Community Space Pineapple Award for the Swannery!

We’re delighted to share the news that the Swannery, along with Barefoot Architects, Goss Structural and CW Duke have won a prestigious Pineapple Award! The Swannery edged out six other brilliant, shortlisted projects for the title of winner in the Community Space category.

From a derelict pub to a thriving community space, with dedicated youth services running four evenings a week, the Swannery is going from strength to strength. This award recognises the commitment from the Barton Hill community, especially young people, many being involved with the development of the building and planning of services, right from the start.

Community co-design has been at the heart of the vision for the Swannery, from the internal layout, fixtures and fittings, to the services on offer and the mural on the outside. This is reflected in the range of activities, including dads and toddler music workshops, rooms for hire, offices for Bristol Somali Resource Centre, and its main offer: youth sessions.

Weekly drop-in youth sessions provide a safe space for young people to relax, socialise, and spend time with friends away from home. They also offer the opportunity to connect with trusted adults they can talk to, while creating valuable opportunities for local services to engage with and support young people. These sessions are delivered in partnership with local organisations, including Learning Partnership West, Horn Youth Concern, and Bristol Somali Resource Centre, with support from Bristol City Council. The girls at the regular Monday drop-in sessions recently completed the Tender Healthy Relationships workshops, and the youth team regularly enable the young people to run celebrations of awareness days such as Black History Month and Pride. The youth service is now involved in the Bristol Young Futures Hub, and is open for an additional Friday night session, acting as a one-stop shop for local young people who want advice on education, work, mental health and more.

The judges’ citation reads: “This project is a remarkable example of bottom-up transformation, created by the community for the community. The judges were struck by the depth of collaboration at its heart and the genuine commitment to keeping youth voices central through permanent young ambassadors. Already a catalyst for change, it is open seven days a week, providing jobs and safe spaces, particularly in the evenings. The legacy here is strong and the judges are excited to see what comes next, as it evolves over time.”

Wellspring Settlement CEO Beth Wilson said: “We’re really proud of this award as The Swannery is such an asset to the community of Barton Hill. Since the project began we’ve seen the enthusiasm of young people and their families grow for a space for young people in the heart of the community. It’s been amazing to watch young people’s confidence grow, see them try new things and build relationships in a truly welcoming, safe and youth-led space.”

Read more about the history of the Swannery here, and see what’s on for young people at the Swannery with our Family and Youth calendar here.

Read more about the Pineapple Awards here.