You may have seen the great ‘Tuesday without Cars’ banner in Kings Square announcing the fact that Bristol Primary Care Trust are now very firmly on board with Chooseday.

The Chief Executive, Deborah Evans, is well known as a keen cyclist. She says, ‘I am particularly happy to support Chooseday, because it is a genuine home-grown, Bristol initiative and naturally combines our concern for healthy living with the need to address climate change.

As a result of Deborah’s active support the PCT now has a number of Chooseday champions in the organisation looking for ways to encourage the rest of the staff to leave their cars at home on Choosedays.

Bristol-based commercial law firm, Beachcroft recently relocated their Bristol office and they have celebrated that by embracing Chooseday.

Senior partner Michael Bothamley said,
Chooseday forms an important part of our green campaign and we are actively encouraging employees to get involved now we have moved to Portwall Place. The initiative will play a key role in our Green Travel Plan which will be formally launched later this month.”

We have found that moving to new premises is often a good opportunity for organisations to take a new look at how people are going to get to work and Chooseday can give fresh impetus and focus to green travel plans.

Around thirty people attended the Chooseday launch at Beachcroft on June 3rd. One enterprising partner, Nick Knapman, cycled in 17miles from Winscombe! We look forward to working with the Chooseday Champions there in the coming months.

It is amazing how the price of petrol has changed the conversation with people about Chooseday. There has been a general realisation that something is deeply wrong and that things have got to change. There will be much struggle along the way, but breaking our oil-addiction is now seriously on the agenda - and that has to be a good thing for us all and for the planet.

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Thanks to Simon Carpenter and those who organise the Big Breakfast for scheduling it this year on June 17th, a Chooseday. Hundreds of people gathered on College Green with live music and free breakfast, all celebrating the joys of a healthy walking or cycling lifestyle. Meeting with such people gives me hope for the future.