Local Groups

Bristol ACF aims to develop young people (12 - 18 years) physically and mentally, improving self-confidence, teamwork, friendship and leadership.

They meet 1900 - 2130 every Thursday and welcome cadets of all abilities and backgrounds, also aiming to develop a sense of community in our cadets.

The ACF provides a wide diversity of fun, exciting and adventurous opportunities and it is a gateway to recognised vocational qualifications from the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme to BTEC First Diplomas which can help in working and school life.

The army-related activities include Shooting, Navigation, Fieldcraft, Skill at Arms, Drill, Military Knowledge.

They also run courses in Adventure Training, such as Canoeing, Kayaking, Climbing and Skiing, as well as Sports events, Shooting competitions, Duke of Edinburgh expedition, First Aid training, and much more.

Cadet Hut, Gloucester Road, Thornbury BS35 1JH
Website: armycadets.com/county/city-and-co...
Email: wx-bri-enquiry@rfca.org.uk

CATSA is a Thornbury-based non-profit company that helps homeowners sustainably upgrade their properties, reduce energy bills, and de-mystify home retrofit. 

They run free, regular events connecting residents with expert advice, grants, and accredited local professionals and trades to explore all their options, from minor changes to major renovations.

More info: www.catsa-cic.org

Contact the team: info@catsa-cic.org

Haven Memory Café exists to provide a safe, nurturing environment for anyone living with memory loss, along with their carers.

They meet on the first and third Fridays of each month in the United Reformed Church, Chapel Street, Thornbury, BS35 2BA from 10.15am - 11.45am. 

Tea, coffee and homemade cakes are served, and they always have some form of entertainment, ranging from singing sessions with Lizzie and Jonny, bingo, slideshows, the Ukeaholics to fun with young friends from New Siblands school.  

It's free to attend; there's a donation box if anyone feels they would like to donate but it's in no way compulsory! A small weekly raffle is held to offset costs. 

There's no need to book a place, just turn up and you'll be assured of a warm welcome. 

For further details, contact Sue Walton on 07794370903 or Stuart Hill on 07913241437, joint leaders of Haven Memory Café.

JIGSAW Thornbury is a charity that works in the heart of Thornbury with children and young people aged 0-25 with additional needs or disabilities, and their families. Everyone can join in, with or without a diagnosis.

JIGSAW's innovative and inclusive services for children and young people, parents and carers and youth empowerment, changes lives and enhances community inclusion. 

It's free to join online as a member online at www.jigsawthornbury.org.uk and we welcome the community to visit us in our welcoming, accessible space in St Mary Centre, Thornbury BS35 2AB, usually on the 3rd Saturday of each month at our Community Café.

Let’s Sing To Remember are an independent voluntary group for those with memory difficulties, their partners and carers. They meet for a chat, a cuppa and a sing!

They sing all sorts - action songs, songs from shows, old favourites, hits etc, get some percussion out and all to have some light hearted fun!

They meet in St Marys Church Hall see www.mythornbury.co.uk for dates.

For more information on Let's Sing to Remember:

Call Gill Dunkley: 07414817010

Email: gill@dunkleysfh.co.uk

The Over 60s Tea Room is located by a side entrance in Thornbury Town Hall and is open from 10am – 3pm Monday to Friday, closing during bank holidays etc.

They are solely run by volunteers.

Hot drinks are 50p a cup, friendly faces and company are free.

You are welcome to bring in your own lunch.

All over 60s are welcome. 

Panache Steel Band is a registered charity (charity number: 1204131) based in Thornbury, South Gloucestershire.

Panache started in 1994 at The Castle School, Thornbury, and has since become community based.

As well as the main performing band, who performs both publicly and privately, they run a variety of community-based steel band groups for different ages, as well as one-off workshops at local schools and other organisations.

Location: 
Yew Tree Farm, Thornbury,  BS35 3UG

Social media:

https://www.facebook.com/panachesteelbandthornbury/

https://www.instagram.com/panachesteelbandthornbury?igsh=eDA1emo2czZ1aHdk

A lively and fun place to find support, as well as an opportunity to speak with their support worker with over 19 years of experience of working with Parkinson’s.

They support people living and working with Parkinson’s, so whether you have the condition or are a carer, spouse, family member or friend; you are welcome to come along and enjoy the company of others who understand as well as the opportunity to enjoy a freshly prepared lunch!

If you would like to book lunch, please contact

Sally Derham

Tel: 0744 333 2150

Email: sally.derham@outlook.com

Or for more information contact:

Kevin Carter – Parkinson’s advisor.

Tel: 07851 976796

Email face2face.parkinsons@gmail.com Website face2faceparkinsons.co.uk

Organisation Name: RAF Air Cadets
Group Name: 2392 (Thornbury) Squadron
 
Location: Cadet Hut, Gloucester Road, Thornbury, South Gloucestershire, BS35 1JH (next to the Fire Station)
Parade Nights: Mondays and Wednesdays
Times: 19:00 – 21:15
 
Description: The RAF Air Cadets is open to anyone aged 12 (and in Yr 8) - 17 and looking for a new challenge. We are also open to adults aged 18 or over who are interested in helping as an adult volunteer. 

By joining the Air Cadets, young people can get to know new people and meet friends for life, take part in activities from flying to shooting, first aid to overseas camps, develop skills such as communication, teamwork and leadership and earn qualifications such as BTECs and Duke of Edinburgh awards, which will help them when applying to university and work later in life, and much more. 

More information can be found on the Air Cadet website: https://www.raf.mod.uk/aircadets/
Contact: 2392@rafac.mod.gov.uk

SARI provides free and confidential support to anyone who is targeted by hate for their race, faith, disability, sexual orientation, transgender identity, age, gender, or sex.

They offer help to victims, teachers and employers – find out more at www.saricharity.org.uk or call SARI confidentially on 0117 9420060

Sustainable Thornbury are a local group in Thornbury working towards a greener and more sustainable future. Set up in 2006, they have been developing ever since, with five working groups under their banner. Please get in touch if you'd like more information: cats@sustainablethornbury.org or www.sustainablethornbury.org

• Climate Action Thornbury and Surroundings (CATS) was born in 2019 when some members of Sustainable Thornbury were inspired by the recent climate change protests and the October 2018 IPCC report to set a target of reducing Thornbury's emissions to zero by 2030. Fast forward to 2025 and they are now a Community Interest Company (CIC) called Climate Action Thornbury and Surrounding Area.
• Thornbury Community Permaculture Project (TCPP) was formed in February 2022 in response to a growing interest in permaculture. South Gloucestershire Council (SGC) kindly agreed to allow the project to use its land around the Alexandra Way Care Home to set up a permaculture garden.
• Thornbury Orchard Group manages an old Orchard, a Wildflower Meadow seeded in 2016 and a Bee Bank built in 2019. They use traditional and sustainable methods to manage the area for the benefit of the local community and to promote local species biodiversity.
• The Grow Your Own Food (GYOF) group is a self-help group trying to use gardens and allotments to grow fruit and vegetables to eat. It meets monthly, usually on the third Thursday evening of each month or at the weekend.
• Plastic Free Thornbury is a community organisation working towards educating the community of the problems with single use plastic. They also support businesses to reduce their plastic waste and acknowledge the work they already have done in order to use this to inspire people to take action.

TAYM (Thornbury Area Youth Music) (Reg Charity:  1160302) meets at Manorbrook School on Saturday mornings during term time (10 sessions per term.)

TAYM offers professionally tutored music lessons for students aged 4 - 18 years.

Fees are kept at an affordable level. Assistance is offered to students in financial need.

Progressing from the Foundation Class, students study the instrument of their choice. TAYM offers; Pbone/Trombome, JSax/Saxophone, Cornet,
Trumpet,Flute, Violin, Double Bass and Cello. Instruments can be hired from TAYM stock. Instrument lessons are usually taught in small groups - individual
tuition is available, supported by Musicianship (Music Theory) lessons.

Students progress through various year groups to Senior Orchestra.

All students, regardless of age or ability take part in End of Term Concerts, an opportunity to demonstrate to family and friends the skills they have mastered
during the term.

For further information please see: www.thornburyareayouthmusic.org or contact the Administrator:   assistTAMT@gmail.com

Thornbury & District Heritage Trust has been operating a museum in the town since1986. Run entirely by volunteers, it receives financial support from Thornbury Town Council and South Gloucestershire Council to provide a museum service for Thornbury and the Lower Severn Vale. 

Permanent exhibitions include the Thornbury Roman Coin hoard and the story of Thornbury Castle. There are also short term exhibitions of topical subjects. There are also off site exhibitions in the Town Hall featuring the Thornbury Quilt (viewing on Wednesdays during opening time) and on the history of the old Borough on the ground floor (available for viewing during normal opening times.)

Children are welcome and there are activities for them to enjoy.

Contact details:

Tel 01454 857774

Email: enquiries@thornburymuseum.org.uk 

Web Site: www.thornburymuseum.org.uk

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ThornburyandDistrictMuseum/

The museum is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 1pm to 4pm and Saturday 10am to 4pm.

Admission is free and it is located at 4 Chapel Street, Thornbury, BS35 2BJ.

Thornbury and District Fundraising Group for Cancer Research UK meet regularly and have a varied calendar of events throughout the year, holding events such as quizzes, an Autumn Fair in October, and much more.

To find out more contact Tony

Email: thornburycruk@gmail.com

Phone: Tony on 07707 159645

Thornbury Art Club members are a diverse group, brought together through the love of art and creativity. They enjoy meeting up to share ideas and techniques. Many find this a refreshing alternative to on-line learning. Shirley Whyte, TAC, says 'Our membership and activities are thriving. If you get a buzz from being arty and creative then maybe we’re the Club for you?'

Annual membership includes:

Monthly evening Club Nights when a variety of professional artists will visit to demonstrate their art skills and style. During the tea break they can catch up with each other, chat to the artist about materials and techniques plus there are items for sale.

Monthly Saturday morning Outdoor Sketchers Group is very popular. They meet and sketch at different venues then socialise over tea and coffee in a local cafe. They try to car share where possible.

Saturday Workshops with professional tutors (additional fee.)

Members can display their work in Club Exhibitions and our Art In the Community programme.

Weekly afternoon Studio Groups on Tuesday and Thursday. Here you can enjoy your painting and crafting with others, learning and sharing skills and tips. Both groups are currently full but they hold a waiting list and may start an evening group too. Non-Members are welcome to visit during studio hours to see what members are up to and to ask about memberships in person.

The club is open to everyone, regardless of artistic experience or medium. Some of our members just paint for fun, while others are successfully running their own art businesses. Come and give us a try, we’re always keen to have new members.

To find out more, visit www.thornburyartclub.co.uk, www.facebook.com/ThornburyArtClub, email publicrelations.tac@gmail.com

Thornbury Arts Festival (TAF)

www.thornburyartsfestival.org.uk is a registered charity

Thornbury Arts Festival started over 50 years ago and is run by a group of volunteers.

There are four elements:

• Thornbury Eisteddfod takes place usually in March each year. They welcome students of all ages to take part in speech, drama, music classes. Look out for details on the TAF website for entrance details in the Autumn of the preceding year.
• Bristol Old Vic Theatre School Day provides an opportunity for local schools to bring pupils to experience live theatre performed by the students of Bristol old Vic Theatre School. They approach schools to apply in June, July and the theatre day takes place in late November/ December.
• Severn Vale Art Trail is a 5 day event offering a free opportunity to visit and enjoy the work of over 60 artisans in various venues across the Severn Vale Area. Look out for opportunities to enter as an artist in January and the 5 day event takes place usually over the first May bank holiday weekend. Art Trail website www.severnvalearttrail.org
• Thornbury Arts Festival ‘Week’ is typically held in April /May and brings music of all genres, comedy, personalities, drama, costumed portrayals, dance, children’s entertainment and more to Thornbury. They try to vary what is offered to engage wider audiences and at a price to cover costs, enabling access for all.

TAF always welcome volunteers interested in making such events happen. There is the Arts Festival Committee, an Art Trail Committee and the Eisteddfod Committee available to join.

For more details please contact Gill Dunkley (Chair Thornbury Arts Festival):

T: 07414817010

E: gill@dunkleysfh.co.uk

Thornbury Clarinet Choir are a local adult clarinet choir exploring the diverse range of music. The choir has a range of clarinets from the small Eb to the bass clarinet. They meet for 2 hours one Saturday afternoon a month at Turnberries Community Centre, Thornbury and rehearse towards concerts in the local area.

For more information about the choir please see their website: 

Website: https://thornburyclarinetcho.wixsite.com/thornbury-cc 

Email: thornburyclarinetchoir @gmail.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ThornburyClarinetChoir

The Association, plans, creates, repairs (all year), erects (Sunday mornings Sept-Nov), organises the ‘Switch-on Event’ and takes the lights down (January), stores the Christmas Lights Display along Thornbury High Street, The Plain, Castle Street, Chapel Street and St Mary Street, along with The Anchor at Morton.  

TCLA are always on the look out for willing volunteers for all manner of tasks and those with electrical skills, ladder skills, access to hoist facilities etc.

For more details please contact:

Gill Dunkley Secretary TCLA : 07414817010 

Email: gill@dunkleysfh.co.uk

Thornbury Community Choir meet on Tuesdays 10.00 -11.30am at the United Reformed Church, Chapel Street, Thornbury, BS35 2BA.

They sing a wide variety of song types including world, folk, pop, jazz, sacred and all in lovely 3 or 4-part harmony in a relaxed and very friendly atmosphere. There’s no audition and no need to be able to read music as all the music is taught by ear.

They gather to sing for the joy of singing and sometimes perform too.

The first session is free and then it’s £7 per session pay-as-you-go.

New members are always welcome.

Contact: nicelizmartin@yahoo.co.uk

Thornbury Community Composting Group are based at the top of Thornbury Leisure Centre car park and meet on Wednesday afternoons from 1.30pm to 3.30pm and Saturdays 09.00am to 11.30am.

They take green waste from the local community and sort it to recover any wood for logs, and chipping for wood chip. The green waste then goes to a local site to be turned into compost which is then returned to Thornbury Community Composting to be supplied to the local community. They also have logs for sale.

Contact: compostingthornbury@gmail.com or pop in when they are open for more information.

New Start Debt Advice (Thornbury) provide face to face, free, confidential, community money advice.

They aim to help you find a way to deal with debt so that you can make a new start financially, and can also can help you manage your money including how to set a budget and how to use bank accounts to separate regular and ad hoc spending.

Website: newstartdebtadvice.org.uk / www.communitymoneyadvice.com

Email: info@newstartdebtadvice.org.uk
Tel: 0800 028 4170

Or just pop in to the office at Thornbury Baptist Church and they will pass on your details to New Start Debt Advice.

Your local foodbank is now based back at:

Thornbury Baptist Church, Gillingstool, Thornbury ,BS35 2EG

Tel: 01454 419118

Opening hours: Fridays 1.30-4pm

Where to get a Foodbank Referral:

• Citizens Advice

0808 278 7947

• South Glos One Stop Shop

01454 868 009

• North Bristol Advice Centre

0117 951 5751

Food can be donated at: Tesco (Thornbury) Co-op (Thornbury Fields) or at Thornbury Baptist Church every Wednesday

Between 9.30am and 11.00am

Monthly shopping lists and further information available at:

thornbury@nbsg.foodbank.org.uk

A helping hand, a listening ear and a caring heart.

Thornbury in Bloom are involved with horticulture, education and regeneration of the environment. They maintain gardens, planters and baskets around the town and monitor wild areas, for the benefit of the whole community and visitors.

Working as a team they aim to make a positive difference to the surroundings and constantly aim to enhance, maintain and protect the beautiful location of Thornbury.

They have won many prizes over the years, and this year were a 'Britain in Bloom' 2025 finalist.

They are a very friendly and fun group, always looking for new members!

Email: thornburyinbloom91@gmail.com
Call: 07876 215647

Thornbury Litterbusters are a group of volunteers who pick up litter in Thornbury. They normally meet on the first Saturday of the month at 9.30am in the Swan pub on the High Street and have a coffee and then go out to pick up litter either in small groups or individually.

Individuals also go out at other times and pick up litter. They also meet as a group after community events such as the Fireworks display and the Carnival at the Mundy playing fields to collect litter.

Litter pickers, hoops and high vis vests are provided and bags are supplied by South Gloucestershire Council.

If you are interested in joining please email Sue and Jane at thornburylitterbusters@gmail.com

Thornbury parkrun hold a 5k event every Saturday at the Mundy Playing Fields for participants to run, jog, walk or volunteer.

It starts at 9.00am from the pavilion with a brief for first timers at 8.50am. And it's free!

Their website is https://www.parkrun.org.uk/thornbury/

It's not a race but an event, where all are welcome, and they are part of the national and international organisation which is parkrun.

Thornbury Running Club are a friendly local club catering for runners of all abilities - beginners, improvers & competitors and they meet twice a week:

Thursday – main club night is Thursday. Meet at 7:00pm at Thornbury Leisure Centre and go for a steady run in various groups ranging from 7 min/mile to 12+ min/mile.

Tuesday –  On Tuesday evening they have a coached efforts session open to ALL Club members. The time and location varies throughout the year.

If anyone would like to come along they are very welcome and it's suggested that you fill out a first time attendance form on the website.

Website: https://www.thornburyrunningclub.co.uk/

Email: membership@thornburyrunningclub.co.uk

Thornblowers Windband
Thornblowers is an adult intermediate-level windband in Thornbury, welcoming anyone who has played a brass or woodwind instrument before or is inspired to take it up again. The group offers a friendly, community-focused environment where members can share music, enjoy friendship, and develop a warm sense of belonging.

Meeting Details:

When: Every Wednesday, 7:00–9:00 pm

Where: United Reformed Church, Chapel Street, Thornbury, BS35 2BA

Contact: Heather Platt – 01454 414711 | platt_8@hotmail.com