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Community groups thriving thanks to council funding

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Gloucestershire County Council has awarded over £400k to 68 community projects across Gloucestershire through its Thriving Communities Grant 2025.

The Thriving Communities Grant programme aims to invest in Gloucestershire’s communities to help local organisations and groups with projects that help people to stay well and support them to live independently for as long as possible.

Since 2018, the grant has supported over 370 projects, investing nearly £2.8 million in local groups across the county. The funding has helped many community and voluntary organisations to connect people to their communities, strengthening ties, reducing isolation, and improving physical and mental wellbeing.

Individual awards range from £500 to £7,500 and the 68 projects being funded this year include

  • £7,500 to Men in Sheds, Cheltenham, to reduce social isolation by bringing members together for creative activities. Members benefit from improved physical and mental wellbeing and the local community, including care homes, hospitals and schools, benefits from the projects completed and items they make such as benches, planters, and playhouses.

  • £7,500 to The Keepers, Stroud, to support their Community Kitchen project and Wellbeing Garden which reduces isolation, supports caregivers, and strengthens community connections.

  • £7,485 to Age UK, Tewkesbury, to fund gentle walking groups to encourage inactive older people to increase their activity levels with the opportunity to socialise in a comfortable and safe environment afterwards.

  • £7,500 to Dementia Action Alliance, Forest of Dean, for Music Memory Cafés for people living with dementia, caregivers, families, and the wider community. The Cafes provide a safe space for socialising, and singing together fosters a sense of unity and connection.

  • £7,500 to The Wiggly Worm Ltd, Gloucester for their kitchens which support adults who have experienced disadvantage with courses designed to build confidence and self-esteem through learning new skills and building community connections.

  • £7,500 to Cotswolds Friends Carer Wellbeing Service which offers crucial regular breaks for full-time carers, enabling them to maintain their own health and wellbeing while continuing to care for others.

Full details of all community projects being supported and the grants awarded can be found on our website:

Grants Awarded for delivery in 2025

Cllr Carole Allaway-Martin, cabinet member for adult social care at Gloucestershire County Council said: “I am thrilled that we can fund such a diverse range of organisations through the Thriving Communities grant programme which makes such a difference to residents within their local area, reducing isolation, improving wellbeing and building community connections.

“Since 2018, we have invested nearly £2.8 million which has supported over 370 projects, supporting community and voluntary groups across the county to strengthen local activity and help our communities to thrive.”