Celebrating the Bristol Young Heroes Awards 2024!

On Thursday 26th March, Young Bristol were delighted to host our first 'Dinner for Young Futures, sponsored by Origin Workspace'. We invited over 100 guests to The Pony Chew Valley, to enjoy a delicious dinner.

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This special dining experience brought together over 100 guests from local businesses and supporters, who all helped us to raise £10,000 for our work with Bristol’s children and young people, and to celebrate 98 years of the charity delivering life changing opportunities across the city.

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Our Dinner for Young Futures took place at The Pony Chew Valley, where the event saw an incredible evening featuring a 3-course dinner, inspirational speakers and stories that highlight the impact of our work across the city.

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The event welcomed supporters and key individuals who have been impacted by, and seen first-hand, the long-term, positive effects of Young Bristol's programmes and services. It was great to hear from Dan Lee, Young Person of the Year 2025; Kat Katuszka, Senior Youth Leader at BS14 Youth Club; AJ Holstein, Young Bristol Supporter and Shannon Ringland, Young Bristol Trustee, who all spoke about their experience with Young Bristol.

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"I attended one of Young Bristol’s youth clubs as a young person. I have many fond memories, and most of them involve the pure fun that I had with my friends. The memories that stand out the most is the support I received from the Youth Workers, their guidance and the safe space. So, when I became a Youth Worker it was only natural for me to draw on those positive experiences."

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said Kat Katuszka, Senior Youth Leader at BS14 Youth Club

On Friday 13th March, we were delighted to welcome the team from Leggwork to The Grove @ Bedminster Down, where five of their dedicated team members helped us to improve our facilities for young people.

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The group spent their day taking care of the club’s outdoor spaces, helping at the club with weeding, gardening, and litter picking as well as planting new flowers into the clubs planters. Their hard work has made the area cleaner, more welcoming, and ready for young people to enjoy.

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“Volunteering at The Grove was a brilliant experience for the Leggwork team. Supporting Young Bristol a great deal to us, the opportunities and support they provide for young people in our community are genuinely life changing. It was a privilege to play a small part in improving a space that will continue to benefit the local community for years to come.”

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Thank you to everyone at Leggwork for helping us to create a safe, positive place where our young people can thrive! We appreciate your ongoing support!

Young Bristol were pleased to partner with the RYA and Bristol Maritime Academy to pilot a new marine career pathway for young people in Bristol, as part of the 'New Horizons Project'.

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The career pathway is the newest initiative of the 'New Horizons Project', which has been running across the Bristol area for over five years, introducing hundreds of young people from the ages of 10-20 to sailing and water sports, many of whom may not otherwise have had access to the water.

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This year, Young Bristol has supported the first cohort of 11 young adults from our Outdoor Employment Programme to complete its first year, undertaking a structured pathway designed to equip them with industry‑recognised RYA qualifications. Trainees achieved First Aid, Sea Survival, Marine Radio (SRC) and the RYA PPR (Professional Practices and Responsibilities) course alongside their Powerboat Level 2 certificates.

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These qualifications provide the full commercial endorsement, enabling our Trainees to operate powerboats professionally and making them valuable assets to employers across harbours, docks, waterway operations and a wide range of commercial marine environments.

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Work placements and employment pathways are being developed with the Bristol Harbour Master, local docks teams and Bristol Maritime, ensuring real opportunities for young people ready to take their next steps into marine work.

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Phil Harris, Outdoor Employment Programme Lead said:

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“The trainees Young Bristol's Outdoor Employment Programme have benefited immensely from this project. Thirteen young people facing barriers to employment have been given incredible opportunities through this training. Many have already secured job interviews and begun conversations with employers.

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The commitment and hard work shown by the trainees has been truly inspiring. Partnerships like this draw on the strengths of all organisations involved and create outcomes far greater than the sum of their parts. We are proud to be contributing to such an impactful project in Bristol.”

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Chris Eades, Founder of the Bristol Maritime Academy, added:

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“At Bristol Maritime, many of us started without family connections to the water, just a Powerboat Level 2 qualification and a passion for being outdoors on the waterways. Through The New Horizons Project, we’re proud to help people from Bristol and outside the sector get qualified and discover opportunities both globally and, on their doorstep, — from running workboats to supporting environmental projects and teaching others on the water.

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By linking this first cohort with organisations such as the Bristol Harbour Authority and our own water safety company, BM Safety, we’re helping them take their first real steps into careers on the water.”

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Rob Howlett, RYA Regional Manager added:

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“From windsurfing and dinghy sailing to keelboats and yachts, there are so many ways for young people in Bristol to get out on the water. These opportunities build confidence and give them practical skills that can naturally lead into local marine careers. Through the New Horizons Project, we’ve been able to bring community groups, clubs, trainers and employers together, showing that boating is truly accessible and can open doors for young people who might never have considered the sector.

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As interest grows, we’re now looking to expand the project to help even more employers find young people with recognised powerboat qualifications.”

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Young Bristol remains committed to ensuring that all young people can access meaningful opportunities, develop new skills and build brighter futures. If you would like to find out more about our Outdoor Employment Programme, and how you can get involved with projects similar to the 'New Horizons Project', click here!

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On Sunday 15th March, we were pleased to see Oli from Unite Students and four employees from Istoria Group sign up to the Bath Half Marathon to raise money for Young Bristol!

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The Bath Half Marathon is a 13 mile race, with the course following a two-lap route through the heart of Bath. The race is known for its scenic views and great spectator support, being one of the UK's most popular races.

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"This was my first half marathon, so it was brilliant to see how many people came out to support all the runners. Their support (and hi-fives), running with my lovely mum and knowing what an amazing cause I was supporting is what made me achieve a time that was well under my goal."

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said Oli Blacklidge ,Bath Half Marathon runner

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It has been amazing to see the five participants prepare for their exciting challenge, all while fundraising for our young people.

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Thank you to all our participants for taking part in the Bath Half Marathon to raise money for young people across Bristol - we appreciate your incredible support!

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If you are interested in taking part in a third party fundraising event for Young Bristol, click here and learn how you can help fundraise for us!

On Monday, we were delighted to welcome the team from Burges Salmon to Hartcliffe Club for Young People, where seven of their dedicated team members helped us to improve our facilities for young people.

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The group spent their day taking care of the club’s outdoor spaces, helping at the club with weeding, gardening, and litter picking to help keep the space well maintained. Their hard work has made the area cleaner, more welcoming, and ready for young people to enjoy.

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Some of the volunteers also helped us to paint the walls in the main hall space, making sure the walls had a blank canvas for young people to work on new graffiti.

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"We had a fantastic day volunteering with Young Bristol at Hartcliffe Club for Young People. It was really rewarding to make a difference to the outdoor space, and it was great to see the impact we made at the end of the day. The team really appreciated the opportunity to support such a wonderful local cause and contribute to the community.”

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Thank you to everyone at Burges Salmon for helping us to create a safe, positive place where our young people can thrive! We appreciate your ongoing support!

On Saturday 7th March, we were pleased to see James and Olie sign up to the Green Man Ultra Marathon to raise money for Young Bristol!

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The Green Man Ultra is a 30 or 45-mile ultramarathon that loops around the city of Bristol, following the Community Forest Path. The event is ran twice a year, with the winter event often featuring muddy conditions.

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It has been amazing to see James and Olie prepare for this exciting challenge, all while fundraising for our young people.

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Thank you to both of our participants for taking part in the Green Man Ultra Marathon - we appreciate your incredible support!

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If you are interested in taking part in a third party fundraising event for Young Bristol, click here and learn how you can help fundraise for us!

On Friday 6th March, we were delighted to welcome the team from Burges Salmon to BS14 Youth Club, where five of their dedicated team members helped us to improve our facilities for young people.

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The group spent their day taking care of the club’s outdoor spaces, helping at the club with weeding, gardening, and litter picking to help keep the space well maintained. Their hard work has made the area cleaner, more welcoming, and ready for young people to enjoy.

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"We had a fantastic day volunteering with Young Bristol at BS14 Youth Club. It was incredibly rewarding to make a difference to the outdoor space, and it was great to see the impact we made at the end of the day. The team really appreciated the opportunity to support such a wonderful local cause and contribute to the community.”

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Thank you to everyone at Burges Salmon for helping us to create a safe, positive place where our young people can thrive! We appreciate your ongoing support!

On Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th February, we were delighted to welcome the team from Burges Salmon to Ashton Vale Club for Young People, where 12 of their dedicated team members helped us to improve our facilities for young people.

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Two groups spent their days repainting the club’s walls, ensuring the same emerald colour continues throughout the building. The team also helped us rearrange our upstairs classroom and helped with some general tidying, making sure the space feels bright, welcoming, and ready for young people to enjoy.

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"We had a fantastic day volunteering with Young Bristol at Ashton Vale Club for Young People. It was incredibly rewarding to help transform the space with fresh paint, bringing a new colour and energy into the areas young people use every day. The team really appreciated the opportunity to support such a wonderful local cause and contribute to the community.”

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Thank you to everyone at Burges Salmon for helping us to create a safe, positive place where our young people can thrive! We appreciate your ongoing support!

This February Half Term, Young Bristol offered a wide range of activities for all young people to take part in. From sporting to creative activities, we’ve had something for everyone!

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This week, we hosted an Interclub Football Tournament at St Brendan's Rugby Football Club, welcoming over 70 young people from across our club network to take part. The day brought together young people from Ashton Vale Club for Young People, BS14 Youth Club, Hartcliffe Club for Young People and The Grove @Bedminster Down.

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The Interclub tournament started with teams playing 4-5 minute matches in a round-robin format, with supporters cheering on their teams from the sidelines.

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After some intense matches, it was announced that BS14 Youth Club and The Grove @ Bedminster Down would play against each other for the junior trophy and both teams from Ashton Vale Club for Young People for the senior trophy!

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We are proud to announce that BS14 Youth Club won our junior trophy and Ashton Vale Club for Young People were awarded our senior trophy. Well done to all the young people who took part. It was fantastic to see them interacting and making new friends, as well as engaging other young people from across the city!

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At Young Bristol, young people are at the heart of everything we do. By continuing to offer youth‑led programmes across the city, we’re able to open doors, build confidence, and create long‑lasting trust with the thousands of young people we support every day.

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We would like to thank St Brendan's Rugby Football Club for facilitating our football tournament. To find out more about our Community Youth Clubs, click here!