The Ranch is next open on Thursday 2nd January for our New Year Play Party
For details of our New Year Play Party click HERE
Children, Young People, Families
Group sessions at The Ranch, plus one-to-one support
The Ranch Adventure Playground & Youth Space
Welcome to free sessions – each child or young person must be signed up before attending.
Just register each child or young person once
Term-times
Hours during usual school Term-times
3:30 – 5:30 PM – Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
Play Sessions (for ages 0 – 13)
* Under 8s must be accompanied by an adult 18+*
3 – 5 PM – Fridays
Post 16 sessions (for ages 16+)
6 – 8 PM – Wednesday & Friday
Youth Sessions for school years 7- 11 (ages 11 – 16)
For daily updates go to Facebook HERE
What we do
We believe that providing safe spaces for children and young people to flourish is essential to a vibrant and energetic community.
Our free, open access sessions are run by our Youth and Play team, supported by local Volunteers. Activities include sports, creative workshops, music, outdoor play, indoor play and hanging out.
Working with partners across the City we ensure the voices of young people and children are heard. We are proud to be part of the Playful Bristol network.
About The Ranch
We have been looking after The Ranch since 2018 when we were given the lease to run it by Bristol City Council. We manage the site on behalf of the Southmead Community. The Ranch is a treasure to families in Southmead and we are proud to base our work with children and young people here.
As well as running our after school free play and evening youth sessions, we also work with other organisations for young people – WECIL, Creative Youth Network, and National Autistic Society, all bring groups to The Ranch.
One-to-one support
Our Link Forward team support the wellbeing of children and young people (aged 7-13) who are finding things tough. We offer one-to-one sessions, and connections to small group activities.
Sessions usually take place in school and are fun and safe spaces to explore what is important and what support is needed. We involve play and creative arts like games, painting and drawing. We link children and young people to helpful groups, services, and activities.
We also support sessions for parents and carers.
How BBC DIY SOS transformed The Ranch
We couldn’t believe our luck when in October 2021 the DIY SOS team arrived, with an army of volunteers from near and far, to transform the Southmead Adventure Playground.
They spent 9 days and nights working hard, in all kinds of weather, to create new play and hang out spaces for the children, young people and families in our community.
Watch the photo montage below for a quick overview of what happened. The programme was broadcast at 8pm on BBC1 on Tuesday 24th May 2022.
If you were a volunteer on the project, HUGE thanks to you.
Youth & Play News
Our Apprentice, the Boxing Gym, and the Minister
Read more >
CLOSED: Play Manager
Read more >
Summer at The Ranch
Read more >
Summer Children’s Support with Link Forward
Read more >Southmead Youth Centre: update on lease 2022
We agreed to return our lease for the Southmead Youth Centre building to the Council, due to their plans for their land. This happened formerly on October 3rd 2022. In return the Council have helped to pay for the renovation of The Ranch and also promised new community facilities within the new housing development at Glencoyne Square.
Therefore, our twice weekly evening youth club now happens at The Ranch which, since its renovation, has many fantastic new features for young people such as the Hub lounge, a new sports surface and amazing music studio. We have seen numbers of young people attending The Ranch grow and grow.
The BBC DIY SOS show was the beginning of another chapter in The Ranch’s long story (it is one of the oldest Adventure Playgrounds in the country), and a great lift to our plans to develop the site for all ages with top-class, fully accessible facilities for learning, play, adventure and sports.
We need to keep raising funds to keep Youth and Play services running and one of ways for us to earn income is to open The Ranch to hire for children’s birthday parties. If you would like to volunteer to help us host parties please do get in touch.
Click for info about party hire at The Ranch>Frequently Asked Youth & Play Questions
Can I rent The Ranch?
Yes, one of the ways we fund our charitable work is by hiring the spaces for parties and other events.
FIND OUT MORE >Can I hold my community group or services at The Ranch?
Yes! If you are involved in a community group in Southmead and would like to talk about using the spaces here or at the Greenway Centre, please get in touch to talk about your ideas – email info@southmead.org or call us on 0117 950 3335.
I would like to volunteer, what do I need to do?
Looking after our sites and providing top quality sessions for our community of children and young people takes a whole team of wonderful staff and volunteers. If you would like to get involved in helping us there are a number of different things you can do.
Please get in touch with info@southmead.org to have an initial chat about what might be best for you.
Is The Ranch open at weekends?
Not for public play sessions. It can be hired privately for parties. Please click the link.
FIND OUT MORE >What are the current opening times? Please note times will be different during the school term and holidays.
Play Sessions (for ages 0 – 13)
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday – 3:30 – 5:30 PM
* Under 8s must be accompanied by an adult 18+*
Youth Sessions for young people in school years 7- 11 (ages 11 – 16)
Wednesday & Friday – 6 – 8 PM
Post 16 sessions (for ages 16+)
Fridays – 3 – 5 PM
For daily details follow us on Facebook: The Ranch Adventure Playground & Youth Space
Our Partners
