Hello I am Amelia and I am donating some money to the Trinity Centre in Bristol, in memory of my mum.

The Trinity Community Garden delivers gardening and cooking workshops for lots of different members of the local community, engaging over 500 people every year. My mum's legacy will pay for disabled access to be put into the garden so it can be enjoyed by even MORE people.

I have visited the garden a few times now and went to one of the workshops the other day and it is the loveliest hidden gem. The people who run the workshops are fantastic. This would have been one of the things that my mum could really have benefited from because they run workshops for people with mental health issues and social isolation. I truly think they are invaluable and I know what a huge difference these kinds of things make, especially when, unfortunately, NHS mental health services are so stretched that people slip through the net. These workshops are FREE and anyone can go and there are highly trained people running them.

Many of you will know the Trinity Centre from gigs, fireworks or their big garden party, but maybe don't know more about it. It's a place that does so much for the community and is not for profit. They can get other funding to continue running projects, but not lump sums to pay for things like accessibility. Just imagine how many more people could benefit!

You don't have to give money or anything, just 5 minutes of your time, filling out a slightly dull form (sorry!!) and voting for the Trinity Community Garden project to receive "match" funding from the Aviva Community Fund competition. This means that the money I am giving the garden has the potential to be doubled if they win!

The projects with the most votes (the top 8 in each of the 4 categories) will be entered into the Competition Finals. There, a panel of judges will decide which projects will receive funding. There are 8 awards (2 in each category) for up to £25K.

Click here to vote now! Voting closes on Tuesday 21st November

For those of you who knew my mum will know that she LOVED gardening - to the extent that I would grump aged 5 "Mummy, you love your garden more than ME". She would have loved this place so much and could have benefited from it so much. We NEED more places like this in our community :)

Trinity has been working to create opportunities for children and young people in our local community of Old Market, The Dings and Lawrence Hill to access to arts and well-being activities during the COVID19 pandemic.

“Many families we support don't have gardens, computers or printers to benefit from online resources many organisations created. It is important to remember about this digital inequality and therefore packs like those prepared by Trinity Centre are particularly valuable. They contain colourful booklets with inspirational ideas ... to cheer up those who can only dream about their own gardens”.

Pat Pinkowska, Community Engagement Officer, Up Our Street

As part of this work we have created two activity packs full of creative ideas, ranging from make your-own Bird Feeders, to singing Lullabies to learning more about Resistance Movements in Bristol - all devised to do in the home.

Working with our community partners including local primary schools and Eastside Community Trust we have delivered over 900 activity packs to local children and young people.

Trinity's Summer and Winter Activity packs are also available as a free download . They have been devised by the Trinity team and designed by Group of 7.

The packs have been made possible thanks to grant funding from Children in Need, Power to Change and Quartet.

Forest School in Trinity's Community Garden

As part of our commitment to creating opportunities for children and families to connect with nature and learn through play we deliver regular free-to-access Forest School sessions in our Community Garden, funded by Children in Need.

“Thank you so much, we have loved coming here. We enjoy having a space to run around in as we do not have a garden at home. It is important for the children to have a space to run around in and spend time outside. They love digging and watering”. Parent of child attending Forest School

The sessions are aimed at children who attend local primary schools as well as families who are signposted through our partnerships with community organisations and outdoor play providers. The sessions provide a much-needed outdoor space for children, many of whom do not have access to outdoor spaces or gardens at home. So far 357 children, families and carers have taken part in the provision since Sep 2021.

Our work with children focuses on improving confidence and well-being through nature based-education. Children work in small groups, led by experienced facilitators, take part in activities such as campfire cooking, lighting fires and organic gardening.

Many children who come to the sessions may struggle to engage with mainstream education, due to the impact of Lockdown or an additional educational need. 97% of the children who have attended Forest School have shown increased confidence in outdoor spaces and many have shown significant progress in their confidence and team working skills. For example one child presented initially as disruptive and disengaged however, following regular attendance they became an active and engaged participant working successfully with peers.

Due to the success of the project we are able to extend Forest School sessions and will continue working with schools and partners to continue to offer this much-needed provision. This includes our free Summer Holiday provision.

Cultivating fruit trees  - just one of the many tasks in Trinity's thriving garden

After a long winter we are super happy to be welcoming back our weekly garden activities.  Wednesday's Community Day (12 - 4) is an opportunity to learn various gardening skills while enjoying the urban outdoors. The sessions are a mix of ideas and hands-on work in the thriving community garden - from helping plant seedlings in the poly-tunnel to preparing beds for growing veg, there is lots for people to enjoy. At the end of each session enjoy a shared meal with other volunteers. No need to book, just show up! All welcome, including families

Stay & Play (Fridays 10-12 up until May 25, then 10.30 - 12) is a nature based play group for 0-5 year olds, nature play, arts & crafts, story time and sing-a-longs with a ukulele! No need to book, just turn up and enjoy the garden with your little ones. Suggested donation up to £5.

For more information about garden activities contact: garden@3ca.org.uk

Hype's mission is to use dance and movement to help young people excel. The award winning urban dance company for 5yrs- young adult, runs weekly all year round (apart from the six-week summer) holiday and runs an open door policy so new dancers can join any time.

Class times:

• 6pm - 7pm 5yrs-11yrs (primary school age)
• 7pm - 8pm Teen/young Adults classes-(For 12+)

Cost:

• £8 pay as you go weekly. Classes can be paid on the door via card/contactless payment or exact cash each week .

Further information

• New starters can start on any Wednesday as its new routines each week at our open for all classes so there is no need for a trail class.
• First session is half price classes are 'closed classes' which means parents are unable to sit and watch as it is more comfortable for the students to progress and be themselves.

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