Bristol in Pictures: Emerging from the gloom

Four young women in wetsuits and protective hats stand smiling at the camera with their surfboards at The Wave in Bristol. Other surfers can be seen in the water in the backgroundThe Wave

The first of the 'Sister Sessions' - women-only surfing time at The Wave - took place this week

Steve Mellen
BBC News, Bristol

The skies are now light after 5pm and at the end of next weekend we will be in March. Is it too soon to start dreaming of spring?

Winter may well have a few more weeks to throw at us but there have been plenty of reasons to be cheerful in the city this week thanks to awards, comedians, a chance to try surfing and a special four-legged friend - as you will find in our weekly image round-up.

Bristol City players celebrate a goal against Middlesbrough while in the background hundreds of fans celebrate in the standsPA Media

Play-off charge: Bristol City hauled themselves into the top six in the Championship thanks to two goals from George Earthy against Middlesbrough at Ashton Gate on Friday night.

A man and a woman sit smiling at the camera in front of a large tree trunk. Between them, and being held by one hand from each of them, is a small black and white terrier-style dogHft

Special care: Rodney the Jack Russell has become adopted by staff at a supported living service run by Hft in Montpelier, checking on the 14 disabled adults who live there and patrolling the corridors. "Rodney loves it," said his owner Bex. "Each morning he's by the front door excited about starting his day."

Bristol City Women's FC player Mari Ward stretches out her arms so she can take a selfie with two young female fans at Ashton Gate after the game with Southampton.Getty Images

Selfie time: Bristol City player Mari Ward takes time to greet young fans after the match with Southampton at Ashton Gate on Sunday.

A large group of young people pose for the camera at an Avon Wildlife Trust site in Begbrook in Bristol. Many of them are wearing hoodies and some are shielding their eyes as it is a sunny day. They are standing in a meadow with long grass and a hedgerow behind themConnor Meadows

Bright future: Avon Wildlife Trust's 'Grow Wilder' site will host an open day on Saturday 1 March as preparations are under way to bring the five-acre brownfield site on Frenchay Park Road back into life for nature and the community.

Three people, two men and a woman, stand outside a bookshop on Gloucester Road in Bristol. The woman, who is younger and has long brown hair, is standing in the middleGloucester Road Books

Read all about it: Gloucester Road Books (above) and Bookhaus, which can be found at Wapping Wharf, have been shortlisted in the South West section of the British Book Awards 2025 Independent Bookshop of the Year. Indie bookshops are "beacons of hope" say the award organisers.

A packed-out Bristol Beacon main hall is seen full of audience members watching the gala evening at the Slapstick Festival. The auditorium is largely in darkness with a projector beam coming from high up at the back.David Betteridge

Crowded house: The gala evening at the 2025 Slapstick Festival at Bristol Beacon proved popular with the venue packed out for the event.

A colourful figurine of Mary holding the baby Jesus stands next to a row of candles which have all been lit inside All Saints Church in Clifton.

Reflection: All Saints Church in Clifton has the slogan "Open to all, all day, every day" and many people take advantage of that to spend sometime inside its colourful exterior, some lighting candles.

A group of smartly-dressed people stand outside the Coronation Centre in Cadbury Heath, a building with neat light-coloured brickwork on its exteriorSouth Gloucestershire Council

New name: Once known as The Batch, the newly-named Coronation Centre in Cadbury Heath has been officially relaunched after a refurbishment. It will be run by a community interest company made up of local residents, led by chairman Dennis Stinchcombe MBE.

West of England Mayor Dan Norris, wearing a dark grey suit with blue shirt and dark blue tie, stands at the back of a group of people. The rest of the group are staff members at the Cadbury Heath Pharmacy and Health Clinic and are wearing branded black fleeces. They are a mixture of men and womenDan Norris

Community hub: West of England Mayor Dan Norris dropped in at the Cadbury Heath Pharmacy and Health Clinic this week to see why it was crowned independent pharmacy of the year and owner Simon Harris named independent pharmacist of the year.

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