Bradley Stoke Community Festival 2023
The Bradley Stoke Community Festival 2023 took place on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th June 2023.
Bradley Stoke Youth Football Club Football Festival - Saturday 10th June
On June 10th 2023 at the Jubilee Centre, Bradley Stoke Youth FC (BSYFC) celebrated their 25th anniversary with a football festival with over 350 children participating in the event. The age range of players on view was 4 to 16 years old showing their football skills and ability in front of some large crowds. The sun was shining and the pitches were looking fantastic. The format of the day was to have fun matches with no results and some competitive matches where the results were recorded to find a winner. All the action took place between 10am to 4.30pm and afterwards the coaches even played a match until the sun (or old age) got to them.
The event results were as follows:
- Reception children – fun matches with a penalty shootout with the Minion in goals.
- Year 1 children – fun matches with a penalty shootout with the Minion in goals. The Year 1 children were the winners of the Luke Wheaton Memorial Cup.
- U7' - fun matches.
- U9' – fun matches.
- Mixed U9' and U10' – competitive matches with U10 Blacks winning the McDonalds Cup and the U9 Golds winning the Bradley Stoke Town Council Cup.
- U11' – competitive matches with U11 B' winning the McDonalds Cup.
- U11 Girls – fun matches and coaching session.
- U13' – fun matches.
- Mixed U14 and U15 – competitive matches with the U15 Oranges winning the Bradley Stoke Town Council Cup.
- Mixed U15 Girls and Ladies – competitive matches with The Ladies Goals Aloud Team winning the McDonalds Cup.
Every age group had an award presentation with the Mayor of Bradley Stoke (Dayley Lawrence) and Deputy Mayor of Bradley Stoke (Natalie Field) in attendance to hand out the trophies and cups. For the Year 1 presentation we were delighted to be joined by Matt Wheaton from the Luke Wheaton Legacy Trust. The presentation of the Luke Wheaton Memorial Cup is an annual event at the Festival to ensure we remember Luke who played for many years with BSYFC.
The club would like to say thanks to the Bradley Stoke Town Council and the Luke Wheaton Legacy Trust for their kind donations towards the cost of the trophies which every child received at the festival. This was very much appreciated.
It is hard to believe how big the club has grown from that first training session way back in June 1998 with just one team in the League. We now have over 450 players at the club across 22 teams playing in many different Leagues.
Some highlights of BSYFC story over the years:
- Sept 2005: the club started football enrichment sessions at Bradley Stoke Community School.
- June 2006: the club started the first Football Festival with Bradley Stoke Town Council.
- Mar 2008: the club started the School Link program providing free football coaching to Primary Schools. This grew from one school to 14 local schools.
- May 2008: the club achieved the FA Charter Standard Club Award.
- June 2009: the club started working with the Gloucestershire FA to address the lack of female teams in the area. Girl' football is started at BSYFC.
- July 2010: The Young Coach Mentoring Program is started.
- Aug 2010: the club achieved the FA Charter Standard Community Club Award. There were only 9 other clubs in the whole of South Gloucestershire that held this award.
- June 2011, 2013 and 2016: the club is awarded Gloucestershire FA Community Club of the Year.
- Sept 2012: the club started free community disability football sessions.
- May 2015: the club created the first ever female adult team for the town of Bradley Stoke.
- Sept 2015: the club started football enrichment sessions at the new Bradley Stoke Primary School.
- Nov 2022: the FA transition all clubs to the new England Football Accredited Club system with BSYFC awarded the highest 3 star level.
The club would like to thank all the volunteers and supporters for their ongoing support and help in running the football club. The club is always looking for more volunteers so if anyone would like more info, please check out our contact page on our website at www.bsyfc.co.uk
See more photos from the Football Festival here...
Community Picnic - Saturday 10th June
The community picnic took place in glorious weather. All entries in the Hedgehog Heroes Colouring Competition were on display in the Oak Hall and those attending voted for their favourite picture. The results will be announced at the Hedgehog Heroes event on Saturday 17th June. Music was provided by the Bradley Stoke Radio team and their roving reporters were out and about around the site interviewing people picnicking and watching Bradley Stoke Youth Football Club' 25th Anniversary Celebration matches. Refreshments were served by volunteers from Bradley Stoke Youth Football Club and the Bradley Stoke Ladies football team were selling cakes. The three Mayor' Charities (The Brightwell, Mamas Bristol and Prostate Cancer UK) were represented at the picnic. As in past years, the free facepainting and giant bubbles proved popular.
Sole Sisters 10K Run - Sunday 11th June
For 18 years Sole Sisters have hosted the Bradley Stoke 10K. This year it was a hot humid morning and we saw 480 runners cross the finish line. Our 1st place runner finished in just over 35 mins.
Sole Sisters would like to thank friends, families, neighbours, Local Guides, Brownies, Rainbows, Rangers, Bradley Stoke Church and fellow running clubs who volunteered to marshal on the day. They did a fabulous job cheering the runners along the route, handing out Water, Jelly babies, Chocolate Brownies, T-shirts and Medals. We really could not have held the race without them all.
The comments we receive following the race portray just what an important role the +80 marshals around the route play in making the event the success that it is, we wish we could have more marshals to cover every twist and turn but here are some of this year's heart-warming comments.
- “Thank you for hosting the event and thank you to all the awesome people giving up their time on a Sunday morning to keep us safe and see us around. Fantastic encouragement from everyone. Xx”
- “Thank you to everyone that organised, marshalled and stood on the street to support. Great community event”
- Great event, lots of support and fantastic marshalling. Thank you
- Thanks to all the fabulous marshals! What a super event!
Take a look at the Bradley Stoke 10K Facebook page for more amazing comments and some super race day photos.
See more photos from the Sole Sisters 10K Run here...
The Brightwell Charity Colour Run - Sunday 11th June
Crowds gathered at Jubilee Green, Bradley Stoke on Sunday June 11th to take part in a charity colour run organised by The Brightwell - a charity supporting those with neurological conditions by providing therapies such as neuro-physio and Oxygen therapy.
Participating in two heats, it was an eye catching, fun filled afternoon of smiles, laughter and clouds of colour for all ages and abilities.
The Brightwell would like to thank the Mayor Dayley Lawrence & The Bradley Stoke Town Council for their support in making this fundraising dream viable. One of the members of the Centre who enjoyed the event said it was 'simply the best day ever'. The Brightwell would also like to thank all that came along to show their support, purchased tickets, sponsored the event and the amazing volunteers who made the event possible.
A huge £4,700 has been raised so far and the funds from this event are still rolling in! They hope to run the event again next year after its big success.
A full write-up can be found on The Brightwell website.
See more photos from the Brightwell Charity Colour Run here...
Bradley Stoke Skatepark & Festival Jam - Saturday 17th June
At this year's festival, Bradley Stoke Town Council's Youth Workers and local young people were delighted to once again host a popular package of Skatepark and Art activities. A mix of skate park skills and creative arts ran alongside our annual Festival Skatepark competition. The competition was interspersed with rider demonstrations and 'have-a-go' opportunities, with the support of Kings Ramps, along with music and an MC.
The following competitions took place during the afternoon:
- Scooter: 12 & Under; 13+
- BMX: 12 & Under; 13+
- Skateboard: All ages
- Roller Blades: All ages Inline & Quads
The Art activities gave young people the opportunity to participate in workshops run by Olas Arts and those attending produced their own piece of artwork to take home. The artist has worked with the Town Council in the past, running popular workshops and on this occasion used old vinyl records as a canvas for street art style creativity.
Young people's involvement in planning and organising the festival is supported by Bradley Stoke Town Council's youth workers. If you are a young person living in the Bradley Stoke area and aged 11 to 19 who would like to find out about our other youth work sessions and projects, or would like to get involved as a young person or volunteer, come along for a chat or contact the youth development & participation worker on 07900 253826 or email graham.baker@bradleystoke.gov.uk
Instagram: @bradleystokeskatepark
Facebook: @bradleystokeskatepark
See more photos from the Bradley Stoke Skatepark & Festival Jam here...
