GLOUCESTERSHIRE GATEWAY TRUST - Blog

"Return to the Hill"

19/4/2021

By Jenny Griffiths

Return to the Hill Project Officer

Robinswood Hill has long been a haven for both wildlife and local communities in Gloucester. Spring 2021 marks the launch of our two year National Lottery Heritage Funded project ‘Return to the Hill’.

Because nature is for everyone

‘Return to the Hill’ is a partnership with Gloucestershire Gateway Trust and Gloucester City Council to meet three large aims:

Memories - Collecting stories and memories of Robinswood Hill from local people for a permanent exhibition in our new building, celebrating why it is so special to the community.
Accessibility – Assessing and maintaining pushchair and wheelchair friendly paths on the hill so that everyone can enjoy nature. From when our Welcome Centre re-opens in May*, we will have an all-terrain Tramper mobility scooter for hire for those who can’t walk so far.
Diversity – We are planning a programme of cultural heritage events to ensure all our different communities locally feel Robinswood Hill is a place they can enjoy. We also hope to recruit some volunteers to help us learn how to broaden our reach for underserved communities.

Find out more by watching our exciting new launch video:

Lots of people don’t realise how close this nature reserve is to their doorstep. It is walking distance from Matson, White City, Tuffley, Podsmead and Robinswood. The number 9 bus comes from the city centre along Tredworth road and stops 5 mins away at St Barnabus Church. We have public toilets open all day, and so many different paths and entrances even the staff haven’t been on them all!

We have a playground area for children, the Quarry that has goats keeping it tidy, and ponds full of wildlife. It’s a great place to exercise, have a picnic, build a den, or hunt for minibeasts and fungi in the woods. If you’re feeling energetic you can climb to the top for 360-degree views from the Beacon across to the Severn Bridge in the South, the Malvern Hills to the North and the Black Mountains to the West.

We will soon be opening our new indoor café space complete with Halal, vegan and gluten-free options*. The café hatch has already opened with customers enjoying coffees, ice creams and snacks safely outdoors. Come and see us!

*subject to Government guidelines

Stay up to date with what's happening by visiting the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust events page: https://www.gloucestershirewildlifetrust.co.uk/events or join the ‘Return to the Hill’ Facebook Group: www.facebook.com/groups/246823233688644/

Hope for a summer of play

15/3/2021

Pip Levett

Director of Play, Play Gloucestershire

"It’s almost 12 months since our Play Team have been able to deliver free, open access community-based outdoor play across the county. Having to tell children that we were no longer allowed to meet them in their local park each week was, looking back, one of the hardest things that Play Gloucestershire has ever had to do. As the global pandemic spread its horrors, we had no idea when we would be able to meet again.

Although we still have not resumed community play and re-connected with these children we do, at least, now have a positive 'road map' to hope.

Unsurprisingly, growing evidence is showing that children and young people have been badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The reasons are many and varied, including separation or loss in their own families, economic hardship, interrupted education, few social interactions, more time spent online (with its associated risks) and reduced support from trusted adults (including our Play Rangers) in their lives.

Play Gloucestershire, though, have found new and creative ways to support children over the last 12 months, including packing and delivering 2,500 Bags of Play at the pandemic’s height and therapeutic Play Nurture support for children in need. Our charity has managed to plot a course through these dark days and we are in a solid position to resume our vital work – making sure that play is an essential part of a happy and healthy childhood.

As children return to education - and parents stop being emergency teachers who can once again focus on their own work - there is much talk about an emerging mental health crisis. Sadly, this is undoubtedly the case. However, as a strengths-based charity, we want to concentrate on the many positive ways that we can collaborate with young people to help them emerge and re-connect with their wider world through play.

What children need most this summer, even more than educational catch up, is the freedom to get outdoors, meet their peers, talk about their experiences, recover, build resilience and PLAY. The moment we get the green light, we will be more than ready to be part of a much needed community-based recovery through play."

A time to shine

9/3/2021

By Clare Skivington

Community Support Manager, Gloucestershire Gateway Trust

"One of Gloucestershire Gateway Trust’s strengths is our amazing community partners who work in creative and inspirational ways to support their local neighbourhoods, connecting people up and giving areas a unique sense of community identity.

The work they do is bottom up, listening to what people want and coming up with solutions to support households. When I first started in my role, I was struck by their boundless energy and thinking outside the box to make things happen to support people. From children’s activities, exercise classes, art courses, inspiring woodworking sheds, events on Robinswood Hill to more practical help such as job clubs, financial advice and wellbeing, nothing ever phases them.

Many of them are not well known outside their own areas but deserve to be recognised and be a shining beacon for everyone to be proud of. With our unique partnership with Westmorland, there was an opportunity to bring them to the forefront of people’s minds, through our dedicated colleagues, our customers, our suppliers and of course through other community organisations. It was because of this that 'Time to Shine' was created.

GL Communities brought a shark into Gloucester Services to talk to customer and colleagues about the dangers of loansharks, and let people know about their free money advice service

Before the pandemic, it gave our customers and colleagues from Gloucester Services a chance to meet the people behind our Community Partners, and an opportunity to get hands on and try some of the fantastic things they do, from making wildflower seed bombs with Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and helping with the beehives on site to making robots from scrap materials and playing table tennis and hopscotch with Play Gloucestershire, through to planting herbs and crafting. GL Communities even brought a shark with them to talk to colleagues and customers about loansharks and their free money advice service.

Nicky from Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust making wild seed bombs with Gloucester Services colleagues in 2019

Play Gloucestershire brought so much fun to customers and colleagues at Gloucester Services including making scrap animals and robots, table tennis competitions, craft packs and hopscotch in 2019

“Being able to meet and talk to colleagues and customers at Gloucester Services made it so much easier for people to understand what APT in Stonehouse is all about and what we provide for our community” Jacky, All Pulling Together

Gloucester Services colleagues tried their hand at making window boxes with Jon who runs the woodwork shop at Fair Shares Community Time Banks

A finished window box created by a Gloucester Services colleague with the help of Fair Shares Community Time Banks

This year our community partner’s have worked so hard in supporting their own communities with food, recipe bags and craft bags as well as support with wellbeing. Our colleagues have been a big part of this too, giving their time to volunteer and put packs and materials together from their own homes. Bringing together people’s strengths is what strong communities are all about.

We need to celebrate our community partners more than ever. Their resilience, determination and strength are a credit to them all. This year, 'Time to Shine' will have to be done a little differently, but we hope just as fun and worthwhile. Each month from March this year we hope to feature a different GGT Partner, we hope you will read their stories and get to know them and maybe feel inspired to get involved."

You can also find out more about our community partners by visiting their dedicated pages on our website.

Creating future communities

8/2/2021

By Mark Gale

Chief Executive, Gloucestershire Gateway Trust

"Normally at this time of year we are briefing everybody we can on the results from our annual Community Survey about life in the neighbourhoods we work most closely with - Matson, Robinswood, White City, Podsmead, Tuffley and Stonehouse. For the last three years (2017, 2018 and 2019) we have recruited and employed a team of eight local residents each summer, who talk to other residents about their priorities and aspirations for their neighbourhoods. We do this to make sure residents voices are heard, as well as guiding the work of our trust and informing the activities of other community and public sector partners.

Our 2019 Community Survey Team

Last summer we couldn’t do this because of the pandemic, so instead we trialled taking part of the process online, running Future Creating Workshops remotely using a programme called Padlet. We wanted to find out if we could make this work online and also what communities were feeling in the summer of 2020.

The good news is that the Future Creating Workshops did work online. We have learnt some tips and tricks from the process but most importantly we know it works and that we could run it again this way. We also realised that the best way to improve future results from doing our workshops online is that we must improve our digital connection with residents.

This brings us to the report we have just published from the workshops - Our Communities: Bridging the gaps by working together. The report highlights the many challenges facing our communities (and many others) in summer of 2020 including employment, mental health and education.

Uncertainty is almost always worrying for people and rarely has life been so uncertain. However the question that seemed to run like a thread through the workshops was 'Are we all in it together?'. In one sense we are all in it together as any of us could catch Coronavirus and it does impact on all sections of society.

Our latest report is available to download or you can contact us to request a copy

However from another perspective it is evidentially true that the virus has had a worse impact on some groups compared to others - for example Black and Minority Ethnic communities, neighbourhoods with lower than average incomes and higher unemployment and people living in residential care.

One of the visions for the future coming from the workshops was that ‘good, reliable and fast internet is available in every home and community’. The report highlights that the likelihood of having access to the internet increases along with income with only 51% of households earning £6,000 - £10,0000 having home internet access compared with 99% of households with an income of over £40,001.

This digital divide creates structural disadvantage with some households having no internet access and others trying to access lessons for several children on a single pay as you go phone – an impossible task financially and practically. For adults they have less access to on line learning and as most micro businesses start from home the digital divide stifles enterprise.

Our analysis of economic life in the neighbourhoods we are focused on clearly demonstrates that following the banking crash of 2008/9 they were much more adversely impacted for the following 10 years than the rest of Gloucestershire and comparable neighbourhoods across England. We must not let our neighbourhoods be abandoned economically again for the next 10 years.

But our local economy was not the only concern of the workshops. Good mental health and well being were also a major issue. The legacy of ‘Social distancing’, shielding, discouraging social interaction as a methods of disease control are already leading to mental ill health and declining well being for many households. Again we know our communities suffered dramatic declines in health over the last 10 years after the banking crash in 2008/9 so the pandemic its layering its impact on top of the impact of the last decade’s less than effective investments in local health by statutory bodies.

However what the workshops also told us is that it is not all about medical models (although better health services are important) – it’s about reconnecting with Robinswood Hill and other local green spaces, tapping into the amazing array of community organisations and their activities, supporting residents and groups to carry on caring for neighbours which so many have been doing so well throughout the pandemic. Workshop participants knew we all needed to work together to keep building the sense of neighbourliness which has been one of our strengths locally.

Robinswood Hill is a fantastic green space at the centre of the communities we work alongside

The workshop outcomes will guide our future investments in our neighbourhoods. We will continue to work together with all our partners and encourage residents to lead the change they want. Alongside this in the coming decade we want to help our colleagues in the public sector locally and nationally make a better job of investing in our neighbourhoods than they did in the previous one."

You can download this year's report, as well as all previous reports from our Publications section.

The little bit of cheese that goes a long way

30/11/2020

Author

Jacky Edwards, APT CIC Chair

"Living in Stonehouse we are very lucky to have a supportive community who seem to come together in times of need. During the recent pandemic and lockdown periods people have stepped up to help in all sorts of ways, from collecting people's shopping to donating toiletries which are given out with the All Pulling Together food supplies.

When the main kitchens closed at the M5 Gloucester Services in line with lockdown we were lucky enough to receive eggs, fruit and vegetables from them. These were all used in cooking individual meals which are then frozen and given out on a Monday at APT with the ambient food supplies, mainly tinned and dried food, so they made a great addition.

GGT community partners collect some of the fresh food that was donated when the Gloucester Services Kitchens were closed for lockdown

One of the local farms that supplies Gloucester Services with cheese is Godsell's at Church Farm in Leonard Stanley. Clare from GGT recently set up a visit to the farm for us to meet the team at Godsell’s Cheese and I was lucky enough to be part of that visit. This contact has now started a strong connection with APT and we are very happy to have a donation of cheese each week - a very generous 1kg - from Liz Godsell which is used in cooking weekly meals for the community. It makes such a big difference to the food we are able to provide, as much of the other food we receive is the tinned or dried variety like pasta.

Jacky with Liz Godsell

Some of the donated cheese ready to be used on meals cooked, frozen and delivered or given out to local people

The meals we cook each week amount to approximately 80, and an average number of families that we make up food bags for on a Monday is 32 adults and 27 children, including boxes that we deliver to people that are shielding or can't get to us. But we had our busiest Monday ever on 30th November, when we helped to feed 58 adults and 43 children.

Demand is rising because we are getting near to Christmas and families do not have the money to cover bills and all the food they need. The numbers above are the highest we have ever done. The people we are feeding range from single elderly people to young families, single Mums, right across the range of ages. We are seeing more families with the main earner having reduced hours or made redundant. This wasn’t something we saw before the pandemic or at least very rarely.

Along with the very generous cheese donation, Liz at Godsells has now offered us bottled milk as well which is amazing. We can also use that in the cooking and give some to people that we know are really struggling.

All Pulling Together (APT) has been established in Stonehouse for nearly 10 years but we still have people in the community that don’t know we exist. We were originally set up to support the people living on the Park Estate in Stonehouse but now we cover the whole of the GL10 area and beyond.

Although times have been difficult throughout the lockdowns, there is so much going on in the background to support our communities and our volunteers have been amazing doing everything they can to help. Thank you to everyone to their help and support."

Supporting people facing unemployment in Gloucestershire

16/11/2020

Author

Jason Dunsford, Head of Employment and Skills, Gloucestershire Gateway Trust

Unemployment figures in the news recently do not make happy reading. There are various ways to measure the number of people out of work but by whichever metric you choose, it is increasing. In March this year there were 7,890 people registered as unemployed in Gloucestershire. In October this number had more than doubled to 17,890, curiously an increase of exactly 10,000 people[1]. There are many more people furloughed, underemployed, ineligible for benefits, or facing redundancy not yet counted in the stats.

What this means is that it is likely that a family member, a friend, or someone from your neighbourhood is facing unemployment. At Gloucestershire Gateway Trust we are calling on everyone to #supporteachother during these challenging months ahead. One of the ways you can do that is to share information about the range of support on offer to those unemployed or facing redundancy.

[1] https://inform.gloucestershire.gov.uk/economy/unemployment/

Gloucestershire Gateway Trust is proud to work alongside Gloucestershire County Council and nearly 50 community partners to deliver the Going the Extra Mile (GEM) Project across the county. GEM has been providing individual tailored support to #supportlocalpeople overcome barriers to employment and get into or closer to work for over four years. Prior to lockdown, we had supported someone into work every three days.

GEM is open to any adult who is unemployed, or someone aged 16 or 17 who is not accessing any education or training. Anyone interested in learning more can contact us via our website, Facebook or Twitter pages.

If you’re not quite ready to sign up formally to GEM, then why not take a look at our #GEMonline timetable. We have opened this up to all of the community so you are welcome to register on any session that would interest you, from tips on how to job search efficiently through to advice from a recruitment expert on acing your next interview.

There is other support out there including: careers advice from the National Careers Service and training opportunities from Adult Education in Gloucestershire. Not to mention the imminent arrival of Kickstart vacancies, some with our community partners, which will provide paid jobs to young unemployed people, already disproportionately affected by this recession. The list is too long for this blog but luckily GFirst LEP have recently launched the Gloucestershire Skills Portal which is a fantastic resource to bookmark or add to your favourites.

Please also check out the GEM Christmas Craft Fair which will also be live on Facebook. This will showcase some of our GEM participants’ products as they move forward on their journey to self-employment. We’re supporting GFirst LEP’s Think Gloucestershire campaign and encourage everyone to #supportlocalbusiness. So please avoid buying Christmas gifts on any websites named after a rainforest and come and see what our creative and aspirational GEMs have to offer!

The community response during 2020 has been incredible. Now let’s keep it going and ensure everyone who needs a helping hand to find employment learns about the support that is available.

Keeping play going during a pandemic

2/11/2020

Author

Charlie Marsh, Play Ranger for Play Gloucestershire

The impact of COVID-19 on our charity - Play Gloucestershire - began with the cessation of school and community sessions from March 17th 2020. We were forced to furlough 15 members of staff in order to survive. As one of the three un-furloughed staff members, work provided a structure for me during such an unprecedented time of change.

Initially we created ‘Virtual Play Rangers’, sharing online content detailing low-cost play activities and mental health boosts, but we wanted to do something practical, and being mindful of digital exclusion, our ‘Bags for Play’ campaign was born. Each bag was a mini version of the kit we would usually take to communities in our fleet of vans. Equipment that could lead to play at home, in the garden, on a balcony. With the help of external funders, long-term local council funders and generous donations via our ‘Bags of Play Appeal’, we packed and delivered 1,500 bags for vulnerable children and families across Gloucestershire.

Play Ranger Charlie with some of the many Bags of Play created by Play Gloucestershire

I felt incredibly lucky to be able to help with the Bags of Play Appeal, physically packing the bags provided a welcome distraction and knowing that I was doing something practical to help vulnerable children and families made me feel useful after the initial stage of working from home, regular Zoom meetings and adjusting to a 'new normal'.

I particularly enjoyed delivering bags to individual children living in the communities where we would usually be offering free, open access play sessions. Hearing about their experiences, which were varied but predominantly positive, with some relishing free time and being at home with family, others feeling frustrated and cooped up; gave me an insight into the social inequalities facing children during lockdown. Those living in less rural areas were often in flats sharing communal indoor and outdoor spaces, making it difficult to socially distance.

Children receiving their Bags of Play

In addition to this, I worried about children who were having a negative lockdown experience, the mental health implications for adults and children, and families who were struggling without the usual school or social support networks.

Concerns about the impact of lockdown on the most vulnerable children in Gloucestershire created an opportunity for us to collaborate with Gloucestershire County Council's Early Help and Prevention Team. They funded us to lead Play Nurture sessions for vulnerable children and those facing a disrupted transition from year 6 to year 7 due to the pandemic. Our Play Nurture work provides vulnerable children with the time and space to take part in child-led outdoor play and benefit from its restorative and healing qualities.

Following the success of these projects, we recently secured funding for our ‘Play 2 Recover’ project from the Coronavirus Community Support Fund, distributed by The National Lottery Community Fund and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. This core funding for the next six months of our recovery phase will enable us to continue supporting children and families in need through Play Nurture bubbles and ensure our survival as a charity, putting us in a strong position to resume our community-based work when restrictions are finally lifted.

Thanks to a generous donation from Active Gloucestershire good quality skipping ropes were also included in many Bags of Play

A helping hand

23/7/2020

Reyaz Limalia

Time Broker, Fair Shares Community Time Banks

My life took a drastic turn one sunny afternoon in 2004. That’s all I remember of the day actually - how hot and sunny it was. The rest of it had to be told to me as I was lying in a hospital bed with a broken back from a rock climbing accident. For the next couple of months I was pretty much useless and relied on other people to do everything for me. Dealing with that was harder than dealing with a broken back – I was supposed to be an independent person but circumstances now meant I was completely helpless.

As I gradually recovered I came away with two strong lessons for myself. Firstly, if was ever in the position where I could help someone, I would treat them with as much dignity as possible (exactly as I had been). Secondly, it’s really difficult to ask for help. Sometimes no matter how much it’s needed, people just won’t ask (exactly as I didn’t) - so we need a better way to make it available.

Reyaz is a Time Broker for GGT community partner Fair Shares

Fair Shares has always been about connecting people and finding ways for people to share their skills, interests and acts of kindness to make everyone’s life better. It’s about how we value people and the time they give. It’s different to traditional volunteering in that everyone is encouraged to give their time to help and everyone can also benefit from the help of others. We’ve tried to rethink those old acts of charity into a community endeavour to look after itself by supporting itself. I’ve seen how this has meant it’s easier for people to accept help because they know they are part of a community where their contribution is just as important and valued.

When COVID-19 hit we had no idea what we should do, but we were here and we would do something. We embedded ourselves at the Friendship Café community centre and we connected with and talked to as many people as possible – our participants, local residents, local action groups, other charities and the council community hub. Almost straight away a path presented itself. The community said what was needed and more importantly it said how it wanted to help.

In Barton and Tredworth (where we are based) the local covid group assigned a representative to every single street and we would leaflet all the houses and know who all the vulnerable people are. We didn’t wait for requests for help - we just went round and offered and reminded everyone that as a community we will support everyone and get through this together. We soon realised just how big a problem food was - access to food, access to shops and access to healthy meals. A food bank was set up and we were collecting food donations from supermarkets, local businesses and residents. We also started cooking and delivering hot meals Monday to Friday.

The Council Community Hub would refer people to us who needed things like prescriptions picked up, but my job was to then talk to them and find out how they really are. After talking to a gentleman who wanted a prescription picked up I soon found out that he hadn’t eaten properly for the past three days.

Fair Shares and The Friendship Cafe Lockdown Stats

4125 meals cooked and delivered
112 food parcels delivered
435 people supported
37 volunteers giving 1103 hours

Emma, also a Time Broker at Fair Shares, preparing hot meals during lockdown

One lady who was shielding and needed someone to do her shopping for her opened up to me that the reason her shopping list was so bare was that she just didn’t have the money for everything she really needed. Another gentleman told me he couldn’t have any perishable food because he didn’t have a fridge.

The more I heard the more I was shocked with how some people are really struggling and how much of it is just hidden away. None of these people, incidentally, asked me for help with those matters, but when our volunteers turned up with food they gratefully accepted. One of the first people we helped told me it was the first hot meal he’s had in three weeks. Countless times I heard someone say “I’ve never had to ask for help before…” I feel privileged that they accepted ours.

The real strength of the work is that our volunteers know all this intrinsically. They are sensitive, understanding and incredibly caring. Many have their own complicated backgrounds and can relate to others who are struggling. One of our volunteers told me how she is taking particular care with looking after a couple of families in a shelter because that’s the shelter she was once at with her daughter. Another one of our volunteers suffers from anxiety and depression but being able to cheer someone else up is giving her a sense of value. They are not just delivering food – they are spending time talking to those people who may not see anyone else all day. They are the ones who come back to me and say “I ended up talking to their neighbour and they could really do with some food too” I’m really proud that everyone is doing this work from a point of generosity – we have a lot to give. Let’s just share it. Let’s just get it out wherever it’s needed."

"What I’m most encouraged by is the number of people who after receiving some help have said to me “I didn’t know you existed… I would love to volunteer and give something back when all this is over”. That to me is the real legacy of the work and that is exactly what we need for our communities to thrive."

Support local businesses, support local people

8/7/2020

By Mark Gale

Chief Executive, Gloucestershire Gateway Trust

"It’s been great to see more of our colleagues at Gloucester Services getting back to work in the past week, after time in furlough for many. The Kitchens and Farmshops are now fully open and it’s been great to see the social media praise for the new measures in place to keep people safe.

Lockdown has been tough for most of us, and now more than ever we want to support our local people and their businesses.

Gloucester Services stocks the produce of over 130 local producers based within 30 miles of the site on the M5, and a further 70 within the region, many of whom are family businesses, small or businesses and even one-person-bands trying to make a living from their passion. Everything from Cinderhill Farm’s infamous sausage rolls (made in the Forest of Dean), to Beeswax Wraps (made in Nailsworth), to the delicious organic milk from Jess’s Ladies farm in Hardwicke, shows how much talent and fabulous produce is at our fingertips locally.

Some of the Gloucester Services team back this week as the Kitchens reopen

Deborah and Neil from Cinderhill Farm in the Forest of Dean with their infamous sausage rolls sold at Gloucester Services

Last year we hosted two ‘meet the buyer’ events to give local producers the chance to meet the team at Gloucester Services and pitch their goods. It was great to see some of those making it into the Farmshops and Kitchens before lockdown, and I really hope people will now start coming back in there and buying local.

Of course we’re also keen for this to happen to ensure we can continue supporting our local communities, with up to 3p in every £ spent at Gloucester Services coming back to GGT to invest in local people and projects. Every year this income means we can reinvest over £200,000 back in locally through our fantastic community partners and other projects, but as Sarah Dunning, Chair of our business partner at Gloucester Services said on BBC Radio Gloucestershire last week – we can only receive that income when the business is open and thriving.

They say charity starts at home, but doesn’t everything? Support local businesses, support local people. We hope to see you at Gloucester Services next time you’re passing."

The new cake counter at the Gloucester Services Farmshop, just one of the new hygiene measures in place

Hardwicke Farm in Gloucester, home of Jess's Ladies organic milk, available from Gloucester Services

Sharing happiness in one of our communities

8/6/2020

Author

Lorraine Campbell, Footlights Founder

"Ever since ‘Footlights’ started up in 2017, I have aimed to make it feel like a weekly ‘family party’, so everyone has been welcomed at the door with a hug and a kiss. When the Coronavirus crisis began, we immediately changed to greeting each other with ‘elbow bumps’ instead, and did this in a fun and lighthearted way, whilst realising the importance of the new guidelines.

One of our own members, a virologist for many years, had warned me of the impending situation, and by the 16th March, we had decided to close, just hours before the Government announced advice for our more mature age group to ‘shield’.

The last song we enjoyed together at that final session was ‘We’ll Meet Again', and this was very emotional…. The words had never meant so much to us all. Of course, it is now the ‘anthem’ for the Lockdown experience of the whole nation.

The friendships and strong bonds forged at ‘Footlights’ have stood us in good stead, as communication between us all has been plentiful.

As well as emails and texts, my husband, Ross, and I, have been phoning several different ‘Footlighters’ each day to check that they are well. (It takes a while to contact everyone, as we have around 70 members.)

We also offer the ‘Jolly Jukebox’ service, where we can sing requests down the line! Number one in the ‘charts’ is Sir Ken Dodd’s ‘Happiness’, which never fails to bring a smile!

I was also able to provide a singalong at a VE Day Party at Chapel House Care Home, as arranged earlier in the year. This was only possible because of their Covid free status, and the large garden.

Lorraine is the founder of 'Footlights' community group in Tuffley

Before the pandemic, the Footlighters were meeting weekly

Lorraine sings 'Happiness'

This made me think that holding garden parties at our own home for small numbers, might be the only way forward for ‘Footlights’ during the pandemic. I had wanted to do this to ‘bridge the gap’ across the Summer holiday anyway, but now it seems like the solution and ‘new normal’.

The risk of transmission is lower outdoors, as long as social distancing is observed, so it would perhaps be possible, when restrictions are lifted, to have some open-air sessions, for up to 10 people at a time. We could provide entertainment, a quiz, chat, safely served refreshments, a mooch around the plants, and much fun along the way in true ‘Footlights’ style! ‘The Friendship and Nostalgia Garden’ in Fox Elms Road, might be extremely popular.

We are also thinking of ways to initiate ‘Radio Footlights’, a mix of songs, humour and news to be recorded onto CDs and sent out by post.

This Lockdown could prove to be a very fruitful time, until we can all safely meet again , ‘some sunny day’..."

The unstoppable advance of common decency

11/5/2020

Author

Martin Simon, GGT Trustee and Community Author

The very first practical responses to the coronavirus pandemic were led from the ground up by front liners, families, friends, neighbours and volunteers. It was an example of something wonderful, something that the Trustees and staff at the Gloucestershire Gateway Trust have always believed in and hold in the highest regard. It was what George Orwell called “common decency."

As social animals we feel safer when we recognise how interconnected we are and when we feel for others and they feel for us. The mutuality we feel at times like these shows that deep down, maybe, just maybe, we are fonder of one another than we normally let on.

We are automatically turning to each other for emotional support, we are kinder and more encouraging, we care for and comfort each other. We are re-activating our common decency. Often, without us even realising it, three rudimentary prescriptions for successful communal living are back in vogue – 1) ‘live and let live’, 2) ‘give and take’ and 3) ‘speaking out' (against unfairness.)

So how do we make sure this continues after the pandemic passes? At Gloucestershire Gateway Trust much of what we do is based on the idea of “come together to make life better” and experience has taught us to stay as flexible as we can and use a combination of approaches when it comes to trying to stimulate social action.

Local organisations, groups and individuals, with their vast reservoirs of talent and ingenuity in every neighbourhood, are all different and all quite unique. Therefore, we invest in them to do it for themselves. This April we invested £100,000 in our nine partner organisations and we regularly supply the grease for the wheels of individuals and groups wanting to make something happen for the common good.

Our hope is that new possibilities will emerge to amplify and supplement the common decency quotient in Gloucestershire and so inspire people to stay connected far into the future. We have repeatedly observed that when people feel safe and well connected they become more open to new experiences and are more aware of the ways in which we are all interdependent.

We have a small a team of Neighbourhood Connectors who positively re-enforce collective acts of caring wherever they are to be found. They live locally and ARE – Available, Responsive and Engaged (albeit at the time of writing in lockdown, socially distanced and often on the telephone or online).

What does that mean and why is it important?

Available:
Our neighbourhood connectors develop a thorough understanding of each neighbourhood and explore new ways to meet up with and motivate people. They work in the public spaces where local people naturally gather. They walk the streets and knock on doors (when not in lockdown). They aim to be accessible, recognised, respected and tuned-in. They look out for “Local Hosts” to act as contact points - to spread news, talk about issues and organise social events - and listen. Overall neighbourhood connectors want people to feel good about themselves and their neighbourhoods and to know that if they should feel insecure or uncertain there are people around who care and can be reached easily.

Responsive:
Our neighbourhood connectors do not come up with solutions for local people, they ask questions and listen carefully and non-judgementally to their answers. They help people become more aware, spontaneous and close. Then they take a step back by creating space and time for people to make their own decisions and take whatever action they think is appropriate. (If they need additional resources or new contacts GGT will help them find them.) Neighbourhood connectors are positive and passionate about home-made social change. In the real world no-one is infallible, so if things do go wrong they are responsive and comforting but do not take on the responsibility for fixing the situation for people. They ask questions and see what can be learned from their mistakes and then shift the focus onto what is working well and on how to make it even better.

Engaged:
Neighbourhood connectors form relationships that are life-affirming and mutually supportive. They believe that everyone has the capacity to think for themselves, have fun and can contribute to the wellbeing of others. They are open, straight talking and honest. They approach their work with energy and candour and view every new connection as a potential friend. Being emotionally present means that they can form quality relationships that endure. When they find an isolated resident they make sure that he or she stays found. Only when they share a sense of common purpose and experience the solidarity needed for them to be courageous will neighbourhood connectors and residents really find out what is possible for them to achieve together.

Gloucestershire Gateway Trust is here for the long haul and when we emerge from this pandemic our experience and new learning about community development will contribute in no small way to common decency and interdependent, human connections being valued for generations to come.

Find out more about our LOOP team.

Life in furlough, and staying in touch with my work 'family'

27/4/2020

Author

Crystal Parker, Group Kitchen Process Manager

"Gloucester Services is an incredible place to work, where no two days are the same, and over the past five years my team have become my family. I’m proud of everything we achieve together on a daily basis to give our customers the best possible food experience we can to break their journeys on the motorway.

Unfortunately due to Covid-19 a lot has changed over the past few weeks that is out of our control. Whilst still trading in the Farmshops, Kitchens and Quick Kitchens, we made many adaptations to our working practices in order to stay safe and proactive for our customers safety; including introducing social distancing stickers on the floors, screens at the tills and encouraged contactless self service at the tills. We were able to offer so much help in the community, from baking fresh bread and delivering it locally when people were unable to get it themselves to donating Easter eggs to NHS families, as well as multiple donations within the community whilst we were closing down.

Like many people in the hospitality industry I have been furloughed, meaning no work to go to for a while. This is an alien concept to me, I’ve always worked, I don’t even take more than 10 days off for a holiday as I miss the rhythm and routine too much!

It has taken a lot for me to adapt to a new Lockdown way of life, without my work family to get up and go to everyday, without the buzz of a busy Friday lunchtime to look forward to, it’s definitely a challenge to remember what day of the week it is. However, I’m extremely proud of the way everyone took the news of furlough leave in their strides, knowing it’s the right thing for the business and ourselves during this time, working together to clean down and close up the kitchens and quick kitchens with care and precision to ensure we have a great place to return to when we are able. The hardest thing for me was seeing our usually buzzing kitchens with no colleagues or customers, just dark and quiet once we’d closed them.

Everyone is keeping in touch still, using our internal Facebook groups, it’s great to see what everyone’s getting up to whilst not working, learning new skills and sharing food ideas together! We had a virtual baking competition over Easter which really got everyone’s creative juices flowing, just a shame we couldn’t all taste the winning cakes!

Colleagues at Gloucester Services were baking loaves for the community before the temporary closure of the kitchens

Winners of the Easter baking competition for Gloucester Services colleagues - all baked at home, and judged by Crystal over Facebook

Some of the Easter eggs that were donated from Gloucester Services to the NHS staff for them and their families

I’m already getting excited for the next phase, which will be our reopening plan. Imagine, we get to open sites up once again, just like I did back in 2015, but this time we will be bigger, better and stronger as we have so much more experience! I’m personally trying to focus on the positives, relish the break from the norm as best as I can, and ensure that I’m ready to hit the ground running as soon as we’re able to reopen. I can’t wait to see all my work family again soon. Stay safe."

Evolving our communities and my rose tinted glasses

2/4/2020

Author

Clare Skivington, GGT Community Support Manager

COVID–19 is a different world for us all, it’s making us think differently, live and behave differently, but there are some good things that are coming out of the fact that we are on lockdown. It’s been a difficult few weeks for many of our Gloucester Services colleagues as they have had to temporarily shutdown the majority of the site. But we are lucky as there is a strong community within and our relationships with GGT's Community Partners have really been invaluable during these last few weeks.

We have always worked with and funded GL Communities to pick up food that we are not able to sell at Gloucester Services and deliver to community food cupboards in the area. This week we have been able to make a big food donation, which is collected and delivered to collection points in our target communities - see our food support article for details.

Our community partner GL Communities also offer free money advice, what benefits you are entitled to and how to claim them. It can be complicated and daunting, the team have a wealth of knowledge and can guide people through the process.

One of things that Mark Gale is often heard saying is “ The only thing that is stopping us is our imagination”. Gloucester Services was born from creative and community aspirations. Now more than ever we need to think out of the box. The way we connect with people, at home, family, our neighbours, friends our colleagues. I am lucky and proud to be in Stroud, where a group of people set up a coronavirus community response network, https://neighbournetworks.uk/, giving out advice, mapping out streets and ensuring everyone is supported and linked to someone. It has bought people together and people are now talking and meeting people on line who they have never met, but have lived in the same road for years.

On our street we have two WhatsApp groups, a serious one and a funny one to support each other during these strange times. Each year we have a street party and this year is going to be one big celebration of people we all have met, people who have helped us laugh, supported us and kept us all going.

I know it’s going to be challenging, for people who know me, I am not one to sit still for long. But I have picked up the phone to friends who I have known for years and had proper catch up’s. One of my good friends is a yoga teacher and is offering yoga on facebook, it’s great, I get to hear and see her and do some yoga at the same time (a calmer me is always appreciated by my family!). We have decided to have tea and cake once a week with some local friends to support each other over Zoom to share stories and advice on our children.

Last week I celebrated my birthday and more than ever, I felt very lucky to have such amazing friends and family around me. The usual more material items, were replaced by homemade items from my family, a 'Queen of Corona' crown from son number one, a medal from son number two (we often run together) and rose tinted glasses from my husband. We spent the day together and walked a former neighbour’s dog, in a bizarre way it was actually a lovely day.

At the end of all this, we may live in a different world where we are more connected, make more time for each other and appreciate each other and a world where the only thing that is stopping us is our imagination.

Some of the food that was donated to Gloucester community food cupboards from Gloucester Services

Our community partner GL Communities are still available to help - see their website for current hours and phone numbers

Clare enjoying her homemade birthday items from her family on her birthday last week

Clare's birthday crown, medal and rose tinted glasses made for her birthday - what better presents could you ask for?

Time to phone a friend...

23/3/2020

Author

Mark Gale, CEO Gloucestershire Gateway Trust

"Life is tricky and it’s getting trickier for lots of people in these exceptionally uncertain times. However even in this current COVID-19 crisis there is much to celebrate in our communities.

GGT has for years been promoting the importance of neighbours helping neighbours, kindness and recognising that everyone has skills and knowledge to share. In fact we know that good neighbours and friends are what people in our communities value most. Sometimes the hardest thing for people is being confident enough to offer or ask for help. Well in the last few days we have seen a tidal wave of people stepping forward to connect people up, helping and looking out for each other.

There is self help action in almost every area. Although we must always follow the governments health guidance in order to protect ourselves and others, I urge you to step forward and get involved. Call a friend, relative or neighbour who might be in isolation, or volunteer to get some shopping or collect a prescription for someone who is housebound. If we do this then despite all our worries now our communities will come out of this crisis stronger and more connected than ever before.

Gloucester Services is a great example of communities seeing opportunities in adversity, changing the M5 from something that caused pollution and accidents into a community asset. Together we can now generate new opportunities to connect people as neighbours and friends, helping us all to build stronger communities now and for the future."

For more ways to support your community during the current COVID-19 health crisis, as well as help accessing food and more - check out our resources page.

Our Communities: 2020 Vision

1/1/2020

Author

Mark Gale, CEO Gloucestershire Gateway Trust

"After some of the challenges of 2019, I’m hoping that we can all be a bit kinder to each other in 2020.

What makes communities special is the positive time we all share chatting to friends and neighbours, playing together and keeping an eye out for each other.

The great news from our 2019 Annual Community Survey* is that most residents in our neighbourhoods still want to share their skills to help other local people. When we start sharing local skills and knowledge, we find that the solutions to many local ‘problems’ lay in our own hands. What people often need is to be allowed some time, trust and resources to create their own opportunities and solutions.

A great example of this in 2019 has been the amazing array of activities generated by our local Culture Matson partnership with its many and varied partners. This group has helped turn the reputation of the local area from being seen as a problem into an asset. Culture Matson partners like GL4, schools, churches, library and many community partners organised a plethora of events from theatre, dance, beat boxing, circus skills, outside cinema and many more all of which have been led by local people.

Now people come to Matson to go to the theatre and other community festivals. As a community we are focused on helping to increase this activity providing us all with new opportunities to get to know more people, make new friends, have fun together and generally make a spectacle of ourselves. That’s what I call perfect 2020 vision."

*for a copy of our Community Survey email office@ggtrust.org and we’ll send you a free copy, or visit our publications page.

Let's share the gravy love

20/12/2019

"New analysis by Age UK has found that 278,000 older people in the South East can go for a month without meeting up with a friend, and that 69,000 over 65’s in the region have not even had a conversation with family or friends over the same period.

Research commissioned by the Charity also found that half a million older people across the UK are expecting to feel lonely this Christmas, of whom four in five (79%) have not sought any help for this. For half of those (52%), loneliness has become a ‘normal’ part of life.

The study also found that for more than half a million older people, Christmas isn’t something to look forward to because it brings back too many memories of people who have passed away and happier times.

This got me to thinking about a Facebook campaign I saw by a local woman; she wanted to invite someone lonely to Sunday dinner. Now we have all seen the adverts where this happens and everything is all amazing and happy families are seen smiling across lovely hot dinners and the old person is settled in and even the dog is there…but is that what life is really like?

I know if they came to mine I’d burn something and the beautiful crispy roast potatoes would be cooked by Aunt Bessie!! What if the person didn’t like meat or had an allergy to something I’d lovingly cooked. What if we run out of things to talk about, or they were cold or too hot, or the dog took a dislike to them; then I got really worried what about if they choked on my food…..Oh no.

Seriously, there really is a lot to think about, inviting someone into your home, but what is the alternative. I’d hate to think of someone alone and sad and I had the power to change that but panic made me stop. Would they even care if my desert didn’t look or taste like Mary Berry’s and that the husband fell asleep after dinner with the odd sound emitting from his body? There is only one way to find out, let’s do it... let’s share the gravy love."

Author

Vanessa Worrall, Project Manager, Together in Matson

The season of joy and loneliness

18/12/2019

"For most of us, Christmas is the season to be merry and revel in social activities, however, as Christmas is approaching, so is the realisation for many people that they will spend this holiday season by themselves. In later life we are particularly vulnerable to loneliness since we may have suffered losses of friends and family, mobility or income.

Put simply, isolation refers to the involuntary, complete or near complete lack of contact with people and society. It includes many people with different characteristics, and it impacts on an individual’s quality of life and their wellbeing.

During the festive season, these problems can be intensified. Social isolation also affects children and not just the elderly. To alleviate loneliness, we can raise awareness and provide information and encourage groups and organisations to reach out to lonely individuals. There are ways to combat loneliness, but most of them start with you. By reaching out, someone else can reach you. However, no one organisation or person can tackle all social isolation. It is everyone’s business and we must look at how we can work collectively to tackle it.

Social isolation is not an issue specific to the festive season, but it can be harder for those people who have few people to connect with. So, over the coming weeks, as life becomes busier in the lead up to Christmas, it might be a good time to reflect on our own lives and think about how we can create more connected and inclusive communities.

It might be as simple as saying ‘hello’ to someone and starting a conversation, talking to a neighbour or smiling at someone when you are out shopping or walking in your local area. Think about offering someone a lift, offer to do some shopping or invite someone without family or friends to join you for a Christmas meal.

Here at GL Communities through the Phoenix Community Centre in Matson we've been hosting a number of events including a ‘Christmas Treats’ Workshop, Christmas Coffee Morning and through CCP (Caring for Communities & People) we are hoping to provide a number of Christmas Hampers and presents for individuals and families who are struggling to afford food and heating alongside the expectations of the festive season.

Here’s wishing you all a Happy Christmas.”

Author

Steve Long, Health & Wellbeing Project Co-ordinator, GL Communities

Gloucester Services Hotel

4/12/2019

Gloucester Services has made the news again in the last few days as the business was given planning approval for a 74 bedroom hotel on its southbound side by Stroud District Council. Gloucester Services sits just inside Stroud district, with the Gloucester border literally running up the side of the site. The approved proposals have been reduced in size by about 25% following recent consultation with local residents and stakeholders.

How the new hotel at Gloucester Services might look

Like most significant capital projects the new hotel may take some time to come to fruition. However one thing is certain, that when it does, this new development will make another significant contribution to nearby communities and the wider local economy by generating more jobs for local people, as well as income for our community partners.

The hotel designs have been created by Glenn Howells Architects, the same architects who helped create our fantastic Gloucester Services buildings. Designed in the spirit of local agricultural buildings, the new hotel will blend in with the local landscape providing a special place for motorway travellers to rest and recuperate whilst getting an opportunity to sample the great tastes of Gloucestershire and find out what the county has to offer to visitors.

So we are looking forward to helping you have even ‘Happier Travels’ on the M5, whilst also making even more of a contribution to our neighbouring communities.

Mark Gale

Chief Executive, Gloucestershire Gateway Trust

Honey spinners and hidden talents - it's all about connections and community

11/9/2019

To celebrate Communities Week 2019, we spoke to GGT's Community Support Manager Clare Skivington about what community means to her and bringing people together at Gloucester Services.

What does community mean to you?

Community means to me bringing people together to share, talk, support each other and most importantly give people a sense of belonging.

Why do you think being part of a community is important?

Everyone has a strength and a story to tell, being part of a community helps to connect with each other, understand each other, gives people opportunities to share their strengths, an excuse to come together to celebrate and communities can be very strong in supporting each other during difficult times.

Tell us about being a Community Support Manager at Gloucester Services?

My role at Gloucester Services is varied, interesting and never dull! Probably the most important thing that I do is listen to people, our GGT community partners, our colleagues and our customers. I try and connect people and highlight the strengths of the community and encourage people to use their skills to get involved.

For example, we have two beehives on site that with the help of Reyaz from Fair Shares, our colleagues have learnt how to look after. We recently harvested the honey, part of the process was in the foyer, which attracted lots of attention. One local customer was watching the honey spinner, and said he needed one, Reyaz immediately said he could borrow it. This sums up my job, bringing people together and sharing assets for the good of the community.

Clare with a pupil from Moat School, Gloucestershire

Clare with Sue Cunningham from GGT partner GL Communities on the Growing Space at Gloucester Services

The beehives at Gloucester Services which colleagues help to manage

Customers at Gloucester Services watch the honey spinning

Clare with colleagues outside the Matson Gateway, where it all started for GGT and Gloucester Services

I also get to work with our community partners to bring fun activities to Gloucester Services to show what they do, spend time in local schools talking about careers and meet new and existing local producers. GGT also support some amazing local events I'm able to go along to in our communities, including bake-offs, school competitions and wicker sheep making!

What would be your advice to anyone reading this about how they can get involved in their community, and why should they?

Think about what you enjoy, if it’s woodwork, sport, cooking, gardening, music or just talking to people. Everyone has a hidden talent – really, and you will be surprised how sharing your skills can really help people connect and you too will learn from others, join in to help and celebrate what we have. Keep an eye out at your local community centre, schools or libraries, or contact GGT we can put you in touch with our community partners.

What are your hidden talents?
I asked my husband and he said dancing when sober! I'm also a trained Forest School leader, I make a good hummus and I like running, I've run the London Marathon before.

What’s the best example of community building you have seen or been part of?

I would have to say Gloucester Services, the story of how it came about, people talking to each other in the local Community Café in Matson (the Matson Gateway), talking about their futures, their needs and a vision. With the help of the community, local people and Westmorland, we have a unique model and a way where business and the community can work alongside each other, it’s fascinating, it’s not all plain sailing but we are creating a circular economy for our colleagues, suppliers and the company, we know with all our assets we can do more, so watch this space!

The sausage rolls that boosted the local economy

19/8/2019

Gloucester Services is proud to support over 130 local producers within 30 miles, all of which have great stories to tell. We spoke to Deborah of Cinderhill Farm about the good life, sausage rolls and supporting the local job market.

Deborah and Neil with their best-selling sausage rolls

"We moved to Cinderhill Farm 8 years ago, looking to start the Good Life after our children left for Uni. It took 2 years to get the farm side properly established, and in February 2013 we had our first proper crop of vegetables and also our first pork.

The beautiful dark soil here (cinder coloured from the arrow heads that used to be made here at St Briavels Castle - hence the ancient name of Cinderhill Farm) produced large crops of both. More than we could cope with in fact!

From that first lot of pork, our now famous sausage rolls were born - from a proliferation of our pork and insufficient funds at the time to buy more than a little pastry! That ratio has remained as from the outset people responded so warmly to what they often termed '....the best sausage roll I have ever tasted!'.

Sausage rolls in production at Cinderhill Farm

Deborah with Cinderhill's Welsh Mountain flock

"It took another year until we started to employ anyone - one person for an hour a week to start with! We are now 11 people, supported by our 8 acre farm. "

Where we live in the far reaches of the Forest of Dean, on the edge of the River Wye, there are not many jobs. Where there are jobs, there was a tendency for zero hour contracts, seasonal work, and with almost no public transport, the prospects for young people in the area were limited. In the Forest of Dean there is no facility for studying to A'Level - something that is only just changing thanks to statutory and voluntary services and business working together to change that for the future.

The reliability of custom from Gloucester Services has enabled Cinderhill Farm to offer permanent full time contracts for staff, to invest in training and to help to provide for 10 households in the area. Our business's trade has in turn helped provide stability of trade for other businesses on whom we depend - such as our butcher, the (licensed) hunter who shoots our wild boar, and other farmers producing not only meat but also eggs. All this in an area with such an emphasis on tourism for trade. It has a really sustainable impact on life and the community.

Cinderhill's sausage rolls on sale in Gloucester Services Farmshop

While it is obviously great to have a reliable business partner, Gloucester Services and GGT have been SO much more. Not only are our visits to the services to deliver our goods like visiting friends, we have had huge practical support and help, such as: introductions to the University and the Growth Hub which has helped to strengthen our business immeasurably.

But above all? It is the relationships with the people who work at and who are both Gloucester Services, Westmorland and GGT who have created this innovative and highly effective visionary partnership. I think we will always be thankful for it!"

"Our best seller is the Original Sausage Roll, though the Sheriff (named by Gloucester Services in fact!) is catching it up fast! We have now made so many rolls in our tiny high tech professional kitchen on our farm (in a double garage) that, if laid end to end, would leave Gloucester Southbound Forecourt and arrive somewhere close to Bristol Airport!"

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