Resources

• Community Learning West offer courses and activities to help you build skills and gain confidence. Courses are aimed at people with few or no qualifications and people looking to get a job.
• SGS College have a campus in Filton and sometimes offer courses at the Hub. They have courses for 16-18 and 19+ at various levels and cost flexibility is often available for low earning.
• Skills Connect is your one-stop website with information on all skills, training and career support available to help you thrive today and into the future.
• West of England Skills Bootcamps are free, flexible courses of up to 16 weeks that help you develop new skills and fast-track to a job interview or gain new responsibilities with your current employer. They cover digital, construction, health, green skills and more.
• ESOL Classes at City of Bristol College on Ashley Down Road, for adults and young people over 16.

North Bristol Advice Centre (office on Gainsborough Square) offers free and independent welfare, benefits, and debt advice. You can refer yourself by calling, emailing or on the website.

• Playing Out on your street– you can close your street for up to three hours to allow children to play. You can borrow the kit required to do this from the Hub- get in touch. Here is their manual for how to do it in English, Arabic, Urdu, Polish and Bengali Sylheti.
• North Bristol Children’s Centres offer parenting classes, baby hubs, peer groups and support for mums and dads. There are centres at Filton Avenue, Southmead and groups at Horfield Baptist Church.
• St Marys and St James have toddler groups and youth groups during termtime. View their calendar here.
• Play Patch Community Soft Play have affordable soft play sessions, for fun safe play and meeting other families.
• King’s Trust run free personal development and work experience programmes in Bristol for ages 16-25 to help you improve confidence, get into work and thrive.

• Autism Independence offers a wide range of support for the families of autistic children, with a focus on those from ethnic minority communities.
• Bristol Autism Support provide support, advice and information to parents and carers of autistic children. This includes coffee morning, seminars, a Facebook group and a helpline.
• Bristol Disability Equality Forum are a Disabled people-led organisation. They advocate for disabled people in all areas of life. They offer social groups, advice, and ways to make your voice heard.
• Centre for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People have an equipment service, run all sorts of community groups, have grants available for d/Deaf groups and more.
• Hearing Impaired Support Scheme offer at-home hearing aid maintenance for adults with mobility issues.
• Ignite Bristol have a directory of disability friendly sports provision for adults and children.
• People First have lots of empowering social opportunities for people aged 16+ who have learning difficulties and/or autism.
• SENDAWelcome raise awareness about the issues people with learning difficulties face, and provide support. They can help with inclusivity at your business, and adults can get involved with social groups.
• Sight Support West run community groups, can help with navigating new diagnoses, have an audio library, help with equipment and much more.
• West of England Centre for Independent Living can help with Direct Payments, navigating support, support for children and young people as well as helping businesses with their accessibility.

Centre for Sustainable Energy offer help on saving money with energy bills and keeping your home warm/cool.

• The Bridge Food Project is a support programme to help you if you’re regularly running out of money for food but want to work towards financial independence.
• Buzz Community Garden is open 24/7, with volunteer sessions.
• Lockleaze Community Orchard is open 24/7 with volunteer sessions.
• North Bristol and South Gloucestershire Foodbank have outlets on certain days at St Marys and St James Church on Gainsborough Square and Ebenezer Church on Filton Avenue.
• One Pot Wonders Recipe Book contains slow cooker recipes developed by local residents. They’re healthy, cheap to make and delicious.
• The Vench Food Club: Families living in Lockleaze ward can join FOODclub for £1 a year. As a member, you can pick up a share of food for £4 worth £20-£25 every Friday between 9:30-11:00am.

• Field Stories is a sculpture and audio trail in Lockleaze, created by local residents working with artists.
• A three mile circular walk in Stoke Park, starting at Romney Avenue. This route includes difficult terrain.
• Map of the accessible all-weather path through Stoke Park.
• Stoke Park Sculpture Trail Activity Sheet for children and families.

• WorkWell West provide support to people with health conditions. They can help you to return to work, to get the right support to stay in work or to find new, suitable work.
• Find a local GP to register with here.
• Find an NHS dentist to register with here. Dentists are not always open to NHS patients.
• NHS Talking Therapies provide support for people with common mental health issues like anxiety or low mood. You can self-refer or try their free courses.

• Housing Matters are a brilliant charity offering advice if you are worried about homelessness/becoming homelessness, overcrowding, disrepair, eviction threats, landlord disputes, domestic abuse, race-based hate crime, and more. Click here for info on drop-ins at the Hub.
• Local Lettings Policy– If you are waiting for council housing and want to stay in Lockleaze, you may come under the Local Lettings Policy. This factsheet explains how it works. Read more here.
• Shelter is a homelessness charity with an emergency helpline open Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm at 0808 800 4444. They offer legal aid in Bristol.
• Start | Housing Advice | Bristol City Council– Bristol City Council’s Housing Advice Service
• Renters’ Rights Act: From 1st May 2026, renting policy is changing. Make sure you know your rights and how this would effect you.

• Pick up and drop-off point at the Hub: you can reserve and order books to the Hub using LibrariesWest if you have a library card. You can return books that you borrowed at any Bristol library.
• Nearest Libraries: Horfield Library at Filton Avenue, BS7 0BD or Bishopston Library at 100a Gloucester Road, BS7 8BN

• Report a problem on a street, car park, park, green space to Bristol City Council: https://fixmystreet.bristol.gov.uk/
• Report a crime or incident to the police, including hate crime: https://www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/report/crime-or-incident/

• Contacting the Council
  • The council is responsible for local issues like council tax, housing, bins and recycling, street repairs and parking, children, adult social care, schools and learning. Often you can solve your issue through the council website.
  • Councillors represent the interests of their ward, both in the council and in the community. You can also contact them if you are having issues with local services. Find out more about the role of councillors.
  • In Lockleaze our councillors are Cllr Heather Mack and Cllr David Wilcox. If you’re not sure, you can check what council ward you live in.
• Contacting your MP
  • MPs can help with issues that are the responsibility of UK Parliament. These include the NHS, benefits, pensions and national insurance, immigration, and school funding. You can let them know about a problem, or ask them to consider your view when they represent our area in parliament. Find out more about contacting your MP.
  • In Lockleaze our MP is Damien Egan. If you’re not sure, you can check what constituency you live in.

• Christians at Bristol Pride are a group of LGBT affirming churches who run services and socials throughout the year
• Off the Record Bristol Freedom is a joyful and supportive space for LGBT 16-25 year olds
• Age UK FAB Cafes are social spaces for over 50s. There is an LGBT one at St Werburghs.

• The AgeUK What’s On Guide lists activities, groups, and tips on how to stay active and connected. There are copies at the Hub.
• The AgeUK Bristol website has comprehensive advice around money, health and housing which is tailored to older people’s issues as well as an advice service.
• We have many over 50s friendly activities at the Hub, including tai chi, gentle exercise and wellbeing walks.

For Residents & Communities – WEST – Get free sustainable travel support including bike checks, cycling training and public transport taster tickets

• Lockleaze Sports Centre hosts lots of different sports including padel, yoga, rugby, netball and football, as well as great community events.
• EveryoneActive run leisure centres with gyms and swimming, with the nearest being Horfield or Easton. They also have free membership for cared-for or care-experienced young people.