News, stories & updates

Are you looking to set a New Years resolution that will make a difference in 2025? As we approach 2025, why not set a New Year’s resolution that will create lasting change?

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Now more than ever before, young people and families across Bristol need the support of charities like Young Bristol. By supporting us, your help can provide safe places, a supportive environment and activities which support young people to feel empowered, included and not alone. Here's how you can help:

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Run for us

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Now more than ever before, young people and families across Bristol need the support of local charities!

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In 2025, make a difference by taking on a challenge whilst supporting a local cause. Whether you want to take part in a fun run, build up your physical fitness with a Half Marathon, or push yourself to the limit with an ultra challenge - grab your trainers and get fundraising! Sign up for a running event here!

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Volunteer for us

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We have a number of volunteer roles for you to choose from across our organisation, whether its helping at one of our fundraising events, volunteering your time as a company or supporting our Youth Clubs.

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Volunteering is an amazing way to give back, make a positive impact and feel great. Your time and support will make a difference, get involved here!

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Fundraise for us

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There are lots of exciting ways that you or your company can fundraise for Young Bristol. Every pound raised will make a huge difference to young people across the city.

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We have an A-Z guide to fundraising to help you get started or find out more about how you can raise funds here!

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Become a corporate partner

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It is thanks to the generous support of local corporates that Young Bristol is able to develop our provision and thrive in local communities across the city!

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There are many ways for you to begin a partnership with Young Bristol to support our work, find out more here!

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Make a donation

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As the cost of living continues to rise in 2025, young people continue to need our Youth Clubs and programmes more than ever before; giving them access to positive activities and a safe place they can thrive in!

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With your support, we can continue to provide our vital opportunities to young people across the city! Make a donation here!

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Transform the lives of young people and support a local cause this year! Find out more here and get involved today!

This week, The Grove @ Bedminster Down hosted their annual Christmas Fair at Bedminster Down Ex Service Club! Over 100 local residents came through the doors, enjoying all of the stalls and activities we had on offer.

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This year, our young people led a social action project, where their voices were integral to shaping the stalls and activities. They even ran their own stall at the fair.

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The fair featured a range of other stalls, including tarot card readings, jewellery, a lucky wheel, and food stalls. Visitors also enjoyed activities such as a raffle and bottle tombola. We were even lucky enough to welcome Santa and his elves to the fair, who hosted a grotto to help raise funds for The Grove!

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To finish the Christmas Fair, the raffle ticket winners were announced, with some incredible prizes on offer, many of which were kindly donated by local businesses. These included a family pass to visit the SS Great Britain, go-karting tickets, and food vouchers. A big thank you to everyone who donated a raffle prize!

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We hope everyone enjoyed this year’s Christmas Fair. We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped us raise significant funds, which will all be donated back to The Grove. Thank you to all the Young Bristol staff and young people who got involved—you made this event one to remember!

Merry Christmas from the Young Bristol team!

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To everyone celebrating Christmas and other festive traditions at this time of year, we wish you a day full of love, laughter and joy! Thank you to everyone who has supported us in 2024!

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Our Community Youth Clubs, programmes and office will be closing over the Christmas period. Please see below to find our last days of delivery and when we will reopen:

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Ashton Vale Club for Young People

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Last session on Monday 23rd December

Reopen as normal from Monday 6th January

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Avon Youth Club

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Last session on Friday 13th December

Reopen as normal from Monday 6th January

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BS14 Youth Club

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Last session on Thursday 19th December

Reopen as normal from Monday 6th January

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Hartcliffe Club for Young People

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Last session on Friday 20th December

Reopen as normal on Monday 6th January

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Sea Mills Boys and Girls Club

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Last session on Thursday 19th December

Reopen as normal from Tuesday 7th January

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The Grove @ Bedminster Down

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Last session on Wednesday 18th December

Reopen as normal from Monday 6th January

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Youth Club on Wheels

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Last session on Monday 23rd December

Reopen as normal from Monday 6th January

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Outdoor Employment Programme

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Last session on Thursday 12th December

Reopen as normal from Thursday 9th January

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Office

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Last operating day on Tuesday 24th December

Open and operating from Thursday 2nd January

We are delighted to announce that Esme from Ashton Vale Club for Young People and Maisie from Sea Mills Boys and Girls Club are the winners of the 2024 Christmas Card Competition!

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Last month, we hosted a Christmas Card Competition across our Community Youth Clubs. Young people from across network were encouraged to draw a Christmas design that to be featured as this year’s annual Christmas Card!

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We were delighted to receive a total of 47 entries from across our Youth Clubs, showcasing lots creativity through some fantastic designs!

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The winner from our junior age group is Esme, aged 12, from Ashton Vale Club for Young People. The winner from our senior age group was Maisie, aged 13, from Sea Mills Boys and Girls Club! The pair have each been awarded a pack of cards that feature their design as well as a £15 Amazon gift voucher!

Last week, we were delighted to invite the team from Computershare to The Grove @ Bedminster Down, where five employees dedicated their day to help us improve our facilities for young people!

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During their voluntary day, the volunteers from Computershare helped us around the club by painting the doors and the skirtings inside the club. This has helped us to brighten the inside facilities at The Grove, helping to create a well-respected, safe area for young people.

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Thank you to the team from Computershare for your continued support!

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If you are interested in volunteering for Young Bristol, click here to learn more about our voluntary opportunities!

In an inspiring partnership with local youth charity, Young Bristol, Laura Wilder, Franchisee of the Bristol Fishponds McDonald’s, has transformed her restaurant into a safe and welcoming space for young people. This partnership comes as a result of McDonald’s Makin’ it initiative, run in collaboration with BBC Children in Need - to better support young people and unlock genuine opportunity.

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Surrounded by several schools, Laura noticed an increasing number of young people gathering at her restaurant after school. Over time, she began to know the regulars by name, fostering relationships that have led to a much greater impact than anticipated. Laura’s presence as a mentor and positive role model grew as she took on a key role of providing reassurance, advice, and support to these young people.

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In a bid to extend the positive impact beyond just the students who were visiting her restaurant, Laura formed a partnership with Young Bristol, the city’s leading provider of community-based youth services. The charity is well known for its extensive community youth club network across some of Bristol’s most challenging neighbourhoods and run a variety of initiatives including outdoor activities, holiday clubs and an outdoor employment programme which helps young people develop life skills.

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Recognising the potential of combining their strengths, Laura personally funded six youth work sessions, which saw Young Bristol’s innovative Youth Club on Wheels parked outside her McDonald’s for a 3-hour window each week. This mobile youth service created a fun, interactive space for the youth, with various activities designed to engage, inspire, and positively influence their lives.

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Over the course of the project, 24 young people from the local Fishponds community took part, solidifying the initiative’s success. This partnership between Young Bristol and McDonald’s has had a profound effect on the local community, all through crucial funding from BBC Children in Need. Not only has Laura’s restaurant become a gathering spot where young people feel safe, but it has also fostered anew, mutual respect between the McDonald’s team and young people in the area. Fishponds McDonald’s and Young Bristol look forward to continuing their partnership, with a new aim to provide employment opportunities for young people.

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Local McDonald’s Franchisee, Laura Wilder, who owns and operates McDonald’s Fishponds, says:

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‍“My team at McDonald’s Fishponds and I, together with Young Bristol, are deeply committed to creating lasting change in our community. We see the bright potential in every young person, and it inspires us to create a safe and welcoming space where they can connect, learn, and truly thrive. Together, we've already begun to see the positive impact of our partnership, and we’re excited to build on this foundation. Our goal is to open even more doors for growth and empowerment, ensuring that the youth of Bristol have the opportunities they deserve to shine.”

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Shea Stew, Young Bristol Youth Club On Wheels Lead adds:

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‍“Going into the project we did not know what to expect, but I was utterly amazed at the response from the young people and the community. It quickly became clear that there was a genuine need in Fishponds for something for young people. We really enjoyed working with McDonalds, and would love to see a bigger partnership in the future, as we know youth, community, and burgers, is a great combination.”

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Since the start of the partnership with BBC Children in Need, McDonald’s has supported more than 185 youth projects employing more than 320 youth workers and improving outcomes for over 42,500 young people .McDonald’s customers can donate to BBC Children in Need by rounding up orders at the kiosk and via the McDonald’s App.

Young Bristol were thrilled to attend the Children and Young People Now Awards, where our Youth Club on Wheels had been nominated as a finalist in 'The Youth Work Award'!

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The Children and Young People Now Awards showcase innovation and outstanding practice across the children’s services sector. Young Bristol joined organisations from across the sector at the Awards gala on Thursday 28th November, at the Novotel London West in Hammersmith, to champion the vital work that our services provide to children, young people and families.

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Young Bristol's Youth Club on Wheels was nominated for 'The Youth Work Award', which highlights initiatives that have done the most to promote young people’s personal development and help them achieve their potential. The Young Bristol team were proud to be finalists for the award alongside children's services from across the UK.

Computershare employees took part in the organisation’s annual ‘On Yer Bike’ fundraising event to raise money for Young Bristol!

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‘On Yer Bike’ has been successfully running for a number of years from Computershare's Bedminster Down office.

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The event saw just under 30 employees take on the challenge of cycling routes of 20, 55 or 70 miles in changeable weather across North Somerset in aid of the organisation.

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Lucy Newcombe, Chief Peopleand ESG officer at Computershare, said:

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“Our annual On Yer Bike event is hugely popular with employees who every year set themselves the challenge of riding some of the steepest hills in the area to raise money for an organisation that provides vital services for young people aged 8-24 in the city. We’re proud to support an organisation that aims to make a difference to the lives of local young people. Our employees enjoyed the experience, which included an after-event BBQ where they spoke to representatives from the charity and learned more about the important work it does.”

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Young Bristol was pleased in 2021 to be selected as Computershare's official regional charity for the company’s workplace giving programme Change a Life, which aims to empower people and communities facing economic and social challenges around the world. 

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Since then the partnership has helped to raise thousands of pounds, organised fundraising events and has seen Computershare employees volunteering their time at a number of the charity’s Bristol-based community venues.

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Thank you to Computershare for arranging this incredible event in aid of Young Bristol.

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All donations raised from the On Yer Bike event will help us to support young people across Bristol to discover what they are capable of!

Young Bristol were pleased to see Ashton Vale Club for Young People go through a number of refurbishments this month, with exciting developments to the clubs main, open space.

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As part of Young Bristol's 2022-25 Strategic Priorities, the charity has focused on investing in our infrastructure and resources to give young people and their local communities an environment they can thrive in.

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The work at Ashton Vale Club for Young People has hugely improved our former Silver Social room, which will now be used as a multi-media suite, helping our team expand the opportunities they can now provide for young people who attend our sessions. Improvements to the club have also seen the installation of a new heating system, new flooring and new ceiling. The improvements will also benefit the wider community who utilise our Community Youth Club during the daytime.

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We are committed to continuing our mission and stratgeic investment by providing safe, welcoming spaces for young people, where they can build friendships, access support and be themselves.

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