#BigUpBartonHill Community Day 2025
#BigUpBartonHill Community Day 2025The #BigUpBartonHill Community Day took place on Saturday 13 September 2025 in the Barton Hill Urban Park on Morley Road.This free community day was organised by In Bristol Studio in collaboration with a group of local organisations, groups and service providers that make up the #BigUpBartonHill Network – see below for details of all the groups and organisations involved.
There were a range of free, fun activities, demonstrations and taster sessions for children and adults to take part in, as well as the opportunity to find out about the support, advice and opportunities that are available to the local community. Barton Hill residents of all ages came along to celebrate all the great things that take place in the area!
Drop In Workshops:
Rattles & Shakers Workshop
Jude Hutchins from In Bristol Studio ran a free drop in workshop for children to make rattles and shakers for the finale Celebratory Parade.
Lantern Workshop
Dee Moxon from Lamplighters Arts CICran a giant lantern puppet workshop, with the puppet lantern leading the finale Celebratory Parade. They also shared information about Church Road Lantern Parade 2025 which takes place on Saturday 6 December at 4.30pm. This activity is funded by National Lottery Community Fund and Bristol CC Imagination Fund.
Other Activities & Information Stands:
- The Little Library attended with an information stand and free activities for children/young people.
- Imayla ran a badge making workshop and provided a drumming circle courtesy of Algy Behrens
- Ok to Play provided information about their ongoing Barton Hill project looking at how children and families perceive play opportunities in the local area. They also provided a clay workshop creating fun characters out of natural materials.
- Bristol Somali Youth Voice provided information and support.
- Travelling Light Theatre Company ran physical play activities for children and families.
- East Central Family Hub promoted family services and activities, parenting courses & groups in the local area.
- Greengage Project ran a Citizen Science Mission and engaged local people with their Conversation Station.
- Wellspring Settlement provided access to toilet facilities in the Ducie Road Community Hall, alongside Saada’s Pop-Up Cafe with delicious affordable food, tea, coffee and cake, alongside a craft activity.
- St Luke’s Churchprovided information about their forthcoming activities and events. as well as access to gazebos, tables and chairs.
- Barton Hill History Group ran an activity based on their ‘Women that made Barton Hill’ project, which involves the creation of blue plaques for key Barton Hill people from the past.
- Boys Brigade & Girls Association will be providing information about how to join.
- Avonfire Services attended with a Fire Appliance and provided information about keeping homes fire safe.
- Holy Spokes/Dr Bike was rushed off it’s feet providing free bicycle services and repairs to local cyclists.
- The event ended with a Celebratory Parade from the Urban Park to the Ducie Road Pocket Park and back to the Urban Park led by Bristol’s very own The Ambling Band!
You can view highlights from this event below:
And via this much longer showreel – please beware that for the most part this showreel is silent, with occasional blasts of sound:
#BigUpBartonHill Network
#BigUpBartonHill NetworkThe #BigUpBartonHill Network is a friendly, informal network of people who work or volunteer for organisations or groups that deliver services in and around Barton Hill. Our aim is to network, share information, celebrate success, discuss challenges, and to explore ways to collaborate, cooperate and to work in partnership to provide better access to activities and opportunities in our community.
We meet monthly for an hour on the second Wednesday of the month at 10am generally at In Bristol Studio on Great Western Lane or in The Crypt at St Luke’s Church.
You can read minutes from our meetings here and anyone who lives or works in the area is welcome to join us. For more information email sally@inbristol.org.
2023 BUBH Community Day
In 2023 the #BigUpBartonHill Community Day & Picnic took place on Saturday 16 September in the Barton Hill Urban Park.
This free community day was organised by a group of local organisations, groups and service providers (see below for more details about the #BigUpBartonHill Network) led by Studio Meraki, and was funded by the Quartet Community Foundation and Eastside Community Trust’s Community Events Fund.
There were a range of free, fun activities, demonstrations and taster sessions for children and adults to take part in, as well as the opportunity to find out about the wide range of support, advice and opportunities that are available to the local community. Barton Hill residents of all ages were invited to come along with a picnic and a blanket to celebrate all the great things that take place in the area!
Free bike services from Dr Bike, print & badge making workshop from Blue Roll Press, tea & cakes from the Wellspring Settlement, fun games and activities provided by Learning Partnership West, Travelling Light Theatre Company, Bristol Somali Youth Voice and the Barton Hill Activity Club took place throughout the day.
As well as the following activities:
- Live music and dance with The Bristol Ceiliidh Collective
- Capoeira Demonstration (Afro-Brazilian martial arts) with Art of Movement
- Drum & Bass Boxercise with Holly from dnb boxing
- Yoga for Wellbeing with Lisa Marie Yoga.
We’d also like to mention all the support provided by Nicole from Wesport, Amy from St Luke’s Lunch Club and Anne from St Luke’s Church.
As well as the following organisations that make up the #BigUpBartonHill Network and took part in the event: Studio Meraki, St Luke’s Church, Eastside Community Trust, St Luke’s Lunch, Travelling Light Theatre Company, Wellspring Settlement, Learning Partnership West, Barton Hill Activity Club, Art of Movement, Bristol Somali Youth Voice, Family Centre, Travel West Roadshow, East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood and Dr Bike.
Plus our local Police Community Support Officers and Avon Fire Services who also attended.
You can watch a short film made by film makerDori Jo from interviews and footage she shot at the community day below:
Film & original soundtrack by Dori Jo. All rights reserved.
You can also watch a show reel of photos and video clips from the event taken by Studio Meraki below:
In June 2022 we organised the first #BigUpBartonHill Family Fun Day, thanks to funding from Quartet Community Foundation and support from Creative Lives.
In Bristol Studio teamed up with the rest of the Big Up Barton Hill network (formerly the Barton Hill Service Provider Network), which at the time was made up of Studio Meraki, St Luke’s Church, Eastside Community Trust, Travelling Light Theatre Company, Wellspring Settlement, Learning Partnership West, Imayla and the Barton Hill Activity Club.
There were lots of free taster sessions and demonstrations for adults and children, along with live music and information stands so that the local community could find out what activities, clubs and workshops are available in the area to take part in.
You can find out more about this event here.
We are hoping to organise another #BigUpBartonHill Community Day on Saturday 16 September 2023, we are just waiting to hear if our event licence application has been successful. Get in touch if you’d like to get involved in this event as a volunteer or if you’d like to run a taster session or do a demonstrations or provide information to local resident. Email sally@inbristol.org to register your interest.
This network was set up in October 2021 by Studio Meraki and In Bristol Studio with support from Creative Lives, following the successful partnership working with St Luke’s Lunch Club, LPW & Eastside Community Trust on the delivery of 4,000 Art Kits to local families whose children received free school meals during the pandemic.