connect trinity 2020-2021
handbook CONTENTS WHAT IS CONNECT? THE CONNECT EXEC A CONNECT WEEK COMMUNITY LIFE A TRINITY STUDENT WEEK STUDENT COMMITMENTS OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDY
GETTING TO KNOW BRISTOL HOSPITALS GP SURGERIES DENTISTS GARAGES HAIRDRESSERS SHOPPING PLACES TO EAT & DRINK BRISTOL ATTRACTIONS OUTDOOR SPACES
GREAT PLACES FOR KIDS (AND KIDS AT HEART) PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS, FARMS AND ZOOS SOFT PLAY
NURSERIES /PRESCHOOLS WHAT IS CONNECT?
Primarily Connect is a community of people and our purpose is threefold:
1. To provide opportunities for fellowship for partners of those studying at Trinity College.
2. To provide support to one another, sharing our lives together and seeking God’s transformation in our lives.
3. To be a means by which our members can be equipped for their future ministry and to develop their own unique callings
Our heart is to be a place where God can develop us for what he has prepared for us after life at Trinity.
LIZ VENABLE SARAH GROVE PRESIDENT VICE-PRESIDENT THE CONNECT EXEC EMMA DINSMORE SAFEGUARDING ON FERGUSON F J AMILIES SECRETARY / REP HANNA RUSSELL
TREASURER
A CONNECT WEEK Our week looks slightly different due to Covid-19 - so this is our rough guide to what a Connect week might look like this year. Please remember that none of this is set in stone.
MONDAY mornings will hopefully be an opportunity to meet together in the chapel to engage in Bible study and prayer. We will start the main bible study at 11.00am and aim to finish at 12.30pm. Note for spouses with children: Usually there would be childcare (college kids) however this will not be possible for the foreseeable. Monday is a delegated study day for students but as it is down to students to manage their own time , college have agreed that your student partner is allowed to provide childcare whilst you come to Connect. We understand that this may not be possible or feasible for some of you so please note that if you cannot get childcare you can bring your children (there will be a few toys etc).
FRIDAY COMMUNITY MORNING normally begins with Communion at 8.30am. College are looking to live stream this and there will be opportunities to tune in communally in the dining room. After communion, the whole community gather together for coffee before the students head off to their sessions, location and logistics TBC. Connect then continues to meet, we will hopefully use the games room as a cafe style base for adults and babe-in-arms. There will be an organised activity for adults with toddlers/children (such as a walk to the park or common) - you can of course grab drinks and snacks from the games room as and when. Note for spouses with children: Only one adult member in a household has to attend chapel on a Friday so your husband or wife is allowed to miss chapel to provide childcare onsite or at home so that you can tune in. It is worth noting that the service is not child friendly and it can be tough keeping little ones happy. There are occasionally all age communion services which are really great for the children to get involved in - we’ll let you know in advance.
HOME GROUPS were meeting virtually towards the end of last year. We will continue this initially and start to meet face-to-face as rules relax.
We gather centrally for RECONNECT which is an evening of extended prayer and worship and occasionally there will be additional teaching and prayer. This is normally in the chapel but may be virtual to start with - so you can sing your heart out from home! Lunch has, in previous years, been a great opportunity to be in community together, however, plans for lunch have yet to be confirmed and it’s unsure whether spouses and children can be included in the plans. Having said that - this may be something you can enjoy in subsequent years. COMMUNITY LIFE
There are many other regular and one-off events that happen outside of the basic weekly structure. Here are some examples of our regular events:
It’s best to check out the College and Connect Facebook pages for the latest news about what's going on. If there is something in particular that you are keen on and it isn’t already happening please feel free to post to the Connect Facebook page and round up some others who may be keen to get involved too! A TRINITY STUDENT WEEK
Trinity students always have lots to keep them busy what with family life, placements and of course their studies. Here is an overview of what the standard student week: MONDAY Regular private study day for all students and faculty members. Attendance at chapel is optional on this day. However, during block weeks there will be teaching. Occasionally Mondays may be used for one-off events, particularly at the beginning of term. TUESDAY Teaching day starting from 9.10am to 5pm. Lectures will run for students that have selected those units. WEDNESDAY In the morning students meet together in their pastoral groups to reflect corporately and go on socials. The afternoon is usually kept free. And is when extra-curricular activities such as football take place - which is a great way for the students to let off steam midway through a busy week! THURSDAY Similar to Tuesday, i.e. 9.10am to 5pm: Lectures will run . FRIDAY Begins with Communion for all students at 08.30am, after Communion students continue to meet together for Trinity Community time. From 10.15 am, ordinands break into groups for Anglican Story. Afternoons for students will be used for one-off events, but are generally free for study.
Chapel runs services every weekday morning at 08.30am and these are compulsory for Students (apart from Friday if providing childcare). The daily live stream of chapel will be widely available but provision for watching it communally will be reserved for Friday. STUDENT COMMITMENTS
Outside of normal lectures, there are a few things going on that you might like to get your head around… COMBINED COMMUNION Once every half term, Trinity and the Baptist College combine for a Joint Eucharist. Check College notice boards for more information (this is often on a Wednesday). EXTRA EVENTS Each year there are various official College events that students are expected to attend: The Student Exec are involved in the Welcome Week at the very beginning of the Autumn term; Academic Awards Ceremony (Spring term) and Valedictory Service (summer term). There are also two College open days through the year and students are expected to help out at least one of them. COLLEGE JOB All students are given a College job – some within College time and sometimes outside of usual College hours. This job will average out as one hour a week. PLACEMENT Each student is placed in a church context where they will practice their preaching, leading services and witness first-hand what it’s like to lead a church. Whilst there is no expectation on spouses to also attend the church students are placed in, most do. Ordinands will also have a community placement during term time which is usually around a week’s worth of work over the course of the year and a ‘Contrasting Placement’ throughout June. This is a 4-week full time placement in a church usually with a different worship style to their regular church context. SAFETY The College is made up of a diverse community with varying needs and demands. As such there are, of course, guidelines that we need to adhere to. Please make sure you sign the visitors’ book whenever you enter the College premises. The exception to this is when attending a Connect event, where there should be a fire regulation sign-in sheet in the room where you are first meeting. The College Child Protection Policy is relevant to all events organised by, or on behalf of, the College and may be viewed on the internal website. The CCPP requires an up to date DBS and applies to all students and staff and permits them to supervise children. OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDY Trinity College provides part-time study opportunities for spouses and the opportunity to ‘audit’ lectures for free.
PART-TIME COURSES AT TRINITY
Trinity is currently offering the part time Certificate in Theology, Ministry and Mission, accredited by the University of Durham. You can study this over 2 or 3 years. It will initially be taught virtually but may become face-to-face as the year progresses. The fee for spouses is half the price of the normal fee and is £1,225 for the first year if studied over 2 years. Another option is to study for the Foundation Award which is 60 credits and can be studied over 1 or 2 years. Modules are chosen from those offered in the certificate. Level 4 modules include: Introduction to the New Testament, Introduction to the Old Testament, Introducing Theological Reflection, Introduction to Aspects of Pastoral Care, a brief introduction to Christian Doctrine, Introduction to Church History, Elements of Ministry and Mission and Introduction to Christian Ethics. If you would like further information, please contact Jo Norman on 0117 968 0253 or by email: [email protected]. You can also visit the college website where you’ll find application forms to fill in too.
AUDITING LECTURES
Spouses of full-time students are welcome to virtually attend (audit) any lectures at Trinity, free of charge. This could either be during the daytime or on a Tuesday evening. Auditing means that you can virtually attend individual modules and not be assessed. You would simply virtually attend lectures but not join in with seminars, take part in any visits or complete written assignments. However, your name would appear on the class list as an auditing student and you will be given a computer account, so you can see the relevant teaching materials. You are welcome to attend with no charge, but please register with Jo Norman. If you would like further information, please contact Jo Norman on 0117 968 0253 or by email: [email protected]. GETTING TO KNOW BRISTOL
(please double check websites for up-to-date Covid-19 info) HOSPITALS SOUTHMEAD HOSPITAL Southmead Road, Westbury on Trym, BS10 5NB 0117 950 5050 Accident & Emergency (ADULTS ONLY - take your children straight to the children’s hospital in an emergency) Minor Injuries Maternity Department, Central Delivery Suite & Mendip Birth Centre (Midwife led)
ST MICHAEL’S HOSPITAL Southwell Street, BS2 8EG 0117 342 5325 Midwifery led birthing unit Children’s Hearing Centre
BRISTOL ROYAL INFIRMARY (BRI) Upper Maudlin Street, BS2 8HW 0117 923 0000 Emergency Department (ED)
BRISTOL ROYAL HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN Paul O’Gorman Building, Upper Maudlin Street, BS2 8BJ 0117 342 8460 Children’s Emergency Department
COSSHAM HOSPITAL Lodge Road, Kingswood, BS15 1LF 0117 340 8400 Birth Centre
BROADMEAD WALK-IN CENTRE Broadmead Medical Centre, Boots (first floor, Galleries), 59 Broadmead, Bristol BS1 3EA. 0117 954 9828 Sit and wait service or bookable appointments seven days a week. Run by NHS nurses.
SOUTH BRISTOL URGENT CARE CENTRE South Bristol NHS Community Hospital, Hengrove Promenade, Hengrove, Whitchurch Lane, Bristol BS14 0DE 0117 342 9692 Nurse led, walk-in centre open seven days a week for minor illness and injury.
GP SURGERIES AVONMOUTH Pioneer Medical Group Avonmouth, BS11 9JJ, 0117 959 1919 BISHOPSTON Bishopston Medical Practice, BS7 9EG, 0117 944 0700 BRENTRY Pioneer Medical Group Bradgate, BS10 6SP, 0117 959 1919 CLIFTON Pembroke Road Surgery, BS8 3EU, 0117 973 3790 Please note this is not an COTHAM The Family Practice, BS6 6DF, 0117 946 6455 exhaustive list of Montpelier Health Centre, BS6 5PT, 0117 942 6811 surgeries, so for more EASTON details of other surgeries Eastville Medical Practice, BS5 6SD, 0117 244 4123 FISHPONDS available please visit: Old School Surgery, BS16 3TD, 0117 908 2365 nhs.uk/service-search HENBURY Willow Tree Surgery, BS10 7NY, 0117 950 7750 HENLEAZE Fallodon Way Medical Centre, BS9 4HT, 0117 962 4692 HORFIELD Monks Park Surgery, BS7 0UE, 0117 969 3106 Horfield Health Centre, BS7 9RR, 0117 969 5391 LAWRENCE WESTON Capel Road Branch Surgery: BS11 0RE, 0117 916 2226 PATCHWAY Coniston Medical Practice, BS34 5TF, 0117 969 2508 SEA MILLS Sea Mills Surgery, BS9 2HL, 0117 968 1182 SHIREHAMPTON Shirehampton Group Practice, BS11 9SB, 0117 916 2226 SOUTHMEAD Southmead Health Centre, BS10 6DF, 0117 950 7150 Greenway Community Practice, BS10 6AF, 0117 959 8939 STOKE BISHOP Helios Medical Centre, BS9 1JN, 0117 962 6060 Sneyd Park Surgery, BS9 1NG, 0117 968 3284 WESTBURY ON TRYM Westbury on Trym Primary Care Centre, BS9 3AA, 0117 962 3406 DENTISTS AVONMOUTH mydentist, BS11 9LP, 0117 982 0055 BRENTRY / HENBURY This is just a selection, Passage House Dental Care, BS10 7DL, 0117 950 3141 please check websites or CLIFTON call directly to find out Clifton Dental Studio, BS8 1RT, 0117 973 1910 where there are NHS ASTON E places available Easton Dental Practice, BS5 0PG, 0117 935 4554 FISHPONDS Oldbury Court Dental Centre, BS16 2HH, 0117 965 1501 HENLEAZE Henleaze Dental Practice, BS9 4LB, 0117 962 0534 HORFIELD Monks Park Dental Centre, BS7 0PD, 0117 969 2373 LAWRENCE WESTON Lawrence Weston Dental Practice, BS11 0NA, 0117 982 8188 REDLAND Elgin Park Dental Practice, BS6 6RX, 0117 973 5677 SEA MILLS Bell Barn Dental Practice, BS9 2DF, 0117 968 8882 SHIREHAMPTON Shirehampton Dental Practice, BS11 9TU, 0117 982 2119 SOUTHMEAD Southmead Dental Practice, BS10 6DF, 0117 959 4896 SOUTHVILLE Coronation Road Dental Surgery, BS3 1RE, 0117 966 3697 STOKE BISHOP Stoke Bishop Dental Centre, BS9 1EW, 0117 968 4888 WESTBURY ON TRYM Stoke Lane Dental Practice, BS9 3RJ,
0117 989 8600
GARAGES Just a few places that have been used and recommended by connect members… J’S AUTOFAST REPAIRS Westbury Ct Road, BS9 3BU. 0117 959 4121. STOKE BISHOP GARAGE 55A Stoke Hill, BS9 1EP. 0117 968 1041 IN’N’OUT BRISTOL
Cribbs Causeway: Lysander Road, BS10 7UD. 0117 405 8991 LUCCOMBE GARAGE 62A Lower Redland Road, BS6 6SS. 0117 973 5021 PEMBROKE ROAD GARAGE Pembroke Road, Shirehampton, BS11 9SB. 0117 982 7396
BROOKLAND GARAGE Julian Road, Stoke Bishop, BS9 1LL. 0117 968 1615 HAIRDRESSERS Losing your trusted hairdresser is hard but here are some recommendations from connect members… LUIGI’S BARBERS (Shirehampton) 0117 968 2825 PJ’S BARBERS AND HAIRDRESSER Great for kids (Shirehampton) 0117 938 1123. SAMUEL DAVID HAIRDRESSERS
(Westbury on Trym) 0117 950 2402 GARY HENRI HAIRDRESSERS (Clifton) 0117 973 7224 MODA HAIRDRESSERS AND BARBERS (Gloucester Road) 0117 942 1006.
TONI
(Mobile hairdresser) 07720 296086 PLACES TO EAT&DRINK
Bristol has a vast number of independent coffee shops and restaurants in every area of the city. You could easily go somewhere different each week for well over a year! Here are a few Connect favourites:
GRUPO LOUNGE IS THE LOCATION FOR OUR KINGS WESTON HOUSE CAFÉ IS AMAZING FOR COFFEE MONTHLY CHILD-FREE BRUNCHES. IT’S DOG AND A (MASSIVE) SLAB OF CAKE. THEY ALSO HAVE A GREAT FRIENDLY AND THE PERFECT SPOT FOR PEOPLE LUNCH AND DINNER MENU. PERFECT FOR AFTER A WALK WATCHING - FULL WIDTH WINDOWS BOTH AT STREET AROUND THE GROUNDS (WHICH IS ALL AGE FRIENDLY). IN- LEVEL AND ON THE FIRST FLOOR WHERE THERE IS A SIDE - THE FIRST ROOM IS MORE LIKE A CAFE WHICH IS DOG LOVELY LARGE ROOF TERRACE. GREAT RANGE OF FRIENDLY AND THEN FURTHER IN THERE IS A RESTAURANT FOOD AND DRINKS (INCLUDING FULL KIDS, GLUTEN SECTION WITH A GREAT TOY CORNER AND SOFAS. FREE AND VEGAN MENUS).
CAFE PRIMO ON WHITELADIES (WHICH IS GENER- KOH THAI IS A VERY HIGHLY RATED RESTAURANT AND ALLY GREAT TO FIND PLACES TO EAT AND DRINK) TAKEAWAY - REVOLUTIONISING THAI DINING WITH THEIR COMES RECOMMENDED FROM OUR VICE-PRESIDENT INFECTIOUS BLEND OF EUROPEAN INDULGENCE AND AU- SARAH. A LOVELY ITALIAN WITH RELAXED VIBES THENTIC THAI TASTES. AND THE LUNCH MENU IS GREAT VALUE.
TRADEWIND ESPRESSO’S BRUNCH COMES EASTFIELD INN IS A LOVELY PUB FOR ALL OCCASIONS. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. THEY ARE A LOCALLY IT’S PARTICULARLY FAMILY FRIENDLY WITH AN OUTDOOR MINDED BUSINESS SELLINIG SPECIALITY COFFEE AND PLAY AREA AND INDOOR FAMILY ROOM WITH PLAY EQUIP- MENT. A SEASONAL MENU.
IF YOU’RE SHOPPING AT CRIBBS CAUSEWAY THERE IS TWO BELLIES IS HERE TO MEET ALL YOUR CHEESE AN ADBUNDANCE OF CHAIN RESTAURANTS AND CAFES TO AND ALCOHOL NEEDS. (IT DOES HOME DELIVERY!) SUIT YOUR NEEDS.
PINKMANS BAKERY SELLS THE BEST SOURDOUGH BENTO BOSS IS A HIGHLY RATED JAPANESE RESTAU- DONUTS (AND THEY ALSO DO HOME DELIVERY !) RANT AND TAKEAWAY
THE HIDEAWAY BS9 IS A GREAT CAFE/RESTAURANT WITH A FRESH BAKERY ONE SIDE AND RESTAURANT SEATING ON THE OTHER. THE FOOD IS AMAZING FOR LUNCH AND FOR DINNER BUT NOT THE CHEAPEST. PERFECT FOR EVENING DRINKS WITH FRIENDS—WE HAD A COUPLE OF CON- NECT SOCIALS HERE LAST YEAR! VERY FAMILY FRIENDLY AS IT HAS A LOVELY AREA FOR CHIL- DREN IN ONE CORNER, GREAT FOR BABIES AND WILL OCCUPY SLIGHTLY OLDER CHILDREN. SHOPPING CITY CENTRE BROADMEAD & THE GALLERIES All the large stores: Debenhams, Marks & Spencer, Primark and lots more. Pricey to park on the roads and in car parks avoid NCP - they are particularly expensive!). Bus services good as an alternative.
CABOT CIRCUS Right next to Broadmead, this is an enormous retail development of clothes shops, gadgets shops, a large selection of cafes and restaurants, and a Showcase Cinema Delux. The Cabot Circus car park is linked via a walkway and reasonably priced. CRIBBS CAUSEWAY THE MALL The West of England’s biggest shopping mall. Junction 17 off the M5. Free parking. All the usual stores you’d expect, high street brands, designer stores, huge John Lewis and Marks & Spencer, and lots of food outlets in a nice food court. There is also a soft play area which offers crèche facilities for some child -free shopping! CRIBBS CAUSEWAY RETAIL PARK Spread out over a large area, you’ll find further large stores including B&Q, Currys, Next Home, Argos Extra, Toys R Us, Asda, and Morrisons. Plus more fast food outlets. EASTGATE CENTRE Junction 2 off the M32, you’ll find an IKEA, Tesco, Mothercare, Next, Mamas and Papas, Pets at Home, Asda and other stores. There is an outdoor market nearby on Fridays for all your fruit and veg, fabric, haberdashery, and general market stalls. ST NICHOLAS MARKET For a different shopping experience, on the other side of Broadmead on Corn Street, is St Nicholas Market which houses a fantastic variety of independent retailers. You can find everything from vinyl records to bespoke handmade jewellery. There’s also many food stalls, check out the Bristol Sausage shop, Trethowan’s Dairy and the famous Pieminister! OUTDOOR SPACES ASHTON COURT ESTATE Huge area for walks and bike rides. Mansion with visitor centre. Miniature railway opens during summer weekends. Site for the annual Bristol Balloon Fiesta held during August. Also a location for parkrun. BLAISE CASTLE ESTATE Very popular and busy location. Lots of open parkland and woodlands, great for a lovely riverside walk, or up the hill to see the ‘castle’. Would recommend wearing wellies in/after wet weather (which is a lot around here!). Dog friendly. Nice but small cafe which sells sandwiches etc plus a small selection of hot food. There is also a free museum (opens Spring/Summer). More info in kids section. BRANDON HILL & CABOT TOWER Nice grassy climb with some informal gardens and a small nature reserve. Very close to the Georgian House museum (BS1 5RR) which is free to visit. Cabot Tower is at the summit of the hill and is free to climb up and provides an amazing view of Bristol. Steps are very steep so may not be for everyone. More info in kids section. BRISTOL AND BATH CYCLE PATH For a handy place to park, go to Bitton Steam Railway Station and head towards Bath. There’s a pub (Bird in Hand in Saltford) on the way if you fancy a pitstop! CANFORD PARK Big green space which is great for picnics. Lots of sports with free use of tennis courts. Two football pitches (bookable on Saturdays) and marked 600m route. Cafe kiosk. Sunken garden and lily pond. More info in kids section. CLEVEDON Down by the estuary, but feels like you might be at the seaside. Good for walks along the seafront. There’s a pebble beach, cafes and a small pier that you can walk out onto (but it does cost). If you fancy a chilly but safe dip in some sea water, there’s a marine lake which is clean and free to swim in (donations encouraged) - check out their website for more info - https:// clevedonmarinelake.co.uk More info in kids section. CLIFTON & DURDHAM DOWNS Great vast open spaces for picnics, jogging, kite flying, dog walking, or whatever takes your fancy! The suspension bridge is a great place to walk to with incredible views plus there’s a lovely cafe there - especially sitting upstairs on the outdoor terrace. More info in kids section. OUTDOOR SPACES EASTVILLE PARK Another sport friendly park which has a fishing lake. Tennis courts, football pitches and 1 mile running route. This is another (adult and junior) parkrun location. Loads of events and classes going on here and it’s worth checking out their website. More info in kids section. GOBLINS COMBE For a wonderful butterfly spotting walk in bluebell woods. HORFIELD COMMON Parking on the common. Lots of green space for walks and dog walking. Free use of tennis courts. Café open Friday- Sunday from March and all summer from June. Wildlife pond. Marked running routes. More info in kids section. KINGS WESTON HOUSE As mentioned before - great tea and coffee shop with a few different walks and large green area. All age friendly. LEIGH WOODS Just across the suspension bridge, a large area of woodland with set paths and bike trails. Beautiful views across the Avon Gorge and usually a tea van at the weekends! NATIONAL TRUST Our nearest National Trust parks are Tyntesfield and Dyrham. OLDBURY COURT & SNUFF MILLS Oldbury Court is a beautiful estate, combining woodlands and riverside paths with historic parkland. Onsite cafe. More info in kids section. OLD SNEED NATURE RESERVE Very near to college. Has a duck pond and a great woodland walk that leads to the wicker whale that you can spot when walking or driving along The Portway. PORTISHEAD Another “seaside” escape. Down by the marina is great for walks. Plenty of cafes, restaurants and shops. There’s also an open air swimming pool here but this one is chlorinated and warm! ST ANDREW’S PARK A large hilly park with lots of open space for picnics and walks with a great tea van. Also a recently updated children's playarea, including a sandpit! UPHILL Just beyond Weston-Super-Mare, it has a lovely boat yard and beach. A wonderful escape from city life.
BRISTOL ATTRACTIONS We also asked people from Connect what would be their top ‘must see’ attractions in Bristol. Here’s what they came up with… CLIFTON SUSPENSION BRIDGE Probably Bristol’s most famous landmark. It costs £1 to drive over but it is free to walk over and enjoy some stunning views. There is a small visitor’s centre just across the bridge which is free and provides lots of interesting information about Brunel and the construction of the bridge .
WE THE CURIOUS - SCIENCE MUSEUM Hundreds of hands on exhibits to explore, live shows and the UK’s first 3D planetarium. At-Bristol is one of the UK’s most exciting interactive science centres.
HARBOURSIDE This area of central Bristol around by the waterfront has a great atmosphere with a massive range of restaurants and bars, a Sunday market and Millenium square with its water fountains which acts as a fantastic central hub. If you walk along the water’s edge you’ll see all sorts of sports and activities happening on the river including rowing and paddle boarding.
M SHED A museum just across the river from Millenium Square, which is all about Bristol. Explore the city through time, the places, people and their stories. Fascinating and well worth a visit. Free to enter.
BRISTOL MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY Bristol’s answer to London’s Natural History Museum. Fantastic collections of art, nature and history on display in a beautiful historic building. Particular highlights are the Egyptian exhibition, Alfred the Gorilla (once a resident of Bristol Zoo) and scelidosaurs one of the best-preserved dinosaurs. Free entry . BRISTOL ATTRACTIONS Here are some other fun things to do in Bristol. There’s lots of stuff mentioned in the kids section in more detail including some of the places below. Obviously these things are great for littlies but not exclusively so please do check out if you love to find fun things to do!
BRISTOL
O ZOO TOP PEN RISTOL SS GREAT BUS B TOUR BRITAIN
WILD BRISTOL ’S PLACE ERBURGH T W PROJECT AQUARIUM S ARM CITY F
ILL BRISTOL H IMPROV WINDMILL ‘CHANCE & T ARM HEATRE CITY F COUNTERS’ BOARD
G AME CAFE
C LIP N C AIR HOP INTERNATIONAL LIMB BALLOON
FESTIVAL GREAT PLACES FOR KIDS & KIDS AT HEART (please double check websites for up-to-date Covid-19 info) PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS, FARMS AND ZOOS BLAISE CASTLE ESTATE Fantastic play equipment for all ages. Would recommend wearing wet weather gear most of the time as it gets really muddy with lots of puddles. Also great to go and splash in the shallows of the river. You can even take swim stuff in the summer to splash in the river when it’s really warm (with water shoes at its very rocky). BRANDON HILL & CABOT TOWER Fab if your kids love a good challenge to conquer. Great place to roll down hills and play hide and seek among the trees. It also has a kids play area. BRISTOL ZOO Lovely little zoo near college on the edge of the city centre. Some big animals like lions and gorillas, a little aquarium, reptile house and a bug house. Underwater viewing of seals and penguins is also a favourite. Really nice (pricey) restaurant but plenty of areas to picnic. A great play park and a go ape style clip and climb. CANFORD PARK Good preschool playground and sand pit, and more challenging equipment for over 8s. A firm favourite for Connect families. CLEVEDON Such a nice place to take the kids to have a seaside like experience, lots of rock pools to explore , a small arcade to play on penny machines and a good play park on the marine lake side. Plus the marine lake is safe water (tested frequently) but you’ll probably need wetsuits unless you’re really brave! CLIFTON & DURDHAM DOWNS There is a great children’s playground near the suspension bridge at one end of Clifton Down, this also gets really muddy so definitely recommend wearing wellies to this one. EASTVILLE PARK Loads of activities going on here so as previously mentioned it’s worth checking their website. Under 15s play area with basket ball court and an under 12s play area too. FILTON LEISURE CENTRE Really big park with good play equipment for all ages. It has a sand pit under a large wooden climbing frame for big kids. The leisure centre also has a swimming pool and small soft play inside.. HENGROVE PARK Large open space including a large adventure play park and wheels park for skateboarders and BMX riders. Water play feature with fountains available in the summer. HORFIELD COMMON Two enclosed playgrounds - definitely another favourite amongst Connect members. PARKS, PLAYGROUNDS, FARMS AND ZOOS LAWRENCE WESTON COMMUNITY FARM Free community farm with three large paddocks for sheep and goats. A wildlife garden, community orchard with picnic benches, outdoor pig pens, areas for ducks and chickens, a vegetable garden and an outdoor soft play area for the summer months. There is a short toddler friendly walk with things to look out for and climb on. They have small amounts of produce on sale but it’s on a first come first serve basis. They have a toddler session on a Wednesday and School holiday activities too - check out the website for more info. NOAH’S ARK FARM ZOO Huge zoo with Christian foundations! It has loads of big animals including rhinos, giraffes, elephants, lions and tigers. Lots of farm animals too which you can buy food for on entry. Outdoor play equipment throughout, a huge indoor soft play area - small one for under 5’s and big one for older children. Sand pit. Cafe/restaurant. A fantastic family day out but it’s quite a lot more expensive than the other zoos. OLDBURY COURT & SNUFF MILLS Great children’s play area featuring a water and sand play zone with pirate play ship. Wheelchair friendly and enabling play equipment. Play equipment easy enough for toddlers and some challenging stuff for bigger kids. ST ANDREW’S PARK A good play area and a paddling pool open from May bank holiday in the summer months. ST WERBURGHS CITY FARM Also a free community farm which is small holding open to visitors which enables people growing up in the city to learn about farm animals and why we keep them. Just over the road is the adventure play space and award winning City Farm cafe which serves local organic food within a hobbitesque space. WILD PLACE PROJECT Wild Place Project is a zoo affiliated with Bristol Zoo (you can buy dual membership for them). It’s spread over a huge area of woodland with a focus on conservation and education. They have giraffes, cheetahs, bears, wolves and more. The lemur walkthrough is another highlight. Lots of play equipment throughout and lots of things to read and interact with. Brilliant for older children as some of the animals can be tricky to spot . Nice cafe at the entrance open all year round and there’s a pizzeria that has more random opening times (generally open in the summer months). They also have a high ropes activity area on site which you need to book for and looks really fun. WINDMILL CITY FARM Another free community farm a range of farmyard animals, community gardens, picnic area, café serving home-made food, an adventure playground, gravel area with toy diggers (the small ones often can’t away from this) and an onsite nursery. There’s also a Stick Man trail. Quite tricky to park there so your best bet is to park in the Asda (Bedminster) car park and walk across.
SOFT PLAY (for when they reopen) BRADLEY STOKE LEISURE CENTRE Multi-levels of fun, challenging activities, including climbing frames, slides, ball pools, crawl tubes, rope bridges and scramble nets. Separate area for younger children. Smaller scale than Jump.
CAIRNS ROAD CAFE Situated in the Baptist church, it’s a friendly, welcoming café serving homemade cakes and freshly made lunches- really reasonable prices. There is a free play area for under 5s. They host a number of mid-week groups too - check out their website for more info.
JUMP A large scale soft play centre (one of the largest in the UK) with plenty for older and younger children, café for drinks and meals .
LITTLE SQUIDS SOFT PLAY As mentioned before is situated in Filton Leisure Centre. Multi level play area with slides, ball pit, and separate under 3s section with submarine feature .
SKYBOAT CAFE A really beautiful little soft play cafe which has a lovely section for babies and a slightly bigger section for pre-schoolers (definitely a bit small for school age kids!). The cafe sells great tea, coffee and cake as well as a selection food for breakfast and lunch.
MUDDY BOOTS We know that for those with little ones in tow, knowing that there are decent options for childcare can bring a huge sigh of relief. One great thing about Trinity is that you’ll almost certainly find at least one family with kids at similar stages to yours and so it won’t take long to make friends and get plenty of tips!
Here is a bit of information about the nursery at College.
Muddy Boots Day Nursery is situated in a modern house set in nine acres of beautiful woodland near the exit of the College. It is open from 8.00am to 6.00pm, Monday to Friday all year round except for a week in the summer, at Christmas, public holidays and Good Friday.
The children who use the nursery are between 3 months and 4 years old. They come from Trinity families and from local non-College families. Children under 2 years are cared for in Ladybirds. Those aged 2 to 4 are cared for in Busy Bees. We have a team of dedicated, caring and qualified staff who are supported by volunteers.
Fees for College families are subsidised, there is an expectation for the spouse or student to take part in the volunteer rota. Volunteers normally help for 3 hours either one morning or one afternoon approximately every 6 weeks. The nursery would welcome anyone (with or without children) who could give their time on an occasional or regular basis. The nursery is also delighted to encourage anyone to come forward and share their gifts with the children.
Please contact Jenna Jefferies, the Nursery manager for further information.
Website: http://www.muddybootsdaynursery.co.uk Tel: 0117 968 4493 Email: [email protected]
Other nurseries and preschools are available across Bristol. These may give other options in terms of timings, size and facilities. Feel free to email us to find out more about these and we will try to help! Hopefully this handbook will have been useful to you. If it’s just that bit too much information for now don’t panic! We can fill you in as and when you’re ready and want to know more.
Just be assured that … 1. Trinity is full of opportunities for you as well as your spouse. 2. One of us can probably relate to your situation so you won’t be alone in how you are feeling as you come to Trinity. 3. Bristol is a really fun city to live in with loads of great places to visit, whatever your budget! 4. We are already praying for you and your spouse. 5. We can’t wait to meet you!
If you have any questions, then please email [email protected]
Don’t forget to find us on Facebook, ask to join our group called ‘Trinity Connect 2020-2021’