Last year’s event raised nearly £40,000 for the sporting charities – Bristol Sport Foundation, Bristol City Community Trust, Bristol Bears Community Foundation and Bristol Flyers Community – with more than 250 cyclists taking part in another glorious event. 

Here, we put the spotlight on three key programme across the sporting charities.

Walking football – Bristol City Community Trust

For males and females over 50 years of age, Walking Football is a slower paced game to normal football which enables participants of any age to be active and play the “Beautiful Game”.

Bristol City Community Trust Walking Football sessions pride themselves on being inclusive, meaning football experience and ability is not important. The focus is purely on being active and experiencing a fun and enjoyable atmosphere with like-minded people.

Should you require any additional information on these sessions, please contact the Mark Reynolds on 07557 477035 or email mark.reynolds@bcfc.co.uk.

Bright Sparks – Bristol Bears Community Foundation

Bright Sparks uses sport to engage with and educate some of the most disaffected young people in the most deprived areas of Bristol.

These young people are identified as being at risk from issues such as permanent exclusion, anti-social behaviour and potential imprisonment. Bright Sparks equips these young people with the skills required to succeed.

 The programme aims to support young people who attend identified secondary schools located in areas of Bristol ranked as the most deprived in the country.

In Bristol, 16% of residents – 69,000 people – live in the most deprived areas in England, with just over 19,700 children – 24% of all Bristol’s children – living in income deprived households.

In the seven schools we supported during the 2017/18 academic year, an average 47% of the total schools’ population is identified as disadvantaged. The percentage in one partner school being as high as 62% of the whole school cohort.

In the last three years, 38% of the young people we have worked with were identified as having additional and/or special educational needs.

Sums and Scrums – Bristol Sport Foundation

Sums and Scrums is a six-week rugby-themed mathematics programme that uses the sport of rugby and the power of the Bristol Bears Rugby Club brand to make learning about numbers, fun, exciting, and rewarding.

By integrating interactive classroom maths sessions with practical number-based rugby games the programme develops the numeracy skills of all children taking part, but particularly targets those who may have become disengaged with learning maths in a conventional setting.

The children will explore a number of problem-solving activities that demonstrate how maths is used in everyday situations and in particular by professional rugby players. Targeted at Year 4 pupils but with differentiations suitable to meet Year Three objectives, all lessons are built around the National Curriculum and include prepared resources.