Feeding back about the award to Trinity, the M&S Energy Community Energy Fund Team said; “We thought that this project was most in keeping with M&S’s core business values - integrity, innovation, inspiration, and in touch with the community. We were all very impressed with the level of community engagement [the] project has demonstrated and look forward to seeing the impact of our funding.”

St Werburghs City Farm was also among the winners of the awards. It received funding towards installing 15 solar panels to their new education centre 'The Connection Centre Solar Systems Project, which will educate children and young people about green energy.

M&S Energy Community Energy Fund
The M&S Energy Community Energy Fund has been established to enable more communities in the UK to generate renewable energy and become environmentally and financially sustainable. During September 2015 a public vote took place to decide which community groups across the country would win a share of the £400,000 funding available. There are plans to run a similar funding programme in 2016.

The Trinity Centre Conservation Project

The Trinity Centre Conservation Project will compliment previous repair and redevelopment works, helping to protect the building's fabric into the future. Trinity are campaigning to raise funds to carry out a final programme of works between 2015-2017.

Installing Solar PV panels on our community centre are a key part of this programme, to help the building become more sustainable and allow Trinity to continue to provide free and subsidised hall space for community activity.

This is the final major-works phase relating to the repair and conservation of the historic fabric. Capital works with be framed by an activities programme of workshops and events, including training in traditional heritage trades.

Photos by Jessica Bartolini

The Trinity Community Garden (TCG) has opened 2 new positions, each on different days so one could apply for both if one wishes!

Working in partnership with our Garden Co-ordinator and led by the direction of TCG Management Committee, you will plan, deliver and evaluate a varied programme that will draw in local people from all different backgrounds.

Both roles are freelance contracts for 6 months, fixed-term, from April to November 2016 - 7hrs a day for 1 day a week. Salary £10 p/hr.

1) Community Project Co-ordinator
2) Therapeutic Gardening Co-ordinator

Essential criteria for both posts:

• A strong understanding and knowledge about permaculture principles, sustainability practice, eco-systems, plants and wildlife

• At least 2yrs experience of working within community projects and vulnerable people

• Experience delivering outdoor cooking sessions with garden produce

• Knowledge of herbs and their benefits; food nutrition and healthy eating; organic food growing

• Proven ability to plan and co-ordinate a project

Desirable criteria for both posts:

• Experience working in a community/voluntary organisation

• Experience working with people from diverse backgrounds

• First Aid and Basic Food Hygiene qualifications

• Marketing Skills

Please note a DBS (formerly CRB) check will be required.

For more information, including role specifications and application form contact, Charlie Hanson:

T: 07787520837 / E: itsasigncharlie@gmail.com

Closing date for applications Monday 21 Dec, 7pm.

Interviews will take place on the 11 and 12 January 2016.

The Trinity training department was pleased to arrange an incredible opportunity for young people from the local area to observe legendary producer, composer, DJ and multi instrumentalist Nitin Sawhney sound check just hours before his much anticipated packed out show here at Trinity Centre.

Backed by a full 8 piece band, including three vocalists, flutes, tablas, guitar, bass and drums. Nitin kindly allowed the students access to the technical process providing a rare glimpse into the intricacies involved with the professional music industry practice of sound checking for a high profile show.

Nitin Sawhney is one of the most distinctive and versatile musical voices around today. Firmly established as a world-class producer, songwriter, DJ, multi-instrumentalist, orchestral composer and cultural pioneer, Sawhney has become a latter-day Renaissance man in the worlds of music, film, videogames, dance and theatre.Sawhney’s output as a musician is highly prolific.

He has scored for and performed with many of the world’s leading orchestras, and collaborated with and written for the likes of Paul McCartney, Sting, The London Symphony Orchestra, A.R. Rahman, Brian Eno, Sinead O’Connor, Anoushka Shankar, Jeff Beck, Shakira, Will Young, Joss Stone, Taio Cruz, Ellie Goulding, Horace Andy, Cirque Du Soleil, Akram Khan, Deepa Mehta, Mira Nair, Nelson Mandela and John Hurt. Performing extensively around the world, he has achieved an international reputation across every possible creative medium.

Nitin was also kind enough to have a chat with our students afterwards to discuss his experiences and share insights into the music industry. Everyone at Trinity would like to express our sincerest thanks and gratitude to Nitin, his band, crew and management for making this opportunity possible.

Jack's biography states: "Jack combines electric guitar, drum machines, keyboards, and an R&B-friendly falsetto to fashion smooth, club-ready electro-pop. Hailing from Little Chalfont, Buckinghamshire, England, Garratt started writing songs at the age of 12. When he got his first laptop in his late teens, he began experimenting with more advanced music production, eventually releasing the single "I Couldn't Want You Anyway" in early 2014. It made waves on the Internet, especially in the U.K., and led to festival appearances as well as a sold-out London record-release show later that year for Remnants, his debut EP on Island."

Jack kindly took time out of his busy touring schedule to speak to students, answering questions that covered a wide range of topics. These included the creative process, approaches to song writing, the perils of touring and how to go about establishing a successful career within the modern music industry.

His main piece of advice was simply to enjoy what you do and stay to true to yourself.

Everyone here at Trinity wishes Jack all the best of luck and success with his album release early next year.

Trinity aims to provide unique opportunities for young people from challenging circumstances who are interested in developing a music career. Our in-house music training department has begun an exciting new initiative that provides young people with a chance to meet some of the national and international touring artists that perform within the legendary Trinity Centre – one of Bristol's key live music venues.

The first of these sessions took place in October 2015 with prolific Canadian multi-instrumentalist, heavy-rock legend, Devin Townsend. Devin was the founder, songwriter, vocalist, and guitarist in extreme metal band Strapping Young Lad (1994-2007) and has also had an extensive career as a solo artist.

Passing through Bristol on a rare 7 date UK acoustic tour, Devin happily took time out of his busy schedule to take questions from a group of 10 music students. Devin was incredibly welcoming throughout and the young people were visibly in awe as Devin discussed the perils of rock 'n' roll excess and unrealistic over ambition. He stressed that music should remain an enjoyable creative process, as opposed to a career driven choice, which was very inspiring for the young people.

He gracefully allowed the students to observe his sound check, giving the group a unique insight into the professional processes involved in ensuring sound levels for each instrument are balanced and correct, in order to best match the acoustics of the space and artist. Finally, he took time at the end to sign CDs and have photos with the students, before carrying on preparing for the show at Trinity, which was a huge success and well received by the audience on the night.

A big thank you to Devin for making our first Industry Insights session possible!

Nine Lives is a one-man show about asylum seeker Ishmael, played by Lladel Bryant, from Zimbabwe and his struggle to gain asylum in Armley. Bryant does a superb job of bringing the character to life, he is animated and convincingly plays Ishmael, and the characters he comes across, with lightness and ease.

The play explores what happens when Ishmael, who is seeking asylum because he is gay, starts the asylum process in Britain. The production focuses on the loss, creation and slippage of identity when faced with such a situation. How much of himself does Ishmael leave in Zimbabwe, how much does he hang onto and how much does he make himself anew?

This production, with beautiful African music introducing new aspects of the story, is a very honest and human account of this confusing, heart breaking and totally transformational time in Ishmael’s life. The script is excellent, the performance strong and honest and the design is elegant. There are no theatrical fireworks here, but there do not need to be, a simple story of Ishmael’s arrival and the difficulty in the decisions he has to make are powerful enough.

The script is written by Zodwan Nyoni, for Leeds playhouse where she was writer in residence in 2014. One of the effective aspects of Ishmael’s story is that it is entirely individual, prompting audience members to realise that asylum seekers are not a homogenous group in the same situation with the same concerns and problems, but each one is a person with their own very particular set of circumstances. Ishmael has to decide if he tells other African asylum seekers about why he is seeking asylum with the knowledge that he might be persecuted by his own countrymen or keep it quiet so he can seek the comfort of those with a shared background.

The narrative never rests, Ishmael is not allowed to settle, his story has no resolution. This echoes the transient, ever changing and never-resolved state that he is in. While he awaits the government’s decision as to whether Britain can harbour him, he has no firm ground to stand on. This production is very pertinent and has a lightness of touch that allows it to transcend the media coverage of this plight and depict one person’s difficult journey to a new start.

She Called Me Mother is a story of distance. Distance caused by travelling from one continent to another. The distance that secrets create. Distance made by time. Distance between generations. Distance as enforced protection when love is lost to broken trust.

Evangeline is waiting, waiting for a woman, waiting for her black swan. Meanwhile she observes passers by. From her spot at London Bridge station she is only really visible to those who choose to see her. She is asking for money, an interaction and kindness in exchange for a magazine. Evangeline recounts moments in her long life that have led her to this place. Her past is set in Trinidad where she held many roles; she was a wife and, most importantly to the tale, she was a mother. She speaks out to us, explaining her history while the figure of a younger woman casually moves around in background like the ghost of a life lost. The figure is the thought at the front of Evangeline's mind, loitering in her present life, unable or unwilling to be shaken off.

When we finally meet this figure we are not surprised to learn that she is Evangeline's daughter Shirley. Through the Shirley we hear a different side to the tale. The gulf of experience between the two women is evident in their accents, use of language and points of view. Deeper secrets are revealed; alcoholism, abuse, protection and neglect. Could more have been done to prevent a lifetime's worth of damage? Once these buried pains are brought to the surface can a broken relationship be fixed?

When the two women come together their focus on us as an audience ceases. Suddenly they occupy the same space, the same place in time and we, the audience, are redundant. We are no longer listening to a story, we are now witnessing a coming together of a bygone relationship. There is something inharmonious about this jump of focus which is followed by an overly drawn out scene of attempted reconciliation that finds the actors vying for emotional one upmanship. However, She Called Me Mother, overall, feels like something of a breakthrough. As a debut play it more than succeeds in giving voice to traumatic experiences in a palatable fashion. Respect and realism are prioritised where the writing and performances could have easily swayed to sentimentality and the question of blame and accepting accountability is, authentically, never fully resolved. There is no fairy tale ending, no wave of a magic wand. But there is life and, for Shirley at least, the chance to live it.

The event on 6 December will see the BAFTA award-winning actress performing a rich-medley of stories, poems, Dickens, comedy & sing-song. It will be a unique chance to see one of the UK's most prolific performers in the beautiful and intimate setting of the Trinity Centre's newly renovated Fyfe Hall.

Miriam is an impressively versatile performer and storyteller, with a love of all things Dickens. Known for her roles in the Harry Potter movies, Blackadder and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, the marvellous Miriam Margolyes also performs widely across the UK and Australia, in her one-woman such as Dickens' Women - in which she plays 23 different roles (men and women) from Dickens' books - and The Importance Of Being Miriam.

Reviewer Diana Simmonds (Stage Noise) said of Miriam's performance at the Sydney Opera House in April this year; “Margolyes is a fabulous storyteller and the stories she has to tell range from hilariously ridiculous to gobsmackingly 'omigod, she didn’t say that, did she?' But of course, she did – and does!"

Recently returning from filming in Jaipur, India, Miriam will be performing in Bristol for one-night only, in support of Trinity Community Arts, bringing her unique style of entertainment to the city and helping to raise funds toward our youth training programme.

Joining Trinity as the charity's Patron last year, Miriam said; "These days, the Arts have to fight for their place in our society & I saw when I visited Trinity that it is not only committed to encouraging & fostering the Arts in Bristol, but also to ensure young people from diverse backgrounds experience all aspects of Art & enable them to realise their dreams."

Tickets for the event are £18 adv (£16 concessions), available from Bristol Ticket Shop.

Click here for more information about the event.

Photo: Kyte Photography

Trinity has been awarded £12,500 funding to contribute toward the installation of solar PV to Trinity Centre roof, which will match-fund £1,000 committed from the Naturesave Trust. Energy savings from the installation will help support ongoing maintenance costs of the much-loved, grade II* listed, community arts centre and ensure that Trinity can continue to provide free hall space to other community projects.

Installation of solar PV form part of Trinity's 2015 Green Capital Pledge to improve the centre's green credentials.

Emma Harvey, Trinity Centre Manager said; "A massive thanks must go out to all those who voted & supported us to win - we couldn't have done it without you!"

Feeding back about the award to Trinity, the M&S Energy Community Energy Fund Team said; “The judges felt [the] project was most in keeping with M&S core business values - integrity, innovation, inspiration, and in-touch with the community. We are all very impressed with the level of community engagement [the] project has demonstrated and look forward to seeing the impact of our funding.”

St Werburghs City Farm were also amongst winners of the awards. They received funding towards installing 15 solar panels to their new education centre 'The Connection Centre Solar Systems Project, which will educate children and young people about green energy.

About the Trinity Centre

The Trinity Centre is a unique is a Grade II* listed, deconsecrated Georgian church, now a thriving community arts centre and independent live music venue, based in the heart of inner-city Bristol.

Led by Trinity Community Arts, our mission is to empower communities through the arts, to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to access and shape arts and culture.

We deliver projects with arts, education and heritage focuses to encourage participation and promote cohesion within these areas. The centre was used by over 40,000 in 2014, including 8,498 people participating in our community projects and activities.

Trinity provides free and subsidised hall use to community projects through our Trinity Community Initiative (TCI). In 2014 we provided 1,080 hours of free or subsidised hall space, so that community and grass-roots groups were able to run their projects and events.

About the Trinity Centre Conservation Project

The Trinity Centre Conservation Project will compliment previous repair and redevelopment works, helping to protect the building's fabric into the future.

Trinity are campaigning to raise funds to carry out the following programme of works between 2015-2017:

• repairing lead-work on the remaining North aisle (with insulation) to prevent water ingress to the training spaces below
• re-felting and repair to pitched slate roof, to prevent water ingress and damage to the re-developed hall spaces below
• masonry works to the stonework (excluding South aisle) and towers to protect the building's fabric from cramp damage
• restoration of original stained glass, including installation of secondary/tertiary glazings (internally and externally) to improve the energy performance of the building and opening devices to North and South high elevation windows to improve ventilation
• installing Solar PV panels on our community centre, to help the building become more sustainable and allow Trinity to continue to provide free and subsidised hall space for community activity.

This is the final major-works phase relating to the repair and conservation of the historic fabric. Capital works with be framed by an activities programme of workshops and events, including training in traditional heritage trades.

Click here for more info about the project.

Trinity has joined forces with Lockjaws* to host a 5 day exhibition in Fyfe Hall and The Graffiti Room including exhibition and publication launch alongside a number of artist performances and artist collective interventions.

Curious about art? Want to be part of something big? Art Weekender are seeking inspired and enthusiastic people to become Ambassadors. Help celebrate the arts in Bristol and Bath, while learning professional skills and making new friends.

Art Weekender Ambassadors will be immersed in the festival, working directly with producers, artists and curators. You will be the public face, helping people to access exhibitions and events, and engage with new experiences and new ideas. Click here to find out more from the Art Weekender website.

In addition to Art Weekender Ambassadors Trinity is looking for 2 x volunteers to assist with the exhibition here on Sunday 1st November. Get in touch to find out more: info@3ca.org.uk

We received 361 votes!

Even if we don't win we think that's pretty amazing so a massive THANK YOU to all those who supported us!

Still looking to show your support?

There are plenty of ways to support Trinity. Visited the 'Support Us' section of our website for more information.

Make Sunday Special 2015

Event summary

Family friendly, alcohol free event, featuring contemporary World Music, headlined by 47 Soul. Food, Stalls, Dance, Performances and Film as well as 'Get Active' workshops including Sport & Fitness, Science & Nature and Art & Craft.

Event background

Make Sunday Special (MSS) was a Bristol City Council led programme, delivering events in and around Corn Street in the Old City, on the first Sunday of each month. In 2015, MSS came to Bristol's neighbourhoods, as well as keeping the fun going in the city centre.

Our local event in Stapleton Road (23 August 2015) took place as part of this wider programme.

Ideas for Make Sunday Special Stapleton Road came from a public meeting at the Trinity Centre, attended by over 40 local residents, traders, artists and community organisations. The group wanted to see lots of activities for children and families, as well as food and music that represented the community - 'the world on one street'.

Project steering group

From the initial meeting, a steering group was formed, made up of a range of community, resident and trader representatives. This helped us to balance the interests of the different parties involved.

Steering group members:

Pat Usherwood (Stapleton Road Residents Group), Sonny Richards (Stapleton Road Traders Assc), Antonio Jordan (Felix Watch), Emma Harvey & Ripley Bullock (Trinity Community Arts), Stacy Yelland and Lorena Alvarez (Up Our Street), Clara Shuma (Afrika Eye), Cameron Bate (Easton Leisure Centre).

Event highlights

Having the ability to programme a diverse live-music and arts offer for the street brought people out to dance and celebrate in a way not usually seen on this street. In spite of the weather, those who turned out really enjoyed the activities that were on offer. Activity providers that did push through weather engaged the public well, in particular the offer for children.

In particular, children enjoyed taking part in circus activities including stilt-walking and tight-rope walking, provided by the Invisible Youth! It was great for children to have the chance to skip and play freely in the middle of the street, facilitated by Playing Out, who got everyone involved in chalking on the pavement. Literati and Mufti provided indoor activities in the Trinity Centre and Stapelton Road Chapel and all had strong engagement from the community in their offer.

Easton Leisure Centre provided a great activity day as part of the event, offering tasters in classes and activities from Sea-Scooters to Zumba - it gave people the chance to try out something different, have some fun and get fit in the process.

People we spoked to on the day said it was just great to see something like this happening in the area as, with lots of things happening elsewhere, people felt that Stapleton Road often gets forgotten or left out. Traders and residents on the day said that the event was a great opportunity to have a positive public event for Stapleton Road.

'' The event had a lovely atmosphere''

''A wonderful showcase of Stapleton Road....had a great day''

“Kids love the circus and dance activities!''

''Just wish it was less wet!”

Future plans

If only we'd had sunshine! It's fair to say that the torrential rain put many people off. However, this did mean that those who did attend were from the immediate and local area who came out to see what was going on. Others braved it and came out in their wet-weather gear to take part and dance along with Bristol Samba and World Jungle Samba and everyone who came said that they just wished the weather had been better for us all.

As this was the first event, traders did not quite know what to expect! But hopefully, now that they have seen the first event along Stapleton Road, they will be keen to get involved in future events and benefit from the audience brought out by the event.

Event supporters

Trinity would like to say a big thank you to all those who came along to the first Make Sunday Special Stapleton Road. In spite of the weather, over 1,100 people came out to celebrate 'The World On One Street' and bring some good vibes to the neighbourhood. Thank you to all those who took part!

Special thanks go to:

• Bristol City Council for generously funding the costs of the event
• Steering group members for their time, effort and dedication
• Generous suppliers including Renteq, MJ Church and Kings Sound Reinforcement
• Activity providers for braving the weather and engaging children and young people in fun, creative activities
• NCS Engage young volunteers for sticking it out on a long, wet day and helping to collect donations toward event costs
• The Trinity team for their hard work and unrelenting commitment to delivering great events for the community
• Volunteer photographers Khali Ackford (images, top and below-left) and Jessica Bartolini (images, centre and below-right)
• Var from Telling Tales Film (view above)