Our History
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1928
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
1935
Thorpe Bannister was appointed as the first full-time General Secretary of the Federation.
1936
1939
Germany invades Poland and the UK declares War.
1942
Thorpe Bannister seconded to work for the war office and Ted Higgins was appointed as his successor.
1945
Labour leader Clement Atlee wins landslide election victory.
The UK becomes a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
1948
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.
1953
1955
1956
1958
1961
The Oral Contraceptive Pill was first introduced in the UK.
1964
1965
1966
1967
1969
The voting age is lowered from 21 to 18.
1971
1976
Avon Country Council was formed and the name of the Fed was changed to The Avon & Bristol Federation of Boys’ Clubs.
1979
1981
Racial tensions spark riots in Brixton and other areas including Bristol.
1982
Channel 4 TV station launched.
1984
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.
1988
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.
1989
The Federation receives on loan a Sportsmobile, sponsored by Grand Metropolitan which acted as a mobile youth club.
The Berlin Wall is torn down.
1990
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.
1991
The Fed buys its own office at 113 Parson Street, moving from Clock Tower Yard in the city centre.
1995
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.
1995
1997
The Fed receives funding to start the Bristol Young Volunteer project.
Harry Potter & The Philosophers Stone is published.
1999
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.
2000
The Fed became Young Bristol and Pooles Wharf was opened by the Duchess of Gloucester.
World population crosses the 6 billion mark.
2001
iPod launched by Apple.
2003
2004
2005
2007
The first iPhone is released.
2008
Millennium Volunteers finishes but is succeeded by V for Volunteering which Young Bristol is funded to deliver in Bristol and South Gloucestershire.
2009
2011
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.
2012
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.
Britain hosts the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics to widespread international acclaim.
Queen Elizabeth II celebrates her Diamond Jubilee.
2013
The Outdoor Activity Instructor Training Scheme pilot launches – the first of its kinds in the South West – with the Creative Programme launching later in the year.
2014
2016
2017
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.
2018
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.
2019
Young Bristol launches the Youth Club on Wheels.
2020
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.
2022
Young Bristol’s Offices move back into the community to the BS14 Youth Centre in Stockwood.