This week, we were delighted to discover that The Folk of Gloucester is a finalist in the Believe in Gloucester Awards. These awards were set up by Gloucester BID to champion businesses, projects and voluntary organisations that are making Gloucester a better place to live and visit.
Out of over 400 nominees, The Folk of Gloucester was selected as a finalist for not one, but two categories. Heritage or Regeneration of the Year celebrates projects which have brought areas of Gloucester back to life, whether by transforming a neglected building or piece of land, or by restoring an old city treasure. Community Project or Organisation of the Year champions the community project, neighbourhood group or sports organisation that is making a difference to people in the city.
The Folk of Gloucester’s staff, trustees and volunteers are responsible for the upkeep of a 500-year-old Tudor building. As well as preserving this incredible heritage site, we are also proud to open our doors to the public for guided tours and community events such as Apple Day, Siege of Gloucester Day and the Ukrainian Festival. As well as our larger events, every week we play host to art classes, Folk music groups, Folk singing, storytelling and poetry nights, acting as a community hub and meeting place for a wide span of age groups.
Louise Williams, CEO of the Folk of Gloucester, commented: “We are thrilled to be nominated for two awards. All the volunteers, staff and trustees work tirelessly with the local community to keep The Folk an integral part of Gloucester’s rich heritage. Once a museum, now a Heritage Community Centre, we believe that The Folk belongs to the people of Gloucester and are so proud to be its current custodians for future generations to enjoy”.
Gloucester BID manager Emily Gibbon said: “We were blown away by the number of nominations for this year’s awards and it demonstrates not only the calibre of amazing businesses and organisations in our city, but also the support they receive from their customers and wider community.
“It was a really difficult task for the judges to whittle down the nominations to a shortlist and now it is over to the public to help find our winners. We hope as many people as possible go online to vote for their favourite.”
The finalists were selected earlier this summer by judging panel made up of category sponsors. However, it’s now up to you to choose who wins! If you’ve ever enjoyed one of our events or projects, we would love you to show your appreciation by voting for us in one or both categories. Head over to the Gloucester BID website to cast your vote – and don’t forget to check your inbox for the confirmation email, as your vote won’t be counted until you respond to it.
Voting will close at the end of September, with awards being announced at a special event in November. We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed for ourselves and all the other amazing businesses and organisation in the running for a Believe in Gloucester Award!