Forest school workshops with local schools and artist Alice Cunningham

The Bird Bath is carved in Ancaster Weatherbed stone by artist Alice Cunningham

Trinity commissioned Bristol artist Alice Cunningham to create a bird bath sculpture as part of the recent improvements to the community garden.

"I liked exploring the garden and being able to build up trust with my team because before we started I did not have trust in them" Baraka, workshop participant, St Nicholas of Tolentine primary school.

Carved in Ancaster Weatherbed stone, the bird bath is in memory to Bunty Bax, following a legacy donation by her daughter Amelia. Amelia’s legacy gift donation contributed towards creating an accessible outdoor space including new pathways, raised planters and a sensory nature trail.

As part of the making of the bird bath, Bristol-based sculptor, Alice, also delivered workshops with 12 local children from Hannah More and St Nicholas of Tolentine Primary Schools who attend Forest School sessions at Trinity. The children explored different types of homes and nests in nature and then used clay to create their own sculptures.

We are really grateful to be able to complete this round of improvements to the garden creating an accessible inner-city garden for all to enjoy. The improvements have been funded by Power to Change, match funders and Amelia’s legacy gift donation.

It is that time of year! Spring has sprung, bulbs in the garden are popping up with bursts of new life, buds are on the apple trees - the community garden is springing into action.

Over the bank holiday weekend - come and see artist Amy-May-Ellis, who is collecting all our hopes and dreams as part of a community art installation, Mobilise (part of What I Want to Be What I Want to See). Take part by dropping by between 11am - 3pm Sat & Sun, social distancing rules apply

“I've really enjoyed coming here, it’s helped me enjoy life more. I stay at home a lot but I've been welcomed here. I’ve learnt about using herbs to drink as teas, nature and how to cook the food from the garden. I didn’t know many things about this before. I’ve really enjoyed it. Thanks so much!” Nabil, Garden participant

Family Garden Sessions will start again in the Easter Holidays, delivered in partnership with Eastside Community Trust. These sessions are an opportunity for families and children to gather and use fresh seasonal produce to create meals, take part in springtime gardening and, explore the garden through nature games. Weekly Forest School Clubs will be starting back up in the spring term with local schools including Hannah More and St Nicholas of Toletine primary.

#GetInvolved in the fortnightly Garden Volunteer Sessions 10-2pm. The sessions are welcome to any one 18+ with an interest in gardening, no experience necessary - just a willingness to take part in gardening. If you are interested in volunteering fill out this online form and one of the team will get back to you.

The garden has undergone a transformation - works have included new wheel chair friendly entrance, pathways and raised beds to make the garden a more accessible and engaging space for communities to enjoy. The old compost toilet will be removed to make way for an accessible tool shed.

A sensory trail has been planted around the around and include aromatic, medicinal, tactile, colourful and pollinator plants – making the garden a the perfect space for school groups, families and community groups to explore, have fun - and even some time to sit back and to relax! Alongside the trail artist Rosanna Morris wooden relief print display boards will highlight some of the native plants that grow in the garden.

More activity is planned throughout the year – if you want to get up-to-date sign up to our mailing list.

The Easter Holiday sessions have been supported through the Holiday Fund, a Bristol City Council initiative in partnership the Children's Scrapstore and Fairshare.

Local families took part in nature based activities

Families took part in 'bubbles'

Over the summer we welcomed local families back to our community garden.

Working in partnership with St Pauls Children Centre and Up Our Street, we invited local family 'bubbles' to take part in nature sessions aimed at learning, play and exploration.

In total, 45 people, aged 0–80, took part in activities that included sensory scavenger hunts, bug hunts and potting up fresh flowers. Trinity’s Associate Artist, Roxana Vilk, led lullaby workshops around a campfire whilst the children learnt how to whittle and toast marshmallows.

“We live on the 7th floor in our flat. I was scared to come as I don’t like bees but I love it here now, I can’t wait to come back!” Abdir, age 7

During lockdown, the garden team, with help from a small team of wonderful volunteers, created and distributed activity packs to local schools. With additional funding from Children In Need we were able to pack and send out an extra 121 ‘Nature To Your Door’ activity packs to our surrounding schools and community organisations; including working in partnership with organisations such as St Pauls Adventure, May Park Primary and Rosemary Nursery.

Our Summer Family Garden Days were made possible through funding from Children in Need.

In the Summer the garden welcomed local children and families for activity days. Photo @Paul Blakemore

Local children, including Tate, received activity packs during Lockdown. Photo via Twitter courtesy of Tate's Mum

"@HannahMorePri huge thanks to you and @TrinityBristol for the fantastic kit for the windowsill grow challenge! Tate really enjoyed potting them. We will keep you posted on their growth" Charlene L. Twitter

Since the Covid-19 lockdown, we have been working closely with local primary schools and Up Our Street to find ways to reach out to young people in the community who can no longer access our community garden and may have limited access to green spaces during this time.

The first batch of activity packs, filled with simple DIY windowsill gardening ideas and craft activities for families, children and carers to get busy with at home, went out in May/June 2020. Activities include sowing seeds, making bird feeders, scavenger hunts and more. A digital version of the pack is downloadable from our website.

“I think the biggest benefit is that it gives children and families who might not be able to get outside, the chance to engage in nature-based activities. Being around nature and doing tasks like planting and looking after plants are great for mental health and well-being and get children engaged in the world around them!”

Natalie Barker, Deputy Head, St Nicholas of Toletine Primary, June 2020

The garden team are also creating videos on everything from handy gardening tips to fun activities you can do at home - keep up-to-date with these on our social media channels or catch up here.

Our polytunnel has given us the gift of gardening outdoors/indoors, with crops and flowers growing faster and stronger when sheltered from winds, warmed by the sun and protected from frosts. It has also provided us with an ideal space for sowing earlier, harvesting later and hugely improving the growing potential of every square foot of soil in the community garden.

After many years of service, our old polytunnel had seen better days and the GL Hearn team agreed to take on the challenge of replacing the polytunnel plastic as part of their volunteer action day in July.

The team did a wonderful job and this improvement has give our garden groups the opportunity to grow a whole variety of plants and develop their skills further in years to come!

Here's what the team had to say about their day:

“The centre needed help renewing the polytunnel material in the community garden...7 volunteers from the Bristol office took part on what was one of the hottest days of the year so far. The day really tested the strength and endurance of the staff involved! Under the guidance of the centre’s Garden Coordinator, the GL Hearn volunteers carried out weeding, digging a trench, renewing the polytunnel material and then filling in the trench to hold the new material in place. It was extremely satisfying to see the end result of all the hard work and knowing it would make a big difference to the centre.”

Since the repairs, our polytunnel has provided an ideal space for sowing earlier, harvesting later and hugely improving the growing potential of every square foot of soil in the community garden. It has meant that there are more activities throughout the year for volunteers and participants to get involved in, giving people the opportunity to grow a whole variety of plants and develop their skills further for years to come.

Click here if you are interested in having your company's team-building day at Trinity.

On Monday 26^th June the Trinity Community Garden hosted Coutts Bank Bristol regional office “Corporate Volunteering Day”, led by Leigh Dodsworth. 11 enthusiastic participants - a few of whom travelled down from London - took this sunny day out of the office to help us with general gardening tasks and light maintenance in the garden, including: weeding and clearing the garden, playground and boarders around the grounds; as well as levelling the floor of our shelter area.

Anita O’Flynn, Garden Coordinator, had a list of tasks the size of her arm, so the day took a bit of management to get everyone on task, tooled up and happy with what they were doing.

2016-2017 has been a busy and successful year with the Trinity Community Garden hosting six main free and open activities, where people can join us - whatever the weather – to learn garden skills, enjoy the outdoors, meet new people and share some lovely food together! We have directly engaged a total of 627 people through weekly and monthly sessions, from tailored therapeutic gardening and cooking activities for adults with mental health issues to nature, play and craft session for under 5’s and school children over half terms and Summer.

Check out our What’s On for current gardening activities.

We have had real success and impact for our community so far, however we want to continue to improve and grow and we can only do this with your support. It costs us approx £1,500 a month to sustain our regular activities and there is so much to improve in our Garden, in terms of making the space accessible for all.

Corporate team-building sessions cost as little as £250+VAT to cover costs of a facilitator and materials to help resource your day - taking part in work that will provide a lasting legacy for the communities of Bristol...read more here.

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

Tasks may include weeding, planting, watering, creating wildlife habitats, and basic orchard maintenance.

This will also be a nice opportunity to have a cup of tea, relax and enjoy our Green Space.

Sessions are held Fortnightly on Wednesdays - Time: 10.00 - 13.00

Sessions will be led by Trinity's Garden Team. You'll also be working alongside a small team of friendly volunteers.

No previous experience in gardening is required, as all training will be provided.

Tools, equipment and drinks will be provided, and you are welcome to bring your own lunch. Lunch and travel expenses may be claimed back once you are a regular Trinity Volunteer.

Sessions are for 18+ only.

How to take part:

- If you would like to volunteer then first you will need to register with Trinity as a 'Volunteer Gardener'.

- After registration, our Garden Manager will contact you to have a friendly chat within 14 working days.

- You may then be invited to a taster session to see if the sessions feel right for you.

- Please do get in touch as we will do our best to accommodate everyone's individual needs.

Taking place in the Community Garden and in the building children (and their grown-ups) can take part in nature and outdoor play, sensory trails and play-based activities.

Each session will have friendly experienced staff from Central Bristol Children's Centre available throughout the session to support and offer advice around child development, health and wellbeing, finances, free nursery places for two and three year olds and training opportunities.

Delivered in partnership with Lawrence Hill Health Centre.

Dates of sessions:

• Friday 28 July
• Friday 04 August
• Friday 11 August
• Friday 18 August
• Friday 25 August

Please note children must be accompanied at all times, and the parent or guardian will be responsible for the children during their visit to The Trinity and during any performance events connected to this project.

Featuring music and folklore from across the globe.

The Hare, the Moon and the River is a beautiful family show filled with physical storytelling, puppetry, live music and tales of creatures from around the globe. Following two little baby hares in their search for their mother, they take audience on a magical journey through the countryside.

Together, hear songs and stories from different cultures that feature the hare, the moon and many of their animal friends! Join them for laughs, nature-tech storytelling & a gentle emphasis on global, social and environmental health. All ages are welcome, but we recommend the play for 3 years plus.

As part of the performance, engage in a free creative workshop after with Tidal Tales.

We are excited to bring this show following on from the success of Tidal Tales’ The Oak, The Ash and The Standing Stones in Trinity’s Den in May.

Ticket Links

15/08 - 11am Family Ticket Link

15/08 - 2pm Family Ticket Link

18/08 - 12:30pm Family Ticket Link

18/08 - 3:30pm Family Ticket Link

Come along a little earlier and join our Theatre Picnic Sessions where we will sit with families in the lovely community garden and enjoy food together an hour ahead of the performances.

The Hare, the Moon and the River is supported by Arts Council England and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. For this project, Tidal Tales Collective have partnered with Trinity Community Arts Ltd, Zion, Community Farm, Project Mama, Refugee women of Bristol and Rockaway Park.

About Trinity Presents:

Trinity Presents is our in-house programme of music and combined arts, bringing world-class artists and emerging talent to inner-city audiences.

But sometimes you don’t get what you want,  
even when you’re made to wait…

and wait…

and wait…

Sometimes what you end up with is something even better…

Igloo is a non-verbal, playful experience filled with warmth, sensation and gentle exploration, suitable for babes in arms and pre-schoolers aged 0-3 accompanied by their carers.

“a sensory playground” – Bristol 24/7

“comical in places and heart-wrenching in others”  – Western Super Mum

The Show is 30 minutes long, followed by a 30 minute stay and play, run by Travelling Light. Originally a Travelling Light and Bristol Old Vic co-production.

As part of each performance there will be a facilitated play session. The performance is non-verbal, but the play session contains some words. Audience members will also be given an Igloo picture book and other creative ideas to enable families to continue with creative play at home.

About Trinity Presents:

This event is part of Trinity Presents - our in-house programme of music and performance, bringing world-class artists and emerging talent to inner-city audiences.

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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