Affectionately known as the Vench (Ad-vench-ure), is a great place for young people aged 8 -19 to have the freedom to play in a stimulating environment. We have exciting outdoor playground structures, which includes a climbing wall, zip wire, drop slide, sports pitch, rope balances and a clatter bridge, as well as an inside games room and an area for arts and craft.
Our Adventure Playground provides an exciting and safe environment for children to meet, play and learn. All sessions are run by Learning Partnership West who offers a wide variety of activities and experiences, which include sports, structured games, bike maintenance, carpentry and cooking workshops.
The site is open access, which means that children are not restricted and can come and go as they wish. Sessions are managed and supervised by a team of qualified staff and provide a secure and stimulating environment for all children. There is no charge to use the adventure playground, please see below for opening times and activities.
Built on waste ground at the end of Romney Avenue in the late 1960’s. A local couple helped children to build dens and swings – later two teachers and pupils from the local Lockleaze Senior School took a petition to Bristol City Council for support and in 1972, John Cleese officially opened the playground known locally as The Vench.
The centre is managed by Groundwork South whose work focuses on three key themes of Greener Living and Working, Parks and Open Spaces and Young People and Employment.
In July 2016, major redevelopment work began on the much loved local landmark which included new climbing walls, a rope balance, a trampoline, a clatter bridge and an expanded outdoor stage. A joint collaboration between Groundwork South and Learning Partnership West (LPW), the actual work itself was then carried out by Splash Projects a charity led by former members of the British Armed Forces and was also supported financially and with volunteers by BAe and a group of their apprentices. New fruit trees, herbs and a range of native wild flowers and plants were planted in the improved kitchen garden which will be used to deliver food growing projects in the future. A brand new open workshop was also installed complete with benches which is run by local charity Life Cyle who run a weekly bike repair and cycling skills sessions on site