Snow Day
Due to the current snow conditions, GL11 is closed today, the 1st Feb 2019
Have fun, and stay safe and warm!
Help us to ‘bag’ some funds!
GL11 Community Hub calls out for votes to bag a share of Tesco’s bag fund!
Voting will take place in Cam and Wotton Tesco stores in January and February 2019.
Tesco teamed up with Groundwork to launch its community funding scheme, which sees grants of £4,000, £2,000 and £1,000 raised from carrier bag sales in Tesco stores awarded to local community projects.
Three groups in every Tesco region have been shortlisted to receive the cash award and shoppers are being invited to head along to Tesco stores to vote for who they think should take away the top grant.
The project GL11 would like support with is The GL11 Shed. The aim is to create a better space for vulnerable and disadvantaged people using the GL11 shed, to help improve their mental health through practical and emotional projects and support.
The GL11 Shed provides a place for a variety of vulnerable members of our community to get together to make and mend, invent and create, meet, talk and share with each other. The Shed hosts our ‘Men’s Shed’ group for local and unemployed men, and ‘She Shed’ projects which are targeted at getting women involved in practical hands on projects. Young people and adults with learning disabilities also use the space for creative and making activities.
Due to this significant demand, The Shed needs to be improved so we can continue to offer projects and courses in this space and also utilise it more effectively. By improving The Shed, we will be able to offer more activities, especially in the colder months of the year.
These activities will help our beneficiaries to increase confidence through making new friends and building networks. The practical projects will help them to feel useful and purposeful whilst developing or maybe even sharing their practical skills. By getting out and getting involved in the community it will help to reduce stress, anxiety and isolation for these beneficiaries, and may also be a stepping stone to further activities and within the wider community.
‘I felt hopeful for the first time in a long time. I love everything about GL11 – the diversity of the people, how the staff make you feel welcome, happy and safe! I would recommend it to anyone. There’s so much positivity at GL11 that you would be almost guaranteed to gain something from it.’ (Rose)
‘GL11 made a big difference to my wellbeing, I felt I can come here and not be judged, it has helped with my mental health, it makes me feel worth something.’ (James)
‘GL11 has opened me up, I felt so excited when I first came, it is wonderful! I was closing up on my own, I have learnt how to talk again, learning to do things for myself, feel part of the community for the first time in 30 years.’ (Dorothy)
Voting is open in all Tesco stores in January and February 2019 and customers will cast their vote using a token given to them at the check-out in store each time they shop. Supporters can vote for GL11 at the Cam superstore and at the Wotton Under Edge Express store.
Tesco’s Bags of Help project has already delivered over £63 million to more than 20,000 projects across Britain. Tesco customers get the chance to vote for three different groups every time they shop. Every other month, when votes are collected, three groups in each of Tesco’s regions will be awarded funding.
Alec Brown, Head of Community at Tesco, said:
“Bags of Help has been a fantastic success and we’ve been overwhelmed by the response from customers. It’s such a special scheme because it’s local people who decide how the money will be spent in their community. There are some fantastic projects on the shortlists and we can’t wait to see these come to life in hundreds of communities.”
Indigo Redfern GL11’s Manager says
“We have our roots very much in the community, responding to what the community wanted. We’re trying to empower people to enable them to find out what they want to be doing in their lives, and then support them to make those changes – people coming into their own confidence and their own ability on how they want to move forward in their lives.”
Did you hear about our Big Lottery news?!
News story taken from the local Gazette 05/12/2018 –
THE team at the GL11 community hub in Cam is celebrating after being awarded £275,000 by the Lottery.
The three year grant will be used to deliver Your Way to Wellness – a health and wellbeing programme, in partnership with GP surgeries, that also includes support for volunteers and improvements to GL11’s building.
GL11’s chair Annika Howard was delighted by the news.
“The team has worked so hard to secure this funding,” she said.
“GL11 has been a thriving part of the Cam and Dursley community since 2001.
“We have our roots very much in the community, responding to what the community want.
“Funding for three years from the Big Lottery will really help with an increase in people coming to GL11 who feel isolated, are experiencing life difficulties or want to give something back to their community.
“We work with people of all ages at GL11 including children, young people, adults and older people.
“There is always such a warm and friendly environment.”
The busy community hub offers a broad range of services that aim to improve health and well-being, particularly of vulnerable or disadvantaged people; increase trust and community belonging; help people feel safe and supported; target those who are disadvantaged and vulnerable with complex needs.
GL11’s CEO Indigo Redfern added: “We are delighted to receive this grant from the Big Lottery Reaching Communities programme.
“It is a real vote of confidence in what we are doing at GL11.
“GL11 helps people identify the changes they want to make in their lives. A positive step may be a change in lifestyle, relationships with family and friends, managing health, finding employment or simply feeling more positive.”
Or listen to our radio interview on BBC Radio Gloucestershire here!
Listening Fortnight was great, thank you!
Listening Fortnight at GL11 started on Monday 19th November and ran for two weeks. We managed to speak to 107 of you, so thank you to those who contributed!
Of course, our ears are always open here at GL11 and any feedback is always welcome. If you missed Listening Fortnight, but have something to tell us, please do get in contact!
Italian theme goes down a storm!
What an amazing Italian themed meal we had on Wednesday in the GL11 Café. Di, our fantastic chef, worked hard to produce five different pasta dishes, salads, authentic style chicken dishes, pancake rolls and fritters. Then there was the desserts! Needless to say her hard work paid off and we had many happy customers.
Michelle said there was “nothing left on my plate to eat, beautiful food, amazing choice”.
Al was extremely happy when he realised there were “vegan options as well!” which meant he could partake in the event. Not only that, the food was “really nice” too.
Rachel is pleased to say that “Di and team are happy and smiley, very personable” which makes us pleased as punch, as this is what we are here to provide. Not only a service with a smile, but a community atmosphere.
Di was already flying high this week after hearing that, after months of hard work, our fabulous Community Cafe have been awarded a 5* hygiene rating from the Food Standards Agency. The success of yet another themed event has just topped off her week.
If you are interested in our future themed meals see these dates below:
Elizabethan Meal – Wednesday 7th November, 12 noon
Moroccan Meal – Wednesday 28th November, 12 noon
GL11 Café is open Monday – Thursday, 9am-2.30pm for drinks, homemade cakes, light lunches (most of which is available as a take away option), hot meals and breakfasts.
Di is also extremely passionate about offering allergy free and vegetarian/vegan options too. Please speak to us for more details.
We look forward to seeing you soon!