Southmead and the wider local area stand to lose two hugely important and valuable community assets if Bristol City Council goes ahead with their planned public auction sale of the Southmead Youth Centre and former Southmead Library buildings along with the adjoining Southmead memorial garden in October.

The memorial garden was built over 20 years ago in remembrance of 3 young local people who tragically lost their lives during the course of the same year. They were Lee Webb, Wayne Goldsmith and Alan Stevens. Losing the memorial garden would mean losing a community asset that represents the lives of these young people and their memory. Along with losing the value of a beautiful, safe and inclusive space that serves many of the local community and its residents.

When youth services were lost due to COVID in October 2020, the Youth Centre building was taken on by Roger Gracie North Bristol martial arts club. The club is owned and run by local brothers Luke and Clayton Chamberlain whose family roots remain in Southmead. Since 2020 the club has grown to over 500 members including children and adults from all backgrounds and walks of life across North Bristol including many from the local Southmead community and surrounding BS10 area.

The club has a huge social impact on the local community. Which includes programames supporting over 30 vulnerable women from the local community with a free weekly Women's only self-defence jiu jitsu class. A community of 38 ex-military service people as members. Providing 18 scholarships for Southmead and BS10 children whose families struggle with costs. The scholarships include free memberships, uniforms, mentorship programmes and paid access to competitions. A crisis management and rehabilitation program for children with ongoing issues of parental drug addiction, neglect and abuse. As well as being a safe and positive space to encourage young and old into healthy habits and away from negative choices that lead to many of the issues the local community is challenged by. 

At current the memorial garden is maintained by local resident and former Youth worker, Billy Cockram along with support from the Roger Gracie martial arts club who have also maintained and developed the Youth Centre building into a thriving space. Their plans are to continue their work along with retaining the current care service in the former Southmead library building. Should the space become vacant the club plan to transform into a wellness and fitness hub promoting physical and mental health improvement and benefit to local residents. Including a dedicated community area with a cafe to bring people together and build stronger social bonds.

Your support of this petition with a signature will help facilitate Bristol City Council's sale of the Youth Centre and former library buildings along with the memorial garden to the martial arts club and ensure these community assets remain in Southmead and continue to serve local people in need.