Merchant Venturers Grant £35,000 to Bristol Youth Good Causes

The Society of Merchant Venturers’ Youth Committee has awarded £35,000 to a host of local youth organisations and charities.

South Bristol Consortium for Young People received a grant of £15,000, to be delivered over three years. The Consortium will focus on the needs of vulnerable young people in the South Bristol area. A relatively new organisation, the funding will help to cover the Consortium’s set up costs.

Camilla Chandler-Mant, Manager at South Bristol Consortium for Young People said: “The members of South Bristol Consortium for Young People (SBCYP) are extremely grateful to the Merchant Venturers for providing them with start-up costs for the new organisation.

“The aim is that as many young people as possible have the opportunity to participate in activities that help them grow into happy and accomplished adults. The young people of South Bristol have told us themselves that they aspire to do well and have a voice that is heard. This grant will help make this happen and give SBCYP the capacity to grow into a flourishing organisation.”

A grant of £5,000 was awarded to Young Bristol, a charity offering the city’s young people a range of opportunities and experiences to help them realise their potential. The grant will be put towards the cost of funding a project in Stockwood.

Kate Gough, Director of Development at Young Bristol said: “Young Bristol is delighted to receive this grant from the Society of Merchant Venturers. This money will enable us to deliver an intergeneration project in Stockwood – bringing together local young and older people to develop a community project to address local issues. The project will be based at the St Silas (Stockwood) club for young people and work in partnership with LinkAge.”

Merchants’ Academy received a grant of £3,500 towards the cost of completing a walled garden within the Academy’s grounds. 

Jon Furber, Curriculum Leader BTEC Construction at Merchants’ Academy said:  “This wonderful support from the Merchants’ Youth Committee will mean that we can move towards the completion of our walled garden project. The funds will allow us to prepare the ground for both the raised beds and to lay the foundations for the brick paths. Students will soon be able to lay the bricks – donated by IBSTOCK at Cattybrook and collected by Churngold as a gift to us.”

First Story, a national organisation that arranges and pays for acclaimed authors to take up writers in residence posts in challenging state schools across the UK, was awarded £3,000. The money will be used to fund writers in residence in disadvantaged areas around Bristol.

£2,500 was awarded to Travelling Light, a Bristol-based theatre company producing drama specifically for young audiences. Travelling Light plan to use the grant to fund weekly youth theatre clubs at the Barton Hill Settlement.

Georgina Trevor, Young People’s Producer at Travelling Light said: “Travelling Light is thrilled to have received £2,500 from The Merchant Venturers. Travelling Light is dedicated to bringing theatre to young audiences and showing them that they too have the tools to make it. We believe in providing young people with opportunities to make their own work with support from leading theatre professionals. The kind grant from the Merchant Venturers will allow us to continue to run our Youth Theatre provision in Barton Hill for young people 7-19 over the summer term, providing them with a safe space to learn new skills, play and create theatre to share with their local community.”  

A grant of £2,000 was awarded to Bristol Playbus, a moving play centre aimed at 5-13 year olds. The Bristol Playbus provides a range of opportunities for children and families in disadvantaged or isolated communities including art activities, cooking and making and mixing music. The grant will be used to fund 20 sports sessions in Upper Horfield.

Salaam Shalom was awarded £2,000. Salaam Shalom is dedicated to building bridges between Muslim and Jewish communities via dialogue, education, media and creative arts. The £2,000 will help to cover the costs of the Proud2B project, which runs in primary schools. The project aims to widen pupils’ intercultural awareness as they move to secondary school, a vital stage in their development.

Grants of £1,000 were awarded to both Girlguiding Bristol & South Gloucestershire and Keynsham & District Mencap Society.

Girlguiding Bristol & South Gloucestershire will be putting the grant towards the completion of a new site at Briarlands.

Keynsham & District Mencap Society, an organisation that works to improve the lives and opportunities of children and adults with a wide range of learning disabilities, will be use the money to help cover the cost of two Juniors Clubs. 

A range of smaller grants were also issued by the Youth Committee to a further twelve local good causes and organisations including The City of Bristol Army Cadet Force, Air Training Corps (Bristol & Gloucestershire Wing), Avon Country Scout Council, Girl Guides, Avon Outward Bound Association, Avon Youth Association, Bristol Youth Offending Team, Bristol Children’s Help Society, Bristol Sea Cadet Corps, Fairbridge West, Colston’s Girls’ School, Lord Mayor’s Christmas Appeal for Children and Bristol University.