New memory cafe opening in Chipping Sodbury 20 September

The new ‘Oasis Memory Café’ will be opening in Chipping Sodbury later this month.

The Alzheimer’s Society are supporting Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church in this new venture, which will run fortnightly from Tuesday 20th September.

Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church Hall, 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month, 10.30 am – 12 noon

OPENING ON TUESDAY 20TH SEPTEMBER

A fun and informal gathering for those with memory problems and any form of Dementia to come along with carers, family and friends to enjoy being together and meeting people in a similar situation.

The Cafe is free but there will be a donation box for those who wish to contribute.

For more information contact Sally or Jean on 01454 313023 or email office@cs-bc.org.uk

Chipping Sodbury Baptist Church
In partnership with the Rotary Club of Chipping Sodbury
Supported by Alzheimer’s Society

Over 50s facilities in Yate - survey and prize draw

If you are over 50 you are invited for a free cup of tea or coffee in the Pop Inn Cafe, Yate in exchange for completing a survey. You don't have to live in Yate itself to answer it, just be a user of the services in the town.

All surveys completed before Wednesday 23rd December will be entered into a prize draw. The winner will be advised and all results will be posted online.

You can download the survey here.

New Youth Cafe session for LBGTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning)

There's a new monthly Youth Cafe session in Yate for young people aged 14-19 who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans or Questioning. It will run at the Armadillo from 7pm to 9 pm on the last Sunday of every month, starting on Sunday 26 April.

Royal Visit - photos now available

Photos from the Royal Visit to the Yate Armadillo Youth Venue and Cafe are now available on the Armadillo website - click on the Cafe icon, then Royal Visit.

Royal seal of approval for Armadillo

HRH The Earl of Wessex (Prince Edward) came to Yate on Tuesday 13th December to visit the Armadillo Youth Cafe and Venue. Despite a storm which delayed his helicopter flight, the Earl spent a long time talking to the young people and the organisers behind the venture.

There was some good coverage in the newspapers - check out the reports on the Gazette and Evening Post websites.

The Armadillo has its own website where photos of the visit are now available (click on the Cafe icon, then Royal Visit)

The purple-walled building is now a distinctive feature of Yate Town Centre. The Armadillo is the name local young people chose because of its shape. Here's a virtual tour of the building (photos from the Armadillo):

Royal visit to Yate to see Armadillo Youth Cafe 13 December

Prince Edward will be coming to Yate on Tuesday 13th December to visit the Armadillo Youth Cafe and Venue. Members of the public will be very welcome to see him arrive. There will be an unveiling ceremony in the garden so the public can see via fence. Free flags and drinks will be provided for the public.

Local councillors are asking schools to allow young people to come, and hope they will recognise the educational value, despite it being during the school day.

Cllr Chris Willmore said "This is an honour for residents who have backed the scheme from the start, to the young people who have made it a reality and to all those who have given time and money to make it happen. It is the first public visit by a member of the royal family to Yate for 20 years".

"We are surprised, and honoured at the recognition of our project. it is a real boost for our town and the visit of our young people and residents. We hope it will be a day to remember for young people, many of whom will be personally presented to the prince, who will spend time with young people in the cafe itself"

We'll publish more details - times etc - in due course.

Armadillo wins major regional award

Yate's Armadillo Youth Venue and Cafe has won the Local Authority Building Control (LABC) West of England Building Excellence Award for the Best Community Building.

In a ceremony on Friday at Bristol’s Royal Marriott Hotel, Cllrs Chris Willmore and Ian Blair, the four young people on the committee and Armadillo manager James Dunn, together with the architect and the contractor, were presented with a trophy and certificates.

Chris Willmore commented "Many thanks are due to everyone on Yate Town Council, you all have a share of the credit for this, having the trust to let young people take such a leading role. It makes the project unique"

The project now goes forward to the national finals.

Chipping Sodbury School sports hall was among the other nominees in the same category.

LABC is an organisation that works with local authorities to encourage excellence in technical innovation, sustainability and high standards in the construction industry.

Armadillo's first live gig this Friday!

The Armadillo (Yate Youth Cafe and Venue, next to the Sports Centre) hosts its first live gig this Friday (17 June) 7 to 11pm, featuring

CONTRABAND SESSIONS

Full live band - Hip Hop / Electro / Reggae / Breaks

MC Frilla

Troy da hybrid Brown

DJ Skint

 plus

B-Boys

£2 entry, tickets available from the Armadillo Youth Cafe.
R.O.A.R., alcohol and drugs strictly prohibited
ID and/or search on entry may be required

Armadillo Open Day today - your chance to look round

Visitors of all ages checking out the new building today

Just a reminder that the new Yate Armadillo Youth Cafe and Venue is open for visitors to look round today (Saturday 23rd April) until 4pm. Why not combine it with a visit to the St George's Day celebrations at the Heritage Centre and the White Lion?

The Armadillo has landed - take a sneak preview on Saturday!

Yate's new Youth Cafe and Venue, the Armadillo, has been handed over by the builders - on time and on budget. It's being fitted out at the moment - the disco rig and the cinema gear all have to go in yet.

There's a chance to have a look round on Saturday (23rd April) from 11 am to 4 pm - people of all ages are welcome. You will be able to meet some of the team, and hear about the plans for the full opening in a few weeks time and future events - the first big gig will be in May.

Congratulations to the Project Board - Lib Dem councillors and young people working together - for pulling off this excellent project.

Watch out, there's an Armadillo about - and a cinema comes with it!

Yate's new Youth Cafe building finally has a name. It's going to be called Armadillo, because of its unusual shape. The £1.3 million project will open in April. And it will have a small CINEMA too - Yate's first for many years!

The 60-seater cinema will be funded by £35,000 that was left over when Merlin Housing Society took over South Gloucestershire's council houses in 2007. Each South Glos councillor had a share of the fund, and the Yate councillors decided to pool theirs and pay for the cinema.

Yate Town councillor Chris Willmore, who has been leading the campaign to bring cinema back to Yate, said it was great news."It won't be a commercial cinema but it will show the latest movies and will offer Saturday morning films for children, discounted mid-week films for pensioners and mother-and-baby showings. It will be run as an enterprise venture by young people and will be an income stream for the running costs of the cafe"

The youth cafe project is a joint venture between Yate Town Council and South Gloucestershire Council, and local young people have been heavily involved throughout the project.