Catch-up on the Local Governmnt Reorganisation Update for Gloucestershire’s VCSE sector webinar held on 28 January 2026.

Here you can watch the recording, view the slides and read the Questions & Answers,

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has published their “UK Poverty 2026: The essential guide to understanding poverty in the UK” report.

You can read it here.

A major initiative to support older people across The Cotswolds has been launched following a £1 million investment from The Summerfield Charitable Trust.

Age-Friendly Cotswolds is a three-year initiative designed to improve the quality of life for older people and create lasting, community-led change. It brings together local voluntary sector organisations to work alongside older people to strengthen their connection, wellbeing and influence across towns and rural communities.

Men in Sheds Cheltenham and Gloucester run three sheds: Cheltenham, Hempsted and Staverton.

Here you can find out more about their locations and what they do.

The Future Leaders Pathway Programme is a leadership development course for people working in Gloucestershire’s VCSE sector who are beginning to step into a leadership role or influence change.

The programme supports emerging leaders to grow their confidence, understand their leadership strengths and develop practical skills to lead inclusive change. It brings together lived experience, equity-centred practice and real-world organisational learning in a supportive and peer-led environment.

From 1st February 2026, there will be a small cost to attending our training courses unless you’re an employee or volunteer of one of our member organisations.

We're looking for someone who works or volunteers in a VCSE organisation in the Forest of Dean and is keen to represent the sector alongside Chris Brown, CEO of Forest Voluntary Action Forum.

Could you be a charity treasurer?

We’re looking for people working (or who have worked) in a finance-related role with a few hours each month to spare and a desire to play a crucial part in a VCSE organisation.

Would your community group or organisation be interested in exhibiting at the RHS Badminton Flower Show from 8 - 12 July 2026?

Jo McMeechan, Founder and Director, SENStory Group Inclusion Consultant and Trainer, explains why intersectionality and allyship are essential tools for VCSE organisations

In the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector, we come from a culture of care and change making. We talk a lot about equity, belonging and community support. But real inclusion, the kind that changes outcomes, begins with ourselves. It asks us to practise allyship in action, not just intention. It asks us to recognise that our perspective is never the whole picture, and that some identities face barriers we will never personally experience.

Barnwood Trust is a charitable foundation and agent of social change in Gloucestershire. In this blog, Jess Waterman, Head of Engagement at Barnwood Trust shares their EDI journey and the importance of this work with honest reflections about the challenges of doing it well

Equity, diversity, inclusion and social justice are a crucial and central part of making positive lasting changes in and through our work at Barnwood. We have been on a learning journey for over five years and we still have a way to go, but, with expertise and support from The Better Org, things are moving forward.

Jill Parker, our Head of Operations at Gloucestershire VCSE Alliance, reviews Systemic.

In Systemic, Layal Liverpool investigates how deeply rooted racism impacts on health. Through accessible science and powerful personal stories, she exposes both the scale of the problem and its human cost.

We’re thrilled to announce that our new Members’ Area is ready!

This section of our website is available only to our members, and includes:

• Access to the Local Insight data platform - a powerful tool to support your work and empower your team

• Our Funding Finder AI Tool - this tool searches our approved list of funders for funding suitable for your project

• Member Discussion Board - a space for members to share news, offer things for sale (or for free!) and much more.

This is in addition to our existing member benefits - our amazing mailings, free bookings for our training and events, and a listing on our website.

This month’s book competition is for “Arts Cure: The Science of How the Arts Transform our Health” by Daisy Fancourt.

If you work or volunteer for a VCSE-organisation delivering services in Gloucestershire, you can enter here: Book Competition Entry (January 2026) – Fill in form

Entries must be received by midday on 31st January 2026, and you can find the Terms and Conditions at the bottom of this page.

We recognise that many VCSE organisations are currently working in an increasingly challenging landscape. Rising costs, funding uncertainty, workforce pressures, and growing community need have created an unprecedented level of complexity and uncertainty for the sector.

As we conclude our “Get Ready for 2026” updates, we’re sharing a free, downloadable 2026 calendar fetauring important dates, bank holidays and reminders.

Cyber Security and Artificial Intelligence were hot topics in 2025, with further legislation announcements expected in 2026 and beyond.  In this article, we summarise the latest developments and provide useful resources.

We have a limited number of 20-minute 1-2-1 sessions with fundraising experts at ABL Health to offer to VCSE organisations in Gloucestershire.

These 1-2-1 sessions can be used to troubleshoot an issue you're having, such as:

- Getting feedback on a draft bid

- Help identifying best-fit funders

- Support with demonstrating impact

You can submit an Expression of Interest here: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/quickfixfundraisingEOI/

As part of our December “Get Ready for 2026” Programme, our fourth focus area is Local Government Reorganisation.

You can catch up on recent developments and find out about our upcoming “Local Government Reorganisation Update for VCSE Organisations” webinar, provided by Gloucestershire County Council.