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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.
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.
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!
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!
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!
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This February half term, Young Bristol have 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!
This week, we hosted an Interclub Football Tournament at St Brendan's Rugby Football Club, welcoming over 50 young people from across our club network to take part. The day brought together young people from Ashton Vale Club for Young People, Hartcliffe Club for Young People, Sea Mills Boys and Girls Club and The Grove @ Bedminster Down.
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.
After some intense matches, it was announced that Sea Mills Boys’ and Girls’ Club and The Grove @ Bedminster Down would play against each other for the junior trophy and The Grove @ Bedminster Down would play against Hartcliffe Club for Young People for the senior trophy!
We are proud to announce that Sea Mills Boys’ and Girls’ Club were awarded our junior trophy and The Grove @ Bedminster Down were awarded the 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 our network.
We would like to thank St Brendan's Rugby Football Club for facilitating our football tournament, as well as Rachael's Buffets, who supported us to provide food for young people!
To find out more about our Community Youth Clubs, click here!
At Young Bristol, we are committed to continuing our mission and are proud to celebrate our incredible people, achievements, and impact we make across Bristol's communities.
Our programmes provide a safe place, supportive environment, and activities and opportunities where young people can feel empowered, included and not alone
However, our vital work could not have been achieved without the dedication of our amazing volunteers, corporate partners, donors and fundraisers who go above and beyond to support us each year.
Young Bristol are proud to be one of five organisations supported by The Genge Fund, who have raised and donated £4,000 to our charity so far!
Through Quartet Community Foundation, The Genge Fund was set up by Ellis Genge, an England Rugby player and proud Bristolian. The Genge Fund was born out of a deep-rooted love for the city and a passion for giving back to the community that shaped him, with the aim to empower children through sports and education.
We were pleased to see Ellis visit BS14 Youth Club, where he joined young people in a number of sporting activities and answered any questions they had about rugby and his story!
"The visit made Ellis feel emotional, as some of the young people reminded him of himself at their age."
Miranda McRitchie, Athlete Manager
Our team were excited to attend 'The Genge Funds' Gala Dinner at Ashton Gate, an evening celebrating the incredible work being done to support local charities. The event saw attendees enjoy a three-course meal and hear directly from Ellis Genge during a Q&A session. It was inspiring to hear about his journey, passion and the vision behind The Genge Fund.
Thank you Ellis Genge and The Genge Fund for your incredible generosity. The money raised from the Gala Dinner will go towards funding our new 'Outdoor Activity Taster Programme', as well as our Interclub football tournaments! Thank you to everyone who has supported this fantastic initiative, helping to support Bristol’s young people!
If you would like to find out more about supporting Young Bristol, click here to learn more!
Join us for an exciting fundraising challenge with a twist, raising vital funds for Young Bristol!
Young Bristol are excited to host our 'Road to River - Bristol Circular 2025', a fundraising challenge with a twist, on Thursday 13th March! The events route will start and finish at Pooles Wharf Outdoor Activity Centre, with the circuits designed to test your endurance whilst taking in Bristol’s rural countryside and famous landmarks.
This unique event offers a fun, athletic way to support young people across Bristol! Whether you’re a keen cyclist or runner, enjoy paddling across Bristol’s iconic Harbourside, or want to take on an exciting challenge, our event is designed to suit all fitness levels, with two distances for you to choose from:
Sprint:
30km cycle
5km walk or run
5km canoe
Endurance:
45km cycle
5km walk or run
5km canoe
Entres are limited, and will be secured on a first-come, first-served basis. We ask all participants aim to raise at least £200 to for their participation. If you would like to sign up for our fundraising event, please call 0117 929 2513 or email info@youngbristol.com.
This week, Young Bristol are supporting Children's Mental Health Week, celebrating young people building resilience, embracing self-awareness and forming connections with others, between Monday 3rd February and Friday 7th February.
This year, Places2Be is exploring the theme 'know yourself, grow yourself', which aims to empower young people to understand their emotions, reactions and motivations, helping them to grow and thrive!
At Young Bristol, we are committed to continuing our Mission by providing safe places, a supportive environment, and activities and opportunities where young people can feel empowered, included and not alone.
Our Youth Mental Health Champions!
A Youth Mental Health Champion plays a key role in advocating for young people's mental health and wellbeing by raising awareness, starting important conversations and signposting to important resources.
Meet Kat, Club Leader at BS14 Youth Club. Kat is one of our Youth Mental Health Champions! As a Youth Worker, Kat is passionate about young people's wellbeing and believes in the importance of supporting their mental health, ensuring they receive the help they need.
"We, as a society, are getting really good at recognising mental health needs in adults but I feel in that process, young people have been forgotten. That's where I believe Youth Workers step in."
Youth mental health is important to her as she believes if you give young people the skills they need to manage their mental health now, you are giving them transferrable skills they can take forwards into their adulthood, which in the long run can help ease the strain on adults mental health services. When working at the club, Kat regularly checks in on young people's mental health and allows them to reflect on their own feelings, behaviours and management tools that work best for them.
Providing safe places for Bristol's young people
Our work provides young people with safe, welcoming, inclusive places where they can be themselves, build friendships, and access support when they need it most.
Our Youth Clubs and services continue be at the core of communities, giving young people the safety and support that they cannot find on the streets, acting as the bridge between home and school life.
1,345 young people were supported through our open access sessions throughout 2023 – 24.
Our 9 community venues in North, East and South Bristol continued to open their doors up to 4 nights per week.
During 2023 – 24, 16 communities were positively impacted by our work, with 3 new communities supported by Young Bristol who had not previously received any youth services.
We’ve invested £528,280 into capital improvements at a number of our community venues since 2022; making improvements that would help to create environments that young people can thrive in.
Where you can find support and advice
Did you know one in five children face mental health issues? Whether you want to access helpful resources, start a conversation about mental health or are seeking professional advice and guidance, there are many ways you can begin to make a difference to a young person's mental health and wellbeing. If you or someone you know needs support, check out the links below for some recommended local and national services.
Young people
Mind - A mental health charity, whose aim is to ensure no one faces mental health alone. Offering online support and guidance that young people that can access on their website 24/7.
Shout - A free, confidential24/7 text support service for anyone in the UK who is struggling with their mental health. To start a conversation, text 'SHOUT' to 85258. Shout's team of trained volunteers are trained to listen at any time, day or night.
Samaritans - Aims to provide support through phone, letter, email or in person. Whatever problem you are facing, Samaritans are available 24/7, 365 days a year!
Kooth - an online wellbeing community where you can get free, safe and anonymous support. The forum is a judgement-free, safe place for anyone to get advice, help others and share their stories.
Parents
Young Minds Parent Helpline - Offering tailored advice to parents, guardians and other family members who are concerned about a child's mental health. Advice for all young people who are under 25 over the phone or through their online chat.
Shout - A free, confidential24/7 text support service for anyone in the UK who is struggling with their mental health. To start a conversation, text 'SHOUT' to 85258. Shout's team of trained volunteers are trained to listen at any time, day or night.
Samaritans - Aims to provide support through phone, letter, email or in person. Whatever problem you are facing, Samaritans are available 24/7, 365 days a year!
MindEd for Families - A free e-learning portal, offering information and support about mental health and well-being. Available 24/7 on their website!
To find out more about our work with young people and the opportunities we provide click 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.
Young Bristol are incredibly proud to announce that Eve, member of Sea Mills Boys and Girls Club, was awarded our 2024 ‘Young Person of the Year’!
On Wednesday 15th January, Young Bristol welcomed our supporters, Patron, President, Board of Trustees, staff team, and young people and their families to our Celebration, AGM and Awards Event. The event celebrated a year of growth, impact and stories from individuals across the organisation.
As part of the event, ten finalists were invited for this years ‘Young Person of the Year’ award, which recognises the amazing achievements of young people across the city, that attend our sessions and programmes. The award was judged anonymously by a panel, with the winner receiving an incredible prize package.
On the evening, young people were presented with a certificate from His Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant Mrs Peaches Golding OBE CStJ and award sponsor Clarion Future’s, Laura East. A gold envelope revealed that Eve, age 15 from Sea Mills Boys’ and Girls Club was this years winner! She was presented with a trophy,voucher from Browns Brasserie and iPad. Congratulations Eve!
Well done to all finalists who were selected for this years award. You should be incredibly proud of your commitment, growth and impact that you are having in your programmes and communities!
Young Person of the Year 2024 Winner - Eve’s story:
Eve, aged 15, became a member of Sea Mills Boys and Girls Club in 2018. When Eve first joined the club, she was very shy, only joining activities with her existing friends, taking a while to warm up and talk to new young people.
Since joining the club, the team has seen her confidence flourish, where she now leads the club's Young Leaders with confidence, manages the tuck shop, and inspires others with her dedication.
Her Club Leaders said:
“We couldn't be more proud of her dedication to Sea Mills. She has shown how much the Club means to her and has had such a large effect on the other young people, which has meant more senior members at the club are now wanting to step up and have a similar role and impact as Eve!”
To find out more about our opportunities for young people across Bristol here.
2024 has been a year full of milestones for Young Bristol. Throughout the year, we have seen amazing opportunities, impactful partnerships and incredible transformations!
As we reflect on an amazing year, we are proud of everything we have achieved over the last 12 months!
January
In January, Jesse and Cheralee completed their Level 2 Youth Work qualification!
Throughout 2024, 8 members of staff were supported as they worked towards their Youth Work qualifications. At Young Bristol, we remain committed to supporting our teamspersonal and professional development, prioritising their long-term growth, and ambitions.
February
A year of incredible recognitions! February saw the first of many celebrations, with Kyle from Hartcliffe Club for Young People awarded ‘Volunteer of the Year’ and Hartcliffe Club for Young People winning the ‘Your Park’ Award. Young Bristol, staff and young people received 9 local and national awards.
March
Our website is live! We launched our new website in March, showcasing a new and bright look, with an improved user experience that better allowed us to showcase our impact and work.
And the winner of our competition is… in April we announced the winners of our Creative Writing Competition, Peyton and Orla!
Throughout the year our team developed a programme of exciting opportunities which engaged 464 young people from across the city, taking part in events, activities, competitions and trips away.
May
We built new and existing relationships in 2024, with Computershare volunteering at our Youth Clubs and young people visiting Glastonbury Festival in May!
Corporate partnerships continue to make a huge difference – helping us to develop our provisions through fundraising, volunteering, donating and raising awareness of our work. Thank you to our partners who go above and beyond!
June
Young Leaders were excited to receive their new uniforms in June – making them feel part of the team at Young Bristol!
Throughout the year the number of young people who volunteer across our programmes continued to grow, with 27 young people volunteering their time and giving back to other young people!
July
Another year of amazing opportunities, reaching even more young people!
July saw a jam-packed city-wide programme of activities, workshops and exciting offers during the summer holidays. From caving and kayaking with our Outdoor Activities team to cooking workshops, trips and a sports day at our Youth Clubs.
August
Our fundraisers took on new challenges, ran marathons and competed at our annual Golf Day during 2024!
August saw 8 runners raise over £2,200 by taking on the South West Tough Mudder!Thank you to the individuals, groups and Corporates who pledged to fundraise for us this year.
September
We celebrated our impact in September!
We were proud to share our 2023 – 24 Impact Report which highlighted how we continue to support thousands of young people to feel empowered, included and not alone.
The feature highlighted the profound and life-changing work that the team behind this programme have delivered over the past five years – supporting nearly 1,000 young people across 16 communities.
November
Transforming our venues and investing in our infrastructure during 2024!
November saw the transformation of Ashton Vale Club for Young People, with a new multi-media suite, heating system, flooring and ceiling. Alongside our Clubs, Pooles Wharf Outdoor Activity Centre had exciting developments to the centre’s facilities and outdoor area!
December
As we come to the end of 2024, it has been incredible to look back at another impactful year, as we continued to play a crucial role in supporting young people and their communities!
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!
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!
We were delighted to receive a total of 47 entries from across our Youth Clubs, showcasing lots creativity through some fantastic designs!
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!
