History

Originally called the Bishopston Community Project, One in Eight was set up in 1982 as a charity to combat youth unemployment at a time when this was particularly high.

When the funding ran out volunteers took over and it became the North Bristol Community Project. The name ‘One in Eight’ reflects the fact that one in eight youngsters is unemployed, or it could also be taken to mean that one in eight people are disadvantaged in some way.

Over the years the activities at One in Eight have multiplied, mainly in daytime adult education. Courses offered include modern languages, information technology (IT), Key Skills, job search, art, creative writing, music, yoga, counselling, self-improvement and a mental health self-help group. The policy has always been to make the project open to everyone and ask for small donations, thus putting classes within easy reach of people on low incomes. The project also has a drop-in with kitchen facilities and a shop which accounts for about half the charity’s income. At the rear of the building are some porta-cabins. These are used as practice studios for the Drum Bank, which has a long standing relationship with the project. You can read about all these activities on the pages of this web site.

One in Eight is always looking to the future. Plans are now in hand for an extension to the building which will provide more classrooms, more office space and improved access for wheelchair users (e.g. a lift) plus better practice facilities for the Drum Bank.