Our History

The Boys Clubs from across the city signed the original document forming the Bristol & District Federation of Boys Clubs in a building in Nelson Street, just 50 yards away from the current office.

The first ‘Talkie’ is shown in Britain.

Mickey Mouse is created at the Walt Disney Studio

Thorpe Bannister was appointed as the first full-time General Secretary of the Federation.

Germany invades Poland and the UK declares War.

Thorpe Bannister seconded to work for the war office and Ted Higgins was appointed as his successor.

Labour leader Clement Atlee wins landslide election victory.

The UK becomes a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

Ted Higgins took on the role of National Training Officer for the National Association of Boys Clubs and Fred Semwin was appointed as his successor at the Bristol & District Federation of Boys Clubs with Chris Wilcox as his assistant.

The National Health Service is established.

The liner ‘SS Empire Windrush’ docked at Tilbury carrying nearly 500 Caribbean people to Britain.

The Oral Contraceptive Pill was first introduced in the UK.

The voting age is lowered from 21 to 18.

Avon Country Council was formed and the name of the Fed was changed to The Avon & Bristol Federation of Boys’ Clubs.

Racial tensions spark riots in Brixton and other areas including Bristol.

Channel 4 TV station launched.

The Fed embarked upon a new project to build an inner city club linked with Broadplain Boys Club and the Sports Council to build the Broadplain & Riverside Youth Project, which was opened by the Duchess of Kent.

The Federation celebrated its Diamond Jubilee and the Diamond Jubilee Appeal raises the £100,000 endowment which pays for the employment of the Federation Activities Officer.

Chris Wilcox MBE JP retires and Trevor Jones is appointed as General Secretary.

The Federation receives on loan a Sportsmobile, sponsored by Grand Metropolitan which acted as a mobile youth club.

The Berlin Wall is torn down.

With funding from HTV Telathon the Federation purchases its own Mercedes Van called the Roadshow which carries on the work of the mobile youth club.

The Fed receives funding from Avon County Council to appoint a Girls worker.

Tim Berners-Lee invents the World Wide Web.

The Fed buys its own office at 113 Parson Street, moving from Clock Tower Yard in the city centre.

The Fed votes to formally start working with girls as well as boys, and the name of the organisation is changed to the Avon & Bristol Federation of Clubs for Young People.

The first item is sold on amazon.com.

The Fed receives funding to start the Bristol Young Volunteer project.

Harry Potter & The Philosophers Stone is published.

The Fed is funded to run Millennium Volunteers in the Avon area and also receives funding from the National Lottery to continue the Bristol Young Volunteer project.

The Fed became Young Bristol and Pooles Wharf was opened by the Duchess of Gloucester.

World population crosses the 6 billion mark.

iPod launched by Apple.

The first iPhone is released.

Millennium Volunteers finishes but is succeeded by V for Volunteering which Young Bristol is funded to deliver in Bristol and South Gloucestershire.

Trevor Jones MBE retires from the position of Chief Executive Young Bristol and is succeeded by Steve Smith.

Young Bristol is involved in the original pilot of the National Citizen Service, a government funded programme for 16-17 year old.

Local Authority withdrew all funding to Young Bristol and Community Youth Clubs.

Young Bristol sells Parson Street and moves into its current premises at The Station.

Young Bristol launched its own outdoor activity Instructor Training Scheme, which was the first scheme of its kind in the South West.

Britain hosts the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics to widespread international acclaim.

Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her Diamond Jubilee.

Steve Smith steps down as Chief Executive and is succeeded by the joint management team of Lee Williams and Anton Boari.

Young Bristol launches its Creative Programme.

Prime Minister David Cameron proposes a referendum on whether to leave the European Union after the next election.

Early elections, called by Prime Minister Theresa May to strength her hand in negotiating Britain’s exit from the European Union, results in a hung parliament and a fragile Conservative minority government, kept in office by an agreement with the main pro-British party in Northern Ireland, the Democratic Unionists.

Bank of England introduces the ‘plastic Jane’ £10 note.

Young Bristol celebrates its 90th Anniversary, raising £90,000 to purchase a mobile youth provision in the Youth Bus for Young Bristol campaign.

Young Bristol becomes part of the Targeted Youth Service consortium to lead on providing youth services across Bristol.

Young Bristol launches the Youth Club on Wheels. 

The world sees the start of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, sending the UK into multiple national lockdowns during 2020.  

Young Bristol is awarded, The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

Young Bristol’s Offices move back into the community to the BS14 Youth Centre in Stockwood.