The area’s newest hotel, Village Hotel Club Bristol, has appointed youth club charity Young Bristol as its official charity partner for 2019.
The partnership will see the hotel donate 1,000 hours of employee time throughout the year to support the charity’s campaigns through fundraising and assisting with the charity’s numerous activities for young people in the city.
The Young Bristol charity partnership is part of the hotel chain’s new volunteering initiative, Village Green.
Launched in September 2018, the Village Green initiative is a national commitment being made by Village Hotel Clubs across the country to become a welcoming community hub, with the chain offering to donate 30,000 hours to local projects across their 30 hotel sites each year.
The team at Village Hotel Club Bristol will assist with the charity’s youth clubs and help run activities including climbing, abseiling, archery, bushcraft, caving and orienteering, as well as running courses held at Young Bristol’s water-based activity centre at Pooles Wharf on Bristol’s harbourside.
In addition to the volunteered time, the charity will be able to use the hotel’s high-tech facilities, including the state-of-the-art gym, swimming pool, event suite and business club, V Works. Using the hotel’s extensive meeting spaces, hotel staff will host talks and workshops regarding careers in the hospitality industry to inspire young people.
Young Bristol’s youth clubs have been a prominent and often life-changing place for thousands of children in Bristol since 1928. Generations have been helped by the charity, which has 15 clubs around the city. The charity provides a city-wide programme of activities and training schemes, supporting over 7,000 young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The charity offers a range of community youth services, outdoor activities, creative arts and informal education for children and young people aged 8-19 years old from some of Bristol’s most deprived areas.
Young Bristol counts many famous Bristol names amongst its alumni; from current mayor of Bristol Marvin Rees, Banksy and former world champion boxer Glenn Catley, all of whom found support and had their talents nurtured through Young Bristol’s schemes and support networks.
Mark McMahon, general manager of Village Hotel Club Bristol, said:
“We received many applications from a wide array of charitable organisations before deciding to partner with Young Bristol. We loved the fact we could get really stuck in as a team and donate our time to help make the charity’s club and activities run smoothly.”
“What struck us was the heritage of Young Bristol – its 90-year commitment to the betterment of Bristol’s young people is astounding and this is a partnership we’re incredibly excited and enthusiastic to be part of.”
Lucy Saunders, development and fundraising manager for Young Bristol, commented:
“We are thrilled to have been chosen as the charity partner for Village Hotel Club Bristol. We are really excited to be working together and the support of the hotel team will help us to positively and sustainably impact the lives of local children and young people.”
Photos: 1 Hotel employees on the water with Young Bristol leaders near Pooles Wharf. 2 Hotel employees on the water with and Young Bristol leaders standing beside a mobile youth club van.
This article originally appeared in the May 2019 issue of the Bradley Stoke Journal magazine (on pages 10 & 11). The magazine is delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH (except August), to ALL 8,700 homes in Bradley Stoke. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.
