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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Although there is no charge to attend and no tickets are required, we do ask that you sign up for attendance tracking purposes. Each session is from 11am to 1pm.

Dates of sessions:

Sunday 11th June

Sunday 18th June

Sunday 25th June

Sunday 2nd July

Sunday 16th July

Please note:

Children must be accompanied at all times, and the parent or guardian will be responsible for the children during their visit to Trinity.

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

Sessions are on Wednesdays, Fortnightly. Time: 10.00 - 14.00 starting Wednesday April 10 2024

You'll be working alongside a small team of friendly volunteers.

Sessions are for everyone 18+ years old. Lunch and reasonable travel expenses may be claimed back once you are a regular Trinity Volunteer.

To express your interest in becoming an volunteer please click here and fill out the form.

No experience necessary as all training will be given.

All welcome All gardening tools and PPE will be provided. Refreshments are provided but BYO own lunch.

Please note: This is a session for regular volunteers and not a drop-in session

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.

These sessions are open to any family registered with a children's centre in the BS2 & BS5 area.

Registration is essential and can be made directly through St Pauls Nursery & Children Centre

To book a slot please call Michaela on 07917 517 800 or email on michaela.wilcox@bristol-schools.uk.

Available session times:

• 10:00 - 11:00
• 11:30 - 12:30
• 13:30 - 14:30
• 15:00 - 16:00

Please note, due to current Covid-19 restrictions, sessions will be 1 hour long and limited to 1 family per sessions. Two families may attend the same session if already in a support bubble - with a maximum of 10 individuals per session.

These sessions have been made possible by Children In Need.

These sessions are open to any family registered with a children's centre in the BS2 & BS5 area.

Registration is essential and can be made directly through St Pauls Nursery & Children Centre.

To book a slot please call or email Michaela on 07917 517 800 or michaela.wilcox@bristol-schools.uk.

Available session times:

• 10:00 - 11:00
• 11:30 - 12:30
• 13:30 - 14:30
• 15:00 - 16:00

Please note, due to current Covid-19 restrictions, sessions will be 1 hour long and limited to 1 family per sessions. Two families may attend the same session if already in a support bubble - with a maximum of 10 individuals per session.

These sessions have been made possible by Children In Need.

Film by Latent Pictures

In September 2024 we will launch the ‘Cultural Alliance’, a two-year tailored arts-based learning programme delivered in partnership with three inner-city primary schools, Easton CE Primary, St Nicholas of Tolentine and Hannah More Primary. This new programme, funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation, is a first of its kind in the local area and has been co-designed to meet the needs of each school.

The primary schools in the Alliance are based within a half-mile radius of the Trinity Centre with many of the children who attend facing challenges due to health, learning needs, and socioeconomic factors.

Aligning with Trinity’s long-term commitment to combat inequality through the arts, the Alliance will utilise a tailored arts-based curriculum focused on dance and drama in partnership with locally rooted creative partners ACTA and Movema. By addressing the detrimental effects of limited arts-education, the ambition is to support children's overall development and empower them to thrive in their learning journey. Alongside the programme, teachers will be offered ongoing support in their practice, offering them the creative tools and resources to provide the best opportunities for each student to flourish within their unique situations and learning environments.

“The Cultural Alliance will allow children across our local community to connect and learn through creativity. We are looking forward to working with our partner primary schools to inspire creative thinking and allowing each child who participates to thrive” Jenny Bodnarchuk, Youth Service Manager

The Alliance has been shaped through extensive consultation with primary school pupils, teachers, governors and community organisations, conducted by Trinity since 2021. These consultations highlighted the urgency of embracing alternative measures of academic success - considering their pupils’ diverse linguistic, cultural, and socio-economic backgrounds - and reported the need for new tools and practices to build trust and foster inclusivity.

The Alliance takes an investigative approach, incorporating tailored collaboration with each school, responsive to their unique needs. By integrating arts-based learning, teacher support, and initiatives addressing inclusion, the Alliance will create a transformative educational experience for educators and pupils, fostering a more inclusive and equitable learning environment.

The Alliance has been developed via initial seed funding from Van Neste Foundation and Nisbet Trust secured in 2023 to test and refine the programme through free-to-access arts-based provision for primary-aged children that included Forest School activities as well as embedding a dance programme, World in a Box, in partner schools.

Building on learning from these pilot activities, the launch of the Cultural Alliance in September 2024 has now been made possible through a two-year grant from Paul Hamlyn Foundation marking a significant step forward in local investment in children's access to arts and culture.

Find out more about our Children and Young People's programme here.

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.

Movema's Easter Dance Club. Photo credit Alastair Brooks

We were able to provide 150 local residents and users of the Trinity Centre supermarket vouchers as part of the Winter Crisis Fund. The support has come at a crucial time when families are grappling with unprecedented costs due to the ongoing cost of living crisis.

To allow for a fair and accessible process, we developed a user-friendly online form where individuals could indicate how they met our four predefined criteria for receiving vouchers. We then worked with key stakeholders to share the scheme, including printing flyers to distribute among resident groups and parents/carers whose children participate in activities at Trinity.

"I am in receipt of a low income. The shopping voucher really helps with everyday shopping, e.g., food, cleaning products. Furthermore, by being awarded the voucher, I feel listened to and valued. Thank you."

This initiative enabled us to offer some relief to the challenges posed by rising living costs, and the distribution of vouchers primarily benefited local residents with caring responsibilities. 78% of the vouchers were allocated to families whose children attend local schools or children's centres or take part in Trinity's Children and Young People program.

About the Winter Crisis Fund:

The Winter Crisis Fund is an initiative of The Society of the Merchant Ventures.

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.

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.

After 3 years of running volunteer drop-ins The Trinity Community Garden is now running an inclusive programme of workshops that will respond to the needs of our diverse communities. We believe the project will have a positive focus creating a sense of well-being, achievement and cohesion in the community.

The Big Lottery Fund distributes half of the National Lottery good cause funding across the UK. The support for the this project comes from the Awards for All programme which aims to enable others to make real improvements to communities and the lives of people most in need.

The award received will allow us to deliver a series of weekly organic gardening and cooking sessions, providing a safe controlled space where a variety of local groups will gain hands-on experience in the garden. The workshops will include: cooking a variety of dishes from the veg growing in a simple outdoor kitchen (to be built); learn about the benefits of wild plants and herbal first aid; seed sowing and saving; companion planting; how to tend and care for fruit and vegetables; crop rotation and soil fertility.

Participants will include women from minority ethnic communities (BME) who have experienced domestic violence and people who are affected by mental health issues. Groups of participants will include Awaz Utaoh Asian's Women group, Wild Goose, Rethink & Terrence Higgins service users.

We have been collecting feedback from some of these groups regarding the need for the project and RETHINK said: “there has been a clear need displayed by our clients for an outdoor gardening group that focuses on developing skills, widening social networks and encouragement towards volunteer opportunities”. It's Awaz Utaoh's opinion that gardens bring different cultures and generations together, improving individual and community confidence, bridging the divide between ethnic, political and socio-economic groups. Terrance Higgings Trust said that "it's important for HIV positive people to have a healthy diet; this project will benefit their health and social outlook".

Workshops will be held between May-November 2012. When the project is over, the participants will be confident enough to take ownership of the space and make it a welcoming place for the local community.

Sustainable building

In addition to the gardening workshops Trinity are seeking people interested in sustainable building to initiate the outdoor kitchen that will complement this project.

The building of the outdoor kitchen will run as separate workshops, 3 days a week for 6 weeks. We have selected an experienced workshop leader to run this workshops who has successfully run similar projects in other areas. These sessions will provide open, drop-in access for the wider community and will be appropriate for all levels, with the aim of encouraging people to become more active in their community.

How to get involved

To register your interest in the project or sustainable building workshops, contact Charlie or Pete info@3ca.org.uk 0117 9351200 or join the volunteer drop-in days on Wednesdays from 12pm to 5pm, May to November 2012.

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 :)