Trustees’ Statement 

Recent events in the US, following the tragic murder of George Floyd, have thrown into focus the realities of racism which are a continuing challenge for many within our community and beyond.  

The trustees and management team within BS3 Community Development want to offer our wholehearted support to the Black Lives Matter Campaign. Our key charitable aim is to support health, well–being, and happiness across the BS3 area and wider city of Bristol. We are proud of the upsurge of community spirit and support we have seen during the Covid-19 lockdown period and we hope to build and develop on this work to further strengthen community ties across all ethnic and community groups.  

Part of our role as a community organisation must be to use education as a vehicle to tackle societal and structural racism. We must ensure that, within our own organisational structures, we support staff and trustees to understand the kinds of behaviours, language and attitudes that create a hostile environment for colleagues, service users and volunteers. We know that there is more for us to do, and if we are white in particular, we must educate ourselves and others about racist attitudes.  

We are aware that members of the BAME community are currently under–represented on our Board, and we would especially welcome expressions of interest from anyone who would potentially be interested in becoming a trustee. 

Please email Simon.Hankins@bs3community.org.uk for more information. 

Board of Trustees, BS3 Community Development 

 

CEO’s Statement 

Peace is not just the absence of conflict; peace is the creation of an environment where all can flourish, regardless of race, colour, creed, religion, gender, class, caste, or any other social markers of difference.
–    Nelson Mandela
 

BS3 Community Development strives to operate and embrace equality and diversity; do we always get it right, do each of us fully understand how some of our words and actions do not align with what we strive to achieve?  Of course not.  But to strive to be aware of the words we use and the actions that we take, to continually learn more about social injustices and inequalities and bring that learning into our daily lives and work place will move us ever closer to where we want to, and where we should, be – an organisation where our environment and culture allows everyone to flourish, where everyone feels safe no matter what your social markers. 

As a white person while it would be impossible for me to say that I understand the experiences and emotions that people of colour are feeling, but I can say that that I, along with BS3 Community Development, are at the ready to confront oppression. Black lives matter. 

This absence of safety and equity has been with us for far too long, my hope is that the current unrest and protests can quickly be replaced by rapid progress towards meaningful equality.  To achieve this progress, each of us must live up to our responsibility to work towards a peace where all can flourish, regardless of our differences. 

Dr Simon D Hankins 

Chief Executive Officer