By Martin Lee, manager, Bradley Stoke Ladies FC.

When the Bradley Stoke Ladies team formed in May 2015, no one could have imagined the growth the club would go on to make over such a short period of time.

Going into the new 2018-2019 season playing in the Gloucestershire County Women’s Football League Division 2, the club will now have representation from two teams.

We are seeing an ever-expanding interest from female players wanting to join a club whose principles are allowing opportunities to any female of 16 years old and above to come and try football in a safe, fun-based environment, allowing each player to develop at their own pace. The management committee is full of experience, encouragement, youth and passion to drive the club to the next level. The club strategy is to bring more females into playing football (currently 39 players registered), to have more female coaches at the club (currently we have one), to have more female managers at the club (currently we have one) and to have a management committee that has strong female representation (currently we are at 83 percent).

The club is looking for new players for both the First Team and the Development Team to further our growth plans. Even though we are two separate teams in the league, we are one club and train together every Tuesday evening at Bradley Stoke Community School between 7pm and 8pm on the AstroTurf, under floodlights.

The coaching staff are all FA Level 2 qualified and provide varying session plans for the squad to follow. The club runs a female progression pathway where we offer support via a mentoring program and provide assistance to the player to obtain a coaching qualification badge.

Bradley Stoke Ladies First Team and Bradley Stoke Ladies Development Team have made a great start to the season with the First Team achieving two wins from their first two matches and the Development Team recording one win and a defeat.

We are an FA Charter Standard Community Club with our primary focus being that everybody enjoys themselves both at training and during matches. On match days after our league games we all go down to the Baileys Court Inn, who kindly provide food for us (they also did this last season, so big thanks to them for their support each year).

If anyone is interested in joining or wants more information, then please contact Martin Lee on 07785 384618, Charlotte Hand on 07912 569670, visit the club’s website at bradleystokeladies.wixsite.com/bslfc or email mlee1@btopenworld.com

Photo: Bradley Stoke Ladies FC First Team (2018/19 season).

This article originally appeared in the October 2018 issue of the Bradley Stoke Journal news magazine (on page 20). The magazine is delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to ALL 8,700 homes in Bradley Stoke. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.

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Many members of our community have taken up running over the past few years and enjoy the health and wellbeing benefits that often come with increasing your fitness and spending time in the great outdoors.

North Bristol Running Group (NBRG) is once again offering its popular ‘Couch to 5k’ course from October, and over a period of eight weeks will support you to reach the goal of completing a 5km (3.1 mile) run/jog by the time you graduate (even if you have never run before!).

The course will be held on Friday evenings at Bradley Stoke Community School from 19th October until 14th December (at 6.30pm) and the cost of the course is £10 in total. Over the eight weeks, the Run Leaders and Helpers will help you to gradually increase the distance that you run whilst following a structured training programme.

Melanie completed the course last year after seeing it advertised on the Bradley Stoke Journal Facebook page and making a snap decision to join. She told us: “I’m so glad I did! Running with NBRG has helped me overcome depression as well as improve my physical health. Best decision I ever made!”

Rachel also joined last year’s course and said: “It was an amazing eight weeks and has given me the running bug!” Rachel would thoroughly recommend the course to anyone and now loves being part of the NBRG ‘green army’.

Lyn Wilson joined NBRG as a beginner in 2016 and during the course dropped three dress sizes! Lyn now regularly takes part in parkrun, competes in 10k events and, in April this year, completed the London Marathon. Lyn now supports and encourages many of her fellow runners and is a regular Helper on the ‘Couch to 5k’ course.

Interested in joining the course? How to find out more »

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Bradley Stoke Youth FC (BSYFC) has set up a new U9 girls’ team to play in the Bristol Girls’ League this coming season (2018-19) and local car dealership Drive Vauxhall Bristol North has stepped in to provide sponsored match kit for the team.

The U9 girls were presented with their new kit at a photoshoot where they posed alongside a badged-up BSYFC-branded Vauxhall Crossland X which had been brought along by Drive Vauxhall.

Lee Lawson, BSYFC U11 Girls coach, said:

“It’s fantastic to see an increase in the number of girls wanting to play and participate in football. They all look great in their new kit. All the coaches (volunteers) are excited to have been able to create a U9 team and are looking forward to seeing them play competitive football.”

“Drive Vauxhall were contacted to see if they’d like to sponsor the new team and we’re pleased that they jumped at the chance and will now be match day sponsors for the U9, U11 and U13 girls’ teams, showing great commitment to the BSYFC girls.”

“The girls, parents and coaches would like to thank Drive Vauxhall Bristol North for their new and continued sponsorship and support.”

The main coaches for BSYFC Girls U9 – U13 are Level 1 and 2 FA qualified and they also have two female coaches currently completing the Level 1 FA course.

BSYFC was established in 1998. It is an FA Charter Standard Community Club covering all age ranges from Reception age upwards. It also runs football sessions for children with disabilities.

Parents of any children wanting to give club football a try can find further details on the Bradley Stoke Youth FC website www.bsyfc.co.uk

Photo: BSYFC U9 Girls in their sponsored match kit standing next to the BSYFC-branded Crossland X vehicle.

This article originally appeared in the September 2018 issue of the Bradley Stoke Journal news magazine (on page 9). The magazine is delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH, to ALL 8,700 homes in Bradley Stoke. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.

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By Marcus Fisher of BSYFC.

Bradley Stoke Youth FC (BSYFC) was again selected from all the FA Charter Standard Clubs in the UK and Ireland to walk around the Wembley pitch, and perform a Guard of Honour, moments before the kick-of of the Community Shield match between Manchester City and Chelsea. This is the fifth time in five years that BSYFC have been selected and once again we were proud to be only 1 of 8 clubs selected for this great experience. BSYFC was represented by squad players and coaches from the U8 Whites.

It was a long day, but an experience the team will never forget. The day started at 8.15am with the coach leaving Bradley Stoke for arrival at Wembley for 11am. We were greeted and hosted by McDonald’s representatives and were based in the Wembley press room for the majority of the day.

At 12.30pm we had our first walk around the Wembley pitch as we performed the rehearsal for the main event, and had our photo taken by the main photographer on the pitch with our BSYFC placard. En route to the pitch, we were able to see behind the scenes of Wembley Stadium, and were fortunate enough to walk past the HOME and AWAY dressing rooms, and to see the famous tunnel leading onto the pitch.

After the rehearsal, it was back to the press room for lunch and a football quiz. This highlighted just how little the managers Marcus Fisher, Simon Newman and Wayne Jukes know about football (and how much the children did know about football!). Interesting fact: Wembley Stadium has 2,618 toilets, more than any other venue in the world. One of children knew this!

We then had our final briefing and it was time for the real thing. We walked past the changing rooms again and into position at the side of the pitch next to the stars of Chelsea and Manchester City, who were completing their warm up. We then came out to 90,000 supporters applauding as we walked around the pitch and performed the guard of honour, with every child waving their flag and the BSYFC placard on full show; a fantastic effort from the children who represented BSYFC incredibly well.

More: Squad on pitch for total of 30 minutes prior to kick-off »

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