Gloucestershire Gateway Trust

What Gloucestershire Gateway Trust does

Gloucestershire Gateway Trust (GGT) is a community development charity founded in 2007 and registered in England (charity no. 1140440, company limited by guarantee no. 6857427), operating in Gloucestershire, UK. The organisation invests skills and financial resources into residents and organisations based predominantly in social housing communities — particularly Matson, Robinswood, White City, Podsmead, Tuffley, Stonehouse and the wider GL10 area — using asset-based community development principles. GGT's work spans employability training (Bridging the Gap, the now-concluded GEM Project), youth services, family services, community partnership funding (12 partner organisations receiving £20,000 per year), and a food entrepreneurship course (Limited Edition).

GGT's economic engine is a unique 2014 partnership with the Westmorland Family that jointly operates Gloucester Services, a motorway service station on the M5 employing over 400 people. Under this first-of-its-kind UK social investment model, GGT receives up to 3p per £1 of non-fuel sales — a sustainable revenue stream that has generated over £4 million of community reinvestment since inception. Over 130 local producers within a 30-mile radius supply the Farmshops and Kitchens. The trust also delivers contracted government services: nine Children and Family Centres across Gloucester and the Forest of Dean (from April 2025, via the Gloucestershire Gateway Partnership consortium) and universal Youth Services for ages 11-25 (from October 2024), commissioned by Gloucestershire County Council.

GGT's go-to-market is community-led rather than commercial: services are delivered free to residents, and the operating model rests on cross-sector partnerships (statutory bodies, schools, local producers, charitable trust funders including Summerfield and Tudor), co-produced governance with residents, and trusted relationships in target neighbourhoods. Supplementary funding flows from charitable trusts (Summerfield, Tudor, Henry Smith, Lankellychase, Zurich Community Trust, Gloucestershire Community Foundation, South West Foundation, Landfill Communities Fund) for project delivery. In October 2025 a planned leadership succession saw Jason Dunsford appointed Chief Executive succeeding founder Mark Gale, who transitioned to a part-time Founder role.

Name

Gloucestershire Gateway Trust

Legal name

Gloucestershire Gateway Trust

Website

https://gloucestershiregatewaytrust.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gloucestershire Gateway Trust is a UK community development charity founded in 2007 that reinvests income from its partnership with Westmorland Family at Gloucester Services (M5) into disadvantaged Gloucestershire communities, while delivering Children and Family Centres, Youth Services, employability training, and community partnership grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (62419), Child and Youth Services (624110), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Transition Services (Secondary to Postsecondary/Employment, Life Skills) (EDAJAKAG)

Keywords

• Community development services
• Social investment programs
• Employability training
• Youth and family services
• Community regeneration

Headquarters

HQ city

Gloucester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Gloucester Services non-fuel sales: Receives up to 3p in every £1 of non-fuel sales from Gloucester Services on the M5 motorway to invest in local communities. This creates a sustainable social investment model.
2. Community Partnership Grants: Annual community development grants to 12 community partner organisations, initially £20,000 per year for five years with commitment to a further three years.
3. Government Contracted Services: Delivers Children and Family Centres services for Gloucester and the Forest of Dean on behalf of Gloucestershire County Council, and Youth Support Services contracts.
4. Charitable Trust Funding: Receives support from charitable trusts including Summerfield Charitable Trust and Tudor Trust for project delivery.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Gloucestershire Gateway Trust (GGT) is a community development charity that invests its skills and financial resources into residents and organisations based predominately in social housing communities in Gloucestershire. It works to enable positive lasting change through cross-sector partnerships, building relationships of trust, and encouraging residents to unlock their own strengths and resources. Core delivery includes employability training (Bridging the Gap, Limited Edition, GEM Project), Children and Family Centres across nine sites, Youth Services for ages 11-25, community grants via twelve partner organisations, and a pioneering social investment model through its Gloucester Services partnership with Westmorland Family.

Product overview

Gloucestershire Gateway Trust is a community development charity offering a portfolio of interconnected programs and services rather than a unified tech product. Core offerings include: Bridging the Gap (employability training with guaranteed job interviews), Limited Edition (business skills course producing real products for sale), the GEM Project (now concluded employment support program), Children and Family Centres (managing nine centres across Gloucester and Forest of Dean), Youth Services (universal provision for ages 11-25), and the Gloucester Services Partnership (a pioneering social investment model). The organization also operates the Growing Communities Space at Gloucester Services and manages a Community Partnership Program funding twelve local organizations. Services are delivered through cross-sector partnerships with Westmorland Family, schools, community organizations, and statutory partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bridging the Gap A three-day employability skills course run in partnership with Gloucester Services, designed for individuals facing barriers to work such as disability, learning difficulties, language barriers, or long-term unemployment. Participants receive guaranteed job interviews at Gloucester Services upon completion.
• Limited Edition A free business skills course created in collaboration with Gloucester Services that gives aspiring food producers from target communities the opportunity to create a product from scratch to be sold in Gloucester Services Farmshops. Participants learn product development, costing, pitching, and business skills.
• GEM Project (Going the Extra Mile) A six-year employment support program (2016-2022) that helped over 2,000 participants facing barriers to employment move closer towards or into work. Managed by GGT on behalf of Gloucestershire County Council, funded by National Lottery Community Fund and European Social Fund.
• Children and Family Centres Community-led open access service managing nine Children and Family Centres across Gloucester and the Forest of Dean, offering free groups, activities, and services for families including Stay and Plays, reading groups, Community Cafes, midwifery, health visiting, and parenting support.
• Youth Services Universal open access youth provision for young people aged 11-19 (or 25 for those with SEND) across Gloucester and the Forest of Dean, delivered in partnership with The Venture Community Hub and Forest Voluntary Action Forum. Includes youth clubs, detached street-based activities, and youth voice participation initiatives.
• Growing Communities Space Three acres of land at Gloucester Services Northbound managed by GGT with help from GL Communities, offering a tranquil nature space for local communities, colleagues, and customers. Features ponds, countryside walks, wildlife areas, and a wellbeing area with aromatic herbs.
• Community Partnership Program Partnership with twelve community organisations receiving annual community development grants of £20,000 each. Partners include All Pulling Together, Fair Shares, GL4 CIC, GL Communities, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, Play Gloucestershire, and others working in GGT's target communities.
• Gloucester Services Partnership A pioneering partnership between GGT and Westmorland Family creating a unique model of social investment. Gloucester Services is a motorway service station that creates jobs for local people and generates income reinvested into target communities. GGT receives up to 3p in every £1 of non-fuel sales.
• Family Hubs Catalyst Programme A £2 million initiative funded by Summerfield Charitable Trust creating eight Neighbourhood Connector roles to build networks and connect families with services across Gloucester, Cheltenham, Tewkesbury, and Forest of Dean. Part of the Gloucestershire Gateway Partnership.
• Inclusivity Works An initiative launched by the GEM Project to recognise inclusive employers and provide support including webinars on neurodiversity, mental health, recruiting refugees, and creating accessible workplaces. A network of over 40 Inclusive Employers was created, with over 25 receiving the Inclusivity Works Gloucestershire Inclusive Employer Award.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 400 quality jobs created at Gloucester Services
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Westmorland FamilycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 May 2014Foundational partnership between a family business and a local regeneration charity. Both have a stake in Gloucester Services business and how it is run. Westmorland provides operational expertise and GGT receives up to 3p per £1 of non-fuel sales for community investment. This pioneering model is a first for the UK.
• The Venture Community HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivers Youth Services in Gloucester as part of the community consortium. Partnered since 2017 with some organisations involved from the start of GGT. Also delivers youth support services from October 2024.
• Forest Voluntary Action Forum (FVAF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivers Youth Services in the Forest of Dean as part of the community consortium. Partnered since 2017 with some organisations involved from the start of GGT. Also delivers youth support services from October 2024.
• Aspire FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal registered charity with over 20 years of experience supporting delivery of Targeted Family Support as part of the Children and Family Centres contract since April 2025.
• Gloucestershire County CouncilcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLead organisation for GEM Project (with GGT as managing partner). Commissioning partner for Children and Family Centres and Youth Services contracts awarded to GGT.
• Gloucestershire Gateway PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity consortium of local schools, community organisations and statutory partners brought together by GGT for successful bid to manage Children and Family Centres.
• Hobbs House BakeryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal producer partner at Gloucester Services providing mentorship and production for Limited Edition course participants. Integral to participants' learning and judging panel.
• The Engine CICminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal social enterprise based in Dursley that delivers business skills tutoring for Limited Edition course participants.
• University of GloucestershireminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMonitored and evaluated GEM Project impact annually, producing final evaluation report November 2022.
• Podsmead Big LocalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership supporting development of Podsmead Partnership Plan and Blackbridge Community and Sports Hub.
• Gloucester City HomesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in development of The Podsmead Partnership Plan.
• Blackbridge Charitable Community Benefit SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in development of Blackbridge Community and Sports Hub in Podsmead.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Locality: UK membership body supporting community-led organisations, with programmes in community asset ownership, neighbourhood regeneration, and local service delivery. Comparable to GGT as a hub for community organisations across England, but operates nationally with policy/advocacy focus rather than direct neighbourhood regeneration in a single locality.
• Centre for Local Economic Strategies (CLES): UK think-and-do tank focused on local economic strategy, community wealth building, and inclusive economies. Comparable to GGT's regeneration/social-investment orientation but works primarily through research, policy advice, and consultancy rather than direct service delivery.
• Power to Change: Trust supporting community businesses across England with grants, research, and policy work. Comparable to GGT in mission (community-led economic empowerment) but focuses on community-owned enterprises nationally rather than place-based regeneration of social housing estates.

Others

• Barrow Cadbury Trust: UK charitable trust funding place-based social change, community-led approaches, and social investment. Comparable as a funder and peer in the community-development trust ecosystem, though GGT delivers services while Barrow Cadbury primarily grants.
• Key Fund: Community-focused social investor providing grants and loans to charities and social enterprises in the North of England and Midlands. Comparable as a social-investment intermediary in the community-economy space, though with a broader geographic remit and loan-based model.

Regional players

• Centre for Mental Health: UK charity focused on mental health policy, research, and innovation with programmes targeting disadvantaged communities. Comparable in mission and place-based approach to supporting vulnerable populations, but national in scope and focused on mental health rather than holistic community regeneration.
• The Guinness Partnership: Large UK housing association operating in Gloucester and other regions, with community investment programmes targeting residents of social housing estates. Comparable as a partner-organisation for GGT's neighbourhood work in Matson/Robinswood/White City, though primarily a landlord rather than a regeneration charity.

Emerging players

• Plunkett Foundation: UK charity promoting community-owned enterprises, particularly village halls and community shops. Comparable to GGT's community-ownership ethos and co-production approach, but focused on enterprise formation rather than integrated service delivery.

Direct peers

• Westmorland Family: Family-owned operator of Gloucester Services (alongside Tebay and Rheged). GGT's strategic operating partner and co-investor in the pioneering social-investment model; the hybrid family-business-plus-charity structure is unique in UK motorway services. Direct peer by virtue of being the only co-owner of the Gloucester Services asset.
• Big Local Trust: Trust established by Local Trust to distribute £1m+ each to 150 communities across England. Highly comparable to GGT's community-partnership grant model (£20k/year to 12 partners) and commitment to resident-led decision-making, though operating at national scale via Lottery funding rather than a single charitable operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GlosGatewayTrust
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gloucestershire-gateway-trust
• Instagraminstagram.com/glosgatewaytrust

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Gloucestershire Gateway Trust