Speakers' Corner in Bristol

Speakers' Corner Trust is a registered charity, founded in 2007, which promotes free expression, public debate and active citizenship as a means of revitalising civil society in the UK and supporting its development in emerging democracies. The central principle in all these events is that they should be accessible to all, strictly non-partisan and non-adversarial, welcome diversity and seek to inform opinion and identify common ground. Following a period of consultation, a Bristol Speakers' Corner Committee has been established and is now considering potential sites for a Speakers' Corner in Bristol city centre and plans for the project's launch later this year.

The proposal is that
* professional actors be engaged to perform a range of historic speeches in order to establish the suitability of each site
* in order to make best use of the opportunity, voluntary groups be invited to make brief presentations in rotation with the actors
* subject to further consideration, the exercise be undertaken on 28 April.

The following list of sites will be reduced by the Committee on 14 April to a shortlist of three or four:
*Arnolfini/Bush House
*Castle Green/Castle Park
*College Green
*Colston Avenue
*Corn Street
*Queen Square.


The Committee is keen to exploit the opportunity created by the actors' performance to provide a public platform for local voluntary groups.

John Dawson of Speaking Circles, another member of the Committee, has offered to provide free coaching for up to ten participating members of voluntary groups in the basic techniques of effective speaking in public. The session will take place on the afternoon of Monday 26 April.

The initiative provides a significant opportunity to secure positive ublicity for the Speakers' Corner project as well as the organisations nd voluntary groups which contribute to it. It is also hoped that, perhaps working with students from the universities, it will be possible to record the event on film.

Peter Bradley
Speakers' Corner Trust
0207 870 9595 / m 07801 105260
peterbradley@speakerscornertrust.org
www.speakerscornertrust.org

Speakers' Corner Trust is a registered charity no. 1120913and a limited company registered in England and Wales no. 6116102.Registered Office: Pellipar House, 1st Floor, 9 Cloak Lane, London EC4R2RU.