Jane Belcher - Bristol Community Link South
"We joined the Peace Garden group with a mixed group of service users, including people with Dementia, Multiple Sclerosis and Mental Health. We attended every week of the 12 week course. The group took part in a range of sessions including organic floristry, cooking, seed planting and a tasting tour. They also spent time planning the peace garden and then working on the peace garden.
The group settled really well, all joined in with the activities. They learnt a lot and developed new skills whilst there. They enjoyed mixing with everyone there. They took pride in anything they took home, and all were particularly proud of the flowers they took home after the floristry sessions and the bottled garden. The accessible tools made it an activity which all could join in with. The man with MS used to enjoy doing his own gardening and appreciated the opportunity to use these tools to continue with some gardening.
The staff and volunteers involved in the peace garden were excellent. Particular praise goes to Madeleine, Fiona and Susan. The environment was also ideal, as we had the opportunity to see the rest of Windmill Hill City farm whilst we were there, and managed to see many of the animals. This was a great fully accessible venue. We would love to have a similar opportunity again in the future"
Lorraine Cox – Parent of one of the attendees
What a pleasure it was to meet you yesterday, to meet the co-workers and others, and to celebrate with Gabriel the opening of the lovely Peace Garden at Windmill City Farm. It really was a very special afternoon for Gabriel and I, marking the culmination of a great deal of coordination and effort/hard work on everyone's part. Thank you so much for inviting me and for making Gabriel so welcome at the garden. And thank you to the Prince's Trust for introducing Gabriel to Windmill Hill City Farm. Thank you too for the lovely celebratory tea with cake, and all the great stories we shared.
Andrew Grant, Director, Grant Associates
“It’s an honour to be recognised by the Earth Champions Foundation for our commitment to creating sustainable landscapes through well informed and innovative design in the Bristol and Bath area, and beyond. This award is made all the more special because it stems from nominations made by members of our local community. We believe whole-heartedly in the Earth Champions’ mission to demonstrate that the global environmental challenges we face need to be tackled at a local level as well as through national and international efforts.”
I just wanted to email and say thank you as I received a certificate and bowl this morning as LinkAge was successful in becoming an Earth Champion!!!
I am absolutely thrilled with the award and myself and LinkAge would like to say a huge thank you!!
Thank you again for the award and if there are any opportunities to connect with other Earth Champions locally and globally we would be really interested.
Kind regards
Claire
I just wanted to email to say how much I enjoyed the event last night. It was really inspiring to hear about the work of so many dedicated and passionate people who are all committed to building a better world and safeguarding the environment.
I really hope that LinkAge can link up with some of the people I heard from last night as I am sure that there is more that we can do to encourage community gardening and growing with some of the older people that we work with. Also, Jennie from Alive kindly passed on my award last Monday, I received a certificate and a beautiful bowl. I am really proud of this award.
Thank you again for the award and the invite to the session last night. I think that what you have created with the Earth Champions is a really special and unique and it is exciting to be part of such an innovative network! Thanks for your help.
Kind regards
Claire
Claire Miller
Chief Executive
Thank you so much for organising the splendid Earth Champions event last night and for my award! I feel very touched and proud of this unexpected recognition. My BBC colleagues in Salford and London, who should share this award with me having instigated the BBC Albert project, will be equally pleased. I will also let our BAFTA friends know because they would be delighted to publicise the Earth Champions programme, I’m sure.
It’s been lovely to meet you both and be involved in your project. Keep up your fantastic work!
Best wishes
Emma
Emma Peddie
Sustainable Production Advisor
BBC Bristol
Thank you for putting the whole event together! It was really good to see so many inspirational people all in one room. I enjoyed and I’m sure the other attendees did too.
Kind regards and best wishes,
Ben
Dr Ben Williams
University of the West of England
On behalf of the University thank you very much indeed for recognising the University of the West of England as an Outstanding Earth Champion. I look forward to sharing this information with colleagues in the university and encouraging the use of the designation in appropriate communications.
Thank you again for recognising the work of the university.
With very best wishes
Jim
James Longhurst
Assistant Vice Chancellor, Environment and Sustainability
Associate Dean and Professor of Environmental Science, Faculty of Environment and Technology,
University of the West of England
Sorry that we did not get to talk more at the Earth Champions Event but thanks so much for organising the event, the awards and everything. Fantastic evening!
Best, Rich
Richard D. Pancost
Director of the Cabot Institute
Advisor to Bristol 2015 European Green Capital http://www.bristol2015.co.uk/
Professor of Biogeochemistry
Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Scholar
I hope that you had a great time at the event yesterday, we certainly did. We are over the moon.
Best Wishes,
Jennie
Jennie Reed
Support and Projects Manager Alive!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I feel very privileged to have been amongst such admirable and inspiring people - it truly was an honour. You are champions yourselves - reminding us all that the world is full of good (one can get overwhelmed and forget that, as you know).
All the best,
Katcha
Katcha Bilek
Artistic Director
Timeless & stylish fashion accessories for men & women made in the UK.
Thanks so much for making it all possible, with your quest for truth and justice and grace in the world.
Maddy
Maddy Longhurst
Co Founder, Co-ordinator at Blue Finger Alliance, Bristol
We’re so delighted with our award and it was brilliant to hear about some of the other amazing work people get up to in and around Bristol so I’m looking forward to learning more on Monday.
Looking forward to seeing you then.
Best wishes
Lisa
Lisa Jones
Coordinator Chief Execs Office at Soil Association, Bristol
I only managed to see the first half..but it was very enjoyable...well presented! Such an inspiring group of people.
It is an amazing project and we are very proud to be a part of it..looking forward to seeing how it all evolves.
cheers
Jamie
Jamie Pike
Co-founder Coexist Community Interest Company in Bristol
Co-developer the Canteen and No 1 Harbourside cafe/bar/restaurant
Thank you so much for inviting me to speak yesterday. It was a really well run event and I was so impressed with what everyone in Bristol is doing-what a great city to be in.
Kind regards.
Lucy
Lucy Pedler
The Green Register www.greenregister.org.uk
archipeleco architects www.archipeleco.co.uk
I would like to say how much I enjoyed yesterday’s ceremony and how inspired I was by the guest speakers, I was disappointed I had to leave early to raise awareness of plastic waste in our oceans but this is life as an earth champion.
Kind regards
Nigel
Nigel Walker
Nigel @ Easton Energy
It was very obvious a lot of hard work went into the event, it was fantastic!!
Thanks again for last night.
Kind regards,
Kirstyn Moller
Business Development
Seacourt Ltd Naturally Responsible Print
Thank you for a beautiful, and inspiring evening yesterday. And for all the creative, imaginative, passionate work you have both so clearly put into all of this.
Very best wishes,
Adrian
Adrian Snell
Composer, Music Therapist and Arts Therapy Consultant (LGSM, DipMusTh)
