BSWN was delighted to host an AGM Conference this year titled ‘Building Black Futures: Delivering Equitable Outcomes’ on Tuesday 26th November between 9.00am and 1.30pm at the City Hall, Bristol.  

On Monday 21st October, BSWN hosted the 6th and last BAME Voluntary & Community Sector Network meeting of this year at City Hall and completed the first cycle of bi-monthly meetings as part of the programme funded by Power to Change to enhance connectivity within the BAME VCS Sector.

The 4th Black & Asian Business Network was hosted by BSWN on the 9th October at MetroBank around the themes of business skills and professional entrepreneurial development. 

The 5th Voluntary and Community Sector Network Meeting was hosted at Malcom X Centre on 19th August 2019 and was attended by a full room of 35 attendees.

The event, facilitated by the habitual Chair Jendayi Serwah, was organised around the theme of ‘Opportunities for BAME organisations in relation to the Bristol City Funds’. After a brief welcoming speech by the host Madu Ellis, the audience was introduced to the concept of City Funds and the associated key challenges by Sue Turner, CEO of Quartet Community Foundation.

On Thursday 27th June, BSWN was delighted to launch our upcoming project focusing on Intangible Cultural heritage in the South West of England. Following the successful delivery of four projects funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF), BSWN is once again looking to engage the Heritage and Arts sector through our Cultural Inclusion work. 

On Wednesday 26th July, BSWN hosted nearly 50 attendees at our quarterly meeting of the Black and Asian Business Network, this time at the lovely Junction at the Engine Shed.

On 24th June 2019, BSWN held the latest meeting of the BAME Voluntary and Community Sector Network at the Phoenix Social Enterprise Centre. Approximately 30 VCS organisation representatives attended the event to find out more about our upcoming pilot project and as per the meeting theme, how to improve collaboration and partnership working in the sector.

Following 12 month research project into the state of the Social Enterprise sector in the South West of England, funded by the Connect Fund, BSWN in partnership with Social Enterprise UK and School for Social Entrepreneur launched the findings at an event held at the University of Bristol.

On Monday 29th April, Black South West Network held its third Voluntary and Community Sector Network meeting to explore the themes of the One City Plan and opportunities for the community to engage with its delivery. With approximately 50 people in the room, attendance vastly increased from the previous encounter, proving that the initiative has sparked big interest and met the desires of numerous VCS representatives in the city.

On the 27th March BSWN hosted a roundtable meeting at Bristol City Hall with key BAME business leaders and community representatives, to discuss the opportunity for locating one of Avon Mutual new branches in East Bristol or potentially within the Enterprise Hub that BSWN is in the process of developing for BAME communities and entrepreneur

On the 20th of March, Black South West Network has successfully engaged more than 60 BAME entrepreneurs during the second Bristol Urban, Enterprise & Innovation Network event, proving that the initiative has met the desire of the diverse business communities in the city and that it has great potential to grow.

On the 25th of February, BSWN successfully hosted the second BAME-led Voluntary & Community Sector Network meeting presenting and discussing funding opportunities with an increasing number of BAME-led organisations representatives.

Informed by the BAME Voluntary and Community Sector Summer Research findings commissioned by Power to Change, BSWN has been preparing a framework for how to take strategic action to build a better connected, sustainable and resilient BAME VCS Sector in Bristol. On the 14th of January, during the bi-monthly Black VCS network meeting, BSWN presented to a room of 25 people representing major African/Caribbean and Asian heritage organisations in the city a proposal for an 18-month programme to improve connectivity, sustainability and resilience.