Designed to support mental health and emotional wellbeing, the Bear In Mind programme equips girls in secondary education with the tools to build self-confidence and to cope with the wider issues faced by young women across modern society today. 

As part of the programme, Bear In Mind participants visited Xledger, partners of the programme, to develop their leadership skills and confidence by delivering a session on Boccia to staff. Xledger also provided the girls with techniques and tips for before, during and after interview opportunities.

Laura Brewster, from Xledger, said: “Our tagline is empowering ambition and the Bear In Mind project really delivers on that so we can really see how we can empower the girls and get them thinking about their futures and what they need to do to get on the path that they want to get on to.”

The Bear In Mind programme encourages girls to not only maintain an interest in sport and physical activity but also investigate topics such as stress, resilience, self-care, body image, the impact of social media and positive relationships.

Deja, Abbeywood Community School pupil and Bear In Mind participant, said: “It’s a programme where they help kids who, not make bad choices but usually can get frustrated or maybe have anxiety, to basically relieve their stress. It helped me reach levels I wasn’t able to reach before as in the way of anxiety and being able to use.”

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Representing Bristol Bears Community Foundation, 17-year-old Gilbert was shortlisted for the Young Achiever Award, which recognises and rewards a young person who, by overcoming a range of challenges, has worked the hardest to progress on their journey back to education, training, or employment. 

Gilbert, originally from Ghana, arrived in England two years ago and struggling with the language barrier meant he left school without qualifications. Adjusting to life in the UK, particularly in school where his limited English made learning difficult, left him feeling shy and frustrated.

Through the HITZ programme, Gilbert gradually built his confidence via the smaller group settings and one-on-one support. His enthusiasm and cheerful outlook shone through as he embraced every opportunity, including leading a workshop at the Bristol Bears’ Celebration of Sport event.

This is Gilbert’s story.

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To mark World Mental Health Day, we joined Bears Women players Delaney Burns and Meg Varley for a Bear In Mind session at Worle Community School Academy.

Bear In Mind is Bristol Bears Community Foundation’s health and wellbeing programme aimed at equipping girls in secondary education with the tools to build self-confidence and to cope with the wider issues faced by young women across society today. 

The 12-week programme encourages girls to not only maintain an interest in sport and physical activity but also investigate topics such as stress, resilience, self-care, body image, the impact of social media and positive relationships.

“Bear In Mind is a programme based on health and wellbeing as well as mindfulness and we’ve taken a look at the menstrual cycle today which covers a lot around mental health and is very relevant for the girls in Year 9 and that age group,” said Burns

“We give them a lot of real life examples and there are a lot of things especially around mental health in sport that me and Meg cover. We give a lot of those real life scenarios and also being women in the sport that go through the menstrual cycle it makes it really real for them and means we can give them the best advice we possibly can.”

The key aim of the Bear in Mind programme is to develop strong, resilient, confident young women for the future by talking about topics such as the benefits of physical activity on mental health, strategies to manage stress, body confidence and more.

Jess Quinn, a parent and teacher at Worle Community Academy, said: “Bear In Mind covers such a broad spectrum of different things that a lot of young people today don’t understand how those things impact them and not always for the good.

“That for me is one of the real winners of the Bear In Mind programme because it teaches the girls that all of these things have an impact on their mental health.”

To find out more about Bear In Mind, click here.

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More than 160 riders took on the 14^th edition of the annual fundraising challenge, departing Ashton Gate Stadium on either the Gold (100 mile), Silver (66 mile) or Bronze (33 mile) routes designed by three-time Olympian and Bristol native Oli Beckingsale.

The event was supported by sponsors Sprague Gibbons, Alder King Property Consultants, Urban Creation, Indigo Food Group, Molson Group, Hydrock, Hargreaves Lansdown, Loc8, Avalon Planning & Heritage, Alliance Communications, Plantforce, MHR Manager, Knee Specialists, Motus Recruitment, BW Cycling, Bristol Beer Factory, The Aspire Partnership LLP, Nando’s, Core3, Paramount and The Bike Shed Café.

You can relive Break The Cycle 2024 with our official film of the day below.

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The parade, an annual event that sees a consistent and positive turnout, once again saw hundreds of people gather in the city centre in support of the LGBTQ+ community.

Jamie White, Chairperson of the Bristol Bisons, said: “Pride is an amazing time to join everybody in the local city who are part of the LGBTQ+ community like ourselves. It’s all about having fun but it’s also a protest as well, that’s what it is grounded in, that’s how it started, so this is what the march is all about. Being here, celebrating who we are and who we love and that that’s okay.”

Bears announced a new strategic relationship with Bristol Bisons RFC – the South West’s first inclusive and queer friendly rugby team based in Bristol – ahead of Premiership Rugby’s Pride Weekend earlier this year as part of the club’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity.

Jamie added: “It’s so exciting that we got together this year and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

Ian Downs, Bristol Bears Matchday Presenter and LGBTQ+ Ambassador, said: “Pride is all about celebrating the LGBTQ+ community so representing Bristol Bears with our strategic partners the Bristol Bisons was a special personal moment. Rugby has always been a haven of support and inclusion in my experience and this was cemented for me during Pride by joining the Bisons’ herd for the day!”

Representatives from Her Game Too, Bristol City Supporters Club and Trust and Bristol City Women’s Assistant Coach Nat Haigh also marched alongside the Bristol City Panthers. Nat took a particular interest in the Panthers, taking time to learn about how the Panther’s cultivate an inclusive environment.

Bristol City Supporters Club and Trust member D-M Wither’s has worked with the Foundation to help amplify LGBTQ+ voices in our local community. They shared how much they enjoyed the day and how football clubs and supporters can continue to improve the sport’s culture in the future:

“Bristol Pride is an amazing community event, and it was brilliant to march with the Bristol Panthers, the Robins Foundation, Her Game Too, colleagues from Bristol City Supporters Club & Trust and staff from Bristol City. 

“In recent years, football has become more inclusive for players and supporters, across grassroots and professional levels. There is still more to be done: from challenging persistent homophobia in men’s football, to showing solidarity with transgender people in the sporting arena and in day-to-day life.

“Let’s keep supporting each other so everyone can play and enjoy the beautiful game – we are stronger together!”

Find out more about Bristol Bisons RFC:

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Students from Culverhill School, Kingsweston, Warmley Park and Aurora Hedgeway enjoyed a morning of football-themed sensory games before taking to the pitches after lunch for a series of matches ahead of the EURO 2024 final.

Spectrum Sports is the Community Foundation’s tailored programme of PE & Sport delivery, resourcing, and staff development specifically for the Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) sector.

Designed and created by qualified SEND education teachers and experienced Inclusion coaches, Spectrum Sports provides meaningful access to curriculum, participation, and competition in a broad and balanced range of PE & Sport contexts.

For more information relating to PE & Sport delivery, resource support or staff development, please contact Dec Armstrong.

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The fixture, which historically saw a Bristol XV face the Combination’s best players, follows the success of our Combination Day game against Newcastle Falcons at Ashton Gate and is another example of the growing connection between the Bears and the combination clubs.

Bears will be led by Academy Manager Alex Guest for the friendly clash, which provides a chance for supporters to see the stars of the future in action.

Guest said: “This is an important fixture on the calendar, not just for the continued development of our young players, but to promote and foster excellent relationships with our local clubs and players. We thank Clifton RFC for hosting and look forward to a great event.”

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The club teamed up with 14 charities, community organisations and care settings, including delivering presents to Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and Children’s Hospice South West at Charlton Farm, on a jam-packed day of community engagement.

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