Bid for a share of £1.5m to further transform Gloucester
Invitations will soon be open for bidders to step forward to claim a share of £1.5 million and be part of a “transformative” three-year programme to further develop the city of Gloucester.
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Dear Readers,
It was curtain down on Tuesday this week on 12 years of work by GFirst LEP, a period those who attended its fairwell event at the University of Gloucestershire’s Business School would all agree sees it leaves an incredible legacy of projects boosting the economic wellbeing of the county.
That more than 100 delegate gathered to hear its goodbyes was perhaps also a measure also of how much Gloucestershire’s local enterprise partnership has also become a beacon of leadership in the county in its lifetime.
So, while many were rightly wowed by the rich legacy of achivements it paraded at the event, funded by money its business plans won from central Government and by the strong partnerships it managed to forge, its departure is leaving one almighty ‘elephant in the room’.
That being the question ‘what next?’
What impact will the GFirst team have now it’s been absorbed into the Conservative-led Gloucestershire County Council with its leader stepping in to chair proceedings and replace a member of the business community. Will it remain a dynamic force for change?
The answer, at this stage anyway, appears to be ‘no one knows’.
John Wilkinson, leader of the Western Gateway was brought on stage towards the end of the GFirst event to try to fill the growing vacuum with hope.
But as captivating as the vision was, it didn’t lift the conclusion this was goodbye to something special. As exciting as it sounds, Western Gatewaye is just not Gloucestershire focused. It is not GFirst LEP.
An economic strategy for Gloucestershire is on the drawing board for early summer, but it did seem like the end of an era - and a step into the unknown.
If the applause at the end of the event could have delivered an encore (in the form of another few years), those present and many more besides would surely have clapped on.
Enjoy the rest of the edition.
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* Everything you read on Raikes is made possible by the generous support of our partners (we’ve already let you know about QuoLux and more will be revealed over the coming weeks), our founding members and our paid-up subscribers. A massive ‘thank you’ to all our other subscribers too. The support of all of you is invaluable! Find out about commercial opportunities on our About page. To get in touch email andrew.merrell@raikesjournal.co.uk.
Why today’s main story?
Today’s main story has been headlined elsewhere, but not in the detail we’ve collected for you here – all about why the £1.5 million pot up for grabs to help develop Gloucester is so important.
While the focus of regeneration is so often on better buildings, bigger buildings, none of that is really going to sing unless it becomes valuable spaces communities live and flourish in - and feel proud.
For so long Gloucester has struggled to celebrate a rich history and heritage that should outshine many bigger cities, or deliver a cultural identity, but in recent times its been finding ways with the likes of its history festival and Tall Ships Festival.
It is hoped this new money will help supercharge that momentum and help the communities who live and work in the city to drive that change - and turn the heads of others towards Gloucester in doing so.
All eyes on what that £1.5 million will do now then!
Our chosen charity: National Star
It feels right for Raikes as it showcases our many, many charities and the connections that have to communities, that as we highlight businesses putting their shoulders to the cause we also pick on those not blessed with PR departments and social media teams. Which brings us to Gloucester-based Advanced Removals and Storage. It’s just named the much-loved disability charity National Star as its charity of the year. Set up more than 30 years ago the removals firm now employs more than 30 staff and is run by the son of the original founder. It intends to donate a cash sum for every move it completes in 2024, and encourage customers to do the same. Geoff Hartwell, director of the firm, called the college “a beacon of inspiration”. A team from the business will kickstart fundraising efforts by taking on National Star’s Sunrise Walk on 17 March.
Your Raikes’ briefing
🏆 Top 100 news!! It may not seem like something worth celebrating, but sometimes just a small drop in turnover is a triumph in itself - just ask Gloucestershire family construction and hospitality firm KW Bell Group. What we are talking about is context – and as the Forest of Dean business puts it in its most recent annual report, in the grand scheme of things it is not doing too badly at all. Read the full story here - if you are a paid-up member!
🔋 British engineering giant Rolls-Royce SMR has welcomed the agreement between Polish industrial group, Industria, and UK-based Chiltern Vital Group (CVG) to collaborate on international projects using its SMR technology. Why is that a big deal for Gloucestershire? CVG was recently confirmed as the preferred bidder to take ownership of the Gloucestershire Science & Technology Park at Berkeley from South Gloucestershire & Stroud College. With its partners - including Western Gateway, SGSC, University of Bristol, Vital Energi and Rolls Royce SMR - CVG intends to create a world-first net zero and nuclear technologies campus the first step towards a ‘net zero super cluster’ investment zone. Read more here.
💪🏽 Still on the subject of nuclear, Ian Mean, of Business West, lays down his thoughts about the decision announced in the Budget by Chancellor Jerermy Hunt to buy the former nuclear site at Olbbury from Hitachi and the impact the purchase could have on the plans mentioned above that seem to be falling into place to transform Gloucestershire Science & Technology Park. Read the article in Raikes’s Expert Insight channel.
Bid for a share of £1.5m to further transform Gloucester
Invitations will soon be open for bidders to step forward to claim a share of £1.5 million and be part of a “transformative” three-year programme to further develop the city of Gloucester.
By Andrew Merrell
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