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We are delighted to welcome Mr Jonathan Webb MB ChB FRCS (Orth) as the new President of Young Bristol. Currently working between the Bristol Nuffield Chesterfield Hospital and the Fortius Clinic in London as a consultant orthopaedic surgeon, he specialises in all types of knee surgery.
Jonathan is also kept busy with his varied charitable interests which include the Society of Merchant Venturers, the Society of St Stephens' Ringers, and the University of Bristol campaign for resource.
Whilst training to be a surgeon Jonathan played rugby in the amateur days, winning 33 caps for England, playing for Bristol University, Bristol and Bath. During this time England won 2 grand slams and reached the final of the 1991 Rugby World Cup. In 1992 Jonathan was awarded the Rothmans Player of the Year award. In 2011 Jonathan joined the RFU Council, he is now the World Rugby representative and sits on the Board of the RFU. He also chairs the Medical Advisory Committee and the Concussion Risk Management Group.
The team at Young Bristol are pleased to have Jonathan join us at such an exciting time and we look forward to his involvement in our 90th year and beyond!
We are delighted to announce the appointment of four new Trustees to Young Bristol's Board of Trustees- Cathy Dodsworth, Fahma Mohamed, Jay Nash and Shannon Ringland!
These appointments come at an exciting time for Young Bristol as we head towards our 100-year anniversary in 2028! Young Bristol were keen to recruit new Trustees who could complement the skills of our existing Board members; and who had the passion, desire and ability to help the charity achieve its ambitious future goals.
Young Bristol continues to prioritise the importance of our Board having a broad representation of skills, backgrounds and experiences; as well as a shared passion and experience of working with the youth sector.
Meet the Trustees:
Cathy Dodsworth
Cathy grew up near Blackpool, Lancashire, spending a great deal of her time at a local youth club. During this time, she enjoyed playing hockey, hiking in the Lake District and completing her Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award. When working in Plymouth, she assessed young people undertaking their DofE expedition across Dartmoor.
Now living in Bristol, Cathy is a Coach and Safeguarding Lead for her local rugby club. Her son also regularly attends boxing sessions at Broad Plain & Riverside Youth Project! Cathy has personally benefitted from, and is passionate about, the value that sport, outdoor activities and youth clubs bring to the lives of young people. Cathy is a HR Professional, with over 30 years experience across public and private sectors. She was delighted to take up the post of Trustee in January 2025, supporting the amazing things that Young Bristol achieves across the city.
Fahma Mohamed
Fahma is a passionate advocate for young people's rights and a leader in the youth sector. She currently serves as Project Manager at Girls Friendly Society, focusing on The Girls Rights Collective and the organisations 150th anniversary. Fahma's career has been defined by her work empowering young people, particularly in the areas of gender equality and social justice. She led a successful campaign against FGM as a teenager, securing over 250,000 signatures and contributing to a £35 million government initiatives to end FGM and forced marriage. This work earned her the Young Campaigner of the Year Award and an Honorary Doctorate in Law from the University of Bristol.
Fahma's previous experience includes working with young people to challenge harmful practices and support their personal development, particularly around issues of cultural identity and gender-based violence. As a Trustee at Young Bristol, Fahma hopes to bring her passion for youth advocacy, extensive experience and strategic insight to help shape the organisation's future and expand opportunities for young people across the city!
Jay Nash
Jay is the Director of People and Culture at Teach First, where he drives people strategy and execution to advance the charity's mission of tackling educational inequality. With over 17 years of experience in HR, business transformation and consulting, Jay brings deep expertise in people management, leadership and organisational development. Passionate about supporting young people, Jay understands the critical role organisations like Young Bristol play in fostering their growth and potential.
A keen outdoor enthusiast, he values the transformative power of nature and it's ability to build resilience. This year, Jay has completed the Cambrian Way, a challenging thru-hike that reflects his belief in personal growth through new and demanding experiences!
Shannon Ringland
Young Bristol holds a special place in Shannon's heart, as she had the privilege of attending the Outdoor Employment Programme 10 years ago, when she initially moved to Bristol. The programme was able to provide Shannon with invaluable skills and experiences that have shaped her professional journey.
Since leaving our Outdoor Employment Programme, Shannon has worked in many of the South West's top visitor attractions, and currently serves as HR and Operations Manager at Wake the Tiger. Her passion for the outdoors aligns with Young Bristol's mission to inspire and empower young people through outdoor activities and community programmes. Shannon has, first hand, seen the transformative power of these opportunities and is excited to contribute alongside fellow Trustees, staff and supporters to further our mission, ensuring more young people can benefit from the incredible work Young Bristol does.
You can find out more about our Board of Trustees, Patron and President here.
On Wednesday 15th January, Young Bristol welcomed our supporters, staff team, and young people and their families to our Celebration, AGM and Awards Event. The event celebrated a year of growth and impact, and highlighted stories from individuals across the organisation.
The event took place at one of Young Bristol’s Community Youth Clubs, Broad Plain & Riverside Youth Project, with a jam-packed evening which saw speakers, performances and a presentation of awards.
We were thrilled to have young people from The Grove @ Bedminster Down and Youth Worker, Cassidy Cockram open the event. It was amazing to see the young people share their talents with the 100 people who attended.
We heard from Young Bristol’s President, Jonathan Webb and Co-Chairs Victoria Matthews and Jamie Cameron, who outlined the charity’s impact over recent years, our key achievements and focuses for 2025 – 2028.
Lee Williams DL shared his experiences from the past seven years as Chief Executive of Young Bristol.
“Leading Young Bristol has been the honour of a lifetime. In those past seven years, I’ve witnessed incredible transformations: a shy teenager finding their voice as a leader, a struggling child discovering their passion through STEM programmes and countless young people who once faced uncertainty now stepping into bright futures with confidence. These moments remind me daily of why we do what we do.”
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 support. Alumni Junior Saunders spoke about his experience of Young Bristol as a young person, and how the support of Youth Workers can have a transformative impact on a young persons life. Junior welcomed the High Sheriff of Bristol Richard Cole, Lord Mayor Andrew Varney and Councillor Patrick McAllister to answer a series of questions focusing on the importance of youth work and its impact in communities across the city.
Now more than ever before, young people and families across Bristol need the support of charities like Young Bristol.
Next year, you can 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 limits with an Ultra challenge - grab your trainers and get fundraising!
"The day was perfect for running and it was great to meet everyone running for Young Bristol - the build up was made easier knowing you're raising money for a worthwile cause.”
Tough Mudder - Saturday 16th August 2025, Gloucester
Running for Young Bristol is straightforward - and FREE! We'll cover the place cost for you, and you will get your own complimentary Young Bristol branded vest. All we ask is that you pledge to fundraise for us!
If you would like to find out more information about these events, click here!
"Fundraising for Young Bristol was a real privilege. What’s more, as soon as I explained to people what the charity does, and how it does it, they immediately “got it” and could see how their financial support would make a real difference in a real community.”
Erik, London Marathon runner
How your support will make a difference.
Here in Bristol, Young Bristol continues to respond at the frontline with great initiatives to keep young people engaged, inspired, empowered and active.
£50 pays for a young person to go on a residential experience
£260 pays for two evenings of Youth Work for 50 young people with a qualified youth worker
£350 pays for one young person on our Outdoor Employment Programme to gain a First Aid qualification
£1,250 allows the Youth Club on Wheels to deliver sessions in a community with no provision for a whole month
Our Fundraising Team are here to support you! If you are interested in signing up to run for Young Bristol, or take part in a race not listed above then please contact our friendly team. Get in touch with our Fundraising Team on 0117 929 2513 or email info@youngbristol.com.
On Tuesday 15th October, we were delighted to see our Youth Club on Wheels feature on BBC's The One Show, highlighting the profound and life-changing work that the team behind this programme have delivered over the past five years!
Our Youth Club on Wheels is a mobile youth service, providing detached support to young people aged 8-19 in hard-to-reach areas of the city and rural areas where there is currently no youth provision! Our sessions offer a number of activities to get involved with, including: sports, creative arts and the opportunity to learn new life skills!
A parent from Speedwell's Youth Club on Wheels session explained:
"Not only does it get them out the house and keep them off the street, it keeps them busy doing really good, fun and safe activities"
The feature focuses on the vital work that our Youth Club on Wheels has provided to young people across a number of Bristol communities, offering them a safe space, engaging activities, a free meal, and a sense of belonging!
Since its launch in 2019, the Youth Club on Wheels has supported nearly 1,000 young people and has become increasing popularity across the eight communities we currently serve. Both young people and parents have responded positively to our sessions, where we have also offered access to positive role models and a space where young people can thrive.
Shea Stew, Youth Club on Wheels Lead added:
"We create our own family whereever we are"
During our sessions, we were joined by presenter Ashley John-Baptiste. From his own experiences growing up in care, Ashley understands the importance of youth work and positive role models, and was amazed to see the life-changing impact a youth provision like ours can have on the lives of young people.
We were also joined by Leigh Middleton, CEO of NYA, who highlighted that many local youth clubs are closing down and revealed the need for more youth work to be available for young people in their communities.
Ashley John-Baptiste, presenter from The One Show explained:
"A warm space, a safe space and a meal here can make the world of difference"
We would like to thank BBC's The One Show for the amazing opportunity to share the Youth Club on Wheels incredible work! If you missed our piece, you can watch it here!
We are delighted to announce Brandon and Brooke from the Hengrove Youth Club on Wheels session are the winners of our 2024 Film Making Competition!
Last month, we hosted a Film Making Competition across our Community Youth Club and Youth Club on Wheels network. Young people from each club were encouraged to create a short film using a mobile phone, tablet or camera, to entered into our competition.
We received a number of entries from across our club network, our judges chose one winner from the range of amazing creative skills that were showcased in the competition!
The winners of our competition are Brooke and Brandon, two young people from our Hengrove Youth Club on Wheels session! In their film, the pair discussed urban exploring and the number of issues surrounding it. Both our winners were awarded with a £15 Amazon gift card each.
Congratulations both! Keep an eye out for our next competition in November!
Community-based youth charity Young Bristol has become the third South West charity to win a place on the region’s Noble Deeds programme.
Set up in 2021 by Bristol-based SME Noble, the Deeds programme provides digital marketing training & support to not-for-profits, helping them deliver vital services in the area. Increasing in-line with Nobles’ own turnover, this year the support package stands at £25,000. Young Bristol will use this to upskill its marketing team and ensure its services reach the young people who need them the most.
Supporting children and young adults aged 8-25 during their critical out of school hours in some of the most challenging areas of the city, Young Bristol’s mission is to provide innovative programmes that create a positive and sustainable impact on the lives of young people.
With eight community youth clubs across Bristol, a mobile youth club on wheels, outdoor activity centres and an employment programme just part of what the charity offers, the support from Noble will help the Young Bristol team prioritise where its digital marketing efforts will make the most impact. As well as helping the team to learn new skills and maximise their knowledge of social media, SEO and other digital promotion techniques for a lasting impact beyond the Deeds programme.
We are delighted to announce that we have officially published our 2023-24 Impact Report!
This years Impact report demonstrates the positive impact we have had around Bristol during the 2023-24 period. The report reflects how we have provided safe, social spaces for young people to thrive in, despite their increasing needs caused by the cost-of-living crisis and the rising epidemic of knife crime in Bristol.
"Working with Young Bristol has opened our eyes to how difficult it is for young people in Bristol and across the country, and how badly a lack of funding is impacting youth work and young people's livelihoods"
This is an exciting opportunity to join the Board of Trustees of Young Bristol – a multi-award winning charity with an outstanding record of supporting young people in the Greater Bristol area for almost 100 years. As a member of our committed and enthusiastic Board, you will help shape the future of the charity – and support Young Bristol’s work to transform young lives in our local area.
Young Bristol is recognised as Bristol’s leading provider of community-based youth services, through our community youth club network based in some of Bristol’s most challenging communities, and a valued provider of outdoor activities, holiday clubs, mobile youth services, as well as outdoor employment and informal educational opportunities. Through safe, fun, and supportive community spaces, it’s our mission to create a positive and sustainable impact, building brighter futures for our young people.
The Board and Trustee Role
We are now recruiting new trustees to complement the skills of existing Board members. We are looking for people who feel passionate about our mission as well as having the desire and ability to help Young Bristol achieve its ambitious goals as we head towards our 100-year anniversary in 2028.
The Board of Trustees is jointly and severally responsible for the overall governance of the charity. In addition, and in collaboration with its Chief Executive, it is also responsible for the strategic direction and financial health of the charity, the probity of its activities and developing the organisation’s aims, objectives and goals in accordance with the governing document, and legal and regulatory guidelines.
Young Bristol is passionate about ensuring the whole organisation represents the diverse communities across the region and we welcome applications from anyone who may feel a connection with our work. There is no need for any prior experience as a trustee, however, candidates should ideally be able to demonstrate:
A track record of sound judgement and effective decision making
Empathy with and a desire to support young people
A commitment to promoting equality and diversity
The ability and willingness to devote the necessary time and effort
The disposition to speak their mind and offer constructive challenge when appropriate
Willingness to be available to staff for advice and enquiries on an ad hoc basis
The ability to work effectively and collegially as a member of the Board
An understanding of the respective roles of the Board and the senior management team
We are particularly interested in experience in the following:
The youth sector e.g. youthwork, schools, safeguarding and all aspects of engagement with young people
Property management and development
Governance.
The Trustee appointment is a voluntary role, with an initial term of three years and renewable twice. Board meetings start at 5.30pm at least six times a year in person in Bristol.
How to apply
Please send a CV and short covering letter outlining why you would like to join and what you would bring to the board of Young Bristol to Lee Williams, Chief Executive of Young Bristol, at lw@youngbristol.com. For further information or a discussion in confidence please contact the Co-Chair of the Board, Jamie Cameron, at Jamie.cameron@burges-salmon.com.The deadline for applications is 30th Sept 2024 and interviews will be held shortly thereafter.
Runners took part in both the 5 and 15 kilometer races, battling through mud pits and over various terrains across Badminton Estate.
Thank you to our eight runners who took part in the Tough Mudder in aid of Young Bristol this year! If you would like to support our participants, check out their fundraising pages:
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