Area priorities...
- Enhancing the Abri service offer to customers by building partnerships with local organisations who can provide outreach in collaboration with Abri colleagues.
- Working with local agencies and the police to tackle anti-social behaviour within our communities.
- Working with local partners to focus on supporting our customers with effective mental health management, encouraging a healthy lifestyle and exploring local fitness opportunities
- Working with local partners to tackle rubbish management and waste disposal issues within our communities.
- Focusing on interventions to help support our customers and communities with the impact of the cost-of-living crisis.
- Focusing on interventions to support customers with opportunities to connect with others and create a better sense of social cohesion.
My main priority over the coming months is to get to know the local partners and community. Since starting in Bristol, I have organised a customer welcome event at Coopers Court and Community Action Days at both Coopers Court and Castle Park View. Through surveys and discussions conducted at these events we spoke to customers to get their thoughts and feedback about the communities in which they live, and what they would like to see more of.
One of the key themes that was raised was the lack of access to affordable health and fitness options. I plan to explore opportunities to work with local partners to deliver fitness classes or offer accessible gym memberships at a reduced rate. Another theme that was highlighted was access to food banks in the area. The majority of people surveyed indicated that they would benefit from the use of a pantry. I am currently looking into options for setting up a Community Pantry, ideally, I would like to get one set up in each of our three key areas in Bristol.
Who is your Community Development Officer?
Polly Hughes is your Community Development Officer for Bristol
"I recently became a CDO in August 2024 but have been working in the Community Investment team since November 2023 as the CI Coordinator, supporting the team and managing the Community Fund. Before joining Abri, I worked and volunteered as a Youth Worker, providing alternative education and supporting groups and individuals with a variety of complex needs."
You can contact Polly by emailing polly.hughes@abri.co.uk
Key projects in the last three months
Young Bristol is a youth-based organisation that provide youth-based services to local people within Bristol. They have a Youth on Wheels project that enables them to park up within local communities and provide a mobile youth service, free of charge. This helps those that are not able to travel to youth centres due to lack of transport links or other barriers. They focus on the more rural or hard to reach areas of the city, working with young people aged 8-19 to provide opportunities and activities such as;
- Social, creative, multimedia and sport activities
- Job and home work support
- Healthy food and tips in food preparation
- A safe place to talk with trained youth workers
- A place to relax and socialise
We are working in partnership with Sovereign Network Group, focussing in the Speedwell area of Bristol. The aim is to tackle Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) caused by young people in the local area. The project aims to positively engage with the young people to understand the potential causes of the ASB and work to prevent this from happening through education and physical or enrichment activities and to help develop life skills and confidence. The project is still ongoing until the end of November 24 and we are delivering 3 extra sessions in the October half term (29th ,30th and 31st) in the Cheers Drive area of Speedwell.
Keep Britian Tidy are a national charity that works to inspire, educate and enable everyone to value the environment on their doorstep. They have a number of large and well-known organisations they have partnered with to help tackle litter and rubbish disposal issues throughout the country. The Keep Britian Tidy project is focussed in the Speedwell area of Bristol with the aim of engaging residents, creating community groups and community leaders and to spread awareness of the importance and impact correct waste disposal has.
This is being delivered through awareness sessions and engagement sessions, action days and a follow up Litter Heros training day. This project is also working in partnership with Sovereign Network Group with the overall aim of increasing the environmental standard, look and community pride with residents in the Speedwell area. The project is still ongoing and the date for the Litter Heros training is TBC.
The Conservation Volunteers – Green Gym
The Conservation Volunteers currently have ‘The Green Gym’ project running in the Lockleaze area of Bristol, which was funded by the Abri Community Fund. The sessions provide an opportunity for volunteers to participate in conservation activities that benefit the environment and improve their health. Lockleaze Green gym runs every Thursday 10:30am-1:30pm, at different greenspaces local to Lockleaze. Activities vary every week, previously they have created mini wildflower meadows, installed planters, removed invasive species, planted trees and litterpicked. These weekly 3-hour sessions are open to all abilities, allowing volunteers to work at their own pace. Sessions are due to run until the end of November
As I have very recently taken on Bristol as a CIP Zone and it is still a developing area for us, I am currently getting to know the area, the residents and the local organisations and partners. I am working on building connections and developing a good understanding of the unique needs of each area. Once I have established a good foundation I will be able to use this to tailor my future projects and events to meet these needs.
