Gloucestershire groups to get £1.5m levelling up fund

Community groups like GL11 could benefit from the new investment

An extra £1.5m of investment has been announced to support communities in Gloucestershire.

Gloucestershire County Council leader Mark Hawthorne made the announcement at the Levelling Up Conference held in Gloucester last week.

He said the additional funding would be allocated to support communities go further and achieve more.

It adds to £2.5m already committed by the council to support levelling up in Gloucestershire.

Opposition groups have welcomed the news of more investment to the county's most deprived areas, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

"Lifting all areas of the county out of deprivation must be a key target for any council administration," Councillor Jeremy Hilton said.

"The Conservatives will need to demonstrate a long-term commitment to our poorest communities to ensure that all our residents are supported to achieve their full potential," he added.

The conference, held at Quayside House, Gloucester was attended by more than 100 people, representing Gloucestershire groups and organisations.

Several community organisations were showcased at the conference including the GL11 Hub, a group that helps Gloucestershire residents.

Its work includes supporting people who have long Covid and as well as running lunch clubs and children's activities and training and recruiting Covid vaccinators.