PRIDE TODAY. COMMUNITY FOREVER. BISONS ALWAYS.

At Bristol Beer Factory, we know that beer is more than what’s in the glass. It’s about bringing people together. Over fresh cask pints poured in pubs, post-match cheers in clubhouses, cold cans cracked open by the harbour and conversations that turn strangers into mates. Community is brewed into everything we do. That’s why our partnership with the Bristol Bisons just works.

Because when it comes to the Bisons, EVERYONE IS WELCOME.

MORE THAN A RUGBY CLUB

The Bristol Bisons are the South West’s first inclusive rugby club. Founded 21 years ago, they create a safe, welcoming space for anyone who wants to play rugby - or simply find their people.

With around 90 active members across contact and touch rugby, a herd of supporters and close to 1,000 people having worn the shirt over the years, the club has become one of Bristol’s most important LGBTQIA+ community spaces.

But ask anyone involved what makes the Bisons special, and they won’t start with trophies. They’ll start with the culture. “The second you step out of your car, you’re met with nothing but love,” Dale Upward-Sheppard told us. “You don’t even have to play to be part of the herd. You can support, socialise, cheer from the sidelines - everyone is treated the same. We all celebrate each other’s wins and support the challenges.”

That feeling runs through every part of the club. New players are paired with buddies. Training sessions end with conversations about “superpowers” and “work-ons” instead of criticism. Every try is celebrated like a cup final. And when someone scores the whole team sprints over the try line together. Coaches. Players. Supporters. Everyone. Dale continues, “On and off the pitch, no one is left out. Everyone is celebrated. It just an incredible place to be.”

SERIOUS PLAY

Don’t mistake kindness for softness though - the Bisons can seriously play. Over the past few years, they’ve become one of the fastest-rising inclusive rugby clubs in Europe. Achievements already include:

• 2026 - UK IGR Tier One Plate Winners
• 2026 - Pride In Touch Plaque Winners
• 2025 - UK IGR Challenger Shield Winners and top 8 finish in Europe at the Union Cup in Oslo.
• 2024 - UK IGR Championship Plate Winners and topped the IGR South-West League.
• 2024 - Bingham Cup (World) - finished 3rd in both the Hoagland Cup and Gladiator Cup, ranking 17th out of 72 teams globally.
• 2023 - IGR UK Development League Grand Final Winners - champions of the South-West League and overall UK Development League Champions.
• 2023 - Unicorn Unity Cup Winners - won the cup for the 2023 season.
• 2023 - Union Cup (European) - 3rd Place in the Beorma Cup.

Not bad for a club built on positivity and hugs. A huge part of that rise has come under the leadership of former England and Bristol prop Sasha Acheson, who joined as Head Coach in 2021 and helped transform the squad from simply competing to genuinely believing they belong among Europe’s elite.

Next up is Australia for the Bingham World Cup, after that, they are set on winning the European Union Cup tournament, and then the World Cup. Let’s go!

WHY INCLUSIVITY IN SPORT MATTERS

For many LGBTQIA+ people, sport hasn’t always felt welcoming. Too many stereotypes. Too much discrimination and prejudice. Too many moments where people felt they had to shrink themselves to fit in. The Bisons are changing that narrative.

“Being 100% yourself isn’t important, it’s vital,” Dale told us. “Going to your first session may feel scary, but if you put yourself out there, you're going to find a group of people that you never thought you needed. A community that one day you wont be able to imagine yourself without.”

And that’s the thing about inclusive sport. It isn’t just about rugby. It’s about belonging. It’s about discovering that the thing you thought excluded you might actually become the thing that saves you.

PRIDE IS A PROTEST. AND A PARTY.

Bristol Pride is one of the largest Pride events in the UK and over 47,000 people will be attending events this summer as the city comes alive with Pride from 27 June to 12 July, with the massive Pride Day Festival taking place on Saturday 11 July on The Downs. We are partnering with Bristol Pride, offering event sponsorship and pouring at all bars on Pride Festival Day as part of our Summer to Remember campaign.

Vibes include colour, music, dancing, drag, beer and celebration. But Pride has always been more than a party. “Pride appears like it’s a celebration,” Dale says, “but it’s more than that. It’s about scared teenagers who don’t believe they fit in this world seeing themselves in others, thriving. It’s about celebrating everyone in their differences. It’s about community.”

Pride creates visibility. Pride creates safety. Pride creates connection. And in a world that can still feel hostile for LGBTQIA+ people, spaces like Pride and communities like the Bisons, genuinely change lives. That’s why we’re proud to support Bristol Pride in July, and sponsor the Bisons year round, creating a summer full of visibility, joy and solidarity across the city.

WHY WE SPONSOR THE BISONS

Since 2023, Bristol Beer Factory, and our pals at Yakima Chief Hops, have donated more than £15,000 in kit, training gear, and keeping the beer flowing on open days and throughout the season. Why? Because the Bisons don’t just wear our logo on a shirt. They live the same values we try to pour into every pint:

Positivity.
Inclusivity.
Creativity.
Belonging.
Bristol.

We know that community doesn’t happen accidentally. You build it. You show up for it. You make space for people. You celebrate each other loudly. That’s what the Bisons do. That’s what Pride does. And that’s exactly what BREWED TO GIVE is all about.

PRIDE TODAY. COMMUNITY FOREVER.

“Everyone is 100% welcome at Pride…” Dale tells us why everyone should turn out for Pride, “Whether that's walking in the march, bringing solidarity to the streets or celebrating at the festival - you will have the best day and discover that you've got more in common with others than you think.”

We will be pouring at every bar at PRIDE on 11th July. Go BBF and together, we will back our community.

BISONS FOREVER.

Want to join the herd? Check out the Bristol Bisons RFC socials and get involved.