Creating Safe, Welcoming Spaces at The Ranch, Southmead

At The Ranch Adventure Playground in Southmead, we run open-access sessions designed for young people to drop in, connect with friends, and get to know our team in a relaxed, familiar setting. These sessions give young people the chance to build confidence and relationships at their own pace, all within a safe and vibrant community space.

Click here to watch a vlog takeover from Rea' lee, a young person at Empire Fighting Chance, of their session at The Ranch with coach Serena.

Serena’s Experience at The Ranch

Serena, one of our coaches who regularly coaches in Southmead has seen first-hand just how impactful this partnership has been for young people…

“This partnership with Southmead has honestly been an amazing experience. The relationships we have built with the young people are incredibly strong, and many have opened up to me about mental health, family challenges, body dysmorphia, community fears, relationships, and identity, especially the young mixed and Black girls who attend these sessions. Some have even come to me for guidance about careers and staying on the right path.

The sessions have been so impactful that we extended them to two hours to reach even more young people.

One of the most powerful moments happened at The Ranch. A young mixed-race girl, who shared a similar background to me, was struggling with her hair and feeling a lack of confidence. I had hair products in my bag and spent the last 15 minutes of the session helping her with her thick, curly hair. She loved the hairstyle and wore it proudly for the rest of the week. After this, The Ranch made sure to stock products for the POC community and even introduced a weekly hair workshop with quality products for these young people.

The young people have also been inspired by the media work we do at Empire. They have suggested video ideas to help promote The Ranch sessions and our popular boxing program.

These young people have truly impressed and inspired me with their determination.”
— Serena, Community Coach at Empire Fighting Chance

Targeted Support at the Greenway Centre

Our work continues at the newly developed Greenway Centre boxing gym, where we deliver targeted non-contact boxing programmes and one-to-one support. These structured sessions offer young people a positive outlet to build resilience, manage emotions, and develop physical and mental wellbeing. For many, this focused support becomes a powerful stepping stone, helping them re-engage with education, set goals, and believe in their own potential.

Support That Stays Local

What makes this partnership so impactful is that support isn’t something young people have to travel far to access, it’s embedded within Southmead itself. By being consistently present in these local spaces, we can offer early intervention, mentoring, and tailored support to young people who may otherwise go without it.

A MESSAGE FROM Courtney, OUR COMMUNITY OUTREACH COACH...

"Partnering with Southmead Development Trust is a fantastic opportunity for us at Empire Fighting Chance. Not only has it enabled us to reach and support young people in North Bristol, but it has also helped deepen our relationship with an organisation that shares our values and commitment to improving lives within the community. Working together allows us to offer a more joined up, accessible service for young people who may not otherwise have access to the support they need.

Developing partnerships like this across other areas of Bristol is vital to our mission. Strong community partners help us better understand local needs, build trust within neighbourhoods, and ensure that our programmes are rooted in the realities young people face. By expanding collaborations with organisations like Southmead Development Trust, we can extend our impact, reduce barriers to engagement, and support even more young people across the city to thrive."

Interested in bringing Empire to your community?

If you're a locally trusted organisation (LTO), please email [email protected] to enquire.