On Monday 28th April our much-anticipated Blackbridge Community and Sports Hub opens, bringing a brand-new facility for health and wellbeing to Podsmead and the surrounding areas in Gloucester.
The Blackbridge Community and Sports Hub has been driven by local people and local needs from the outset, and forms part of a bigger regeneration plan for the Podsmead neighbourhood.
The hub has been brought to life by the Blackbridge Charitable Community Benefit Society (CCBS) which was established in 2021 as part of the legacy of the Podsmead Big Local.
It offers a fitness gym, studio spaces for dance, yoga, Pilates and other classes, a state-of-the-art 3G sports pitch and a hireable social space for community activities. It will also become the new home of the Blackbridge CCBS Youth Team.
Shaping the future
The young people of Podsmead and the surrounding area have been closely involved with shaping the Blackbridge Community and Sports Hub, from the activities they want through to how it looks. A group formed by the Blackbridge CCBS Youth Work Team called ‘SYNERGY’ worked alongside designers of the hub FWP Group to give their views on internal fittings and critically, to design inclusive graphics within the facility including a multi-language welcome wall, and wayfinding signs that include symbols and icons as well as words.
Head of Youth Provision at Blackbridge CCBS Debbie Etheridge said: “We are incredibly proud of the local young people who took part in our SYNERGY project and shaped our new hub with their creativity and dedication. Their vibrant graphics and thoughtful design have brought the space to life.
The Community and Sports Hub will host the youth work team, offering evening open access sessions and small group work focused on issues that affect young people. There will be confidential one-to-one support and daytime provision using informal education for those not in education, employment, or training. This hub is more than just a space; it’s a catalyst for positive change, empowering our youth to thrive and make a lasting impact on their lives and the community.”
A hub for everyone
Alongside youth work, the Blackbridge Community and Sports Hubwill offer fitness and community activities for all ages, including yoga classes delivered by Podsmead resident and yoga teacher Fi, who has been supported by Blackbridge CCBS since July 2024 to deliver classes at The Ramblers social club in Podsmead and will now bring her inclusive classes for all ages and abilities to the hub twice a week.
Fi said: “Blackbridge CCBS have been very supportive and helpful and it’s made a big difference to know that they are there for me. I’m glad to be part of the new Blackbridge Community and Sports Hub as I know how important connection to others is for our mental wellbeing.”
The hub will also offer opportunities for local providers of other health and wellbeing services, including other residents who have taken part in Blackbridge CCBS’s ‘Spark into Sport’ programme for people keen to develop their skills for a career in sport and fitness.
A partnership with a shared vision
The Blackbridge Community and Sports Hub will be managed in partnership with Freedom Leisure, a not-for-profit leisure trust who shares Blackbridge CCBS’s vision of promoting health, wellbeing, and inclusivity through accessible sports and recreational opportunities.
Ivan Horsfall Turner, CEO at Freedom Leisure said: “We are really excited to open what we are sure will be a tremendous asset to the community of Podsmead and indeed Gloucester. This is going to be a hub for people to have fun, be active and to socialise with friends and family. As a not-for-profit organisation we are committed to improving
lives through leisure and we encourage everyone to visit Blackbridge Community and Sports Hub to see this fabulous facility first hand”.
An exciting step for Podsmead
Building on the work of the Podsmead Big Local which has driven forward community projects across Podsmead for the last 12 years, the Blackbridge Community and Sports Hub – which was built by Podsmead contractor E.G. Carter – is another big step towards an exciting future for the local.
Sue Cunningham, Podsmead resident and Chair of Blackbridge Charitable Community Benefit Society said: “I think that it will be of tremendous value for the residents of Podsmead to be able to access the Blackbridge Community and Sports Hub in walking distance, and it will be an amazing resource for the community and something that the Board of Directors are very proud of achieving on behalf of Podsmead.”
A spokesperson for Gloucester City Council added: “This is a landmark moment for Podsmead and for our city. This state-of-the-art sports facility and community hub will create a thriving sports quarter for the south of the city – improving health and well-being and fostering social connection. It is also testament to what can be achieved through working in partnership and collaborative investment in communities.”
Blackbridge Charitable Community Benefit Society 