Bristol Wild Mayor
A multi-organisational electoral campaign (2012)
The challenge:
Not one mayoral candidate in the Bristol elections mentioned nature, conservation or the environment within their campaigns – a major concern to Avon Wildlife Trust, RSPB, National Trust, Woodland Trust and CPRE.
Approach:
I led on communications and media, first dubbing it the ‘Wild Mayor’ campaign, before identifying the key point of influence namely collective membership figures. More than 24% of residents were members of the charities. This fact triggered media interest and successfully ‘converted’ mayoral candidates.
Results:
All five key mayoral candidates including George Ferguson signed the Wild Mayor pledge, within one week. The campaign demonstrated how charities could work well together to effect political influence and change. Regionally Wildlife Trusts and the RSPB worked collaboratively on the State of Nature report, where I led on media for the Wildlife Trusts and played a key part in organising the State of Nature Debate in City Hall.