Photo of Gloucester Community at the GL3 Community Hub

Gloucester Community Networking

Better Together

About GCN

Thank you for choosing to click to find out more about Gloucester Community Networking (GCN)!

Photo of GCN Founder, Christopher Auker-Howlett

Christopher Auker-Howlett, Founder

What is GCN?

Gloucester Community Network (GCN)

We are a small 'Not for Profit' Community Organisation made up of 5 Trustees and a great group of hardworking volunteers, who, together, look at bringing people together through our GCN Projects » to help educate, combat isolation and promote a general sense of community.

Our Aims

Our main aims are to network indivduals and organisations with other indivduals and organisations who are able to meet those needs.

With the help of the information on this website, we hope to be able to facilitate the locating and sharing of these needs and resources and to bring members of our community closer together.

In addition, we look to work with the community on our 3 main projects:

  • WORS » - War OutReach in Schools: to help History teachers bring WWI and WWII to life for their students;
  • FA4A » - First Aid for All and First Aid for Mental Health: to help people in the community obtain formal qualifications; and
  • GIVS » - Gloucestershire Integrated Veterans' Strategy: to help bring various organistations together in order to to better support the Armed Forces Community in Gloucestershire.

How we are funded

We fund ourselves through event fundraisers as well as offering low cost Mental Health First Aid Training to indivduals and small businesses for a suggested donation. We also put on WW1 Trench displays at events and in local schools for a suggested donation.

All funding goes straight back into GCN to enable us to offer free Mental Health taster sessions to those who need it, such as front line health workers and staff at our local Tesco Store.

These funds have also enabled us to go into local schools to assit History teachers bring WW1 and WW2 History to life.

We have also applied for, and been given grants by Gloucestershire County Council», Tewkesbury Borough Council», The Barnwood Trust» and The National Lottery Fund»

GCN's Main Projects

GCN has 3 main projects that we focus on throughout the year:

WORS - War OutReach in Schools

WORS is an educational project that raises awareness of the Impacts of ‘War, Conflict and Remembrance' for Children, Young People, the General Public and to help with the memory retention of Older People (e.g., to help those with cognitive impairment/Alzheimers). Read more »

FA4MH - First Aid for Mental Health

GCN can offer tailored courses for First Aid Mental Health, for a suggested donation, for Community Groups, Charities and small businesses over a timeframe that suits each individual group. Read more »

GCN also runs a monthly drop-in Wellbeing Matters group once a month at St John's Church in Churchdown. Read more »

GIVS - Gloucestershire Integrated Veterans' Strategy

GCN is actively involved in building and strengthening networks between civilian and military Organisations and Charities. The aim of this is for the welfare betterment of Veterans, Military Service personnel and their families in Gloucestershire. GCN are involved in a number of county projects. Read more »

GCN also runs a monthly drop-in Forces Hub group once a month at the GL3 Community Hub, opposite Tesco on Cheltenham Road East, Churchdown. Read more »

Building on Existing Networks

There is currently a lot of great work being carried out by individuals, charities and organisations in and around Gloucestershire. However, the challenge has always been to help network people up with those who need support and resources with those who are able to meet those needs.

Supporting GCN

As a voluntary community organisation, we rely heavily on volunteers giving up their own time as well as being able to raise funds to keep us going. Like so many other organisations out there, the Covid-19 pandemic has meant that we have been unable to raise the funds we desperately need. If you are able to support us financially by giving us a donation, it would be so very gratefully received, no matter how small!

Click here to find out more about how you can help.