The Gloucestershire Society

It is an honour to be asked to serve as President of this wonderful and ancient Society.  Formed over 300 years ago by the merchants and townspeople of Bristol, it continues to fulfil the original aim of relieving hardship within the historic county of Gloucestershire. Sadly, poverty and desperation still exist and our core value is to be able to act quickly where this need arises.

We distribute funds through a wonderful team of volunteers, The Welfare Committee, and cases are referred via accredited agencies throughout the region. Our grants are relatively small, usually between £200 and £450, and for a range of things from security alarms for those in fear of domestic violence to replacing essential white goods when funds are not available elsewhere. We are a charity of last resort and pride ourselves on the speed of our response.

By keeping our running costs very low, we aim to distribute nearly all of the funds raised. We are supported by a number of charitable Trusts and many generous individuals and have increased our income significantly over the past 5 years in response to the growing need. Our income is generated entirely through an annual appeal and we have been able to increase the total year on year. This has, in turn, allowed us to increase the scope and size of our grants, enabling us to help over 600 families and individuals last year alone. As the need continues to increase, so must our fundraising efforts.

Your help to allow us to continue this vital work is of great significance. Thank you, if you are already a supporter, but if not, I hope you may consider including us in your charitable giving. There are many ways to donate and to help us provide a lifeline to those in great hardship and it will be greatly appreciated.