Gloucestershire Gateway Trust (GGT) is a community development and regeneration charity with a twist, it was the initiator of the Gloucester Services on the M5. Recognising the potential of a service station to bring much needed jobs and support for community organisations in the area GGT formed a partnership with Westmorland Limited to build and run Gloucester Services. It receives up to 3p in every £ of non-fuel sales from Gloucester Services to invest in the local community. Over 20 years it expects to plough an estimated £10 million into sustainable community projects. But Gloucester Services’ partnership with the Trust is not just about charitable donations, it has created a more fundamental way of connecting business and community for the benefit of both. Gloucestershire Gateway Trust aim is to generate long-term community benefit and sustainable income for charitable partners working in our target communities in Gloucester and Stroud.
Co-operative Futures has been working with the charity from the early ideas stage in 2004 through to the present day providing hands on practical support through to being involved in defining strategy.
“Co-operative Futures have been with us from the very beginning supporting, advising and cajoling us. Gloucester Services would probably have never started with out Co-operative Futures support. Helping build businesses for community benefit is their forte. I couldn’t recommend them enough!”
Mark Gale – CEO