Park Group Events – Bristol Parks Forum

Green Capital 2015 Events

Bristol 2015 has now launched its initial Events Programme.

Details can be seen at www.bristol2015.co.uk/events where there is a pdf file to download which will be updated as more events are added.

Park Groups can sign up and add their own events to the events calendar, which will also take you through a simple process to access the Bristol 2015 brand. To do this, go to www.bristol2015.co.uk and click on “Get Involved”.

If you are planning an event then there are a range of Green Capital Grants available to help fund them.

Some of the events will be one off celebrations, while others with be projects running throughout the year.

One project that will be of partiicular interest to BPF members will be the designation of 4 new Local Nature Reserves in addition to the 4 that are in the process of being designated now as a result of the Wild City Project that finished earlier this year.

Bristol 2015 say:

Bristol will celebrate improved environmental protection of several areas by completing a programme of designating eight new Local Nature Reserves, doubling the number in the city between October 2014 and October 2015. The city plans to designate four new LNRs before the end of 2014 in preparation for 2015 – Lamplighters Marsh (Shirehampton), Avon New Cut (Southville), Northern Slopes (Knowle, Knowle West and Bedmister), Narrow Ways Junction (St Werburghs). Another four are planned to follow by October 2015, with applications opening earlier in the year.

A list of the 8 current Local Nature Reserves and the 4 currently being designated can be seen here www.bristol.gov.uk/localnaturereserves

Festival of Nature

Bristol Parks Forum will have a stand at this year’s Bristol Festival of Nature. We will be in the Green Forum tent – do come along an say hello.

The main festival weekend is on the 14th & 15th June in Millennium and Anchor Squares on the Harbourside.

As well as the weekend events there are our community events running from May to July across Bristol and extending to bath and Chew Valley.

The full list of events can be seen here.

Events in Bristol’s Parks & Green Spaces include events at

• Brislington Meadows – 26th May;
• Brandon Hill – 27th May;
• Horfield Common – 31st May;
• Dundry Slopes – 1st June;
• Stoke Park – 21st June;
• Stockwood Open Space – 29th June;
• Kings Weston 6th July;
• The Downs – 12th July;
• Narroways – 13th July;
• Magpie Bottom – 20th July;
• Callington Road – 26th July.

Bristol Walking Festival

The UK’s largest urban walking festival is taking place in Bristol this year between Saturday 26 April and Monday 26 May. Back by popular demand, the festival has now grown into a month-long event with over 150 walks to choose from.

Many Park Groups are organising walks as part of the Festival and of course many of Bristol’s parks and green spaces will be visited during the walks.

The walks have been designed to appeal to regular and not-so-regular walkers of all ages. There will even be some other extra activities to ensure everyone can enjoy the festival. This is your chance to get out and explore Bristol in a whole new light whilst enjoying some fresh air and exercise.

The festival launches at City Hall on Saturday 26 April between 11am to 5pm. There will be lots of stalls and led walks, so come along and get a taste of what lies in store over the next few weeks.

Bristol Walking Festival 2014 is organised by Bristol City Council in partnership with Bristol Ramblers and supported by Bristol Green Capital, SHINE and Visit Bristol. Full details of all the organised walks can be found in the walking festival programme which is available from Bristol Central Library, local libraries and the Bristol Tourist Information Centre (next to the watershed) or online at www.bristolwalkingfestival.co.uk.

Bristol Festivals & Events 2014

Below is a list of the major Festivals & Events in Bristol for 2014 that are of particular relevance to Park Groups.

A much longer list of list of events in Bristol can also be seen at:
www.visitbristol.co.uk/things-to-do/events-and-festivals

Please email us if you know of any events that you think we should add to this list.

26th April to 26th May	Bristol Walking Festival The Festival will comprise a month of walks and events starting with a launch at City Hall on Saturday 26th April with guest speakers, information stalls and local led walks. www.bristol.gov.uk/bristolwalkingfestival
1st June	The Big Lunch Take part in the annual get-together for neighbours… www.thebiglunch.com
1st to 8th June	The Big Jubilee Tidy Up Keep Britain Tidy are organising their biggest EVER tidy up to mark their 60th Anniversary. www.keepbritaintidy.org/jubileetidyup
14th & 15th June	Festival of Nature Weekend As well as the weekend events on the Harbourside, there will be a week of events leading up to it and an outreach project running from May to July. www.festivalofnature.org
14th to 22nd June	BIG Green Week the UK’s festival of eco ideas, art and entertainment – will be back in the centre of Bristol for the week following the Festival of Nature. www.biggreenweek.com
12th to 27th July	Festival of Archaeology A national festival with Bristol Museums, Galleries & Archives organising local community events.
18th to 20th July	Bristol Harbour Festival Lots going on around the harbour, Queens Square and Castle Park www.bristolharbourfestival.co.uk
25th July to 3rd August	Love Parks Week This year Love Parks Week will be ramping up its fight for parks and encouraging the creation of a year round movement with a launch of a new brand – ‘Love Parks’, after all a park is for life not just for summer. www.loveparksweek.org.uk
7th to 10th Aug	Bristol International Balloon Fiesta Some of Bristol’s green spaces make great viewing spots for the mass ascents. www.bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk

Guided Walks in Parks & Green Spaces

Bristol’s huge range of parks and green spaces is great to explore by yourself, but many park groups also arrange guided walks to help you find out more about the wildlife and history of the sites.

For Bristol’s large estates download a guide with details of walks and other events throughout the year:

Estates What’s On Guide

Health Walks
There are many ‘Walking for Health’ groups in Bristol and their walks often visit parks & green spaces.
There is a listing of groups with links to their programmes as well as details of regular weekly walks on the City Council website here:

Walking for Health Bristol – Led health walks

Some other walks coming soon:

Eastwood Farm Local Nature Reserve
Wild Wednesdays (just turn up, no need to book)
Wed 28th August 7.30pm – Moth hunt with Rupert Higgins
Wed 25th September 7.30pm – Owl Prowl with Ian McGuire
See www.eastwoodfarm.org.uk

Kings Weston Estate
Walks organised by Kings Weston Action Group (booking required)
Saturday 31st August 10.15am – Tree walk with Richard Bland
Download a poster with more details or see www.facebook.com/KingsWestonActionGroup

Stoke Park
A series of walks with Steve England (booking required)
Wednesday 28th August 6:30 pm – Evening Archaeology Walk
Wednesday 11th September 6:30 pm – Bat Walk
Friday 13th September – 7:30pm Ghost Walk
Sunday 15th September 10.00am – A Walk on the Wild Side
Wednesday 25th September 10.00am – Autumn Wildlife Stroll and Tidy Up
To book and for more details of these and more walks in October see www.steveengland.co.uk

Northern Slopes
Northern Slopes Initiative walk on the Slopes (walks are free, but donations welcome)
Saturday 21st September 10.30am – Birds and Berries – A walk to find out which wildlife is leaving for winter, or staying; and what autumn fruits are around and what you can make with them.
Walk starts at from the Park, Daventry Road, opposite St Barnabas Church – and take about 2hrs, but feel free to join or leave the walk as you wish.

Cinema in Parks

As part of the 19th Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival which runs from 17-22 September 2013 there will be three free Solar-Powered Outdoor Cinema events in Bristol’s parks.

Bring a picnic, a blanket, friends and family and wrap up warm for a night of entertainment under the stars watching free screenings of fun and family-friendly short films.

Dates and Locations

Sat 7 September 8pm – St George Park
Sat 14 September 8pm – Victoria Park
Sat 21 September 8pm – Greville Smyth Park

The 2013 Solar-Powered Outdoor Cinema is powered by KnowAlternative and supported by Bristol City Council and Victoria Park Action Group.

Find out more about the Encounters Festival at: www.encounters-festival.org.uk

Download the poster at www.bristolparksforum.org.uk/SolarCinema.pdf

Refurbished Old Bowling Green on Brandon Hill

Free Yoga, Tai Chi, and Keep Fit Classes.

This year marked the completion of the Friends of Brandon Hill Project to refurbish the Old Bowling Green. The project was Lottery Funded through the Community Spaces Programme.

The space has already been used for out door plays as part of the Bristol Shakespeare Festival and now Friends of Brandon Hill have organised a series of Yoga, Tai Chi and Keep Fit Classes over the summer; details below:

Yoga

Led by Catherine Walker who teaches hatha yoga. A friendly and energetic teacher, her classes are suitable for beginners and those more familiar with yoga. They consist of easy-to-follow yoga poses, designed to increase strength and flexibility, with simple and advanced options. They will leave you feeling energised and refreshed. Mats will be provided.

Tuesday mornings 7.15am 30th July; 6th, 13th, 20th August
Contact: 07970 849984, yoga@flowyo.co.uk, t: @flow_yo

Tai Chi

Led by Ben Milton and the Bristol School of Tai Chi instructor team. Challenging for young and old. Long revered as an exercise to promote health, balance, and calm, Chen Style Tai Chi is challenging enough for both young and old. Initially done slowly, one learns grace and balance through a precise study of one’s own body and its movement within the space surrounding it. Later, movements can be done at any speed following one’s own intent, whether in class or in daily life.

Bring your friends and family along to practise together and enjoy a free lesson.

Sunday, 28th July; 11th, 25th August 13 10am

Saturday, 7th , 21st September 13 10am

Contact: 0117 9493955, taichi@bristoltaichi.com, www.bristoltaichi.com

Keep Fit

Led by personal trainer Vicki Hill. Vicki has crafted individual training schedules for clients throughout Bristol. For Brandon Hill she has developed training programmes for beginner, intermediate and advanced using the many feature of Brandon Hill to increase your fitness. These sessions will be your introduction to these programmes.
Sundays 9:30am and 10am from 4th August
4th August Beginner 9:30am, Intermediate 10am
18th August Beginner 9:30am, Advanced 10am
1st September Beginner 9:30am, Intermediate 10am
15th September Beginner 9:30am, Advanced 10am
29th September Beginner 9:30am, Intermediate 10am