run by Lockleaze Neighbourhood Trust in North Bristol.
Really Wild Lockleaze is a community-led project transforming Lockleaze for nature. We work on housing greens, gardens, schools, verges, and marginal land to make them beautiful and full of wildlife, improving the health, wellbeing, and enjoyment of our local area. We’re showing what an urban community can do to help nature and at the same time enriching our own community.
Zoe is Manager of the West of England Nature Partnership (WENP), where she leads collaboration across the region to drive nature recovery. She works with partners in local government, business, academia and the environmental sector to shape policy, develop projects and embed nature into decisions about growth, resilience and wellbeing.
Before joining WENP, Zoe worked at the Royal Society as a Senior Policy Adviser on environment, land use and agriculture policy and at Wildlife and Countryside Link. She holds an M.Res. in Biodiversity, Evolution and Conservation from UCL.
Amy established and leads the Community Climate & Nature Action (CCNA) project, collaborating with a diverse network of partners across Bristol to champion community leadership and equity as part of Bristol’s journey towards a net-zero, nature-rich city.
With over 20 years’ experience of developing and delivering participation programmes for young people, schools and communities in the environmental, cultural and placemaking sectors. She started her career as a primary school teacher in one of Bristol’s most disadvantaged communities, and has volunteered as a charity trustee, school governor and community activist in inner-city Bristol. Amy can often be found walking in her favourite local greenspace - Magpie Bottom Nature Reserve!
Emma Geen is a climate activist and creative practitioner.
She is the Climate and Disability Advocate for Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership, a Sensing Climate advisor, and one of the co-authors of the City of Bristol Just Transition Declaration. She was proud to win the inaugural Bristol Legends Sustainability Activists and Campaigners award.
Euella Jackson is a presenter, film-maker and producer working across a range of mediums to push for more diverse stories and resource distribution across different cultural and civic spaces. Since 2021, she has co-led Rising Arts Agency, and is a director of Auntie’s House CIC supporting POC-led grassroots organisers.
In 2025, she was named a Big Issue UK Changemaker. Storytelling is a central part of her activism and her film, Capsule, commissioned by Bristol Climate & Nature Partnership, explores the magic of a Just Transition through the eyes of a young child and their grandmother.
Natalie Watson is the Nature Together Coordinator for Bristol City Council, whose work centres on helping people build meaningful connections with place through nature, heritage and culture. She has worked across museums, heritage sites and protected landscapes, most recently delivering public‑facing and community programmes for Natural England at the Avalon Marshes.
Natalie is particularly interested in how shared spaces can support wellbeing, learning and belonging, and her practice is rooted in partnership working, inclusion and nature‑connection.
Agenda
What was expected at the Community Gathering
Interactive discussions and open conversations
Community-led project showcasing and stories
Plenty of time to connect and network
A welcoming, inclusive and accessible environment
The focus is on participation, sharing goals, experiences, and learning from one another.
Who attended the Community Gathering?
- Inspirational individuals, of all ages, interested in taking action for nature
- Youth and volunteers championing nature
- Community-led groups from all backgrounds
- Local and regional organisations
- Councillors and partners working on nature recovery
Whether people joined as individuals or representing a community group or organisation, this Community Gathering was an opportunity to connect, learn, and make their work for nature more effective.
Everyone was welcome!
By coming together in one room, we:
- Broke down silos and strengthened relationships
- Shared challenges honestly and learned from each other
- Built collective momentum for nature’s recovery in our region
Individuals
You had the chance to:
- Meet others who care about nature and are taking action locally
- Learn from real community projects and shared experiences
- Build confidence to take your next step — whatever that looks like for you
- Feel part of a wider movement working towards nature’s recovery
You don’t need to be an expert — curiosity, interest, and lived experience are just as valuable.
Youth groups
You had the chance to:
- Build connections and strengthen community ties
- Make your voice heard
- Develop leadership skills
- Gain Inspiration and boost confidence
- Learn about local Issues and engage in collective action
- Open doors for future opportunities
Community-led groups
You had the chance to:
- Meet others facing similar challenges and share what’s worked (and what hasn’t)
- Make useful connections with local organisations, funders and decision-makers
- Ask practical questions and get clearer routes to support, advice and resources
- Raise the profile of your work and learn from other community-led projects
If you’re part of an organisation
Registering gave you the opportunity to:
- Connect directly with community groups, volunteers, and partners
- Learn what’s happening on the ground and what support is most needed
- Share your work in an informal, relationship-building setting
- Explore opportunities for collaboration, partnerships, and co-design
This was a space to listen, learn, and build trust — not to present or promote.
If you care about nature, strengthening community-led work, and want to be part of positive change, this gathering is for you.Avon Wildlife Trust
What will you leave with?
We know giving up a Saturday is a big ask! We hope you left feeling energised, better connected, and supported to take your next step.
Our aim was for you to leave the gathering with:
New connections with people and groups working on similar issues
Practical ideas you can take back to your community or project
Clearer routes to support, advice, potential funding and partnerships
Inspiration and confidence to take your next step for nature
A sense that you’re not doing this alone — you are part of a wider movement
FAQs
How do I get to the Community Gathering?
The event will take place at Sparks – Department of Imagination (first floor) in the centre of Bristol. It is easily accessible by public transport.
Travel: Sparks Bristol is easily accessible by public transport, with several regular bus routes stopping just a short walk away. The venue is around a 25-minute walk or a 15-minute bus journey from Temple Meads station. If you're cycling, there are plenty of bike racks in the Broadmead area, including outside and around the venue.
Car parking: There is no on-site parking available at Sparks. The nearest available parking is at The Galleries, Newgate, Broadmead, Bristol BS1 3DT. The nearest disabled parking is located by The Works, The Horsefair, Broadmead, B1 3HT (3 spaces). Further disabled parking is available at The Galleries. Due to the busy nature of inner-city street parking, you can also use Parkopedia to check real-time availability at nearby car parks.
What time is the event?
The gathering will run between 10:00am and 3:00pm on Saturday, July 11th, 2026. Doors open at 09:45 with the first session starting at 10:15.
Which venue entry?
Please use the Artists Entrance, black doors located to the right of the retail entrance on Broadmead. Kindly note that this entrance is accessible only via stairs. If you require lift access, please contact the event organiser.
What to do if running late?
The venue entry will be closed during the event. At the door, there will be a sign with the Sparks venue manager's phone number (07741 353706) that you can ring to let staff know you're there. Alternatively, you can use this week's Artists' Entrance Code: 55512.
Will food and drinks be provided?
Yes. Refreshments and a light lunch will be provided. We’ll ask about dietary requirements when tickets are released.
How much does it cost?
The event is free to attend thanks to the National Lottery Community Fund, with thanks to National Lottery Players.
Accessibility, Filming & Data Protection
- The venue is fully accessible. If you have any specific access needs, please let us know in advance, and we’ll do our best to support you.
- Photos and short video recordings will be taken during the event for promotional and reporting purposes. If you’d prefer not to be included, please let a member of the team know on the day.
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By registering your interest, you consent to us storing your details securely and using them only to contact you about this event and related updates, in line with GDPR. Your information will not be shared with third parties without your consent.
The Community Gathering event is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund with thanks to National Lottery Players
The National Lottery Community Fund
