A charity law expert at Bristol-headquartered VWV are helping the city’s pioneering Natural History Consortium celebrate its 15th anniversary by bringing its governance arrangements up to date.
The Consortium, which is also marking 10 years of charitable status, has been supported by VWV partner and head of charities Con Alexander on a pro bono basis since its inception.
He helped it achieve charitable status and put in place a governance structure that would ensure that all organisations brought their strengths to the table.
Now as the Consortium, its chief executive Savita Willmott and its partners celebrate the milestone year with a range of special events, Con is supporting it by review and updating its governance arrangements, again on a pro bono basis.
The Consortium is a collaboration of 13 local and national organisations, including the region’s universities and local authorities, natural history power players such as BBC, National Trust, Avon Wildlife Trust and Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust, and key policy organisations with strong links to the city, including Defra and Natural England.
The partners work together on public programmes such as the region’s well-loved Festival of Nature, as well as industry-leading events including the UK’s conference for environmental communicators.
Such a diverse group relies on having the right governance arrangements in place to work together.
Con Alexander said: “Having worked with Savita and the Consortium for many years, we have a good understanding of what makes it work as a collaborative venture and it is a pleasure to be able to use our specialist experience as charity lawyers to continue to support the Consortium, particularly given its contribution to the environment and the city of Bristol.”
Savita added: “Con has been my ‘go-to’ charity adviser for many years and I rely on his knowledge of the Consortium and expertise in the charity sector. I also have the reassurance of a very capable and specialist team of charity lawyers supporting him.”
Celebrations for the Consortium’s anniversary start later this month when the region takes part in its first City Nature Challenge – a contest to find which city on Earth has the most wildlife and the most nature-loving citizens.
Bristol and Bath will compete with 65 cities on five continents to discover and record as much wildlife as possible over four days from April 27 to 30.
Observations will count towards local, national and international efforts to learn about and protect wildlife.
Pictured: Con Alexander and Savita Willmott
