Students, Welcome to Bristol

Coming to Bristol as a student is more than just studying, partying, eating and sleeping. There is so much more this ancient city of commerce offers to her new in-dwellers  From the time of the earliest organized human societies, men and women have enjoyed telling stories, listening to music, painting and dancing. Bristol is the city for all of the above as Bristol is the largest centre of culture, employment and education in the south-west region. 

Bristol is a city full of fun decorated by its vibrant multi-cultural artistic hub in stokes croft. Bansky, the controversial local graffiti artist famed throughout the world for his street art is a cherished son of Bristol as well as the beloved wizard Harry Potter who was supposedly inspired after J.K Rowling met a young boy in Bristol (so it is claimed). 

Bristol boasts two major institutions of higher education, the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England. The city has two Football league clubs. Bristol City and Bristol Rovers as well as a number of non-league clubs. The city is also home to Bristol Rugby Union club and an excellent first class cricket side. 

Bristol has a rich spiritual heritage. During the 19th century many churches and chapels were built in Bristol. Isaac Newton, the famous and renowned scientist, famously noted on his discoveries in philosophy that 'If I have seen a little further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants'. As a Christian student coming to live in Bristol, you are standing on the shoulders of Giants such as John and Charles Wesley, William Tyndale, George Muller, and William Wilberforce. These men were remarkable in their time and displayed such great faith that history cannot but notice them and celebrate their works. As a follower of Christ, their victory is your victory; but we live in the present and just as they were entrusted to shine the light of Christ to their generation, you have been entrusted to do the same. 

It is with this view of standing on the shoulders of giants and willing to go further do I welcome you to Bristol. I welcome you with all the applause of heaven and the pleasure, which is all mine in meeting some of you. “Whatever your hands find to do (in Bristol), do it with all your might and to the glory of God.” 

K.Oni