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The Folk of Gloucester on Westgate Street has been awarded an unrestricted grant of £25,000 by the Postcode Local Trust, made possible by the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.
Awarded in July, this grant will contribute to The Folk of Gloucester’s core costs for twelve months, allowing the Community Heritage Centre to continue its wide range of arts and entertainment programmes.
Gloucester residents may be familiar with 99-103 Westgate Street as the former location of Gloucester Folk Museum. However, in 2021, council funding for the museum ceased and the running of the site was taken over by Gloucester Civic Trust: a charity working to preserve, protect and improve buildings of historic interest in Gloucester.
Today, The Folk of Gloucester (known affectionately as “The Folk”) is a thriving Community Heritage Centre. It aims to celebrate Gloucester’s unique culture and history by showcasing the city’s traditions, arts, crafts, music, theatre and people.
Folk of Gloucester CEO Louise Williams says: “We at The Folk are thrilled to have been recognised by The Postcode Local Trust as a worthy recipient of an unrestricted grant of £25,000. Grants like this are invaluable to a small charity like ours and will allow us to preserve this treasured historic building, keeping it free to access and in full use by the local community.”
Located at the heart of Gloucester’s historic city, The Folk provides an inclusive and accessible space for creative expression and community meetups. In particular, it aims to engage groups that would otherwise be financially or socially marginalised, connecting them to the city’s heritage through the arts.
One of the most successful events is the regular 'Soup Theatre' series. These offer a bowl of delicious home-cooked soup and a short play at lunchtime. As well showcasing local actors and playwrights, they are perfect for those who would not normally have access to theatre (including busy office workers!). Other regular events with a dedicated following include folk music jamming sessions, free craft classes and a storytelling café.
Throughout the year, several hundreds of people participate in free family events such as the Winter Wassail, Apple Day, Tudor Day and Gloucester Day. Here, the whole community is invited to connect to Gloucester’s rich history and traditions through music, dance, food and crafts. Events include performances from local Morris dancing clubs, as well as Morris dancing classes for local schools (known as “Morris Minors”).
Every Spring, The Folk of Gloucester is proud to be home to the annual Ukrainian festival. The festival celebrates Ukrainian music, dance, art and culture, allowing displaced Ukrainians from across the UK to come together and share their voices.
In such a competitive funding landscape, this grant is heartening recognition of The Folk of Gloucester’s impact on the community – and helps to secure its future for the whole city to enjoy.
The Folk of Gloucester’s historic building, café and garden are open on Tuesdays from 10am-12:30pm and Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am-4pm. Entry is free.
Find out about The Folk of Gloucester’s varied programme of events on The Folk of Gloucester website.
📸 (c) Gareth Jayne
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