About Us
Some numbers
- 99% of all businesses are small businesses.
- Only 6000 businesses employ 250 people or more.
- 58% of private sector employees (12.6 million people) work in small businesses.
- Small businesses contribute £1,200 billion to the UK economy.
Background
As the statistics above demonstrate, small businesses dominate the UK economy and Gloucestershire is no different. The principal objective of GEBS is ‘to work for the development of a more prosperous Gloucestershire’ and it will do this by delivering a wide range of quality services specifically designed to meet the needs of the smaller businesses in the county.
We are a not for profit company limited by guarantee, effectively being a social enterprise driven by our objectives rather than the profit motive. The business is led and controlled by a board of directors, the majority of whom are non-executive and unpaid.
The business is modelled on the lines of an Enterprise Agency (PDF 24kb) and we are members of the National Federation of Enterprise Agencies that has 133 members around the country. As a result we have access to a vast array of contacts and information to draw on to help support our clients.
Who we are
Based at Chargrove House in Shurdington on the outskirts of Cheltenham, we have a small team of friendly staff, all holding the relevant professional qualifications, who are totally focussed on providing the very best service to our clients.
Our partners
The small business market in Gloucestershire is vast and the need for support services is great. One small organisation working in isolation could barely scratch the surface but by working together with a number of others we can provide a complementary range of services and programmes that combine to give our clients a comprehensive solution to their business needs. We are extremely grateful to all our partners for their support and encouragement, especially those whose financial contributions have enabled us to extend our activities. For more information click here Our Partners (PDF 32kb)
These include-
Gloucestershire First’s Rural Renaissance
Local Authorities –
Forest of Dean District Council
Gloucestershire County Council
National Federation of Enterprise Agencies
Gloucestershire Enterprise Limited
Gloucestershire Development Loan Fund
Gloucestershire Chamber of Commerce & Industry