About Bemi
BEMI Volleyball Club is diverse, welcoming and suited to all abilities. Founded in 1968, our driving mission is to make volleyball accessible, fun for all and foster confidence. Over the decades, we have grown into a club about 100 members strong, have 12 teams and compete at national, regional and local level.
Come see for yourself and join us for a taster session. Please read on for information on how to join us, membership fees and training locations & times.
History of our club
The founder of BEMI Volleyball Club was Bob Smith, who loved playing volleyball socially, but wanted to formalise into a club. One day in 1967 he took part in a friendly game at Bedminster Down School against Hartcliffe School. All the boys playing knew each other, agreed to form a joint volleyball team and the club was born! They played their first game in 1968.
The club grew from strength to strength. In the mid to late 70s the club was the training camp base for the England team, led by Keith Nicholls, who was England coach at the time. The club became a member of the Bristol District Volleyball association, then the South West Volleyball Association and later in 1975 when Volleyball England formed the National League, BEMI was one of the founding members.
So the club has been around for 50 years, and has gone through many iterations in that time, from having only 8 members in 2005 to having around 100 today. BEMI’s success is down to very committed individuals helping run the club over the years. It says something that two of our coaches, Alan and Tim, have been with the club since the 70s and 90s respectively, with Alan joining at age 18 and Tim at age 21.
Where did our name and logo come from?
In 1975 the club was invited to take part in an European tournament. They had strict entry rules and team names were only permitted to be 4 letters long. The group came up with BEMI, which is local slang for Bedminster, and the name has stuck ever since, even though the club no longer plays solely out of Bedminster and operates across several venues in Bristol.
The original logo was hand drawn by BEMI’s founder Bob Smith, and was inspired by Kermit the frog! Back in the 70s, before coming to training sessions, the founders used to watch The Muppets tv show.
Who is in Bemi?

Tim C.
Chair
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I started playing volleyball during holidays in France as a kid, and continued to play back home in the UK all through my teens. I joined BEMI at 21 and am still here 30 years later! In that time the club has grown significantly, I met Christy, my wife, and have taken on various committee roles. As Chair I am responsible for steering the direction of the club. We pride ourselves on being a social, high level and casual club all in one, whilst bringing people together, providing a safety net, and fostering confidence which allows people to grow and flourish.

Gary B.
Coach & Vice Chair
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I started my volleyball journey way back in 1978, and was lucky enough to be chosen to play for Speedwell in the mid 80s and for England. Since then I have coached at all levels from Junior to super 8s. After a chance conversation with Tim in 2023, I took over a couple of the BEMI ladies sessions and ultimately coached the ladies last season. It has been a joy to train the women’s team and be involved with BEMI VC. As newly elected Vice Chair I, along with other committee members, assist Tim to ensure the smooth running of the club.

Giada M.
Treasurer
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I started playing volleyball in secondary school in Italy, where I’m from. After a break of 16 years, I joined BEMI VC in 2019, enticed by the fun mixed sessions and the high quality women’s training. As I’ve worked in Finance for the last 10 years, my skills lend themselves well to the role of Treasurer and I’ve been in the role from 2023. I look after our accounts and ensure we stick to the budget.

Christy C.
Admin, Safeguarding
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I came along to BEMI for a taster session when I was 20, and absolutely loved it. I met Tim, and what can I say, it was love over a volleyball net! My role within the club is to ‘meet and greet’ new joiners, ensuring they feel welcome. As a safeguarding officer my role is to be a confidential reference point for people that are struggling, as well as recognising and identifying people that may be vulnerable and require help, especially juniors. Our club ethos is to ensure people don’t feel isolated, and to give a safe and secure environment for everyone to play in.

Joelle “Jo” L.
Secretary
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I’m originally from Switzerland, and I’ve been passionate about volleyball since I was 10 years old. I joined BEMI in 2018 and was immediately drawn to the friendly, supportive, and fun atmosphere both on and off the court! As the Club Secretary, I help make sure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes; from managing our Spond App to helping teams with registrations, fixtures, and ensuring we’re all organised and ready for the season. I love being part of such a great community!

Giulia C.
Social Media Sheriff
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I’m from Milano, Italy, and have been playing volleyball since I was a little girl. I joined university teams both in Italy and in Denmark, and I’ve been playing with BEMI in the NVL1 team since 2021. From my first training, I felt at home! The club is full of amazing and supportive people, and I’ve been lucky to have met many friends here. I’m the Social Media Manager and love to highlight videos and pictures of our great teams, and most importantly show how much fun it is to be part of Bemi! I’m also the point of contact for inquiries through our social media platforms

Ania L.
Coach
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In 2012 a friend invited me to a mixed social session at the Bristol Volleyball Club, and within a few years I progressed to playing in NVL Division 2. I joined Bemi because I met incredible people, felt part of a family and loved the vibrant and inclusive atmosphere on court. My coaching journey began at BEMIs Spikers Club, where I assisted Tim with youth sessions. Since then, I have completed Level 1 and Level 2 coaching qualifications. I am passionate about helping others improve, giving encouragement, and the physical and mental benefits of the sport.

Alan D.
Coach
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In the 70s Bedminster Down Boy’s club formed BEMI, which as a keen 14 year old I instantly signed up to and occasionally joined the challenging 1st team. Later, work and family life got in the way of sport, but I fell back into it in 2005. Now I focus on coaching, gaining my level 1 qualification from Volleyball England in 2014. I enjoy giving back, and am proud to be associated with this thriving and historic club. I’m also an avid photographer and shoot BEMI match days as often as I can.

Irene “Gigi” C.
Coach
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I was born in Italy and started playing volleyball at the age of 11 — and I’ve never stopped since! In Italy, I played in Serie C and also coached junior teams. I moved to the UK in 2016 and, two years later, joined BEMI’s 1st team as captain. After taking some time off to have my baby daughter, I returned to BEMI and took on a dual role with the NVL 2nd team as both coach and on-court captain. My primary position is outside hitter, but I’ve also stepped in as libero, setter, and opposite whenever needed.

Ding
Coach
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I’ve been playing volleyball for more than a decade, beginning with indoor before transitioning to beach volleyball in 2017. I became a representative of Hong Kong’s youth beach volleyball team and competed internationally. I joined Exeter Uni’s premier league team in 22/23. At BEMI I am assistant coach of our ladies NVL2 squad. My diverse background in both indoor and beach volleyball, as well as international experience, give me a deep understanding of the game.

Egon E.
Coach
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I’m Russian and Hungarian, and grew up in London. I’ve played volleyball competitively for 8 years, starting in Sweden, while I was working abroad. In 2019, I moved to Bristol and joined BEMI. I’ve played nearly every position and in multiple leagues, giving me a great insight into the game. Volleyball is about building connections and enjoying sport with others. I coach the social mixed sessions. I run fundamental drills as warm-up, before launching into plenty of game time. I sometimes step in as Captain at mixed games, helping develop the team in competitive settings.
Training Schedule
Group | League | Team | Training times | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|
Women | National Volleyball League (NVL) | Team 1 (division 1) | Tuesday 19:15- 21:45 | Brislington BS4, Court 1 |
National Volleyball League (NVL) | Team 2 (division 3) | Tuesday 19:15- 21:45 | Brislington BS4, Court 2 | |
Bristol District Volleyball Associated (BDVA) | Team 1 (division 1) | Wednesday 19:15- 21:45 | Brislington BS4, Court 1 | |
Bristol District Volleyball Associated (BDVA) | Team 2 (division 2) | Wednesday 19:15- 21:45 | Brislington BS4, Court 2 | |
Wiltshire Volleyball Association (WVA) | Team 1 (women & girls) | Wednesday 19:15- 21:45 | Brislington BS4, Court 2 | |
Men | National Volleyball League (NVL) | Team 1 (division 3) | Wednesday 19:15-21:45 | Speedwell BS5, Court 1 |
South West Volleyball Association (SWVA) | Team 1 | Wednesday 19:15-21:45 | Speedwell BS15, Court 2 | |
Bristol District Volleyball Associated (BDVA) | Team 1 (division 1) | Wednesday 19:15-21:45 | Speedwell BS15, Court 2 | |
Bristol District Volleyball Associated (BDVA) | Team 2 (division 1) | Sunday 19:15-21:45 | Brislington BS4, Court1 | |
Gloucester Volleyball Association (GVA) | Team 1 | Wednesday 19:15-21:45 | Speedwell BS15, Court 1 | |
Mixed | Bristol District Volleyball Associated (BDVA) | Team 1 (division 1) | Monday 19:15-21:45 Thursday: specialist technical sessions | Speedwell BS15, Court 1 |
Bristol District Volleyball Associated (BDVA) | Team 2 (division 2) | Monday 19:15-21:45 | Speedwell BS15, Court 2 | |
Adult Beginners/Development | Friday 20:00-22:00 | Brislington BS4, Court 1 | ||
Juniors | Junior Volleyball Tournament (Juvoto) Spikers- under 17s girls | Team 1 | Wednesday 18:00-19:15 | Brislington BS4, Court 1 |
Junior Volleyball Tournament (Juvoto) Spikers- under 18s boys | Team 1 | Sunday 19:00-21:00 | Brislington BS4, Court 1 | |
Spikers- 13-17 juniors | Team 1 | Sunday 13:00-17:00 | Brislington BS4, Court 1 |