diff --git a/CHANGES.md b/CHANGES.md
index 5aecdfb23d..736cfbe235 100644
--- a/CHANGES.md
+++ b/CHANGES.md
@@ -1,3 +1,64 @@
+# Synapse 1.96.0rc1 (2023-10-31)
+
+### Features
+
+- Allow multiple workers to write to receipts stream. ([\#16432](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16432))
+- Add a new module API for controller presence. ([\#16544](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16544))
+- Add a new module API callback that allows adding extra fields to events' unsigned section when sent down to clients. ([\#16549](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16549))
+- Improve the performance of claiming encryption keys. ([\#16565](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16565), [\#16570](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16570))
+
+### Bugfixes
+
+- Fixed a bug that prevents Grafana from finding the correct datasource. Contributed by @MichaelSasser. ([\#16471](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16471))
+- Fix a long-standing, exceedingly rare edge case where the first event persisted by a new event persister worker might not be sent down `/sync`. ([\#16473](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16473), [\#16557](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16557), [\#16561](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16561), [\#16578](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16578), [\#16580](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16580))
+- Fix long-standing bug where `/sync` incorrectly did not mark a room as `limited` in a sync requests when there were missing remote events. ([\#16485](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16485))
+- Fix a bug introduced in Synapse 1.41 where HTTP(S) forward proxy authorization would fail when using basic HTTP authentication with a long `username:password` string. ([\#16504](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16504))
+- Force TLS certificate verification in user registration script. ([\#16530](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16530))
+- Fix long-standing bug where `/sync` could tightloop after restart when using SQLite. ([\#16540](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16540))
+- Fix ratelimiting of message sending when using workers, where the ratelimit would only be applied after most of the work has been done. ([\#16558](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16558))
+- Fix a long-standing bug where invited/knocking users would not leave during a room purge. ([\#16559](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16559))
+
+### Improved Documentation
+
+- Improve documentation of presence router. ([\#16529](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16529))
+- Add a sentence to the opentracing docs on how you can have jaeger in a different place than synapse. ([\#16531](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16531))
+- Correctly describe the meaning of unspecified rule lists in the [`alias_creation_rules`](https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/usage/configuration/config_documentation.html#alias_creation_rules) and [`room_list_publication_rules`](https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/usage/configuration/config_documentation.html#room_list_publication_rules) config options and improve their descriptions more generally. ([\#16541](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16541))
+- Pin the recommended poetry version in contributors' guide. ([\#16550](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16550))
+- Fix a broken link to the [client breakdown](https://matrix.org/ecosystem/clients/) in the README. ([\#16569](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16569))
+
+### Internal Changes
+
+- Improve performance of delete device messages query, cf issue [16479](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16479). ([\#16492](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16492))
+- Reduce memory allocations. ([\#16505](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16505))
+- Improve replication performance when purging rooms. ([\#16510](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16510))
+- Run tests against Python 3.12. ([\#16511](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16511))
+- Run trial & integration tests in continuous integration when `.ci` directory is modified. ([\#16512](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16512))
+- Remove duplicate call to mark remote server 'awake' when using a federation sending worker. ([\#16515](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16515))
+- Enable dirty runs on Complement CI, which is significantly faster. ([\#16520](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16520))
+- Stop deleting from an unused table. ([\#16521](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16521))
+- Improve type hints. ([\#16526](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16526), [\#16551](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16551))
+- Fix running unit tests on Twisted trunk. ([\#16528](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16528))
+- Bump matrix-synapse-ldap3 from 0.2.2 to 0.3.0. ([\#16539](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16539))
+- Reduce some spurious logging in worker mode. ([\#16555](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16555))
+- Stop porting a table in port db that we're going to nuke and rebuild anyway. ([\#16563](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16563))
+- Deal with warnings from running complement in CI. ([\#16567](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16567))
+- Allow building with `setuptools_rust` 1.8.0. ([\#16574](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16574))
+
+### Updates to locked dependencies
+
+* Bump black from 23.10.0 to 23.10.1. ([\#16575](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16575))
+* Bump black from 23.9.1 to 23.10.0. ([\#16538](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16538))
+* Bump cryptography from 41.0.4 to 41.0.5. ([\#16572](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16572))
+* Bump gitpython from 3.1.37 to 3.1.40. ([\#16534](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16534))
+* Bump phonenumbers from 8.13.22 to 8.13.23. ([\#16576](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16576))
+* Bump pygithub from 1.59.1 to 2.1.1. ([\#16535](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16535))
+* Bump serde from 1.0.189 to 1.0.190. ([\#16577](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16577))
+* Bump setuptools-rust from 1.7.0 to 1.8.0. ([\#16574](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16574))
+* Bump types-pillow from 10.0.0.3 to 10.1.0.0. ([\#16536](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16536))
+* Bump types-psycopg2 from 2.9.21.14 to 2.9.21.15. ([\#16573](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16573))
+* Bump types-requests from 2.31.0.2 to 2.31.0.10. ([\#16537](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16537))
+* Bump urllib3 from 1.26.17 to 1.26.18. ([\#16516](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16516))
+
 # Synapse 1.95.1 (2023-10-31)
 
 ## Security advisory
diff --git a/changelog.d/16432.feature b/changelog.d/16432.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 9a76e85592..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16432.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Allow multiple workers to write to receipts stream.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16471.bugfix b/changelog.d/16471.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index c94cd5b78f..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16471.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fixed a bug that prevents Grafana from finding the correct datasource. Contributed by @MichaelSasser.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16473.bugfix b/changelog.d/16473.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 4f4a0380cd..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16473.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix a long-standing, exceedingly rare edge case where the first event persisted by a new event persister worker might not be sent down `/sync`.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16485.bugfix b/changelog.d/16485.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 3cd7e1877f..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16485.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix long-standing bug where `/sync` incorrectly did not mark a room as `limited` in a sync requests when there were missing remote events.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16492.misc b/changelog.d/16492.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index ecb3356bdd..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16492.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Improve performance of delete device messages query, cf issue [16479](https://github.com/matrix-org/synapse/issues/16479).
diff --git a/changelog.d/16504.bugfix b/changelog.d/16504.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 60839c474b..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16504.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix a bug introduced in Synapse 1.41 where HTTP(S) forward proxy authorization would fail when using basic HTTP authentication with a long `username:password` string.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16505.misc b/changelog.d/16505.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index bd7cdd42af..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16505.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Reduce memory allocations.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16510.misc b/changelog.d/16510.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 5556b5d74c..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16510.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Improve replication performance when purging rooms.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16511.misc b/changelog.d/16511.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 7b7d9ee5b8..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16511.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Run tests against Python 3.12.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16512.misc b/changelog.d/16512.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index dcc53510c4..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16512.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Run trial & integration tests in continuous integration when `.ci` directory is modified.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16515.misc b/changelog.d/16515.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index d54dd730e1..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16515.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Remove duplicate call to mark remote server 'awake' when using a federation sending worker.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16520.misc b/changelog.d/16520.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index ea10fd4345..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16520.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Enable dirty runs on Complement CI, which is significantly faster.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16521.misc b/changelog.d/16521.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index c6a8ddcf9c..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16521.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Stop deleting from an unused table.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16526.misc b/changelog.d/16526.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 93ceaeafc9..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16526.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Improve type hints.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16528.misc b/changelog.d/16528.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 32954ea675..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16528.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix running unit tests on Twisted trunk.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16529.doc b/changelog.d/16529.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index 0f8a87f293..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16529.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Improve documentation of presence router.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16530.bugfix b/changelog.d/16530.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 503ea0af20..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16530.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Force TLS certificate verification in user registration script.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16531.doc b/changelog.d/16531.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index 0932d1abf1..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16531.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add a sentence to the opentracing docs on how you can have jaeger in a different place than synapse.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16539.misc b/changelog.d/16539.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index cd21bdb26d..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16539.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Bump matrix-synapse-ldap3 from 0.2.2 to 0.3.0.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16540.bugfix b/changelog.d/16540.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 34ee9facf9..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16540.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix long-standing bug where `/sync` could tightloop after restart when using SQLite.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16541.doc b/changelog.d/16541.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index 39aeecada6..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16541.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Correctly describe the meaning of unspecified rule lists in the [`alias_creation_rules`](https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/usage/configuration/config_documentation.html#alias_creation_rules) and [`room_list_publication_rules`](https://matrix-org.github.io/synapse/latest/usage/configuration/config_documentation.html#room_list_publication_rules) config options and improve their descriptions more generally.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16544.feature b/changelog.d/16544.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 92bf701be6..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16544.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add a new module API for controller presence.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16549.feature b/changelog.d/16549.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index 51129200f3..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16549.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Add a new module API callback that allows adding extra fields to events' unsigned section when sent down to clients.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16550.doc b/changelog.d/16550.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index 77ba422a06..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16550.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Pin the recommended poetry version in contributors' guide.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16551.misc b/changelog.d/16551.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 93ceaeafc9..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16551.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Improve type hints.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16555.misc b/changelog.d/16555.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index d02efb2114..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16555.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Reduce some spurious logging in worker mode.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16557.bugfix b/changelog.d/16557.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 4f4a0380cd..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16557.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix a long-standing, exceedingly rare edge case where the first event persisted by a new event persister worker might not be sent down `/sync`.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16558.bugfix b/changelog.d/16558.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 64f419fd82..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16558.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix ratelimiting of message sending when using workers, where the ratelimit would only be applied after most of the work has been done.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16559.bugfix b/changelog.d/16559.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index e0fb16f807..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16559.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix a long-standing bug where invited/knocking users would not leave during a room purge.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16561.bugfix b/changelog.d/16561.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 4f4a0380cd..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16561.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix a long-standing, exceedingly rare edge case where the first event persisted by a new event persister worker might not be sent down `/sync`.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16563.misc b/changelog.d/16563.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index e433659e8f..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16563.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Stop porting a table in port db that we're going to nuke and rebuild anyway.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16565.feature b/changelog.d/16565.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index c807945fa8..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16565.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Improve the performance of claiming encryption keys.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16567.misc b/changelog.d/16567.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index 858fbac7f2..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16567.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Deal with warnings from running complement in CI.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16569.doc b/changelog.d/16569.doc
deleted file mode 100644
index 7b2a439d30..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16569.doc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix a broken link to the [client breakdown](https://matrix.org/ecosystem/clients/) in the README.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16570.feature b/changelog.d/16570.feature
deleted file mode 100644
index c807945fa8..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16570.feature
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Improve the performance of claiming encryption keys.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16574.misc b/changelog.d/16574.misc
deleted file mode 100644
index fae0f00fb3..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16574.misc
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Allow building with `setuptools_rust` 1.8.0.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16578.bugfix b/changelog.d/16578.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 4f4a0380cd..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16578.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix a long-standing, exceedingly rare edge case where the first event persisted by a new event persister worker might not be sent down `/sync`.
diff --git a/changelog.d/16580.bugfix b/changelog.d/16580.bugfix
deleted file mode 100644
index 4f4a0380cd..0000000000
--- a/changelog.d/16580.bugfix
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-Fix a long-standing, exceedingly rare edge case where the first event persisted by a new event persister worker might not be sent down `/sync`.
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 2f9a7d3724..cbfcb8f44d 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+matrix-synapse-py3 (1.96.0~rc1) stable; urgency=medium
+
+  * New Synapse release 1.96.0rc1.
+
+ -- Synapse Packaging team <packages@matrix.org>  Tue, 31 Oct 2023 14:09:09 +0000
+
 matrix-synapse-py3 (1.95.1) stable; urgency=medium
 
   * New Synapse release 1.95.1.
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index f73726e008..23e0004395 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ module-name = "synapse.synapse_rust"
 
 [tool.poetry]
 name = "matrix-synapse"
-version = "1.95.1"
+version = "1.96.0rc1"
 description = "Homeserver for the Matrix decentralised comms protocol"
 authors = ["Matrix.org Team and Contributors <packages@matrix.org>"]
 license = "Apache-2.0"