The Big Sleep Out and what it says about Gloucestershire
After businesspeople slept rough at Brickhampton Court Golf Complex for charity last week we thought we'd ask why, and does it really matter? It turns out it does. It matters a lot.
Dear reader,
I hope you had a great weekend.
I had planned to open today with a report on last week’s The Property Forum, Gloucestershire, staged at the Tivoli Cinema in Cheltenham.
It proved an enlightening event on many fronts - for those who want to know where to invest in Gloucestershire property and why, to some real nuggets of news about some hot property deals taking place right under our noses.
But we now plan to run that report later this week. Mainly because we got distracted when we decided to take a look at the work of the CCP in Cheltenham, and why on earth so many people were prepared to spend a night sleeping rough to support it.
And we also paused on the property forum story because today is the last day of March.
Since when was that news, I hear you ask? It’s news because it means that B Corp month has now come to an end, which has allowed us to pick up on a report that B Corp businesses have now contributed tens of millions of pounds to the county economy.
And that gave us an excuse to speak to one or two of them and ask why it’s transformed what they do.
I hope you enjoy both stories (and we thank anyone who wants to read about the property forum for their patience, as well as organiser Jo Bruce of Your Voice Marketing for inviting us!).
I am gearing up for some time off, so there may only be one more main story on Thursday to Friday this week (on the property forum), before I put Raikes into a holding pattern for few days. Dates to be announced.
Have a great week.
Remember, for every person you refer to The Raikes Journal’s email service you get points towards a free membership allowing you to see beyond our paywalls. Please do sign up (free or otherwise), send the referral link to a friend or colleague, and help us grow.
Andrew Merrell (editor).
If you have a story, an issue, a news item, a charity or an interview you want us to write about or investigate, challenge the powers that be about, or want to learn about commercial opportunities or how to partner with us then please email me: andrew.merrell@raikesjournal.co.uk.
NB: We believe Raikes now publishes probably the best-read business-related email ‘newsletter’, pound for pound, in Gloucestershire.
Your briefing notes…
👋 After five years, Ian Mean (pictured above) is stepping down from his role as Gloucestershire director for Business West. Awarded the MBE for services to Gloucestershire, Mean will still retain his position as a board member of Gloucestershire’s Economic Growth Board and is also a director of the Forrest Economic Partnership. Mean is the volunteer chair of the Gloucestershire Organ Donation Committee and chair of nine other hospital trusts for organ and tissue donation from here in Gloucestershire to the Isle of Wight. He was formerly editor of the Western Daily Press and editor in chief of the Gloucester Citizen and Gloucestershire Echo.
🛎️ Plans to remodel a Cheltenham hotel, described as “overbearing”, have been approved. Nirav Sheth has been granted planning permission to go ahead with work at Cotswold Grange Hotel in Pitville Circus Road. The scheme includes remodelling and extending to create extra bedrooms, a small terrace and new function room. Mr Sheth, who describes the hotel as “a well established, family-run boutique hotel”, said the plans would restore and protect the building while meeting the needs of its guests.
🏪 A family-owned Stonehouse business, SJR Carpets and Flooring, has expanded into Stroud. Owner Paul and Charlene Phillips, who work alongside Paul’s sister, Tina Phillips, and family friend Christina Broadley, already have an outlet in Stonehouse High Street, but have now moved into a new studio and showroom in King Street close to the entrance to the Five Valleys Shopping Centre. You can read the full story on The Stroud Times website.
📈 Directors of sports supplement firm Nutrition X have told Insider Media how they plan to grow the business into a global brand. The Gloucester-based company, which can count Gloucester Rugby, Bath Rugby, Bristol City and Bristol Rovers among its customers, has been owned by James Markey since 2014. Now employing 15 staff Markey told Insider the business had experienced strong growth though the last two years with pans to “more than double the business in the next three years, with growth set to be mainly organic”. You can read the full story on Insider.
Diary dates…
Tuesday
CIPD employment law update spring 2025 (seminar). Experts from Willans LLP will team up with the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development to review the latest on UK employment and immigration legislation and recent case law for businesses. From 9am to noon at The DoubleTree by Hilton Cheltenham, Charlton Kings, GL53 8EA
Wednesday
The Royal Agricultural University’s 180th year celebrations continue, which includes its special lecture series. ‘Cerealsly’ rethinking arable growing systems, will feature speakers Nicola Cannon, professor of agriculture at the RAU, and Andy Cato, Wilfarmed co-founder.
Thursday
The Growth Hub in Cheltenham is due to stage ‘How to export and what help is available from the Department of Business & Trade’ - a seminar aimed at businesses - from 9.30am to 12.30pm.
Friday
Gloucester Farmers’ Market takes its regular slot in the centre of the city from 9.30am to 3pm.
The real value of Gloucestershire’s B Corps revealed
The rise of B Corp and publicity for firms that achieve the grade seems unstoppable, but what does it do for that all important line for all businesses - the bottom line - and what’s in it for Gloucestershire? Quite a lot, it seems.
Gloucestershire B Corp businesses have grown by an additional £20 million and added 143 jobs since this time last year, according to the latest figures from the group B Local Gloucestershire.
The group, which exists to champion those very county companies, surveyed its members for B Corp Month 2025 (March), and found the majority had seen revenue and/or employees rise since becoming accredited.
Gloucestershire B Local is also celebrating hitting 50 B Corp accredited businesses in the county, a number which has more than doubled since B Corp Month 2023.
It means Gloucestershire now ranks in the top 10 UK locations for B Corp accredited businesses, with B Local Gloucestershire one of only 14 groups of its kind in the country bringing such businesses together.
B Corps in Gloucestershire represent multiple sizes and sectors, including travel, food, drink, agriculture, design, the environment and hospitality, with one businesses from the latter sector - Beechurst Serviced Apartments - also being the first serviced apartment provider in the UK to attain B Corp status.
Another of the 50-strong group, When In Rome Wine, saw one of its products - its recyclable paper wine bottles - featured on celebrity tables at the Brit Awards earlier this month.
For When In Rome, which is based in the Five Valleys, deciding to become a B Corp was a natural progression.
Founded seven years ago by Rob Malin, Andrea Marchesi and Lorenzo Canali, the business model was always about what it calls “grape-to-glass sustainability at the heart of their mission. Partnering with vineyards committed to sustainable viticulture”.
At the heart of that was “a portfolio of high-quality Italian wines” with “radical low-carbon alternative packaging” - its now famous paper bottles (as well as bag-in-box, and aluminium cans).
“The certification process gave us a valuable framework to benchmark the business and strengthen its impact across every part of the company,” said Malin, now the firm’s chief executive officer.
“It’s helped us grow by attracting values-led talent and investment, opening doors with forward-thinking retailers, and building deeper trust with our environmentally conscious customers.
“More than a badge, B-Corp keeps us accountable as we continue to raise the bar.”
Simon Evans, owner of Stonehouse-based Clear Future Financial Planners, which became B Corp accredited in July 2024, said: “We are proud to be part of the B Corp Community. As a small business, it certainly took a concerted effort for us to provide the required evidence of the practices within the business.
“B Corp accreditation has ensured that we consider all stakeholders when making business decisions and are working towards more rewarding aims than just simply chasing profit.”
Caroline Barnes, of Green Gourmet, said becoming a B Corp had been a “huge achievement” for the Stroud-based food innovation firm.
“We have always placed high importance on people and B Corp validated much of what we already did. However, operating in a high impact industry such as food manufacturing is particularly challenging in relation to our environmental impact.
“A key improvement here has been adopting our new Environmental and Ethical Code of Conduct as part of our commitment to sustainability.
“It is strengthening our relationships with our partners, putting the environment at the heart of conversations and ultimately ensures that we take responsibility for reducing our impact on the planet throughout our value chain.”
Camilla Barnes, co-chair of B Local Gloucestershire, who also runs the consultancy service Better Business. Better World, said: “It’s a real testament to the county that such a wide variety and size of businesses have chosen to pursue accreditation.
“It’s not easy for a reason, and it’s awarded to those who truly wish to grow sustainably.
“We are proud to be able to bring Gloucestershire B Corps together, as well as support businesses without accreditation to either work to achieve it or find other ways they can put people, profit, and planet at the heart of what they do.
“Here’s to the next 50, and beyond!”
Other businesses in the group include leadership development specialists QuoLux, The Workplace Network, SOZO, Anna Mcloughlin Fine Jewellery, Stroud Brewery, Austin Design Works, Good Small Farms, Planit I.E, Dashel Helmets, HR Star, amnd Tyler Grange.
You can find out more about B Local Gloucestershire on LinkedIn.
* The Raikes Journal is a community interest company. Everything you read by us is made possible by our incredible Founding Partners: QuoLux, Willans LLP, Gloucestershire College, Merrell People and Randall & Payne, our sponsors Hartpury University and Hartpury College, our Founding Members and wonderful paying subscribers.
If you upgrade to paid you’ll be part of this CIC too. We are dedicated to delivering quality journalism for Gloucestershire, to championing the county, in particular its businesses, charities, education and training providers, and to helping create an even stronger community. If you upgrade to paid you will be able to see past the paywalls often put on our second and third email editions of the week, that lock all our archive after two weeks and lock our rolling Top 100 Businesses in Gloucestershire series. You will be able to comment on our stories too.
You can sign up to receive your two extra editions a week and see past all our paywalls for just £2.30 a week - or £1.80 a week if two or more people sign up at once. Or go all in and become one of our Founding Partners or Founding Members!
The Big Sleep Out and what it says about Gloucestershire
After businesspeople slept rough at Brickhampton Court Golf Complex for charity last week we thought we'd ask why, and does it really matter? It turns out it does. It matters a lot.
Suzanne Hall-Gibbins tells a story about how she announced last year that she would be gracefully stepping aside to allow others to take part in this year’s CCP Big Sleep Out - but has since found herself unable to do so!
“I think along with Darren Stevens, Cordell Ray and Angela Edwards I am one of only four survivors from the original event.
“I did say last year that I have done it three times now, and it is time to stop. But Cordell is very compelling,” she said, laughing.
“For me, it is great to try to raise some money and know it will help people here in Gloucestershire.
“I think, like everyone who takes part, we’re all really passionate about that.”
It is the day after Hall-Gibbins and a host of others took part in the event - which involved braving a night under the stars on the fairways of Brickhampton Court Golf Complex, Staverton - and she’s sounding remarkably bright, despite the previous night’s sleeping arrangements.
All the funds from the sleep out go towards supporting the work of Caring for Communities and People (CCP), and will help it to keep pushing ahead with a rather special project.
Cordell Ray being the chief executive officer of the Cheltenham-headquartered charity.
“One of his visions is to eradicate the need to sleep rough at all in Cheltenham, and ideally the whole county.
“The charity has been introducing pods (small huts) in which those with nowhere to sleep can stay the night.
“It’s such an impressive ambition, to try to help people to come off the street, and one the CCP is moving fowards with.
“The sleep out is raising money towards that as well as its regular work.
“Cordell’s very hard to say ‘no’ to,” she added.
Hall-Gibbins, who runs the vast business support network C2S with Edwards, said the CCP’s efforts were galvanising companies right across the business community and showing just how community-minded so many in Gloucestershire are.
Hewer FM, the Brockworth-headquartered plumbing, heating and renewable energy firm, even stepped forward to apply its expertise to the pods, designing and installing a renewable heating solution to keep each one warm through the winter nights - free of charge.
Paul Baker, former chairman of Cheltenham Town FC for more than two decades and mayor of Cheltenham for the last year, was another to brave the elements and take part on the Big Sleep Out.
Cllr Baker, who named CCP as one of his chosen charities for his term of office as mayor, said: “I am very aware of the huge disparity in wealth and opportunity in our town. The biggest challenge we have is to try and narrow that gap.
“When you see people sleeping rough or going to food banks - of which we have seven or eight in our town - you realise it is something we need to do more to help. That’s what the CCP does.
“Its pods are a great idea. They give people not just a place to sleep for the night, but somewhere safe and dry and warm. Getting people off the street is a transition, but we have to try and help make it happen.”
As well as a stalwart of four Big Sleep Out’s now, Darren Stevens, the managing director of Prestbury Marketing, was also one of the founders of the fundraising event - something he also credits to David Owen, then of GFirst LEP, and the late Kevan Blackadder, then of Cheltenham BID.
“The first Sleep Out was in 2018 - covid put paid to plans for one in 2020 and there have been three more - 2023, 2024 and 2025. Collectively they have raised nearly £250,000,” said Stevens, who has since become a trustee for the charity.
“I find it very sad that in today’s world there are people that are homeless. CCP recognise that there are many reasons why people find themselves homeless and that a one size fits all solution will not eradicate it.
“That is why their innovative solution Chelpods, which is very much partnership initiative involving public and private sector organisations like Hewer should be applauded.
“The biggest motivation for me is knowing that the money I raise is going to be put to such good use by CCP.”
Fundraising this year had been a challenge, he said, “a sign of the times we currently live in”.
“But I am 100 per cent confident that whatever is raised it will be put to very good use by CCP.
“I would also like to personally thank all my clients, contacts and friends for their generous support that has seen me raise £1,410 thus far.”
(If you want to help add to Steven’s total you can do so here.)
According to the CCP there are more than 354,000 people are homeless in England. That’s one in every 160 individuals, including families, children, and vulnerable adults without a safe place to sleep.
In Gloucestershire alone:
- Domestic abuse is the number one leading cause of homelessness.
- Cheltenham has 4 people sleeping rough at any given time.
- Gloucester has 26.
- The wider county sees six more.
The crisis is escalating; as of June 2024, 123,100 households were in temporary accommodation, a 16.3 per cent increase from the previous year. Factors such as soaring private rents, rising evictions, and a chronic lack of affordable housing have contributed to a 14 per cent rise in homelessness across England.
Daniel Jenkins, the commercial director for award-winning digital marketing agencyWagada Digital, which has offices in Cheltenham, London and St Albans, was one of a team of four that braved the night out.
“The CCP is one of our charities of the year. We are passionate about making an impact locally and regionally as well, and the CCP does that,” said Jenkins, who was there with colleagues Prudence Bond, Nicky Woodman and the firm’s chief executive officer, Cheryl Luzet.
“We know our one night sleeping out does not compare to what many have to go through, but we felt the event was a great way to try and help raise some funds as well as some awareness of what the charity does.”
Ray, who was awarded an MBE for his services to the charity sector, said: “Sleepouts have a place. They offer participants a brief and safe glimpse into the discomfort that thousands face every night without choice.
“No one is pretending that one night outdoors is equivalent to the trauma of sleeping rough, but it does prompt reflection, conversation, and most importantly action.
“Where sleepouts truly shine is in their ability to educate. They’re a gateway for people and businesses who might never have considered homelessness as anything beyond an individual issue.
“By taking part, hearing real stories, and connecting with charities on the frontline, they begin to see homelessness for what it really is - a complex societal issue that requires compassion, collaboration, and understanding.
“These events also raise crucial funds. At Caring for Communities and People, we’ve seen first-hand what that support translates into.
“Because of the generosity of sleepout participants in 2024 and their supporters, someone who was once sleeping in a doorway now has a safe place to sleep, in a pod that is off the streets and for now, is their home.
“It may not be everyone’s idea of abode, but it is better than a shop doorway and the current guest, 61 years old, is entirely grateful for the opportunity to get off the street, where he had been for five-long years.
“Last year, we were also able to write off nearly £40,000 of rent debt for 47 people struggling with the cost of living.
“That’s 47 people who were not evicted, who did not become homeless, who did not take up local authority emergency bed space and who did not have the awful, often debilitating and life-altering worry of debt and losing their home - many families with children.
“And that is why I believe we have so many that support our work and participate in events like the Sleepout.
“To date we have raised around £25,000 and that will rise over the coming weeks. We can put two more pods down for that, providing another emergency housing solution for people sleeping rough.
“I am entirely grateful to all who take part and who donate towards this vital lifeline.”
You can help the CCP reach its target of £100,000 by visiting its fundraising page here: raisly.com.