Summer at The Ranch and our Young Volunteers

Our Summer Holiday play sessions are now in full swing at The Ranch. From 12 – 4 PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, we have a packed programme for Southmead children including music, tree-craft, clowns, cooking, games, crafts, arts, bike fun and bike repairs. Most importantly, for all children who usually receive free meals at school, there will be hot food at all sessions.

The Summer holidays are one of our busiest times of the year and we love it when our City partners visit to put on activities. Steve England, Bristol’s wild forager, usually takes families on a trip into Badock’s Wood to gather garlic to cook on The Ranch fire pit, or blackberries to turn into delicious treats. Life Cycle UK join us to lead rides and to help children repair their own bikes. The wonderful Travelling Kitchen help us to feed everyone and to show us fun cooking skills.

But our team could not do without our amazing team of young people who help volunteer at our play sessions. Rather than being glued to their phones, they get involved in life here at the Ranch. These young people have mostly attended play sessions when they were little and are now giving back their own time.

Saliou (on the left in pic) and Jesse have been a fixture on the football courts; encouraging, coaching and refereeing matches. Paige, Maddison, and Ezra (on the right in pic) have been playing games of Manhunt, Uno, and generally helping out on our massive site. They fit right into our staff team, and maybe they have a future in play work, social care, or education? We love to support children as they grow up and transfer to our Youth sessions and beyond, we are here to support their futures. Youth sessions will run on Wednesday and Friday evenings during the Summer Holidays as usual.

If you are bringing children to The Ranch this Summer, please remember each one must be registered with us – many of them are already. You can find the registration link HERE, or on our Facebook page (The Ranch Adventure Playground and Youth Space), or find one of us when you come and we can help you. Happy Summer Holidays to everyone and we hope you enjoy our sessions.

If you or someone in your family would like to be one of our young volunteers then please get in touch, email: mattcaldwell@southmead.org, or call: 0117 950 335 and leave a message for me.