Moving to Bristol...Please help me!!!

[Tombokola]

Hi there, we are relocating from London to Bristol with our three children in August and I am feeling very anxious, nervous, scared... We will be leaving in Westbury Park and hopefully my boys (7 and 5yo) will attend either St Bons or Westbury Park school although we are still waiting to hear from Bristol City Council. It is going to be really hard for my children to move and leave their friends behind, school, house, etc so in the meantime to make the transition a little bit easier I would like them to continue doing the same activities that they love doing here in London. Could anyone help me by recommending the best courses/classes below that they can attend:

• Swimming lessons: for the three of them
  
• Beavers: for my 7yo
  
• Gymnastics: for my 2 and 5 yo
  
• Tennis: for my 7yo
  
• and Zumba for me!
  

Thank you and hope you could help me.

[makama]

Horfield leisure centre has a good reputation for year-round swim lessons. Might find Zumba classes there too. Bristol Hawks gym is popular for it's Saturday drop-in classes and it has more advanced classes too.

[Tombokola]

Thank you Makama. I have checked the web page of both places and they look great. I will give them a ring tomorrow.

Any information on Beavers groups close to Westbury Park? and tennis lessons?

Thank you.

[Yvonne2AL]

Hi, there is a tennins club by St Bons - ask there. Lots of kids play in this club.
Horfield LC for swimming and zumba.
Gymnastics either Bristol Hawks or school at Gloucester Rd bristolsg.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

[Tombokola]

Thank you so much for the info Yvonne2AL. It is very useful.

[Boxals]

Hi I live in Westbury on trym which is really close to Westbury park. I have 2 boys in their teens now but they have both done swimming and beavers.
They learnt a Badminton school swimming pool which is walking distance from Westbury park and you'll find that many st bons and Westbury pk kids will go there.
Bristol council lessons tend to be hit and miss on teaching. people below have been teaching local kids for years. Judy is a teacher too. You'll get more local mums watching at badminton school so will be more sociable for you.
My boys learnt with Judy atkinson who teaches thurs and fri night and sat morn.

Her number is 962-7972

Splash happy teach the other nights and Sunday morning

www.splash-happy.co.uk/content/view/24/54/

Beavers may be a bit harder as there are generally waiting lists.

My boys are still in scouts (off on 10 day summer camp in July).
Try contacting the beaver contacts for 26th northcote. Further up they run a fantastic camping programme and even do ten tors and duke of Edinburgh when they get to explorers.
Website is www.26bristolscouts.org.uk/

The other group which very active and has a great programme is 1st bishopston. They tend to get a big intake from st bons so might be a better option.
1stbishopston.ukscouts.org.uk/section/beavers/

Tennis - there are a couple of options.

Kings drive tennis is close to st bons.

kingstennis.co.uk/

Coombe dingle produces quite a few county players but uses the university sports club so not a club atmosphere but they have indoor courts.

www.webway.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/The%20Coaching%20Staff.html

Redland green tennis club is also close by for you and has squash courts too.

www.bltsc.co.uk/Modules/CoreModule/Home.aspx

Good luck with moving you are morning to a great part of bristol and it will be hopefully a better lifestyle for you than london.

You will be able to walk to most things.

Let me know if you need any help on schools etc. although all state primary schools in north bristol are outstanding they just have different things gong for them.

[Tombokola]

Hi Boxals, Thanks so much for getting in touch and for all your valuable information. I will contact all those places this week. I just hope my children get into St Bons!

[Boxals]

Even if they don't get in to st bons it's prob good to expand their social circle with kids and mums from other north bristol schools. You'll find they all end up at the same secondary schools in north bristol whether they are state or independent. My youngest who is v sporty ended up at an independent secondary but with only 3 from his primary school. However he knew a further 10 from out of school activities. He still mixes with other boys who have gone to the other secondary schools.

North bristol ends up being a very small world. Good primary schools near where you are moving are Westbury park, st bons,Elmlea, henleaze, bishop road, Westbury village.

Let me know if you want advice on football or rugby clubs for your boys.

[Tombokola]

Yes, you are right, we will definitely need to expand our social circle. It is so scary to think that we are moving to Bristol and I don't know anybody there and we are leaving behind all our friends!

Do you have any opinion on Torwood House school?

[slippersandcocoa]

our Ds did swimming course in the hols at Henbury which he liked - he learnt to swim in 2 weeks (half an hour a day). They were very helpful and its close to Blaise Castle which is a good place to go to afterwards - huge kids area with zip wire etc.