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Grants awarded in 2026 and 2025

Click on the dropdown arrow to see the grants awarded in each area of Gloucestershire in the past two years.

2026

Marah Trust - £3,500

Our aim is to address hunger and social exclusion, improving the health and wellbeing of those who come to us. We provide good food and a welcoming, non-judgemental, community space.

Cotswold Community Men's Shed - £5,000

The Men’s Shed provides a non-judgemental and supportive environment in which anyone with emotional or mental health issues can open up freely and talk/listen to like-minded people while perhaps using their energy in a creative manner.

GL11 Community Project - £6,000

Our aim is to tackle loneliness, support wellbeing, and help people live independently in their own home for longer. This grant will fund the Ageing Well Project to deliver the ‘Feet, Food and Friendship’ activity group and ‘Community Lunch’ for disadvantaged older residents in our community.

The Chantry Centre - £3,000

The project is aimed specifically at residents who are retired and may live alone and manage physical and mental health conditions. By providing structured, welcoming and low-cost opportunities to connect, this project will support those who may be vulnerable to isolation, poor mental health or limited access to support services.

Longfield Hospice Care - £3,000

The aims of the project are to increase the capacity of our team, to help professional counsellors to support the growing number of complex needs our patients present with and to deliver a pipeline of professional volunteer counsellors for future support.

EngageD Now CIO - £3,500

The Connected Communities project aims to transform how people with early-stage dementia and their carers access support, by embedding dementia-inclusive practices in existing community infrastructure.

The Green Britain Foundation - FGR Community - £6,000

The Community Café and Food Pantry provides a vital, inclusive space for adults to connect, access support and reduce isolation. The project offers a fully accessible, safe, warm and welcoming meeting place in an area with no other social spaces.

Stroud Valley Project - £3,500

Our Wild Shed project will use nature-based activities to improve people’s lives. The aim is to improve the mental and physical wellbeing of our participants and help them to lead more active, engaged, independent and fulfilling lives in harmony with our surrounding natural environment and connected with their local community.

Stroud Earth Community - £5,000

Our Inclusive Volunteering project aims to provide opportunities for volunteers with additional needs/ who are disadvantaged, and for existing volunteers to develop the skills to support these volunteers.

Dursley Tabernacle Community Food Hub - £6,000

This project has a direct impact on supporting adults to live independently for as long as possible. As a result of the hub, many have developed stronger connections within the community and built stronger social networks which has built their resilience and coping mechanisms.  

GL13 Community Hub and Library - £3,500

Our project is aimed at bringing support and advice closer to the residents in our rural area. We aim to move the Care Café to our newly built community hub which is fully accessible. We will create a social network for all carers, whoever they are caring for.

Cashes Green Community Hub - £6,000

This project benefits a real "layer" of different people from team members who initially came to us for support and who we have empowered enough to become part of the team, to the community who value and depend on many of the services we offer.

Creative Sustainability CIC - £6,000

The project aims to create an environment where adults 30+ who are transitioning from youth provision, with disabilities and health conditions, can increase wellbeing and independence by making choices, building confidence and resilience to imagine futures that once felt impossible.   

Marah Trust - £3,500

Our aim is to address hunger and social exclusion, improving the health and wellbeing of those who come to us. We provide good food and a welcoming, non-judgemental, community space.

Cotswold Community Men's Shed - £5,000

The Men’s Shed provides a non-judgemental and supportive environment in which anyone with emotional or mental health issues can open up freely and talk/listen to like-minded people while perhaps using their energy in a creative manner.

GL11 Community Project - £6,000

Our aim is to tackle loneliness, support wellbeing, and help people live independently in their own home for longer. This grant will fund the Ageing Well Project to deliver the ‘Feet, Food and Friendship’ activity group and ‘Community Lunch’ for disadvantaged older residents in our community.

The Chantry Centre - £3,000

The project is aimed specifically at residents who are retired and may live alone and manage physical and mental health conditions. By providing structured, welcoming and low-cost opportunities to connect, this project will support those who may be vulnerable to isolation, poor mental health or limited access to support services.

Longfield Hospice Care - £3,000

The aims of the project are to increase the capacity of our team, to help professional counsellors to support the growing number of complex needs our patients present with and to deliver a pipeline of professional volunteer counsellors for future support.

EngageD Now CIO - £3,500

The Connected Communities project aims to transform how people with early-stage dementia and their carers access support, by embedding dementia-inclusive practices in existing community infrastructure.

The Green Britain Foundation - FGR Community - £6,000

The Community Café and Food Pantry provides a vital, inclusive space for adults to connect, access support and reduce isolation. The project offers a fully accessible, safe, warm and welcoming meeting place in an area with no other social spaces.

Stroud Valley Project - £3,500

Our Wild Shed project will use nature-based activities to improve people’s lives. The aim is to improve the mental and physical wellbeing of our participants and help them to lead more active, engaged, independent and fulfilling lives in harmony with our surrounding natural environment and connected with their local community.

Stroud Earth Community - £5,000

Our Inclusive Volunteering project aims to provide opportunities for volunteers with additional needs/ who are disadvantaged, and for existing volunteers to develop the skills to support these volunteers.

Dursley Tabernacle Community Food Hub - £6,000

This project has a direct impact on supporting adults to live independently for as long as possible. As a result of the hub, many have developed stronger connections within the community and built stronger social networks which has built their resilience and coping mechanisms.  

GL13 Community Hub and Library - £3,500

Our project is aimed at bringing support and advice closer to the residents in our rural area. We aim to move the Care Café to our newly built community hub which is fully accessible. We will create a social network for all carers, whoever they are caring for.

Cashes Green Community Hub - £6,000

This project benefits a real "layer" of different people from team members who initially came to us for support and who we have empowered enough to become part of the team, to the community who value and depend on many of the services we offer.

Creative Sustainability CIC - £6,000

The project aims to create an environment where adults 30+ who are transitioning from youth provision, with disabilities and health conditions, can increase wellbeing and independence by making choices, building confidence and resilience to imagine futures that once felt impossible.   

Cirencester Grace Network CBS Ltd - £4,500

The Old Department Store is reimagining how community can thrive. We are bringing a beautiful historic and much-loved landmark back to life as a warm, welcoming and beautiful place where people can find belonging and flourish together. Our project will be starting both a "Cuppa & Catch-up" coffee morning and a "The Reading Room" book club in the coldest winter months. 

Cirencester & District Mental Health Carer Support Group - £3,935

Caring for someone with enduring mental health problems can be challenging for family members and friends. Our group aims to help carers look after their own health and wellbeing. Getting support from fellow carers is important, as they understand and can provide empathy.  

The Churn Project - £7,500

The Shed project combines the Men’s Shed, which creates a dedicated place for men to come together, and the Community Shed, which is open to all adults. Both are designed to address isolation, rural poverty and poor mental health by bringing people into a welcoming community where they can build skills, confidence and friendships. 

New Brewery Arts - £5,750

New Brewery Arts is a programme that provides free access to creative courses and classes for people who benefit from the wellbeing, fulfilment and friendship that regular creativity brings. We offer creative opportunities to those facing real barriers - whether emotional, financial or social.

Home-Start Cotswolds - £4,832

Our groups create lasting peer support networks that extend far beyond the structured programme period, with mothers continuing to meet independently after the groups have finished, and friendships lasting long-term. We deliberately locate groups in areas with limited existing provision, targeting isolated rural communities.

Cotswold Friends - £7,500

Our Community Activities Programme offers a vibrant range of low-cost, locally-rooted activities designed to reduce isolation, improve wellbeing and bring people together through shared interests and friendship.

People for you - £7,500

Our approach builds relationships of trust, giving people choice, control and a sense of belonging. The Cotswolds has an older age profile and many mobility-limited residents; home and care-home befriending is essential because many activities do not reach people who are housebound.

Cotswold Friends - Befriending Service - £7,500

Our Befriending Service provides intensive, relationship-based support for severely isolated older and vulnerable adults through one-to-one companionship delivered by trained volunteers.

Fairford and Lechlade areas Walking for Wellbeing - £7,500

Walking for Wellbeing (W4W) aims to reduce loneliness and isolation and provide support and signposting at grassroots level. The project will sustain and strengthen W4W’s capacity to bring people together, support independence and build community resilience.

Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum - £4,500

"Westonbirt Wellbeing for All" is a programme of nature-based activities that includes conservation education, woodland management skills, mindfulness walks and bush camp. It aims to support community groups and organisations with a wellbeing focus by removing barriers to the Arboretum and improve confidence and independence by teaching skills in a new environment, with opportunities to engage and socialise with peers. 

Cirencester Grace Network CBS Ltd - £4,500

The Old Department Store is reimagining how community can thrive. We are bringing a beautiful historic and much-loved landmark back to life as a warm, welcoming and beautiful place where people can find belonging and flourish together. Our project will be starting both a "Cuppa & Catch-up" coffee morning and a "The Reading Room" book club in the coldest winter months. 

Cirencester & District Mental Health Carer Support Group - £3,935

Caring for someone with enduring mental health problems can be challenging for family members and friends. Our group aims to help carers look after their own health and wellbeing. Getting support from fellow carers is important, as they understand and can provide empathy.  

The Churn Project - £7,500

The Shed project combines the Men’s Shed, which creates a dedicated place for men to come together, and the Community Shed, which is open to all adults. Both are designed to address isolation, rural poverty and poor mental health by bringing people into a welcoming community where they can build skills, confidence and friendships. 

New Brewery Arts - £5,750

New Brewery Arts is a programme that provides free access to creative courses and classes for people who benefit from the wellbeing, fulfilment and friendship that regular creativity brings. We offer creative opportunities to those facing real barriers - whether emotional, financial or social.

Home-Start Cotswolds - £4,832

Our groups create lasting peer support networks that extend far beyond the structured programme period, with mothers continuing to meet independently after the groups have finished, and friendships lasting long-term. We deliberately locate groups in areas with limited existing provision, targeting isolated rural communities.

Cotswold Friends - £7,500

Our Community Activities Programme offers a vibrant range of low-cost, locally-rooted activities designed to reduce isolation, improve wellbeing and bring people together through shared interests and friendship.

People for you - £7,500

Our approach builds relationships of trust, giving people choice, control and a sense of belonging. The Cotswolds has an older age profile and many mobility-limited residents; home and care-home befriending is essential because many activities do not reach people who are housebound.

Cotswold Friends - Befriending Service - £7,500

Our Befriending Service provides intensive, relationship-based support for severely isolated older and vulnerable adults through one-to-one companionship delivered by trained volunteers.

Fairford and Lechlade areas Walking for Wellbeing - £7,500

Walking for Wellbeing (W4W) aims to reduce loneliness and isolation and provide support and signposting at grassroots level. The project will sustain and strengthen W4W’s capacity to bring people together, support independence and build community resilience.

Friends of Westonbirt Arboretum - £4,500

"Westonbirt Wellbeing for All" is a programme of nature-based activities that includes conservation education, woodland management skills, mindfulness walks and bush camp. It aims to support community groups and organisations with a wellbeing focus by removing barriers to the Arboretum and improve confidence and independence by teaching skills in a new environment, with opportunities to engage and socialise with peers. 

Cheltenham Housing Aid Centre - £7,500

We provide specialist housing advice to the most vulnerable people in Cheltenham. People can access our service without completing a referral form as we want to make it as accessible as possible. The workers who are employed at CHAC are all fully qualified advice workers and answer the phones ensuring that - if needed - immediate housing advice can be given if someone cannot be seen quickly.

Fresh Hope - £7,500

We want to offer services out of The Armoury, such as the classes for mums, and to begin new classes from the School House café. This is a community hub where people have found connection and community of their own, seeing the venue as a safe place to come, and enabling people to improve their mental health and reduce social isolation.

The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum - £7,460

This project offers opportunities to support adult refugees and asylum seekers in Cheltenham through art workshops for wellbeing, social connections and community integration. Partnering with Cheltenham Welcomes Refugees, this initiative serves men living in hotels and halfway houses, providing a safe, creative space that supports their mental and emotional health while helping them build social networks and resilience.

The Isbourne Foundation - £6,895

The aim of our Community Wellbeing Programme is to provide holistic education and meaningful pathways for individuals facing challenges such as anxiety, stress, depression, long-term health conditions, frailty, bereavement, social isolation and financial hardship. Whether through four-week courses, monthly drop-ins or community-based projects, every session includes dedicated social time to encourage peer interaction and the development of meaningful social networks.

Cheltenham Mental Health Carer Support Group - £6,080

Cheltenham Mental Health Carer Support Group (CMHC) is a peer support group. It aims to provide an opportunity for carers to get support and share experiences of caring for a family member or friend who has a long-term serious mental illness such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, complex emotional needs or self-harm.

Leckhampton Village Hall - £650

The Community Café connects people within the community, particularly the elderly - some of whom live alone and/or have physical or mental health issues. It also provides information about other community activities and facilities.  

Up Hatherley Parish Council - £1,000

The 2 O’clock Club promotes independence and wellbeing. It is aimed at older people and each week we provide a different activity, thereby keeping people active and engaged. The outdoor space now has a community garden, and parishioners can work in the garden should they wish, or they can just sit and enjoy the outdoor space.

Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham - £7,500

Golden Voices is a free community choir for those living with dementia, and their carers, family and/or friends. Initially launched with the needs of those with dementia as the focus we have quickly learned it has as much of an impact, if not more, on the carers who have such limited time to enjoy themselves, socialise and in their words "feel normal".  

Mission Inclusion (previously known as Alliance for Equality) - £5,000

The project’s aim is to create a vibrant, sustainable centre where education, culture and art are used to strengthen communities, empower young people and reduce social isolation. The project will revitalise the former St Mark’s & Hesters Way Community Centre, turning it into a safe and welcoming space where residents of all ages and backgrounds can connect, learn and thrive.

Gloucestershire Area Quaker Meeting - £7,422

Creative Age is an arts-based, social community project for people living with a dementia and their carers. It aims to connect and empower individuals, enrich lives imaginatively, build community and confidence, and enable people in similar situations to meet in a safe space, socialise and engage in meaningful activities.

Homeward Horizon Community - £4,925

We are a peer-led volunteer group committed to supporting people of all nationalities, particularly those who have been forced from their homes. Many of our members have experienced trauma, loss of identity, and the mental health challenges that come with displacement. Our project seeks to provide safe spaces, reduce stigma and help people rebuild lives with dignity.

Cheltenham Housing Aid Centre - £7,500

We provide specialist housing advice to the most vulnerable people in Cheltenham. People can access our service without completing a referral form as we want to make it as accessible as possible. The workers who are employed at CHAC are all fully qualified advice workers and answer the phones ensuring that - if needed - immediate housing advice can be given if someone cannot be seen quickly.

Fresh Hope - £7,500

We want to offer services out of The Armoury, such as the classes for mums, and to begin new classes from the School House café. This is a community hub where people have found connection and community of their own, seeing the venue as a safe place to come, and enabling people to improve their mental health and reduce social isolation.

The Wilson Art Gallery and Museum - £7,460

This project offers opportunities to support adult refugees and asylum seekers in Cheltenham through art workshops for wellbeing, social connections and community integration. Partnering with Cheltenham Welcomes Refugees, this initiative serves men living in hotels and halfway houses, providing a safe, creative space that supports their mental and emotional health while helping them build social networks and resilience.

The Isbourne Foundation - £6,895

The aim of our Community Wellbeing Programme is to provide holistic education and meaningful pathways for individuals facing challenges such as anxiety, stress, depression, long-term health conditions, frailty, bereavement, social isolation and financial hardship. Whether through four-week courses, monthly drop-ins or community-based projects, every session includes dedicated social time to encourage peer interaction and the development of meaningful social networks.

Cheltenham Mental Health Carer Support Group - £6,080

Cheltenham Mental Health Carer Support Group (CMHC) is a peer support group. It aims to provide an opportunity for carers to get support and share experiences of caring for a family member or friend who has a long-term serious mental illness such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, complex emotional needs or self-harm.

Leckhampton Village Hall - £650

The Community Café connects people within the community, particularly the elderly - some of whom live alone and/or have physical or mental health issues. It also provides information about other community activities and facilities.  

Up Hatherley Parish Council - £1,000

The 2 O’clock Club promotes independence and wellbeing. It is aimed at older people and each week we provide a different activity, thereby keeping people active and engaged. The outdoor space now has a community garden, and parishioners can work in the garden should they wish, or they can just sit and enjoy the outdoor space.

Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham - £7,500

Golden Voices is a free community choir for those living with dementia, and their carers, family and/or friends. Initially launched with the needs of those with dementia as the focus we have quickly learned it has as much of an impact, if not more, on the carers who have such limited time to enjoy themselves, socialise and in their words "feel normal".  

Mission Inclusion (previously known as Alliance for Equality) - £5,000

The project’s aim is to create a vibrant, sustainable centre where education, culture and art are used to strengthen communities, empower young people and reduce social isolation. The project will revitalise the former St Mark’s & Hesters Way Community Centre, turning it into a safe and welcoming space where residents of all ages and backgrounds can connect, learn and thrive.

Gloucestershire Area Quaker Meeting - £7,422

Creative Age is an arts-based, social community project for people living with a dementia and their carers. It aims to connect and empower individuals, enrich lives imaginatively, build community and confidence, and enable people in similar situations to meet in a safe space, socialise and engage in meaningful activities.

Homeward Horizon Community - £4,925

We are a peer-led volunteer group committed to supporting people of all nationalities, particularly those who have been forced from their homes. Many of our members have experienced trauma, loss of identity, and the mental health challenges that come with displacement. Our project seeks to provide safe spaces, reduce stigma and help people rebuild lives with dignity.

Northway Pantry - £5,000

Northway Pantry provides a low-cost solution to food insecurity. It operates as a food club and aims to break down barriers to accessing good quality, nutritious food and improve members' resilience by signposting to other services to address the root cause of food insecurity, helping members move away from food aid and build resilience.

Age UK Gloucestershire - £7,500

Our project aims to support beneficiaries who are struggling financially, experiencing fuel poverty and social isolation, and those who are lonely, digitally excluded and struggling to navigate the health care system to remain independent at home.Winchcombe Day Care Foundation - £7,450

We want to extend our Winchcombe Day Care Foundation presence to the local area for those living with and looking after families/friends with dementia and engage with others who may be socially isolated.

Artlift - £7,433

Our project will unite, provide respite for, and emotionally support adult carers who share lived experiences. It will directly benefit carers as well as those for whom they provide care. Each individual will leave with a bespoke "Move On" plan, opening up other local creative health, arts, crafts and movement opportunities, mental health services, Healthy Lifestyles and/or Carers Hub activity programmes, and workshops/events.

Art Shape - £7,462

Create & Thrive is a creative wellbeing programme designed to support adults of working age, particularly those living with long-term health conditions, poor mental health, or barriers to social participation. The project uses structured creative workshops as a means of building confidence, reducing isolation and fostering resilience. Activities are accessible, inclusive and tailored to support both individual expression and group connection.

Tewkesbury Nature Reserve - £5,000

Our new Travelling Cabinet of Nature Curiosities (hereafter the ‘Nature Cabinet’) will be taken out into many different community venues to support access to nature for health and wellbeing for vulnerable groups in Tewkesbury and its surrounding area. As a collective activity, as well as connecting detached participants to nature, it will build communities and social networks through a shared interest in nature.

Gotherington Men's Shed - £7,500

The Men’s Shed is a community-based project, where men come together to learn, share skills and make long-lasting friendships. Sheds satisfy a range of needs of older men at risk of isolation that are not available to them in more formal education, health and welfare settings throughout the community.

Mindsong - £7,500

Sing 2 Remember groups are social and community based. Their aim is to tackle isolation, especially to reduce the risk of dementia. More than that, they are about participating in a group activity, which is such a human thing. People sing solos, bring poems and suggest songs, and sessions are full of laughter. Mindset is a course for people within 12 months of diagnosis and their family carer. It gives the space to talk about the diagnosis and how they can adapt.

Tewkesbury Methodist Church - £5,000

The aim of the project is to enable people to remain physically and mentally well, maintain their independence and to continue living in their own homes safely. Although the programme will primarily focus on supporting the needs of older people and adults with disabilities, people of all ages and abilities who would benefit from chair-based exercise would be welcome to participate.  

Northway Pantry - £5,000

Northway Pantry provides a low-cost solution to food insecurity. It operates as a food club and aims to break down barriers to accessing good quality, nutritious food and improve members' resilience by signposting to other services to address the root cause of food insecurity, helping members move away from food aid and build resilience.

Age UK Gloucestershire - £7,500

Our project aims to support beneficiaries who are struggling financially, experiencing fuel poverty and social isolation, and those who are lonely, digitally excluded and struggling to navigate the health care system to remain independent at home.Winchcombe Day Care Foundation - £7,450

We want to extend our Winchcombe Day Care Foundation presence to the local area for those living with and looking after families/friends with dementia and engage with others who may be socially isolated.

Artlift - £7,433

Our project will unite, provide respite for, and emotionally support adult carers who share lived experiences. It will directly benefit carers as well as those for whom they provide care. Each individual will leave with a bespoke "Move On" plan, opening up other local creative health, arts, crafts and movement opportunities, mental health services, Healthy Lifestyles and/or Carers Hub activity programmes, and workshops/events.

Art Shape - £7,462

Create & Thrive is a creative wellbeing programme designed to support adults of working age, particularly those living with long-term health conditions, poor mental health, or barriers to social participation. The project uses structured creative workshops as a means of building confidence, reducing isolation and fostering resilience. Activities are accessible, inclusive and tailored to support both individual expression and group connection.

Tewkesbury Nature Reserve - £5,000

Our new Travelling Cabinet of Nature Curiosities (hereafter the ‘Nature Cabinet’) will be taken out into many different community venues to support access to nature for health and wellbeing for vulnerable groups in Tewkesbury and its surrounding area. As a collective activity, as well as connecting detached participants to nature, it will build communities and social networks through a shared interest in nature.

Gotherington Men's Shed - £7,500

The Men’s Shed is a community-based project, where men come together to learn, share skills and make long-lasting friendships. Sheds satisfy a range of needs of older men at risk of isolation that are not available to them in more formal education, health and welfare settings throughout the community.

Mindsong - £7,500

Sing 2 Remember groups are social and community based. Their aim is to tackle isolation, especially to reduce the risk of dementia. More than that, they are about participating in a group activity, which is such a human thing. People sing solos, bring poems and suggest songs, and sessions are full of laughter. Mindset is a course for people within 12 months of diagnosis and their family carer. It gives the space to talk about the diagnosis and how they can adapt.

Tewkesbury Methodist Church - £5,000

The aim of the project is to enable people to remain physically and mentally well, maintain their independence and to continue living in their own homes safely. Although the programme will primarily focus on supporting the needs of older people and adults with disabilities, people of all ages and abilities who would benefit from chair-based exercise would be welcome to participate.  

The Sharing Kitchen - £2,600

The Sharing Kitchen is a free weekly community meal offering that welcomes all. We have a large table displaying leaflets that offer financial advice, social activities, health and wellbeing support information and we regularly welcome a range of visiting support agencies and services.

Forest Fighting Fit - £4,000

Strength Without Strain is a flagship initiative designed to support adults - particularly older individuals, those with disabilities, and those managing long-term health conditions - to improve their physical and mental wellbeing through gentle, functional movement.

Wye Valley Music in Mind - £2,500

Our project uses music as a tool for community wellbeing. Its core component is an ongoing monthly Music Memory Café, featuring live music performed by young, professional, conservatoire-trained musicians. The music spans a wide range of genres: classical, jazz, folk, popular songs, rock-and-roll, and sea-shanties. Each session offers attendees a chance to interact with the music, playing percussion instruments and singing songs.  

Cinderford Area Neighbourhood Development Initiative (CANDI) - £6,000

Our Mental Health and Wellbeing Peer Support groups create a safe, supportive space for adults and young people to share experiences, connect with others and reduce isolation. They build relationships of trust and empower participants to take control of their own mental health journey, helping members build resilience and self-reliance through structured peer support, advice and emotional care.

The Victoria Centre - £1,964

We provide freshly cooked meals 3 days a week bringing together the community of Lydney and the surrounding areas. The centre provides a much-needed connection for many people and allows them to meet friends and make new friends while enjoying a meal together around the table. We are able to prevent social exclusion and isolation, and that is important in so many ways to people’s mental health and wellbeing.

The Shalom Network - £6,000

The aim of Voice for All is to empower adults with additional needs to find and use their voice in ways that build confidence, strengthen community ties and improve wellbeing. The project will achieve this by enabling participants to gather content, design, create and share their own podcasts.

Newent Association for the Disabled - £3,600

Sheppard House allows our beneficiaries to live independently for longer by supporting activities they can no longer manage at home, for example they don't have to contemplate moving into care because they are unable to bathe unassisted, instead bathing in our dedicated suites with care worker help. Our hot meal offering and activities such as seated exercise help with keeping bodies physically well, and the routine of attending day sessions and experiencing new things (via activities at the centre or outings) help mental wellness.

Lydney Dial-a-Ride and Community Transport - £6,000

More than simply providing a transport service, we ensure the unique needs of clients are met. We offer a door-to-door service and provide a social connection and individualised support. Our drivers, support assistants and volunteers recognise they may be the only person that the passenger has talked to all week. They make sure to spend time talking with every passenger and respond to individual needs. Our team also recognise where clients need additional assistance, for example help navigating hospital corridors, and will provide the necessary, proactive support.

Forest of Dean Crossroads - £3,500

We would like to create an “easy to use” community hub café and information point - a welcoming place for people to meet, share and discover local opportunities. For those who are anxious, isolated or unfamiliar with community activities, the hub will provide a low-pressure environment to call by, meet others at their own pace, and access information. This softer introduction will act as a bridge, building confidence and connections that may lead to joining our more structured Active Living social groups.

FVAF - £6,500

The Forest of Dean Health Forum Relaunch transforms a small volunteer-led committee into a robust, community-driven health advocacy forum. It will amplify the voice and lived experience of residents, particularly those affected by long-term health conditions and social isolation and will facilitate health campaigning and meaningful engagement with service providers, ensuring that local needs and priorities shape both current and future healthcare delivery.

Wyldwood Arts - £3,750

Wyldwood’s sessions will be co-created with participants and facilitators, shaped by perspectives on art, baking as heritage and catharsis, celebrating different cultures, and healthy eating. The focus is on shared learning in a creative space rather than functional skills. Pop-ups will help to share the edible artwork and invite the community to engage by meeting makers and tasting the creations.

Artspace Cinderford - £7,355

This project aims to provide safer, more accessible spaces for those with learning and physical disabilities and sensory impairments. We aim to provide warm, welcoming and inclusive spaces, creative, social and independence-building activities, and introductions to health, training, advice and support organisations. By widening participation, more people will feel confident to connect with the support or activities we offer and continue their social, independence and skills journeys.

Sedbury Space - £6,000

The aim of the Expanding Outreach Project is to continue providing wellbeing support for the benefit of the whole community to enable residents, particularly those with mental and other health needs, to have a better life. This may be through meeting people with similar needs and sharing their problems or having a one-to-one confidential session with our Wellbeing Chaplain who can then direct them to other agencies or give on-going support on an individual basis.  

The Sharing Kitchen - £2,600

The Sharing Kitchen is a free weekly community meal offering that welcomes all. We have a large table displaying leaflets that offer financial advice, social activities, health and wellbeing support information and we regularly welcome a range of visiting support agencies and services.

Forest Fighting Fit - £4,000

Strength Without Strain is a flagship initiative designed to support adults - particularly older individuals, those with disabilities, and those managing long-term health conditions - to improve their physical and mental wellbeing through gentle, functional movement.

Wye Valley Music in Mind - £2,500

Our project uses music as a tool for community wellbeing. Its core component is an ongoing monthly Music Memory Café, featuring live music performed by young, professional, conservatoire-trained musicians. The music spans a wide range of genres: classical, jazz, folk, popular songs, rock-and-roll, and sea-shanties. Each session offers attendees a chance to interact with the music, playing percussion instruments and singing songs.  

Cinderford Area Neighbourhood Development Initiative (CANDI) - £6,000

Our Mental Health and Wellbeing Peer Support groups create a safe, supportive space for adults and young people to share experiences, connect with others and reduce isolation. They build relationships of trust and empower participants to take control of their own mental health journey, helping members build resilience and self-reliance through structured peer support, advice and emotional care.

The Victoria Centre - £1,964

We provide freshly cooked meals 3 days a week bringing together the community of Lydney and the surrounding areas. The centre provides a much-needed connection for many people and allows them to meet friends and make new friends while enjoying a meal together around the table. We are able to prevent social exclusion and isolation, and that is important in so many ways to people’s mental health and wellbeing.

The Shalom Network - £6,000

The aim of Voice for All is to empower adults with additional needs to find and use their voice in ways that build confidence, strengthen community ties and improve wellbeing. The project will achieve this by enabling participants to gather content, design, create and share their own podcasts.

Newent Association for the Disabled - £3,600

Sheppard House allows our beneficiaries to live independently for longer by supporting activities they can no longer manage at home, for example they don't have to contemplate moving into care because they are unable to bathe unassisted, instead bathing in our dedicated suites with care worker help. Our hot meal offering and activities such as seated exercise help with keeping bodies physically well, and the routine of attending day sessions and experiencing new things (via activities at the centre or outings) help mental wellness.

Lydney Dial-a-Ride and Community Transport - £6,000

More than simply providing a transport service, we ensure the unique needs of clients are met. We offer a door-to-door service and provide a social connection and individualised support. Our drivers, support assistants and volunteers recognise they may be the only person that the passenger has talked to all week. They make sure to spend time talking with every passenger and respond to individual needs. Our team also recognise where clients need additional assistance, for example help navigating hospital corridors, and will provide the necessary, proactive support.

Forest of Dean Crossroads - £3,500

We would like to create an “easy to use” community hub café and information point - a welcoming place for people to meet, share and discover local opportunities. For those who are anxious, isolated or unfamiliar with community activities, the hub will provide a low-pressure environment to call by, meet others at their own pace, and access information. This softer introduction will act as a bridge, building confidence and connections that may lead to joining our more structured Active Living social groups.

FVAF - £6,500

The Forest of Dean Health Forum Relaunch transforms a small volunteer-led committee into a robust, community-driven health advocacy forum. It will amplify the voice and lived experience of residents, particularly those affected by long-term health conditions and social isolation and will facilitate health campaigning and meaningful engagement with service providers, ensuring that local needs and priorities shape both current and future healthcare delivery.

Wyldwood Arts - £3,750

Wyldwood’s sessions will be co-created with participants and facilitators, shaped by perspectives on art, baking as heritage and catharsis, celebrating different cultures, and healthy eating. The focus is on shared learning in a creative space rather than functional skills. Pop-ups will help to share the edible artwork and invite the community to engage by meeting makers and tasting the creations.

Artspace Cinderford - £7,355

This project aims to provide safer, more accessible spaces for those with learning and physical disabilities and sensory impairments. We aim to provide warm, welcoming and inclusive spaces, creative, social and independence-building activities, and introductions to health, training, advice and support organisations. By widening participation, more people will feel confident to connect with the support or activities we offer and continue their social, independence and skills journeys.

Sedbury Space - £6,000

The aim of the Expanding Outreach Project is to continue providing wellbeing support for the benefit of the whole community to enable residents, particularly those with mental and other health needs, to have a better life. This may be through meeting people with similar needs and sharing their problems or having a one-to-one confidential session with our Wellbeing Chaplain who can then direct them to other agencies or give on-going support on an individual basis.  

Brockworth Link - £5,500

The primary aim of this project is to reduce loneliness and isolation among older people or those who need support by providing regular opportunities to connect with others in a safe and friendly space. Many older residents live alone, with limited family or social networks, and the library is often their only regular point of connection with the community.

Goals Beyond Grass - £5,250

Our Inclusive Cycling Programme is designed to provide safe, enjoyable and accessible cycling sessions for adults with disabilities and their carers. Cycling offers huge benefits, such as improved fitness, mental wellbeing, independence and social inclusion, not to mention the impact on health conditions. For many people with disabilities, standard bikes are not an option. Our adapted cycling sessions remove these barriers and make cycling possible for everyone.

The Wiggly Worm Ltd - £7,500

Our sessions bring together adults who might otherwise feel isolated - carers, people living with illness or disability, older people who have lost partners - and give them a safe and inclusive space to build cookery skills and confidence. Through hands on sessions using seasonal produce, people learn to prepare nutritious meals on a budget, empowering them to make healthier choices at home.

The Chatty Café - £3,801.20

The Hub offers refreshments, craft activities, chair exercise from a qualified instructor, technical support on phones/tablets, along with support to access healthcare, transport and signposting to anything people may need help with. The Chatty Café benefits the local community encouraging people to socialise thus preventing loneliness, promoting friendships and aiding their mobility through exercise.

Fair Shares Gloucestershire - £4,800

The project aims to build community connections, resilience and help people to build meaningful relationships to others in the timebank in a two-way manner, offering and accepting practical and emotional support. Our Lunch Club creates a safe and welcoming environment, so that people are able to build trusted relationships with others.

The Friendship Café - £3,750

The Sewing Studio is a safe social space where women facing disadvantage can connect to make new like-minded friends, gain support, build on their skills and even get help to launch small enterprises. The Studio is giving the opportunity for women to thrive, "one stitch at a time".

Coopers Edge Football Club - £600

Our Football Club is a Vets and Supervets Team, where club members are from various backgrounds. The club has become an essential hub to allow older men to keep fit and ensure there is a safe place where our members can build relationships and discuss issues away from the family environment.

Jigsaw Community Co-operative - £3,000

The Retro Gaming Club is a community-led initiative designed to reduce isolation, foster connection and promote wellbeing through nostalgic, low-tech gaming experiences. It will provide a safe, inclusive space for individuals of all ages and abilities to come together, build relationships and access informal mental health-informed support.

St Philip & St James Church - £5,656

Our activities include a Lunch Club for senior citizens, a warm space (known as Tea & Toast), a Foodbank hub, and parent and toddler group. These are all held in our church hall. We also host a community garden and crafters workshop.

Gloucestershire Resource Centre - £7,100

Our ‘Creative Welcome Space’ is a drop-in space where people can bring a project they’re working on, have a cuppa and a chat. The group is user-led and provides the opportunity for adults to connect with each other, share, learn, build support, confidence and friendships. It improves mental health and wellbeing, helping those attending to be happier, more connected and reduce feelings of isolation. 

Gloucester AIW Cricket Club - £1,000

Our "Cricket for All" project aims to outreach to the most in need of social care and to facilitate their attendance to matches, providing transport and lunch, so they can spend a Saturday afternoon with the club and socially interact with each other, fostering a spirit of togetherness and a safe space.

Canal & River Trust - £5,250

Our project seeks to remove barriers to participation, build community and enable individuals to strengthen their physical and mental health through seated and mat-based yoga classes. The location of the class helps people to benefit from the calming effect of spending time by water.

Ebony Community Carers Group - £3,750

Through scheduled group sessions, individuals can share experiences and develop connections with others. Activities are selected based on participant interests and needs, including creative workshops, educational talks, and exercise classes. The organisation supports opportunities for individuals to engage with their wider community, including group activities and local events.

Gloucester Community Networking - £3,000

Our Wellbeing Matters and Gloucestershire Forces Hub groups will support residents, including those impacted by a range of mental ill-health conditions, isolation and disadvantage through Military Service. We aim to combat stigma and provide self-help resources to empower attendees to support themselves with resources provided at each group session.

Brockworth Link - £5,500

The primary aim of this project is to reduce loneliness and isolation among older people or those who need support by providing regular opportunities to connect with others in a safe and friendly space. Many older residents live alone, with limited family or social networks, and the library is often their only regular point of connection with the community.

Goals Beyond Grass - £5,250

Our Inclusive Cycling Programme is designed to provide safe, enjoyable and accessible cycling sessions for adults with disabilities and their carers. Cycling offers huge benefits, such as improved fitness, mental wellbeing, independence and social inclusion, not to mention the impact on health conditions. For many people with disabilities, standard bikes are not an option. Our adapted cycling sessions remove these barriers and make cycling possible for everyone.

The Wiggly Worm Ltd - £7,500

Our sessions bring together adults who might otherwise feel isolated - carers, people living with illness or disability, older people who have lost partners - and give them a safe and inclusive space to build cookery skills and confidence. Through hands on sessions using seasonal produce, people learn to prepare nutritious meals on a budget, empowering them to make healthier choices at home.

The Chatty Café - £3,801.20

The Hub offers refreshments, craft activities, chair exercise from a qualified instructor, technical support on phones/tablets, along with support to access healthcare, transport and signposting to anything people may need help with. The Chatty Café benefits the local community encouraging people to socialise thus preventing loneliness, promoting friendships and aiding their mobility through exercise.

Fair Shares Gloucestershire - £4,800

The project aims to build community connections, resilience and help people to build meaningful relationships to others in the timebank in a two-way manner, offering and accepting practical and emotional support. Our Lunch Club creates a safe and welcoming environment, so that people are able to build trusted relationships with others.

The Friendship Café - £3,750

The Sewing Studio is a safe social space where women facing disadvantage can connect to make new like-minded friends, gain support, build on their skills and even get help to launch small enterprises. The Studio is giving the opportunity for women to thrive, "one stitch at a time".

Coopers Edge Football Club - £600

Our Football Club is a Vets and Supervets Team, where club members are from various backgrounds. The club has become an essential hub to allow older men to keep fit and ensure there is a safe place where our members can build relationships and discuss issues away from the family environment.

Jigsaw Community Co-operative - £3,000

The Retro Gaming Club is a community-led initiative designed to reduce isolation, foster connection and promote wellbeing through nostalgic, low-tech gaming experiences. It will provide a safe, inclusive space for individuals of all ages and abilities to come together, build relationships and access informal mental health-informed support.

St Philip & St James Church - £5,656

Our activities include a Lunch Club for senior citizens, a warm space (known as Tea & Toast), a Foodbank hub, and parent and toddler group. These are all held in our church hall. We also host a community garden and crafters workshop.

Gloucestershire Resource Centre - £7,100

Our ‘Creative Welcome Space’ is a drop-in space where people can bring a project they’re working on, have a cuppa and a chat. The group is user-led and provides the opportunity for adults to connect with each other, share, learn, build support, confidence and friendships. It improves mental health and wellbeing, helping those attending to be happier, more connected and reduce feelings of isolation. 

Gloucester AIW Cricket Club - £1,000

Our "Cricket for All" project aims to outreach to the most in need of social care and to facilitate their attendance to matches, providing transport and lunch, so they can spend a Saturday afternoon with the club and socially interact with each other, fostering a spirit of togetherness and a safe space.

Canal & River Trust - £5,250

Our project seeks to remove barriers to participation, build community and enable individuals to strengthen their physical and mental health through seated and mat-based yoga classes. The location of the class helps people to benefit from the calming effect of spending time by water.

Ebony Community Carers Group - £3,750

Through scheduled group sessions, individuals can share experiences and develop connections with others. Activities are selected based on participant interests and needs, including creative workshops, educational talks, and exercise classes. The organisation supports opportunities for individuals to engage with their wider community, including group activities and local events.

Gloucester Community Networking - £3,000

Our Wellbeing Matters and Gloucestershire Forces Hub groups will support residents, including those impacted by a range of mental ill-health conditions, isolation and disadvantage through Military Service. We aim to combat stigma and provide self-help resources to empower attendees to support themselves with resources provided at each group session.

Gloucestershire Academy of Music - £7,500

Melodic Minds is a new music intervention and singing-based service designed to support individuals under 65 living with young onset dementia, and their carers. The sessions will be shaped around familiar songs, personal music tastes and gentle encouragement. Whether someone is into Motown, rock, classical or pop, we will build the playlist around what the group loves, so every session feels personal and meaningful.

Art for All Mental Health - £7,500

Our sessions are designed to combine creativity with researched, evidence-based therapeutic principles. Whilst our facilitators provide guidance, encouragement and strategies for using creativity as a mental health tool, the sessions are user led and participants are free to use the space and materials however they wish. They can experiment and explore creative processes in a mindful environment, or simply come and be in the space that they can rely on for weekly structure.

Deer Park Archers Limited - £7,500

Our activities improve the mental and physical health of members through activities such as environmental stewardship, grounds keeping, group woodworking projects, site maintenance and organisational roles. We are extending our covered area to include a purpose-built workshop area. This will improve the working environment for volunteers, provide essential tools, create an end of session social gathering space, and an essential training venue.

Believe in Beyond CIC - £7,500

We are building a survivor-led community where safety, trust and peer support can flourish. In our groups, women break free from isolation, form meaningful connections, and begin to regain agency. Over time, participants often step into leadership roles themselves, transforming from recipients into facilitators and strengthening resilience across the whole community.

Allsorts Gloucestershire - £7,451

Our young adults engage in weekly sports activities including football, swimming and trampolining, as well as supported outings such as cinema trips, bowling, inclusive sports, theatre visits and community events. These activities encourage positive healthy outcomes as well as skill-building in travel, communication, money management and decision-making. They enable participants to explore real-world settings in a supported but empowering way and build confidence and resilience for future adult life.

Cruse Bereavement Support, Cruse Gloucestershire - £7,490

We will offer free "Understanding Your Bereavement" sessions to adults struggling with grief following a significant loss. These sessions aim to improve mental health and wellbeing, reduce isolation, and help individuals build resilience through education, coping strategies and peer support.

The Cotswold Listener - £2,500

Our service ensures that blind, partially sighted and print-disabled people can enjoy equal access to local news, stories and voices, so that they feel informed, connected and included in their communities. Content is made available in a choice of formats including USB sticks, online streaming and smart speakers, ensuring individuals can connect in a way that suits their needs and abilities.

Gloucestershire Deaf Association - £7,500

We will provide a monthly event for deaf people to have a healthy meal at our community centre, enjoy Bingo in a relaxed accessible environment and stay on to forge new friendships through the afternoon. The event is also a nucleus for wraparound care including 1:1 support, help with translation, appointments and digital access. We also provide a number of trips to local attractions through this group with interpreters to allow access to places they would otherwise be excluded from.

Maggie’s Cheltenham (Maggie Keswick Jencks Cancer Caring Centres Trust) - £7,500

Built as a safe haven for people in the storm of managing cancer, Maggie’s Cheltenham is there for anyone affected by cancer, at any stage, for as long as they need us. There are no waiting lists or appointments and no limit to how much time and support a person can receive. The aim of our work is to give people the knowledge, support and tools they need to not just take control of and better manage their treatment, but to live healthier, happier lives while they face cancer.

Gloucestershire Academy of Music - £7,500

Melodic Minds is a new music intervention and singing-based service designed to support individuals under 65 living with young onset dementia, and their carers. The sessions will be shaped around familiar songs, personal music tastes and gentle encouragement. Whether someone is into Motown, rock, classical or pop, we will build the playlist around what the group loves, so every session feels personal and meaningful.

Art for All Mental Health - £7,500

Our sessions are designed to combine creativity with researched, evidence-based therapeutic principles. Whilst our facilitators provide guidance, encouragement and strategies for using creativity as a mental health tool, the sessions are user led and participants are free to use the space and materials however they wish. They can experiment and explore creative processes in a mindful environment, or simply come and be in the space that they can rely on for weekly structure.

Deer Park Archers Limited - £7,500

Our activities improve the mental and physical health of members through activities such as environmental stewardship, grounds keeping, group woodworking projects, site maintenance and organisational roles. We are extending our covered area to include a purpose-built workshop area. This will improve the working environment for volunteers, provide essential tools, create an end of session social gathering space, and an essential training venue.

Believe in Beyond CIC - £7,500

We are building a survivor-led community where safety, trust and peer support can flourish. In our groups, women break free from isolation, form meaningful connections, and begin to regain agency. Over time, participants often step into leadership roles themselves, transforming from recipients into facilitators and strengthening resilience across the whole community.

Allsorts Gloucestershire - £7,451

Our young adults engage in weekly sports activities including football, swimming and trampolining, as well as supported outings such as cinema trips, bowling, inclusive sports, theatre visits and community events. These activities encourage positive healthy outcomes as well as skill-building in travel, communication, money management and decision-making. They enable participants to explore real-world settings in a supported but empowering way and build confidence and resilience for future adult life.

Cruse Bereavement Support, Cruse Gloucestershire - £7,490

We will offer free "Understanding Your Bereavement" sessions to adults struggling with grief following a significant loss. These sessions aim to improve mental health and wellbeing, reduce isolation, and help individuals build resilience through education, coping strategies and peer support.

The Cotswold Listener - £2,500

Our service ensures that blind, partially sighted and print-disabled people can enjoy equal access to local news, stories and voices, so that they feel informed, connected and included in their communities. Content is made available in a choice of formats including USB sticks, online streaming and smart speakers, ensuring individuals can connect in a way that suits their needs and abilities.

Gloucestershire Deaf Association - £7,500

We will provide a monthly event for deaf people to have a healthy meal at our community centre, enjoy Bingo in a relaxed accessible environment and stay on to forge new friendships through the afternoon. The event is also a nucleus for wraparound care including 1:1 support, help with translation, appointments and digital access. We also provide a number of trips to local attractions through this group with interpreters to allow access to places they would otherwise be excluded from.

Maggie’s Cheltenham (Maggie Keswick Jencks Cancer Caring Centres Trust) - £7,500

Built as a safe haven for people in the storm of managing cancer, Maggie’s Cheltenham is there for anyone affected by cancer, at any stage, for as long as they need us. There are no waiting lists or appointments and no limit to how much time and support a person can receive. The aim of our work is to give people the knowledge, support and tools they need to not just take control of and better manage their treatment, but to live healthier, happier lives while they face cancer.

2025

The Keepers - Wotton Area Community Hub - £7,450

The Keepers is a Community Hub and we want our communities to be resilient, connected and supported. Our priority objectives are: 1. Reduce social isolation & loneliness 2. Provide support for all caregivers 3. Meeting people’s basic needs 4. Enable strong community connections. The funding will support our Community Kitchen project and Wellbeing Garden.

GL11 Community Project - £7,500

GL11 Community Hub works with people of all ages. We provide of daily support services and activities, within a safe and inclusive space, for local residents who are lonely or socially isolated, facing disability or discrimination, lack family help, are dealing with trauma and anxiety, or have short or long-term difficulties in life, reducing the health inequalities gap for these disadvantaged groups. The funding will be used to support a Project Worker to deliver the weekly ‘Feet, Food & Friendship’ activity group and ‘Community Lunch’ at GL11 Community Hub.

Five Valley Sounds - Stroud’s Talking Newspaper - £1,530

Five Valley’s Sounds is Stroud’s Talking Newspaper for the blind and partially sighted listeners in the Stroud District. Each week we edit and record stories from the ‘Stroud News and Journal’ to keep our visually impaired listeners in touch with their local community. This grant would contribute towards our running costs and help us maintain our existing service.

Crossroads Care Gloucestershire - £7,500

We will use the Thriving Communities Grant money to expand our Azalea Day Club. Azalea Day Clubs are fully inclusive, activity-based clubs which enable us to offer disabled people and adults with any health condition greater choice of opportunity in their local community and helping to ensure that people are not lonely and isolated.

Cashes Green Community Hub - £7,500

This funding will help contribute to core staff costs involved in running our Community Hub. This will help enable us to continue the ongoing running of all of our Community Hub activities.  The main aim of our community hub is to help people to increase independence, self-reliance, connecting people to their communities, and reduce isolation. The range of activities, events, outreach services, and community support we provide from The Hub really has helped to bring the people who live in and around Cashes Green together. The ‘Community Hub’ provision is really bringing back a sense of community and belonging to the area and to those people who access the centre. 

Stroud Valleys Project - £7,500

Our Wild Shed project is a well-attended mixed group that includes adults with mental health issues, people with disabilities, and people living with addictions. This grant will enable us to run a group one day a week for a year, focusing on wellbeing and building connections for our participants. The aim of the project is to engage people in teamwork and support them to live more active, engaged and independent lives, in harmony with our surrounding environment and with the community.

Creative Sustainability CIC - £7,500

Our project focuses on supporting vulnerable adults, particularly those who are elderly, have disabilities, additional needs, or mental health challenges, by teaching them how to stay safe online. Digital inclusion provides access to vital services and resources, but many vulnerable people lack the confidence or knowledge to navigate the online world securely.

Marah Trust - £7,500

Our charity reaches out to vulnerable and disadvantaged people living on the margins of society.  We provide a drop-in service four times a week offering a hot meal, food to take home and access to advice and support. Our aim is to address hunger and social exclusion; improving the health and well-being of those who come to us.

Longfield Hospice Care - £7,500

We are seeking funding towards the direct delivery cost of the of ongoing group programmes of care and support for physical and mental wellbeing at our Wellbeing Centre. We help patients and family carers to increase independence, self-reliance and resilience through information and advice, advocacy and direct support.

The Keepers - Wotton Area Community Hub - £7,450

The Keepers is a Community Hub and we want our communities to be resilient, connected and supported. Our priority objectives are: 1. Reduce social isolation & loneliness 2. Provide support for all caregivers 3. Meeting people’s basic needs 4. Enable strong community connections. The funding will support our Community Kitchen project and Wellbeing Garden.

GL11 Community Project - £7,500

GL11 Community Hub works with people of all ages. We provide of daily support services and activities, within a safe and inclusive space, for local residents who are lonely or socially isolated, facing disability or discrimination, lack family help, are dealing with trauma and anxiety, or have short or long-term difficulties in life, reducing the health inequalities gap for these disadvantaged groups. The funding will be used to support a Project Worker to deliver the weekly ‘Feet, Food & Friendship’ activity group and ‘Community Lunch’ at GL11 Community Hub.

Five Valley Sounds - Stroud’s Talking Newspaper - £1,530

Five Valley’s Sounds is Stroud’s Talking Newspaper for the blind and partially sighted listeners in the Stroud District. Each week we edit and record stories from the ‘Stroud News and Journal’ to keep our visually impaired listeners in touch with their local community. This grant would contribute towards our running costs and help us maintain our existing service.

Crossroads Care Gloucestershire - £7,500

We will use the Thriving Communities Grant money to expand our Azalea Day Club. Azalea Day Clubs are fully inclusive, activity-based clubs which enable us to offer disabled people and adults with any health condition greater choice of opportunity in their local community and helping to ensure that people are not lonely and isolated.

Cashes Green Community Hub - £7,500

This funding will help contribute to core staff costs involved in running our Community Hub. This will help enable us to continue the ongoing running of all of our Community Hub activities.  The main aim of our community hub is to help people to increase independence, self-reliance, connecting people to their communities, and reduce isolation. The range of activities, events, outreach services, and community support we provide from The Hub really has helped to bring the people who live in and around Cashes Green together. The ‘Community Hub’ provision is really bringing back a sense of community and belonging to the area and to those people who access the centre. 

Stroud Valleys Project - £7,500

Our Wild Shed project is a well-attended mixed group that includes adults with mental health issues, people with disabilities, and people living with addictions. This grant will enable us to run a group one day a week for a year, focusing on wellbeing and building connections for our participants. The aim of the project is to engage people in teamwork and support them to live more active, engaged and independent lives, in harmony with our surrounding environment and with the community.

Creative Sustainability CIC - £7,500

Our project focuses on supporting vulnerable adults, particularly those who are elderly, have disabilities, additional needs, or mental health challenges, by teaching them how to stay safe online. Digital inclusion provides access to vital services and resources, but many vulnerable people lack the confidence or knowledge to navigate the online world securely.

Marah Trust - £7,500

Our charity reaches out to vulnerable and disadvantaged people living on the margins of society.  We provide a drop-in service four times a week offering a hot meal, food to take home and access to advice and support. Our aim is to address hunger and social exclusion; improving the health and well-being of those who come to us.

Longfield Hospice Care - £7,500

We are seeking funding towards the direct delivery cost of the of ongoing group programmes of care and support for physical and mental wellbeing at our Wellbeing Centre. We help patients and family carers to increase independence, self-reliance and resilience through information and advice, advocacy and direct support.

The Churn Project Ltd - £7,500.00

We plan to expand The Churn’s Ageing Well programme for people over 60 in and around Cirencester. We aim that all older residents have the opportunity for social contact and meaningful activities for as long as possible.

 Avening Community Café - £1,000.00

Avening Community Cafe provides a meeting place for all villagers, but especially bereaved men and women, new people to the village, and people who are on their own or reluctant to meet new people or go out on their own. The Avening Social Club providing a meeting place for everyone to talk to others and participate in activities, while enjoying teas, coffees and cakes.

Cirencester & District Mental Health Carer Support Group - £2,815.00

The Cirencester & District Carer Support Group is a community voluntary organisation that was formed to connect with people caring for someone of working age diagnosed with an ongoing enduring mental illness. We hold monthly meetings with invited speakers from local mental health services and relevant organisations. Meetings always include time to socialise and share experiences.

Fairford and Lechlade areas Working for Wellbeing - £7,500.00

We are a community organisation, working to improve the wellbeing of people in this rural area. We work to reduce loneliness and social isolation, particularly among the elderly, connecting people to community activities, bringing people together, promoting healthy lifestyles, making outside help accessible when needed and enabling people to keep well and active, increasing independence and self-reliance.

Dementia Friendly North Cotswolds - £1,055.00

We organise and run two Dementia Cafes in Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water. These groups are for anyone with a diagnosis of dementia and their carers to attend. We aim to give people a safe space where they can enjoy talking to others with dementia as well as doing a range of activities.

Cotswolds Friends - Carer Wellbeing Service - £7,500.00

Cotswold Friends’ Carer Wellbeing Service offers crucial regular breaks for full-time carers, enabling them to maintain their own health and wellbeing while continuing to care for others. Our volunteers provide weekly respite breaks for full-time carers, which are essential for their wellbeing.

Cotswolds Friends - Community Activities Programme - £7,500.00

The Community Activities Programme provides the much-needed social contact and community connection that older and vulnerable people can so often need. This gives the community connection, confidence and the support people need to continue living independently in their own home.

Gloucestershire Rural Community Council (GRCC) - £7,500.00

This new project, Connecting Communities-North Cotswolds, focuses on reducing social isolation and loneliness and increasing mental health and wellbeing in the North Cotswolds.  This project will allow individuals to stay independent and in their own homes for as long as possible as they will have access to a physical and virtual digital space where they can receive help and support and be part of a social network locally. 

Citizens Advice Stroud and Cotswold - £7,500.00

We are a registered charity that gives residents of the Stroud and Cotswold Districts free, independent, impartial and confidential advice and information. Our advice empowers people to tackle the problems that they are facing, and this grant will be used to help contribute to our core costs.

Tetbury Area Youth and Community Trust - £4,595.00

A consistent theme across our projects is to enable community and reduce the impact and experience of loneliness and isolation, whether physical, emotional, situational etc. Our goal is to enhance the overall well-being of our community by promoting a sense of belonging and friendship. The Friendship Cafe is supported by a group of dedicated and caring volunteers. It is also an opportunity for signposting and connecting people with local services. Many attendees of the Friendship Cafe are older, experience isolation and loneliness, may be vulnerable adults, and have experience of hardship.

The Churn Project Ltd - £7,500.00

We plan to expand The Churn’s Ageing Well programme for people over 60 in and around Cirencester. We aim that all older residents have the opportunity for social contact and meaningful activities for as long as possible.

 Avening Community Café - £1,000.00

Avening Community Cafe provides a meeting place for all villagers, but especially bereaved men and women, new people to the village, and people who are on their own or reluctant to meet new people or go out on their own. The Avening Social Club providing a meeting place for everyone to talk to others and participate in activities, while enjoying teas, coffees and cakes.

Cirencester & District Mental Health Carer Support Group - £2,815.00

The Cirencester & District Carer Support Group is a community voluntary organisation that was formed to connect with people caring for someone of working age diagnosed with an ongoing enduring mental illness. We hold monthly meetings with invited speakers from local mental health services and relevant organisations. Meetings always include time to socialise and share experiences.

Fairford and Lechlade areas Working for Wellbeing - £7,500.00

We are a community organisation, working to improve the wellbeing of people in this rural area. We work to reduce loneliness and social isolation, particularly among the elderly, connecting people to community activities, bringing people together, promoting healthy lifestyles, making outside help accessible when needed and enabling people to keep well and active, increasing independence and self-reliance.

Dementia Friendly North Cotswolds - £1,055.00

We organise and run two Dementia Cafes in Stow-on-the-Wold and Bourton-on-the-Water. These groups are for anyone with a diagnosis of dementia and their carers to attend. We aim to give people a safe space where they can enjoy talking to others with dementia as well as doing a range of activities.

Cotswolds Friends - Carer Wellbeing Service - £7,500.00

Cotswold Friends’ Carer Wellbeing Service offers crucial regular breaks for full-time carers, enabling them to maintain their own health and wellbeing while continuing to care for others. Our volunteers provide weekly respite breaks for full-time carers, which are essential for their wellbeing.

Cotswolds Friends - Community Activities Programme - £7,500.00

The Community Activities Programme provides the much-needed social contact and community connection that older and vulnerable people can so often need. This gives the community connection, confidence and the support people need to continue living independently in their own home.

Gloucestershire Rural Community Council (GRCC) - £7,500.00

This new project, Connecting Communities-North Cotswolds, focuses on reducing social isolation and loneliness and increasing mental health and wellbeing in the North Cotswolds.  This project will allow individuals to stay independent and in their own homes for as long as possible as they will have access to a physical and virtual digital space where they can receive help and support and be part of a social network locally. 

Citizens Advice Stroud and Cotswold - £7,500.00

We are a registered charity that gives residents of the Stroud and Cotswold Districts free, independent, impartial and confidential advice and information. Our advice empowers people to tackle the problems that they are facing, and this grant will be used to help contribute to our core costs.

Tetbury Area Youth and Community Trust - £4,595.00

A consistent theme across our projects is to enable community and reduce the impact and experience of loneliness and isolation, whether physical, emotional, situational etc. Our goal is to enhance the overall well-being of our community by promoting a sense of belonging and friendship. The Friendship Cafe is supported by a group of dedicated and caring volunteers. It is also an opportunity for signposting and connecting people with local services. Many attendees of the Friendship Cafe are older, experience isolation and loneliness, may be vulnerable adults, and have experience of hardship.

Caring for Communities and People – Mental Health Group - £500.00

We work with the NHS Mental Health Recovery Team in the local community which improves the mental health of patients and keeps them out of hospital. One of our projects is the Creative Well Being group. This happens once a month and is available for anyone in the community who suffers from mental health issues or are vulnerable as they strive for equality.

Lakeside Community Project - £2,000.00

Lakeside Community Project is a food pantry where households contribute £4 per visit (weekly or less) in return for grocery items including fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, ambient food, and washing/personal hygiene items. We will be purchasing a storage (shipping) container, which we will fit out and equip, which will enable us to provide a better service

Cheltenham Housing Aid Centre - £7,500.00

We will be using this grant towards our Housing Advice for Vulnerable People Project. The aim of the project is to provide specialist housing advice to the most vulnerable people in Cheltenham.

Cheltenham Mental Health Carer Support Group - £3,040.00

Cheltenham Mental Health Carer Support Group (CMHC) is a peer support group that aims to provide an opportunity for carers to share their experience of caring for a family member or friend who has a long term serious mental illness. We will be using this money to help towards the programme delivery costs.

West Cheltenham Partnership - Hesters Way Community Hub - £7,500.00

West Cheltenham Partnership is a charity which has supported strengthening communities in west Cheltenham for over 25 years. We will use funding to support a part time community development worker, to encourage, engage and befriend local people and to connect them to their communities and to reduce isolation.

St Michael’s Cornerstone Trust - £7,500.00

Cornerstone Centre is a vibrant community hub, adjacent to the distinctive St Michael’s Church in the Oakley ward of North Cheltenham. Our core objective is to provide a safe place to be, to make friends and learn new skills. We are open to everyone and have a particular focus on reaching vulnerable people on the margins of society.

Springbank Community Group - £7,500.00

Springbank Community Group provides a range of community focussed projects which aim to support our organisational objectives of, fighting food poverty, reducing social isolation and providing positive and meaningful activities for people of all ages within the community. We do his through our food pantry, our community café, the provision of direct support, social groups and a variety of other events.

YMCA Cheltenham - £7,500.00

Feed Cheltenham is an initiative operating within Cheltenham YMCA and its goal is to assist families with low incomes. The project has continued its mission throughout the Cost-of-Living Crisis, consistently aiding Cheltenham's food providers in their efforts to make affordable food accessible to those in need. Additionally, Feed Cheltenham engages with the community by referring those in need to appropriate services and offering one-on-one budgeting advice. This grant will be used to go towards the core costs for this project to continue.

Art for All Group - £7,500.00

Art for All is a constituted community group that delivers free varied art classes to adults with a mental health condition, from our purposed art room and accessible community space at Gas Green Youth and Community Centre in Cheltenham (GGYCC).

Men in Sheds Cheltenham & Gloucester - £7,500.00

The aim of Men in Sheds C&G is to promote social inclusion for the public benefit. We reduce social isolation by bringing members together on a regular basis to undertake creative activities on an individual or collective basis. In so doing, members benefit from improved physical and mental wellbeing and stay well for longer. As well as enabling members to enjoy greater independence and improved resilience, local charities, community groups and residential communities benefit from the many projects we undertake upon their behalf, thus enabling them to better achieve their own goals.

Caring for Communities and People – Mental Health Group - £500.00

We work with the NHS Mental Health Recovery Team in the local community which improves the mental health of patients and keeps them out of hospital. One of our projects is the Creative Well Being group. This happens once a month and is available for anyone in the community who suffers from mental health issues or are vulnerable as they strive for equality.

Lakeside Community Project - £2,000.00

Lakeside Community Project is a food pantry where households contribute £4 per visit (weekly or less) in return for grocery items including fresh fruit and vegetables, bread, ambient food, and washing/personal hygiene items. We will be purchasing a storage (shipping) container, which we will fit out and equip, which will enable us to provide a better service

Cheltenham Housing Aid Centre - £7,500.00

We will be using this grant towards our Housing Advice for Vulnerable People Project. The aim of the project is to provide specialist housing advice to the most vulnerable people in Cheltenham.

Cheltenham Mental Health Carer Support Group - £3,040.00

Cheltenham Mental Health Carer Support Group (CMHC) is a peer support group that aims to provide an opportunity for carers to share their experience of caring for a family member or friend who has a long term serious mental illness. We will be using this money to help towards the programme delivery costs.

West Cheltenham Partnership - Hesters Way Community Hub - £7,500.00

West Cheltenham Partnership is a charity which has supported strengthening communities in west Cheltenham for over 25 years. We will use funding to support a part time community development worker, to encourage, engage and befriend local people and to connect them to their communities and to reduce isolation.

St Michael’s Cornerstone Trust - £7,500.00

Cornerstone Centre is a vibrant community hub, adjacent to the distinctive St Michael’s Church in the Oakley ward of North Cheltenham. Our core objective is to provide a safe place to be, to make friends and learn new skills. We are open to everyone and have a particular focus on reaching vulnerable people on the margins of society.

Springbank Community Group - £7,500.00

Springbank Community Group provides a range of community focussed projects which aim to support our organisational objectives of, fighting food poverty, reducing social isolation and providing positive and meaningful activities for people of all ages within the community. We do his through our food pantry, our community café, the provision of direct support, social groups and a variety of other events.

YMCA Cheltenham - £7,500.00

Feed Cheltenham is an initiative operating within Cheltenham YMCA and its goal is to assist families with low incomes. The project has continued its mission throughout the Cost-of-Living Crisis, consistently aiding Cheltenham's food providers in their efforts to make affordable food accessible to those in need. Additionally, Feed Cheltenham engages with the community by referring those in need to appropriate services and offering one-on-one budgeting advice. This grant will be used to go towards the core costs for this project to continue.

Art for All Group - £7,500.00

Art for All is a constituted community group that delivers free varied art classes to adults with a mental health condition, from our purposed art room and accessible community space at Gas Green Youth and Community Centre in Cheltenham (GGYCC).

Men in Sheds Cheltenham & Gloucester - £7,500.00

The aim of Men in Sheds C&G is to promote social inclusion for the public benefit. We reduce social isolation by bringing members together on a regular basis to undertake creative activities on an individual or collective basis. In so doing, members benefit from improved physical and mental wellbeing and stay well for longer. As well as enabling members to enjoy greater independence and improved resilience, local charities, community groups and residential communities benefit from the many projects we undertake upon their behalf, thus enabling them to better achieve their own goals.

Priors Park Community Church - £5,000.00

The Compassion Café is designed to be a welcoming community hub in Priors Park, offering both social and nutritional support to residents. Our aim is to foster a stronger sense of community, alleviate social isolation, and promote overall wellbeing, particularly for individuals who may be experiencing loneliness, mental health challenges, or food insecurity.

Winchcombe Arts & Community Hub - £7,500.00

Winchcombe Arts & Community Hub is an arts and community venue The aim of our project is to help Isbourne Arts achieve its goal of being fully inclusive by making its facilities accessible to adults and community groups otherwise unable to afford to use them and to enable the charity to develop a programme of activities.

Age UK Gloucestershire - £7,485.91

The project aims of the gentle walking groups are to encourage inactive older people, those who do less than 30 minutes exercise per week, to join a group for a short walk and increase their activity levels with the opportunity to socialise in a comfortable and safe environment afterwards.

Guideposts Trust - £7,500.00

Through early-stage interventions, emotional wellbeing support and community partnerships, Guideposts CONNECT helps socially isolated older people re-engage with their communities, bolsters their independence, and slows onset of dementia. We provide low-intervention for isolated older adults and their carers (who often struggle with the emotional and physical demands of caregiving) gain respite and peer support. Each group combats loneliness, fosters community connections, and improves emotional and physical wellbeing for its participants. 

Art Shape - £7,500.00

The Create & Thrive course is a transformative programme designed to enhance the well-being and support the clinical health of residents in Bishops Cleeve. The course integrates creative arts as a therapeutic tool, offering participants the opportunity to explore various artistic skills while fostering a supportive community environment and reducing isolation.

Cleeve Common Trust - £4,187.89

This project will help adults to stay physically and mentally healthy by aiding them to access green space with fantastic far-reaching views. Connection with nature is proven to offer health benefits but can be difficult for people with mobility difficulties. Our project aims to help towards the mobility difficulties that come with visiting Cleeve Common.

 

 

Priors Park Community Church - £5,000.00

The Compassion Café is designed to be a welcoming community hub in Priors Park, offering both social and nutritional support to residents. Our aim is to foster a stronger sense of community, alleviate social isolation, and promote overall wellbeing, particularly for individuals who may be experiencing loneliness, mental health challenges, or food insecurity.

Winchcombe Arts & Community Hub - £7,500.00

Winchcombe Arts & Community Hub is an arts and community venue The aim of our project is to help Isbourne Arts achieve its goal of being fully inclusive by making its facilities accessible to adults and community groups otherwise unable to afford to use them and to enable the charity to develop a programme of activities.

Age UK Gloucestershire - £7,485.91

The project aims of the gentle walking groups are to encourage inactive older people, those who do less than 30 minutes exercise per week, to join a group for a short walk and increase their activity levels with the opportunity to socialise in a comfortable and safe environment afterwards.

Guideposts Trust - £7,500.00

Through early-stage interventions, emotional wellbeing support and community partnerships, Guideposts CONNECT helps socially isolated older people re-engage with their communities, bolsters their independence, and slows onset of dementia. We provide low-intervention for isolated older adults and their carers (who often struggle with the emotional and physical demands of caregiving) gain respite and peer support. Each group combats loneliness, fosters community connections, and improves emotional and physical wellbeing for its participants. 

Art Shape - £7,500.00

The Create & Thrive course is a transformative programme designed to enhance the well-being and support the clinical health of residents in Bishops Cleeve. The course integrates creative arts as a therapeutic tool, offering participants the opportunity to explore various artistic skills while fostering a supportive community environment and reducing isolation.

Cleeve Common Trust - £4,187.89

This project will help adults to stay physically and mentally healthy by aiding them to access green space with fantastic far-reaching views. Connection with nature is proven to offer health benefits but can be difficult for people with mobility difficulties. Our project aims to help towards the mobility difficulties that come with visiting Cleeve Common.

 

 

Forest Fighting Fit - £3,575.00

Forest Fighting Fit is a vital community resource that connects people, builds trust, and empowers individuals through its diverse range of fitness programs and supportive environment. By promoting independence, self-reliance, and resilience, the gym helps its members lead healthier, more connected lives. Through its innovative and inclusive approach, Forest Fighting Fit continues to make a positive impact on the community it serves, providing place-based activities.

Victoria Centre - £5,000.00

The Victoria Centre has been running for almost 50 years as a lunch club, we provide home cooked meals 3 days a week for the over 55’s and people with disabilities. The centre provides a welcoming environment, a warm space and a chance for people to meet with friends and enjoy a two course freshly cooked meal. We also do coffee mornings, games, puzzles, crafts and reading matter are available together with music, bingo, a sing along many of the things that also provide stimulation.

Cinderford Area Neighbourhood Development Initiative - £7,500.00

The Cinderford Area Neighbourhood Development Initiative (CANDI) will use this funding to launch 2 Peer Support Mental Health Groups. The groups will create a safe, supportive space for adults to share experiences and connect with others and reduce isolation. By offering two groups we can be flexible about meeting times and age groups. Our aims are to reduce social isolation and encourage community engagement. 

Forest Voluntary Action Forum - £7,500.00

The primary aim of our project is to create a unified and resilient community by fostering connections between new and existing residents. Growing Together is a community-building project, designed to integrate new and existing residents of Lydney. This will help new residents connect with the local community, fostering social inclusion and promoting health and wellbeing

Newent Association for the Disabled - £5,000.00

Newent Association for the Disabled’s (NATD) mission is to ensure that quality of life is maintained – or increased – for disabled people who live in the very rural, Forest of Dean, and its surrounding areas. This grant will be used towards a care worker salary to help run our disabled and elderly day care centre, Sheppard House, on a Monday-Thursday in Newent.

Cinderford Artspace - £3,386.00

Cinderford Artspace will use funding to expand our successful Creative Community Morning trial to provide a regular calendar of Creative Community events. These events empower & provide ongoing support to adults in our community. This would include hard to reach adults, those within no/ low-income brackets adults with additional vulnerabilities, the isolated & those who need additional support to live well independently, improve wellbeing, & prevent poor mental health. 

Sedbury Space - £5,000.00

The Get Well and Keep Well project aims to provide targeted support activities at Sedbury Space which aims to reduce isolation, help adults to improve their mental and physical health, and stay well, through consultation with individuals and agencies referred through our Wellbeing partnerships. Sedbury Space’s outreach project helps identify adults in partnership which other agencies and provide the means for individuals to stay well through intervention before crisis. 

The Forest of Dean Dementia Action Alliance - £7,500.00

Our Music Memory Cafés are open to people living with dementia, caregivers, families, and the wider community. The Cafes provide a safe space for socialising, reducing the feelings of loneliness that many experience. Singing together fosters a sense of unity and connection among participants.

The Shop at Bromsberrow - £3,750.00

The Shop at Bromsberrow is not only a village shop, but also a community hub. It is the only venue in the village where people can meet and socialise. From our small kitchen we cook and serve community lunches every fortnight, serving up to 40 meals at a time. Many of our volunteers are elderly, but they relish the opportunity that the shop gives them to meet people and feel that they are making a positive contribution to the community. We will use the funding to increase the working hours of our part time manager.

Forest of Dean & Wye Valley Men's Shed - £3,750.00

The Forest Community Shed supports social inclusion, community well-being, and skill development by offering workshops and activities that cater to a diverse range of individuals. We provide a welcoming and accessible space for people of all ages and backgrounds. Through creative, hands-on projects, participants can share skills, develop new ones, and engage in meaningful social interactions that foster both mental and physical well-being. Expanding the Workshop Coordinator role will allow us to better manage the growing demand for our services. The workshop coordinator focuses on the health and well-being of all members, ensuring that they receive the support they need and that the workshops are safely and effectively supervised.

Great Oaks Hospice - £5,000.00

Great Oaks Wellbeing and Counselling & Bereavement Services support families, carers and friends, before or after the death of such persons and provide a range of adult bereavement services for any adult who has been bereaved through any cause. Through our regular coffee mornings, drop-in sessions, bereavement cafes and walking groups we aim to reduce the isolation of those who have been bereaved and empower them to connect within their local community and the wider Forest community. This funding will be used to support the continued expansion of the counselling and bereavement support service.

Crossroads Gloucestershire - £7,500.00

Crossroads wish is to support a community by providing ready access to quality support services that meet individual requirements. We offer support to those who are in need by reason of frailty, lack of means, ill-health or disability and their carers, to lead safer and healthier lives. We are seeking funding to assist with the start-up of two new groups (1. Parkinsons Groups 2. Stroke groups) which will become part of our Active Living Services. Funding will allow us to provide a monthly meeting in three different locations in the Forest of Dean.

Forest Fighting Fit - £3,575.00

Forest Fighting Fit is a vital community resource that connects people, builds trust, and empowers individuals through its diverse range of fitness programs and supportive environment. By promoting independence, self-reliance, and resilience, the gym helps its members lead healthier, more connected lives. Through its innovative and inclusive approach, Forest Fighting Fit continues to make a positive impact on the community it serves, providing place-based activities.

Victoria Centre - £5,000.00

The Victoria Centre has been running for almost 50 years as a lunch club, we provide home cooked meals 3 days a week for the over 55’s and people with disabilities. The centre provides a welcoming environment, a warm space and a chance for people to meet with friends and enjoy a two course freshly cooked meal. We also do coffee mornings, games, puzzles, crafts and reading matter are available together with music, bingo, a sing along many of the things that also provide stimulation.

Cinderford Area Neighbourhood Development Initiative - £7,500.00

The Cinderford Area Neighbourhood Development Initiative (CANDI) will use this funding to launch 2 Peer Support Mental Health Groups. The groups will create a safe, supportive space for adults to share experiences and connect with others and reduce isolation. By offering two groups we can be flexible about meeting times and age groups. Our aims are to reduce social isolation and encourage community engagement. 

Forest Voluntary Action Forum - £7,500.00

The primary aim of our project is to create a unified and resilient community by fostering connections between new and existing residents. Growing Together is a community-building project, designed to integrate new and existing residents of Lydney. This will help new residents connect with the local community, fostering social inclusion and promoting health and wellbeing

Newent Association for the Disabled - £5,000.00

Newent Association for the Disabled’s (NATD) mission is to ensure that quality of life is maintained – or increased – for disabled people who live in the very rural, Forest of Dean, and its surrounding areas. This grant will be used towards a care worker salary to help run our disabled and elderly day care centre, Sheppard House, on a Monday-Thursday in Newent.

Cinderford Artspace - £3,386.00

Cinderford Artspace will use funding to expand our successful Creative Community Morning trial to provide a regular calendar of Creative Community events. These events empower & provide ongoing support to adults in our community. This would include hard to reach adults, those within no/ low-income brackets adults with additional vulnerabilities, the isolated & those who need additional support to live well independently, improve wellbeing, & prevent poor mental health. 

Sedbury Space - £5,000.00

The Get Well and Keep Well project aims to provide targeted support activities at Sedbury Space which aims to reduce isolation, help adults to improve their mental and physical health, and stay well, through consultation with individuals and agencies referred through our Wellbeing partnerships. Sedbury Space’s outreach project helps identify adults in partnership which other agencies and provide the means for individuals to stay well through intervention before crisis. 

The Forest of Dean Dementia Action Alliance - £7,500.00

Our Music Memory Cafés are open to people living with dementia, caregivers, families, and the wider community. The Cafes provide a safe space for socialising, reducing the feelings of loneliness that many experience. Singing together fosters a sense of unity and connection among participants.

The Shop at Bromsberrow - £3,750.00

The Shop at Bromsberrow is not only a village shop, but also a community hub. It is the only venue in the village where people can meet and socialise. From our small kitchen we cook and serve community lunches every fortnight, serving up to 40 meals at a time. Many of our volunteers are elderly, but they relish the opportunity that the shop gives them to meet people and feel that they are making a positive contribution to the community. We will use the funding to increase the working hours of our part time manager.

Forest of Dean & Wye Valley Men's Shed - £3,750.00

The Forest Community Shed supports social inclusion, community well-being, and skill development by offering workshops and activities that cater to a diverse range of individuals. We provide a welcoming and accessible space for people of all ages and backgrounds. Through creative, hands-on projects, participants can share skills, develop new ones, and engage in meaningful social interactions that foster both mental and physical well-being. Expanding the Workshop Coordinator role will allow us to better manage the growing demand for our services. The workshop coordinator focuses on the health and well-being of all members, ensuring that they receive the support they need and that the workshops are safely and effectively supervised.

Great Oaks Hospice - £5,000.00

Great Oaks Wellbeing and Counselling & Bereavement Services support families, carers and friends, before or after the death of such persons and provide a range of adult bereavement services for any adult who has been bereaved through any cause. Through our regular coffee mornings, drop-in sessions, bereavement cafes and walking groups we aim to reduce the isolation of those who have been bereaved and empower them to connect within their local community and the wider Forest community. This funding will be used to support the continued expansion of the counselling and bereavement support service.

Crossroads Gloucestershire - £7,500.00

Crossroads wish is to support a community by providing ready access to quality support services that meet individual requirements. We offer support to those who are in need by reason of frailty, lack of means, ill-health or disability and their carers, to lead safer and healthier lives. We are seeking funding to assist with the start-up of two new groups (1. Parkinsons Groups 2. Stroke groups) which will become part of our Active Living Services. Funding will allow us to provide a monthly meeting in three different locations in the Forest of Dean.

Gloucestershire Academy of Music - £7,500.00

Our weekly choir sessions provide a safe, supportive environment where people living with dementia can engage socially and creatively through music The power of music fosters emotional connection and helps build positive social bonds, combating the isolation and loneliness that many people with dementia face. By strengthening ties within the choir and with the wider community, our choir members experience a sense of belonging and purpose that improves their overall wellbeing. We are seeking funding to expand our services by providing additional sessions, allowing us to reduce group sizes and offer a more tailored, person-centred approach.

The Wiggly Worm Ltd - £7,500.00

We work in our Gloucester kitchens with a wide range of adults who have experienced disadvantage in their lives. Our courses are designed to build peoples’ confidence and self-esteem as they learn new skills and to foster a sense of community connection. 

Abbeymead Rovers Football Club – Walking Football Pirates - £6,500.00

The PIRATES session is aimed at getting people living with a health condition out and about – get up get active.  We spend some time developing movement, coordination, balance etc whilst playing a non-contact fun sport. We spend time each session performing activities and drills which aim to improve confidence, balance, coordination and movement. We will use grant money to contribute to the facility hire costs.

Fair Shares Gloucestershire - £4,975.00

We aim to support individuals facing social isolation, health challenges, and poverty by offering ongoing, holistic support through a range of activities that promote social engagement, build resilience, and improve mental and physical wellbeing. We are seeking funding to reach older and vulnerable adults who may need additional support, providing them with weekly assistance and connecting them to the wider services of Fair Shares and other community organisations.

Friends of Hillfield Gardens - £500.00

The Friends of Hillfield Gardens is a volunteer Community group based in Kingsholm, Gloucester. The gardens are a very welcome green space within Kingsholm and are used regularly by people living in the community and those in local care homes. The green space offers the chance of quiet reflection, the space for exercise and the ability to enjoy the benefits of a garden. Funding will be used to update and improve the gardens, to restore to an area that can stimulate the senses and provide a place for quiet enjoyment of the outdoors.

The Friendship Café - £7,500.00

The Friendship Café Wellbeing and Mindfulness programme will benefit vulnerable people from a diverse range of cultures and faiths in the Barton and Tredworth community. It will offer a safe and trusted space where they can come once a week and meet up with others in their community whilst enjoying an engaging activity and experiencing nature.

Picturedrome Glos CIC - £7,500.00

We are a voluntary run organisation and our arts and community programme is led by artists and communities mainly from the most ethnically diverse areas in Gloucester where over 70 languages have been recorded. The Picturedrome has already become a friendly accessible centre where people and groups feel welcomed and at home. We have been focusing on key projects that are rooted in existing community initiatives via workshops, social meetings and a monthly programme of cinema, talks, coffee mornings, music sessions and exhibitions.

Ebony Community Carers Group - £7,500.00

We provide care for carers who look after sick, vulnerable and isolated adults, by allowing them to have time for themselves so that they can give full care to the people they look after and not risk their health and wellbeing. With funding we could pay for more classes to deliver structured sessions and help them to continue with their hobbies and social activities at the local community centre in Gloucester.

Elmbridge Together - £7,500.00

Elmbridge Together is a small community-development organisation, and this project connects mainly older local people to their community by providing a weekly warm-welcome space and related activities. This reduces social isolation and enables residents to better meet their own needs.

Gloucester Community Networking - £2,780.10

We are seeking funding to continue 2 x monthly groups held in Churchdown whilst welcoming people from the wider area.

1.      Wellbeing Matters

2.      Churchdown Forces Hub

These groups will support local residents, which includes: unemployed, over 50s, disabilities, those impacted from a range of mental ill-health conditions, isolation and disadvantage through Military Service.

Gloucestershire Academy of Music - £7,500.00

Our weekly choir sessions provide a safe, supportive environment where people living with dementia can engage socially and creatively through music The power of music fosters emotional connection and helps build positive social bonds, combating the isolation and loneliness that many people with dementia face. By strengthening ties within the choir and with the wider community, our choir members experience a sense of belonging and purpose that improves their overall wellbeing. We are seeking funding to expand our services by providing additional sessions, allowing us to reduce group sizes and offer a more tailored, person-centred approach.

The Wiggly Worm Ltd - £7,500.00

We work in our Gloucester kitchens with a wide range of adults who have experienced disadvantage in their lives. Our courses are designed to build peoples’ confidence and self-esteem as they learn new skills and to foster a sense of community connection. 

Abbeymead Rovers Football Club – Walking Football Pirates - £6,500.00

The PIRATES session is aimed at getting people living with a health condition out and about – get up get active.  We spend some time developing movement, coordination, balance etc whilst playing a non-contact fun sport. We spend time each session performing activities and drills which aim to improve confidence, balance, coordination and movement. We will use grant money to contribute to the facility hire costs.

Fair Shares Gloucestershire - £4,975.00

We aim to support individuals facing social isolation, health challenges, and poverty by offering ongoing, holistic support through a range of activities that promote social engagement, build resilience, and improve mental and physical wellbeing. We are seeking funding to reach older and vulnerable adults who may need additional support, providing them with weekly assistance and connecting them to the wider services of Fair Shares and other community organisations.

Friends of Hillfield Gardens - £500.00

The Friends of Hillfield Gardens is a volunteer Community group based in Kingsholm, Gloucester. The gardens are a very welcome green space within Kingsholm and are used regularly by people living in the community and those in local care homes. The green space offers the chance of quiet reflection, the space for exercise and the ability to enjoy the benefits of a garden. Funding will be used to update and improve the gardens, to restore to an area that can stimulate the senses and provide a place for quiet enjoyment of the outdoors.

The Friendship Café - £7,500.00

The Friendship Café Wellbeing and Mindfulness programme will benefit vulnerable people from a diverse range of cultures and faiths in the Barton and Tredworth community. It will offer a safe and trusted space where they can come once a week and meet up with others in their community whilst enjoying an engaging activity and experiencing nature.

Picturedrome Glos CIC - £7,500.00

We are a voluntary run organisation and our arts and community programme is led by artists and communities mainly from the most ethnically diverse areas in Gloucester where over 70 languages have been recorded. The Picturedrome has already become a friendly accessible centre where people and groups feel welcomed and at home. We have been focusing on key projects that are rooted in existing community initiatives via workshops, social meetings and a monthly programme of cinema, talks, coffee mornings, music sessions and exhibitions.

Ebony Community Carers Group - £7,500.00

We provide care for carers who look after sick, vulnerable and isolated adults, by allowing them to have time for themselves so that they can give full care to the people they look after and not risk their health and wellbeing. With funding we could pay for more classes to deliver structured sessions and help them to continue with their hobbies and social activities at the local community centre in Gloucester.

Elmbridge Together - £7,500.00

Elmbridge Together is a small community-development organisation, and this project connects mainly older local people to their community by providing a weekly warm-welcome space and related activities. This reduces social isolation and enables residents to better meet their own needs.

Gloucester Community Networking - £2,780.10

We are seeking funding to continue 2 x monthly groups held in Churchdown whilst welcoming people from the wider area.

1.      Wellbeing Matters

2.      Churchdown Forces Hub

These groups will support local residents, which includes: unemployed, over 50s, disabilities, those impacted from a range of mental ill-health conditions, isolation and disadvantage through Military Service.

Reconnect Gloucestershire CIC - £7,500.00

The Befriending Project provides peer support to individuals in Gloucestershire who are affected and isolated by long-term health conditions, including strokes and aphasia. The project's main goal is to empower these individuals to live well, reduce isolation, make informed choices, support their peers, and lead more fulfilling lives.

The ITSA Digital Trust - £7,500.00

The objective of the programme is bringing technology, digital participation and digital skills to those who need it most. Connecting people can be by improving access to digital hardware, such as computers and laptops or improving people’s digital skills.

Insight Gloucestershire - £7,500.00

We provide practical support assisting people to live independently in their own homes and also emotional support to people who are blind or partially sighted at our Gloucestershire Hubs. We are going to be using this funding to expand the number of information and guidance Hubs we have, aiming to ensure equal access to our Information, Advice and Guidance support and social groups.

Building Circles - £7,500.00

The Thriving Communities Grant will be used to support our Social Buddies Project. This project aims to help adults to stay emotionally and physically well by reducing social isolation. It also aims to develop community connections and social networks through matching adults with learning disabilities, with supportive companions with a shared interest and through social events. 

Community Connexions - £7,500.00

Community Connexions provides transport for housebound elderly, vulnerable and disabled people with poor mobility and no access to a car across Gloucestershire. Our transport is designed to specifically meet the needs of people in our communities by offering them safe and secure transport, with trained volunteers and driver support to give them the personalised attention they need.

Talk Club - £7,500.00

The Thriving Communities Grant Scheme will support Talk Club in growing our peer-to-peer talking and listening, exercising groups, and therapy groups in areas such as Cheltenham, Gloucester City, Cirencester, and Tewkesbury. These groups are aimed at increasing connection, reducing loneliness, and improving both physical and mental fitness in those who identify as male.

Mindsong - £7,500.00

Our aim is to tackle isolation, especially for people who do not yet have dementia, but we know that isolation and lack of stimulation is a common trigger. We get people participating group activities where people can sing solos, bring poems or recipes or suggest songs for the group. We are now looking to expand the Sing 2 Remember work again into areas where we’ve identified both need and health inequality. We will begin in Sheppard House, Newent in October and Matson early next year.. Sing 2 Remember groups are social, and community based, with supporting local volunteers and an experienced paid vocal leader.

Active Impact CIO - £6,320.00

This coproduced project is a collaborative network of welcome groups and individual mentoring pathways which provide vulnerable young adults (generally disabled young adults 18-30yrs, including neurodivergent young people and those with mental health conditions) with a social group from which to build connections into their local community. The aim of the project is to promote inclusive interdependence, resulting in increased wellbeing in disabled young adults and helping them develop community connections, social networks and building resilience

Cruse Bereavement Support, Gloucestershire - £7,461.00

The Thriving Communities Grant support will enable us to continue to provide free, early intervention bereavement support sessions for Gloucestershire residents. Our aims are to protect and improve the health and wellbeing of local adults who are struggling to cope with their grief after a significant loss.  

North and West Gloucestershire Citizens Advice - £7,500.00

The aim of the project is to address digital exclusion and at the same time ensure clients can access advice in their local community.  By offering advice sessions alongside our digital skills advice we are able to ensure people have access to the full range of support.

The Butterfly Garden - £7,475.00

We promote and support inclusive independence and wellbeing in adults, providing place-based activities. We are a free service for people of any age, dealing with a journey compromised by anything and on a daily basis we welcome people with everything from a learning disability to a mental health issue, including illness and physical disability. We have created a rich, diverse and sociable community and we strive to constantly improve our provision.   We are seeing ever increasing numbers and will use grant funding to extend our covered space.

Reconnect Gloucestershire CIC - £7,500.00

The Befriending Project provides peer support to individuals in Gloucestershire who are affected and isolated by long-term health conditions, including strokes and aphasia. The project's main goal is to empower these individuals to live well, reduce isolation, make informed choices, support their peers, and lead more fulfilling lives.

The ITSA Digital Trust - £7,500.00

The objective of the programme is bringing technology, digital participation and digital skills to those who need it most. Connecting people can be by improving access to digital hardware, such as computers and laptops or improving people’s digital skills.

Insight Gloucestershire - £7,500.00

We provide practical support assisting people to live independently in their own homes and also emotional support to people who are blind or partially sighted at our Gloucestershire Hubs. We are going to be using this funding to expand the number of information and guidance Hubs we have, aiming to ensure equal access to our Information, Advice and Guidance support and social groups.

Building Circles - £7,500.00

The Thriving Communities Grant will be used to support our Social Buddies Project. This project aims to help adults to stay emotionally and physically well by reducing social isolation. It also aims to develop community connections and social networks through matching adults with learning disabilities, with supportive companions with a shared interest and through social events. 

Community Connexions - £7,500.00

Community Connexions provides transport for housebound elderly, vulnerable and disabled people with poor mobility and no access to a car across Gloucestershire. Our transport is designed to specifically meet the needs of people in our communities by offering them safe and secure transport, with trained volunteers and driver support to give them the personalised attention they need.

Talk Club - £7,500.00

The Thriving Communities Grant Scheme will support Talk Club in growing our peer-to-peer talking and listening, exercising groups, and therapy groups in areas such as Cheltenham, Gloucester City, Cirencester, and Tewkesbury. These groups are aimed at increasing connection, reducing loneliness, and improving both physical and mental fitness in those who identify as male.

Mindsong - £7,500.00

Our aim is to tackle isolation, especially for people who do not yet have dementia, but we know that isolation and lack of stimulation is a common trigger. We get people participating group activities where people can sing solos, bring poems or recipes or suggest songs for the group. We are now looking to expand the Sing 2 Remember work again into areas where we’ve identified both need and health inequality. We will begin in Sheppard House, Newent in October and Matson early next year.. Sing 2 Remember groups are social, and community based, with supporting local volunteers and an experienced paid vocal leader.

Active Impact CIO - £6,320.00

This coproduced project is a collaborative network of welcome groups and individual mentoring pathways which provide vulnerable young adults (generally disabled young adults 18-30yrs, including neurodivergent young people and those with mental health conditions) with a social group from which to build connections into their local community. The aim of the project is to promote inclusive interdependence, resulting in increased wellbeing in disabled young adults and helping them develop community connections, social networks and building resilience

Cruse Bereavement Support, Gloucestershire - £7,461.00

The Thriving Communities Grant support will enable us to continue to provide free, early intervention bereavement support sessions for Gloucestershire residents. Our aims are to protect and improve the health and wellbeing of local adults who are struggling to cope with their grief after a significant loss.  

North and West Gloucestershire Citizens Advice - £7,500.00

The aim of the project is to address digital exclusion and at the same time ensure clients can access advice in their local community.  By offering advice sessions alongside our digital skills advice we are able to ensure people have access to the full range of support.

The Butterfly Garden - £7,475.00

We promote and support inclusive independence and wellbeing in adults, providing place-based activities. We are a free service for people of any age, dealing with a journey compromised by anything and on a daily basis we welcome people with everything from a learning disability to a mental health issue, including illness and physical disability. We have created a rich, diverse and sociable community and we strive to constantly improve our provision.   We are seeing ever increasing numbers and will use grant funding to extend our covered space.