Earlier this year, Bristol Surf Cinema launched its very first event – a night dedicated to celebrating surf storytelling on the big screen. What started as a small, DIY project to bring people together around meaningful surf films quickly grew into something bigger, with almost 250 people buying for the inaugural screening in April.
The idea was simple: create a space to showcase surf films that go beyond the highlight reels, beyond the big brand edits – stories that dig into the social, political, and environmental threads woven through surf culture.
As a camera assistant working in film and TV and a lifelong surfer, I (Theo) set out to build something that connected those two worlds. In a time when the industry was unusually quiet, Bristol Surf Cinema gave me a creative project to get stuck into and a chance to pour energy into something that mattered. It was also a way to genuinely support filmmakers, every film we screen is fully licensed and paid for, and £1 from every ticket is donated to The Wave Project to help fund surf therapy for young people in the UK.
But perhaps what stood out most from the first event was how the Bristol surf community (and the wider ocean-loving crowd) showed up. Feedback from the night wasn’t just about the films, it was about the feeling in the room. People supported the event and made it clear they would like to see more. They wanted a space where all surf stories could be told, with better representation, better balance, and an even stronger connection to the community.
That’s where our second event comes in. On Saturday 12th July at Watershed Bristol, Bristol Surf Cinema returns with a matinee screening of Point of Change, a powerful documentary by acclaimed director Rebecca Coley. The film tells the story of Nias, Indonesia – a surf paradise that was ‘discovered’ in the 1970s and the environmental and cultural impact that unfolded for the local community as surf tourism in that area grew.
It’s a film that makes you think about the consequences of surf tourism — and we’re lucky to have Rebecca joining us on the day for a Q&A to explore those themes in more depth. Rebecca will be answering questions on her filmmaking process, handling delicate themes within documentary and the impact of tourism on the earth and native communities.
Alongside the feature, we’ll also be screening two UK-made short films:
Surfaced by Paul Stevenson, telling the story of Nick Corkill’s journey through addiction and mental health, and the grounding role that surfing and photography play in that journey.
Seb: A Surf Therapy Journey by Matilda Thompson, a beautifully observed short following a young surfer with ADHD and autism as he experiences surf therapy with The Wave Project Bristol.
For those who can’t make the main event, we’ll also be running a catch-up screening on Wednesday 16th July — same films, just without the Q&A.
Both events will offer the opportunity for networking and drinks at the Watershed bar after the event so you can minglew with like-minded film or ocean enthusiasts.
Bristol Surf Cinema was never meant to be a one-off. The ambition is to keep this platform going – to continue curating thoughtful, story-first surf films and to keep building a space where filmmakers feel supported and audiences feel connected.
Looking ahead, there are exciting plans for a national tour to bring these kinds of surf screenings to other UK cities and coastal towns. The vision is to grow Bristol Surf Cinema into a national platform, while always staying true to the ethos: supporting independent surf filmmaking, elevating underrepresented voices, and creating community-led spaces where ocean & surf centred stories, of all kinds, can be seen, heard, and shared.
Want to come along?
Tickets for the July screenings are available now via the Watershed website: https://www.watershed.co.uk/whatson/13320/bristol-surf-cinema-point-of-change
To stay up to date with future screenings or to get involved, follow @bristolsurfcinema on Instagram.
On the evening of April 3rd, students from a range of fashion and creative courses at Weston College came together to showcase their talent at Elevate, a spectacular fashion show held in the Regency Suite on the Grand Pier. This event gave learners the chance to present their work on a professional catwalk in front of friends, family, and the public. Also, the £321 raised from ticket sales will be donated to Weston Hospicecare.
The show featured collections and designs from A Level Fashion and Textiles students, Extended Diploma Fashion, Business and Retail students, and Fashion, Theatre, Special Effects and Media Make-Up students. Hair and makeup were also provided by learners from the HE Hair, Makeup, Prosthetics and Production course. We also had a range of volunteer models from across different subject areas, showcasing the amazing collaboration of the entire college.
Each collection was the result of months of creativity, research, and technical skill, developing initial ideas, conducting visual and factual research, experimenting with illustrations and media, and refining their concepts before constructing their final garments in chosen fabrics.
The Extended Diploma in Fashion, Business and Retail students explored themes such as Contrast, Refabrication, and Nostalgia, allowing for various interpretations and unique outcomes. Some examples include explorations of the architectural contrast within the National Trust’s Tyntesfield House, designs focused on the healing potential of flora, and investigations into the psychology of nostalgia through brain scans and synaptic imagery. Others took a more cultural approach, drawing on rock music from the 1970s to early 2000s.
A Level Fashion and Textiles students brought an equally diverse range of ideas to life, exploring cultural heritage, mental health, and ethical issues in fashion. From intricate Sashiko-inspired patterns to visual critiques of the denim industry’s environmental impact, these students demonstrated powerful, individual visions that reflected deep personal engagement with their themes.
The creativity didn’t stop at the garments. Students from the Extended Diploma in Fashion, Theatre, Special Effects and Media Make-Up created stunning looks that carried strong environmental messages. Their work responded to themes such as climate change, the ozone layer, California wildfires, and human impact on the planet—resulting in dramatic, thoughtful, and visually compelling headpieces and makeup designs.
Pat Jones, Principal and CEO of Weston College, expressed her gratitude to both the students and the community for making this event possible, adding, “The Elevate Fashion Show was a true celebration—not just of the incredible creativity and talent of our fashion learners, but also of the community spirit that made it all possible.
“Thanks must go to Michelle Michael and the team at the Grand Pier for so generously providing the Regency Suite free of charge, giving our students the unique opportunity to showcase their work in a truly professional setting. Thanks to this support, every ticket sold will go directly to Weston Hospicecare. We’re also grateful to St John’s Church for their kind loan of a lighting system that helped the show come to life. This event is a great example of what happens when education and community come together to lift up the next generation of creatives.”
Elevate is a great example of how Weston College’s Career Excellence Hubs give our students the career-preparing opportunities to gain first-hand experience in presenting a collection within a professional setting, developing their confidence, communication skills, and understanding of the production and logistics behind a runway event. The evening also offered invaluable exposure to peers, industry professionals, and potential employers which is essential for anyone pursuing a future in fashion or performance industries.
For many of the student models, walking the runway was a transformative experience. Stepping out of their comfort zones, they rose to the challenge with bravery and confidence, contributing to the energy and spirit of the event and supporting their peers on a night that celebrated creativity, courage, and collaboration. Elevate was an amazing reflection of the talent and dedication of our Weston College students, enhanced by community to bring this event to life for a great cause.
Well done to all our students who got involved in designing, creating, and modelling—this night wouldn’t have been possible without your efforts! Also, a big thank you to our fantastic Photography students: Harrison, Ethan, Cerys, Annabel, Taylor, Ellen, Toby, and Cameron for capturing the night perfectly!
Art in Action is a local non-profit organisation that provides creative art workshops in schools and for people with specific needs. Run by experienced teachers Rich and Clare Cains, for the past ten years Art in Action has worked with home education groups, mental wellbeing groups, over 50s and after school clubs, tailoring workshops to the participants’ needs to educate, increase confidence and wellbeing, and inspire creativity. I’ve been working with them for the past year and not only is it the best fun, but I’ve also seen first hand how dedicated Rich and Clare are to providing enjoyable creative education across North Somerset.
The school workshops are messy, loud, and meticulously planned to ensure even the youngest children go home having created something they’re proud of – Clare and Rich are brilliant teachers. Watching the children’s confidence grow each week is really rewarding, and I love seeing how a simple prompt or theme can send the children’s imagination off on a wild journey. Plus it’s so much fun getting covered in paint or chalk, showing the children different techniques and chatting about… anything from robots to biscuits.
Art in Action is also a HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) programme provider – running holiday clubs for children in North Somerset who are receiving benefits-related free school meals. They provide a fun, safe environment and freshly cooked meals throughout the school holidays. It’s an important service – as of 2023, 15.9% of children in North Somerset were eligible for free school meals. This is 5,017 pupils (up from 4,744 in 2022).
HAF is funded by the Department of Education – you might remember Marcus Rashford encouraging parents to sign their children up for HAF during Covid (here he is talking about it on YouTube).
Working with the Art in Action team at HAF is one of the highlights of my year, I love it. The whole team has loads of experience working with children, from teaching to running after school clubs. Although it’s an arts-based club, Clare and Rich make sure that the sessions are varied to cater to the children who attend. Sport is available every day, and there are workshops such as drama, dance, stop motion animation, slime making, science, and cake decorating. Last summer the children had visits from birds of prey, a space explorer dome, learnt about composting and recycling, and had a visit from the local fire brigade. At Christmas Father Christmas arrived on a motorbike – so much thought goes into making it special for the children.
North Somerset HAF runs during the Christmas, Easter and Summer school holidays. Find more information or book places here.
Contact Art in Action.
Community-based youth charity Young Bristol has become the third South West charity to win a place on the region’s Noble Deeds programme.
Set up in 2021 by Bristol-based SME Noble, the Deeds programme provides digital marketing training & support to not-for-profits, helping them deliver vital services in the area. Increasing in-line with Nobles’ own turnover, this year the support package stands at £25,000. Young Bristol will use this to upskill its marketing team and ensure its services reach the young people who need them the most
Supporting children and young adults aged 8-25 during their critical out of school hours in some of the most challenging areas of the city, Young Bristol’s mission is to provide innovative programmes that create a positive and sustainable impact on the lives of young people
With eight community youth clubs across Bristol, a mobile youth club on wheels, outdoor activity centres and an employment programme just part of what the charity offers, the support from Noble will help the Young Bristol team prioritise where its digital marketing efforts will make the most impact. As well as helping the team to learn new skills and maximise their knowledge of social media, SEO and other digital promotion techniques for a lasting impact beyond the Deeds programme
Lucy Saunders, Head of Fundraising & Development, Young Bristol, explains; “We are thrilled to be the selected charity for this year’s Noble Deeds programme. It is an incredible opportunity for our organisation to gain valuable experience and support from a team of experts. Their support will make a big difference, not only by up-skilling our team and improving our digital marketing, but also by helping us to further our reach and services to even more young people.”
With numerous deserving causes across the city that could benefit from the Deeds programme, choosing just one recipient is difficult. Previous winners have included homelessness charity Emmaus Bristol and South Bristol social enterprise Heart of BS13
Lorenzo Campbell, chair of Noble’s UK Deeds committee, said; “It’s not easy to choose between the many worthwhile entries to Deeds we receive. However, Young Bristol gives us the opportunity to work with a charity that reaches the communities right across Bristol who need their help the most. Making sure young people get the right start in life is so crucial and the passion the Young Bristol team has for that is inspiring.
“The impact the charity has can be life-changing for young people and leaves a real lasting legacy. Hopefully by helping the team enhance their own knowledge and digital marketing skills we can help them make that impact as long-lasting as possible.”
The Noble Deeds initiative was originally started over twenty-years ago by Nobles’ parent [KS1] company in Nevada, North America. Mirroring the US programme, the winning not-for-profit is chosen by an employee-led committee, with the UK Deeds programme opening every June at a free ‘Be Better Bristol’ event for local charities and businesses
The Noble team then work alongside the winning charity from September through to February each year helping them to achieve their specific objective
To find out more about Young Bristol go to https://www.youngbristol.co
To find out more about Noble go to https://nobleperforms.co.uk,
Attention all creative canines and artistic aficionados! The much-anticipated Gromit Unleashed 2025 is on the horizon, and this is your final call to submit your portfolio. This is a unique paid opportunity to be part of an iconic public arts trail while supporting Bristol Children’s Hospital. Head to The Grand Appeal website to register your interest.
Gromit Unleashed
Gromit Unleashed is created by The Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity, in partnership with Aardman Animations. Since its inception, Gromit Unleashed has raised millions for Bristol Children’s Hospital and St Michael’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and you could help The Grand Appeal raise more.
Nick Park’s Academy Award®-winning character, Gromit, first took to the streets way back in 2013. Now, over 500 sculptures, four trails, and 10 years later, Gromit Unleashed has inspired a legion of fans across the globe.
With the release of the new Wallace & Gromit film, Vengeance Most Fowl, this Winter, Gromit Unleashed is sure to be a hotly anticipated event.
Why participate?
Gromit Unleashed 2025 promises to be a tail-wagging triumph and will include sculptures designed by local artists, celebrities, and major brands.
Participating is not just about showcasing your talent. It’s about being part of an award-winning event that makes a difference to the lives of sick children and their families. Your design could even be one of the standout sculptures that draw visitors from all over the world.
How to apply
Register your interest as an artist on The Grand Appeal website. The Grand Appeal’s design team will be reviewing artists’ applications over the coming months.
Join Gromit Unleashed 2025 and let your creativity off the leash while helping Bristol’s bravest children. For more details, head to grandappeal.org.uk. Let’s make Gromit Unleashed 2025 the most pawsome trail yet!
Noble Deeds charity competition to launch at ‘Be Better Bristol’ event
4th June, 2024, Bristol-based digital marketing agency Noble Performs has announced it will be launching this year’s Noble Deeds competition for Southwest charities and not-for-profits at its ‘Be Better Bristol’ event on 27th June at St Georges concert hall.
Now in it’s third year, the Noble Deeds initiative provides one local charity with pro bono digital performance marketing support for a six-month period and is opened every June as a competition which regional not-for-profits can enter. The prize fund increases each year in line with Noble Performs’ turnover growth and will stand at £25,000 for this years’ winners.
This year, the launch of Noble Deeds is being marked by a ‘Be Better Bristol’ event, which will see the local business and not-for-profit community come together for the evening to discuss how to do better and be better across the city for mutual benefit.
Designed to inspire new connections and collaborations, speakers include Nick Sturge from TechSpark, Mark Flower, CEO of Age UK South Gloucestershire and Caroline Amran from Babassa, which helps young people from less advantaged communities into work and education.
“We’re super excited to be launching our Noble Deeds charity competition at this year’s Be Better Bristol event. Our business is all about being better and doing better and making meaningful connections, which is why we chose to launch our business in Bristol in 2018. The city has a real sense of community and collaboration which is such a fit with our ethos and we’re always looking for ways to bring people together to share ideas for inspiration and innovation, said Kate Sikora, managing director, Noble UK.
“On that note, we’d love any interested local charities and not-for-profits who’d like to come along to our Be Better Bristol event on the 27th June to get in touch. As well as entering our Noble Deeds competition for pro bono digital marketing support, the evening will be a great opportunity to network with local businesses and community members,” she added.
Past winners of the Noble Deeds programme include Heart of BS13, a south Bristol social enterprise which supports people living in Hartcliffe, and Emmaus Bristol, which helps people out of homelessness and poverty (pictured).
Noble Performs Bristol hopes to replicate the impact of its US parent company as its UK business grows. Noble’s Nevada Deeds programme has been running for nearly 15 years and donates over US$200,000 to charitable causes each year.
Open to all Southwest based registered charities and not-for-profits who wish to enter themselves as potential recipients, the Noble Deeds support package up for grabs includes upskilling of the existing marketing team ensuring a long-lasting impact for the winning organisation.
To enter, registered charities or not-for-profits must be Southwest based and complete a simple application form, which will be live on the Noble Performs website from Friday 28th June until Friday 12th July.
The entries will be judged by a panel made up of an internal committee of the UK Noble team, with the winner selected by the end of July 2024.
The Bristol-based charity that wins a place on the programme will secure a package of digital marketing support and skills training tailored to suit its specific needs, however this could include; SEO, PPC, Analytics and Paid Social. The package of support is anticipated to run from September 2024 to February 2025 depending on specific requirements.
To find out more about Noble Deeds please visit https://nobleperforms.co.uk/deeds/
To register your interest to attend the Be Better Bristol event on the 27th June please contact event organiser: Mel@melbeebyclarkepr.co.uk
Neighbourly, the giving platform which connects businesses with local charities and community groups across the UK and Ireland, has teamed up with Microsoft to launch a campaign to bring together corporate volunteers with the charitable sector, with the aim of helping to reduce admin burden and address the growing digital divide.
Through the DigitalBridge campaign, launching this month, charities and community groups in Neighbourly’s network, from youth charities to food banks, will be able to access support through Neighbourly’s corporate network, with volunteers from around twenty businesses including Virgin Media O2, Hays, Overbury and Morgan Lovell, Motability and Redcliffe & Temple BID helping charities with a range of digital challenges as well as facilitating access to AI resources to help them expedite administrative, strategic and creative tasks.
The campaign comes as research shows that spending less time on administrative tasks is a growing need for charities and that two thirds of charities are interested in making the best use of emerging tech such as AI and ChatGPT. In Neighbourly’s most recent community research, 64% said they don’t know where to start with Gen AI or haven’t spent any time on it. In 2023 the Communications and Digital Committee also highlighted high levels of digital exclusion amongst citizens, with the rapid shift towards online services deepening disadvantage for those who remain offline.
Microsoft is supporting the programme through the provision of online training resources developed specifically to help build knowledge and access learning pathways so that charity employees can use technology to drive greater impact. Employees from businesses in the Neighbourly community will utilise and signpost these resources as part of their volunteering activities, to help build confidence and skills in key areas. Charity staff and volunteers will also be able to take learnings to provide practical support and digital skills to beneficiaries.
Volunteer opportunities will run throughout June and into the summer, tying in with and celebrating other major volunteering calendar moments such as The Big Help Out (7-9 June).
Neighbourly has been working with Microsoft since 2023 as part of its Entrepreneurship for Positive Impact (EfPI) programme which supports tech businesses and entrepreneurs that are addressing urgent social challenges.
Charles Eales, UK Social Impact Lead, Microsoft Philanthropies, said:
“We’re excited to be working with Neighbourly on this important campaign aimed at bridging the digital divide and empowering charities with essential digital skills. At Microsoft, we believe in the power of technology to drive positive change, and through initiatives like this, we can be really targeted and help make a meaningful impact in communities where the need is greatest.”
Bev Sykes, Founder, Just Good Friends, said:
“Our small charity would be really interested in learning more about AI and chat tools. We know we need to get more digital skills to take us further – we’re struggling to move forward in certain areas because of our lack of knowledge. I’ve done some initial reading about AI and it sounds interesting but I need some help understanding how it can be best applied.”
Steve Butterworth, CEO, Neighbourly, said:
“As a platform dedicated to fostering meaningful connections between businesses and local charities, we’re proud to collaborate with Microsoft and our valued client partners on this innovative volunteering initiative, through which we hope to reach at least 1,000 charity employees. By harnessing the power of corporate volunteers and technology, we aim to empower charities to navigate the digital landscape more effectively, ultimately driving greater impact and inclusivity within communities.”
mustard jobs have unveiled new plans to support the local community, through charity fundraising and volunteering practices. As part of this redefined commitment to charities and the wider community, they’ve announced a partnership with the well-loved Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal.
mustard have appointed a charity committee to lead the charge, whom will be responsible for all fundraising and volunteering activities. Supporting and empowering staff and clients to get involved and make an impact.
As a Recruitment Agency for the Creative Industries, they’ll be getting creative with the fundraisers that they put together. With a top-secret stash of ideas up their sleeve, all will soon be revealed.
“We’re taking mustard’s charity and volunteering contributions to the next level. Working with Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal is extremely exciting, not only for our committee but for the entire business.
We hope this charity of the year partnership with The Grand Appeal, will help to provide sick children and their families with the support they need. It’s an honour to be working with them.”
Phil Boshier, Associate Director of People & Culture
Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal is the official Bristol Children’s Hospital charity, that helps save the lives of sick children and supports their families. Being a stone’s throw from the mustard office, and with a large proportion of the staff having young kids, supporting Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal was a no-brainer for the team.
“We’re thrilled to have the support of mustard. Our charity partnership means we can work together towards a brighter future for the children and families at Bristol Children’s Hospital. Thanks to the generosity of brilliant Bristol businesses like mustard, we can fund everything from life-saving equipment to free accommodation for families, medical research, and so much more.”
– Helen Haskell, Head of Fundraising (Corporate)
To celebrate International Women’s Day, we are officially funding a second round of creative and marketing support to businesses dedicated to levelling the playing field for women.
Last year we offered creative support to a local business dedicated to making a positive impact for women in the South-West. The Women’s Work Lab based in Bristol, addresses the motherhood career gap by providing skills-based training to mums on benefits, enhancing their employability. Headed up by an all-female team here at Oakwood, we reviewed their brand identity and created evolved messaging and a new visual look.
Once again, we are interested in hearing from individuals, organisations or businesses who are led or owned by women who are committed to celebrating women’s achievements, championing women empowerment, calling for positive change to advance women, taking action to educate and raise awareness of women’s equality and those who are actively fostering and creating more inclusive workplaces, communities, or practices for women; to help drive forward the important message of this year’s International Women’s Day around inspiring inclusion.
If you think this sounds like you, please apply here: https://oakwoodagency.com/insights/iwd-2024
And don’t forget to spread the word!
Plaster are proud to be supporting the amazing Circomedia (Centre for Contemporary Circus and Physical Theatre) on their first ever Spring Gala, as part of their 30th anniversary celebrations on Saturday 23rd March at St Paul’s Church in Bristol. The Gala is raising funds to support their life-affirming programmes for children, young people, communities and circus artists.
The evening will feature top class circus performances such as aerial acrobatics, cabaret and much much more, as well as a soul-stirring performance by Ruby Turner (famous for singing at Jools Holland’s Hootenanny for the past 20+ years), accompanied by world-class musician John O’Hara on piano. There will also be auctions with brilliant prizes, as well as the chance to rub shoulders with the great and the good of the Bristol creative scene.
Tickets are just £100 pp and selling fast – included in the ticket price is catering from Kate’s Kitchen, a welcome gin reception from 6 o Clock Gin plus an amazing evening of circus entertainment, with every penny going to support a brilliant cause.
If you’re interested in attending this uniquely Bristolian evening, email austen@weareplaster.com for details.
You need to load content from reCAPTCHA to submit the form. Please note that doing so will share data with third-party providers.
More InformationNotifications