Mental Health Awareness Week is from 11-17 May and is encouraging people to take action to support good mental health. Rhiannon Davis from Rethink shares how the team are doing this across the county

‍Mental Health Awareness Week is a reminder that nobody should face mental health challenges alone. ‍

Tracey Thomas, Associate Co-Director of Create Gloucestershire shares her thoughts on their journey to be a truly inclusive organisation ‍ ‍

I have noticed that local leaders have become increasingly careful with their language when referring to the work of equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging.  We sometimes say this slowly, we often use acronyms in no particular order, sometimes we say this with a quiet pause as we check we are using the right terms and sometimes we say this at such speed followed by the words ‘or whatever’.  There is care, there is intention, there is a desire to not offend and a desire to morally do the right thing.  All of this matters, but I have become increasingly interested in what happens after we have found the right words. ‍ ‍

Nicole Hastie, CEO of Active Impact CIO, explains why being known as a welcoming organisation can be a very tangible way of demonstrating inclusive values in your organisation’s everyday actions. Read on to hear her tips

Making people feel welcome is a universal way of embodying inclusion. It’s something everyone can do, it generally doesn’t come with a high price tag, and it’s one of the most impactful ways you can demonstrate organisational values.

Jess Eastoe, Young People Equality Lead at Greater Manchester Moving, shares three ways that your organisation can truly embed inclusion

At Greater Manchester Moving, we’ve learned that inclusion isn’t something you “add in” to your work – it has to sit right at the centre of it.

Inclusion means making sure that movement truly is for everyone, across all protected characteristics and in the broader sense of diversity, identity and lived experience.

The recently published Neighbourhood Health Framework sets out how a new neighbourhood health service will be built across England, moving care from hospitals into communities, organised around defined local populations. The VCSE sector is explicitly named as a potential delivery partner in Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INTs). Health and Wellbeing Boards (HWBs) will own neighbourhood health plans from 2027–28. This means that VCSE representation on Gloucestershire’s HWB is key. The Civil Society Covenant is directly referenced as a guiding principle, giving the sector a formal lever. Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) must deliver minimum requirements in 2026–27.

Charity governance consultant Penny Wilson shares six practical tips to help trustees get a good night’s sleep

Without wanting to be a party pooper, there are plenty of things for Gloucestershire trustees to worry about. ‍ ‍

Your charity might be facing something really specific which is keeping you up at night. Perhaps you’ve been asked to leave an affordable building, a regular donor has withdrawn their support, or you’re facing the difficult prospect of making a member of staff redundant. ‍ ‍

On Monday 9 March 2026, we welcomed colleagues from Gloucestershire County Council to provide this information session and workshop on the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) commencing on 1st April 2026.

Read the Q&A, watch the recording and view the slides here.

Sunday 8 March was International Women’s Day, so it seemed timely to spotlight the work of Stroud Women’s Refuge

Founded in 1977, the Stroud Women’s Refuge is incredibly the only women’s refuge in Gloucestershire, offering a vital sanctuary for women and children fleeing from domestic abuse.

We’d love to offer a DBS Checking service for Gloucestershire VCSE organisations - but we need your help!

Nect month, a series of important changes come into effect as part of the implementation timeline of the Employment Rights Act.

Check these key updates to make sure your organisation remains compliant.

In this article, we share our thoughts on the Home Office proposals to use volunteering as a form of contribution towards earned settlement.

Will Chapman Associate Director (Prevention & VCSE Partnerships) at NHS Gloucestershire announces a new Partnership Model

Maggie Grady from Mindsong and Gloucestershire VCSE Strategic Partnership explains how Gloucestershire’s health and care system has taken an important step forward with the establishment of the new ICS Neighbourhood Health Portfolio Board.

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.