Celebrating 10 Years of Yate Outdoor Sports Complex

Celebrating 10 Years of Yate Outdoor Sports Complex: A Decade of Growth, Community & Sporting Excellence!

Ten years ago, Yate Outdoor Sports Complex (YOSC) took a bold step. A volunteer-driven charity stepped in to take over a site that was losing over £300,000 a year, struggling with facilities, and far from reaching its full potential.

A decade later, the transformation has been nothing short of extraordinary.

Today, YOSC stands proudly as one of the premier community sports facilities in South Gloucestershire—a thriving hub used by thousands every month, home to clubs like Yate & District Athletics Club, Yate Hockey, Yate Rugby, and so many more. What once was a struggling venue is now a vibrant engine of community sport, participation, and local pride.

This is the story of what can happen when a community comes together.

A Decade of Hard Work, Heart & Investment

Over the past 10 years, our small but dedicated charity has rolled up its sleeves (literally!) to turn the complex into the high-quality home our community deserves. Here are just some of the highlights:

🏟️ Transforming Our Facilities

• Replaced outdated snack bars and drinks dispensers with a fully fitted bar, complete with drinks on tap and modern chillers.

• New kitchen equipment and a commercial dishwasher.

• Extended the kitchen store and redesigned major sections of the site for better flow and accessibility.

• Removed the old garages, containers, and the infamous “hill”, replacing them with a purpose-built storage shed and a brand-new shooting gallery.

• Installed new gates from the service road to the clubhouse pitch.

• Added televisions in the clubhouse to enhance match days and events.

🚿 Upgrades from the Ground Up

• Restored and rebuilt showers and drainage systems that had been unusable for years.

• Cleared years of overgrowth, mud, and damage from pitches, roads, and green areas.

• Improved pitch quality across the site, supporting higher-quality training and competition for all sports.

🌳 Building a Better Environment

• Planted trees across the complex, creating a more welcoming, sustainable, and attractive space.

• Designed and built a cross-country running course used by athletes of all ages.

🚗 Reinvesting in Infrastructure

• Completely re-tarmacked the car park for safer access and more reliable use year-round.

• Installed new seating in the viewing area to improve the spectator experience.

New Sports, New Experiences, New Opportunities

Ten years ago, only three clubs regularly used the complex: Yate Football, Yate Hockey, and Yate Athletics. Today, YOSC is a true multi-sport hub.

We have proudly introduced:

• Rugby

• Target Sprint

• Drone Racing

• Martial Arts

• And more community partners every year

We’ve hosted fireworks events, RFU and FA education courses, Relay for Life, fire brigade training, and a huge range of community sessions—making the complex a place for everyone, not just athletes.

Raising the Quality of Sport for Everyone

Our goal has always been simple:

to raise the standard of sport in Yate and provide opportunities for every age, every ability, and every ambition.

And today:

• The pitches are in the best condition they’ve ever been.

• The sports provision is stronger, more diverse, and more accessible.

• The athletes and teams who train here are benefitting from higher-quality facilities and coaching environments.

This decade has proven what a community sports hub can be when passion meets perseverance.

Looking Forward: The Next 10 Years

We’re not slowing down.

The next decade will focus on:

• Further facility improvements

• Developing more sports partnerships

• Supporting youth and grassroots participation

• Continuing to make YOSC a safe, inclusive, sustainable hub for the whole community

Together, we’ll build on everything we’ve achieved—and aim even higher.

Thank You

To everyone who has volunteered, swept a floor, laid a line, planted a tree, coached a team, pulled a pint, picked up litter, or simply supported our mission:

A big thank you to Yate Town Council, our partner in developing the site.

They have provided lots of investment:

• Fully refurbished Athletics Track

• New carpet for the all weather pitch

• The building of the - Multi Activity Building

• Several updates to site security

• Re-surfacing of the car park

• New LED flood lights for the athletics arena and the all weather pitch

• Plus many more behind the scenes additions

Thank you.

YOSC is what it is because of you.

Here’s to the next ten years of community, sport, and success.

— Yate Outdoor Sports Complex (YOSC)