1992

An idea
Four people decide the time is right to open a centre which addresses global and local issues in Bath. They are Timothy Cantell (environmental consultant), Liam Egerton (an environmental campaigner), Colin Fudge (the then Director of Environmental Services for Bath City Council), and Malcolm McIntosh (environmental consultant and lecturer).

1993

Feasibility study
An initial feasibility study for a ‘Bath Environment Centre, carried out by Timothy Cantell and Liam Egerton, is positive.

1993

Fundraising
The group set about gaining funds and generate £500,000 in gifts in kind over the next 12 months, including support in kind from Marks and Spencer and Natwest.

Apr 1994

It’s official
Bath Environment Centre registers as a company limited by guarantee with charitable status on 12th April.

June 1994

BBC TV Close-up West shows a film on environmental issues in Bath which includes the first Bath Environment Centre exhibition held at Newbridge Junior School.

Nov 1994

First newsletter
Bath Environment Centre produces its first newsletter, a simple single A4 sheet, black and white A4 publication, which was well received by a targeted audience.

Nov 1994

First project
Bath Environment Centre launches its first project ‘People of Bath Get Their Say’ which aims to identify the key environmental issues for the people of Bath to provide an initial focus for the Centre.

1995

NatWest Bank offers building
Bath Environment Centre finds a home for the first two years of its life in an old Bank at 24 Milsom Street. NatWest Bank generously make the building available for the remaining two years of their lease.

Feb 1995

Marks and Spencer secondee appointed
Marks and Spencer donate the services of a full-time manager, Stewart Hoare, to the Centre for two years.

Sep 1995

Grand opening of Bath Environment Centre
On 23rd September, the first visitors to Bath Environment Centre come through the doors. In the year that follows, there will be 25,000 more visitors to the Centre. Initially, the Centre is run on a day-to-day basis purely by a team of dedicated volunteers.

Dec 1995

First staff appointed by Manager
Sufficient funding is secured to be able to appoint Kate Hall and Poppy Hayward as joint Deputy Managers in a jobshare, to help the Manager and volunteers run the Centre.

Oct 1995

First ever Car-Free Day takes place in Bath
Bath Environment Centre is instrumental in creating the world’s first ever Car-Free Day right here in Bath. The idea spreads and five years on Car-Free Day takes place in cities across Europe every year as part of a week of sustainable transport activities.

Mar 1996

Launch of Bath’s first environmental Business Club
BEAB (Business Environment Association, Bath and District) is launched. It aims to spread information and awareness about environmental issues and initiatives. Over 60 companies and organisations sign up to join the new business club in its first year.

Apr 1996

Admin Assistant appointed
The Centre’s first Admin Assistant is appointed on a 6-month contract – she (Gill Christie) is still in post, 8 years later!

May 1996

Links with Europe
Bath Environment Centre is designated an Urban Forum for Sustainable Development, one of 22 European cities in the network which aims to draw one or two representatives from every member of the EU. The other in the UK is Environ in Leicester.

Autumn 1997

UK’s first Farmers’ Market
Bath Environment Centre is heavily involved in the creation of the first ever UK Farmers’ Market in Green Park Station, Bath. In the first month, many people turned up to purchase local produce from local farmers and growers with a wide range of meat, vegetables and fruit including organic products as well as products from bee-keepers, wine makers, cheese and dairy producers and bakers.

Jun 1998

The Government takes an interest
Envolve organises a European environmental conference, held at the Bath Assembly Rooms. It is attended by Angela Eagle, MP, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions. She also opens a new exhibition at Bath Environment Centre.

Sep 1998

New Director joins Envolve
Steve Bendle joins Envolve as its new Director, initially on a part-time basis until the following spring when the position was made full-time.

Jan 1999

Community Resource Room opens
The Centre provides a resource room equipped with computing, printing and publishing facilities for local environmental groups.

Summer 1999

Business and Education Managers appointed
Envolve grows to incorporate a new Business Manager, Simon Richards, and Education Manager, Sheila Gundry.

Sep 1999

Director becomes full time
Stephen Bendle who replaced Stewart Hoare (who left at the end of 1996) becomes full time Director of Envolve, joining a growing team of nine staff including Business, Education and Community Team Managers.

Dec 1999

Move to permanent offices
The “at-will” lease on the Milsom Street premises (already allowed to run over for two years by B&NES Council) comes to an end and the Centre moves to permanent offices in Green Park Station, where it remains today.

Dec 1999

Community Manager appointed
A new Community team is developed, with Jacqui Orange appointed as Manager.

Jan 2000

New name, same aim
On Friday 12th January, Bath Environment Centre re-launches as Envolve Partnerships for Sustainability. Our projects now spread wider than “Bath”, we are now addressing more issues than those directly related to the “environment” and, with our many outreach projects, we have become much more than an information “centre”.

Mar 2000

Community Funding secured
The Community Team secures three year’s of lottery funding from the Community Fund enabling it to work with a wide range of community groups.

Spring 2000

The Real Bath Breakfast is launched
Envolve launches the Real Bath Breakfast, project to encourage hotel, guesthouses and B&Bs to purchase locally supplied and produced food coming from within a 40-mile radius of Bath Abbey. Local businesses adopt the scheme and are able to offer a more sustainable stay for tourists visiting the region.

Jan 2001

Green Tourism takes centre stage
Envolve's Sustainable Tourism Officer shared the platform with Michael Meacher MP, Secretary of State for the Environment, and Jonathon Porritt, well-known environmentalist, as guest speaker at the National Grid Community 21 Awards in January.

Spring 2001

Environmental Business Consortium formed
Envolve joins forces with FutureWest and Filton EcoNet to jointly work with businesses across former Avon area

Spring 2001

Renewed Landfill Tax funding
EB Nationwide agree a further three years landfill tax funding for our Business Waste Minimisation Scheme with expansion beyond B&NES into North Somerset and Wiltshire

Aug 2001

Skydiving for Envolve
Theresa Perrett jumps out of a plane at 10,000 feet to raise funds for Envolve.

May 2001

Bath Car Share Club
Envolve’s Bath Car Share Club is launched in partnership with Bath & North East Somerset Council. The scheme encourages a more sustainable approach to travel and is cost-effective for its members. By the summer, the Club has 35 members.

Winter 2001

New membership scheme
A thought-provoking and imaginative window display called Objects of Desire marked the launch of Envolve’s new membership scheme. The display comprises objects which would normally be thrown away, repackaged and re-branded to emphasise their recycling potential.

Aug 2002

Farmlink project extends thanks to extra funding
Lottery funding (through SEED) plus support from Mendip AONB enables the Farmlink project to be extended, involving over 2,000 primary school children throughout B&NES in farm visits to learn not only about where their food comes from but also using the farm to learn about science and geography.

Nov 2002

Envolve’s youth work really kicks in
Envolve first youth programme in 2000 is extended to become a permanent project, through a partnership with Somer Community and B&NES. It now includes outreach work to engage young people directly through evening street visits, leading to a successful “fire sculpture” project in November.

Spring 2003

Real Bath Breakfast project crosses borders
The Real Bath Breakfast which has been so successful in Bath by encouraging local B&Bs to serve local food, is launched in Weston-super-Mare as the 'Great Western Breakfast’

Jun 2003

Pioneering HomeZone project
DTLR funding is secured by B&NES Council and Envolve to pilot two Home Zones in B&NES, two of only eight in the South West.

July 2003

New challenges at Green Park Station
Envolve takes over the lease of Green Park Station. Plans for improving the market start immediately including new ecologically-friendly lock-up ‘pods’ for a new café and eco shops.

July 2003

Bath’s first Local Food Guide is produced
Drawing on previous work by N&NES LA21 team, Envolve produces the first local food guide to cover both Bath and Bristol to promote local food and celebrate enthusiasm for local food in the area.

2004

Envolve’s 10th Anniversary Year