Our Vision
We are a Social Enterprise hub near Stroud, home to 4 businesses all working together with shared values.
Our community hub focuses on being good for both people and planet through reusing and rehoming donated items, employing local people and fostering community support where everyone is welcome.
Here at Brimscombe Mill you can experience an economy that's better for everybody. Share what you can, take what you need and see your community transformed.
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At it’s heart is the best second hand shop selling everything you might need for a growing child. From prams to books, boardgames and clothes up to age 18 Kids Stuff is here to prove raising a child shouldn’t have to cost the earth. There is also a play area for children up to age 5, weekly drop in sessions and a lego table and colouring for entertainment at all times.
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A Pay as You can restaurant with a difference, their vision ‘amazing things happen when we eat together’ is visible everyday through meals shared at the table. Serving lunch, coffee, cake and more The Long Table is the perfect place to meet a friend, make new ones and enjoy locally sourced meals where everyone is welcome.
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The Bike Drop is our on site bike shop with a difference. They are on a mission to put cycling in everyone’s reach. The shop sells both refurbished and new bikes for adults and children and also has a full servicing workshop on site for all bikes including electric.
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Selling Second hand vintage and new furniture, The Home Remedy is a furniture shop with a difference. From sofas to sideboards you’ll find all you need for every room in your house here. The team offer a collection service for donations and will also deliver your purchases to you. Look out for their regular upcycling courses too.
Our impact
We measure our work yearly and report on our social and environmental impact, as well as the key achievements of our social enterprises. Below shows a snapshot of the collective social impacts in 2024/25.
1,324
referral packages provided to local individuals and families. That is 4.5 packages each working day.
42,802
meals produced by Long Table at the Mill this year. That is 147 meals every working day.
244
tonnes of items reused including bikes, toys, food waste & furniture. That is just under 1 tonne each working day.
63,063
hours of paid employment on site at Brimscombe Mill.
592
activities and events were held on site. These include craft, music event and board game club. This is 1.5 events each working day.
Empowered by
The Grace Network
The Grace Network takes over large buildings and moves in social enterprises. All the businesses at Brimscombe Mill are part owned by Grace Network and part owned by the local enterprise community hub, with profits reinvested into the local community.
Old concepts
Since we were founded in 2015, we have been inspired by the vision laid out by Jesus in Luke 4 (below) of an economy rebuilt around the needs of the most marginalised. To achieve this, we look to the ancient model of the monastery, a centre of economic activity, learning and personal growth. When we centre our business model on justice and wellbeing, when we come together as a community, our shopping, working and living can help create a fairer, healthier world.
New approaches
All our businesses here in our hub are Community Interest Companies and work toward their fixed social purpose. Brimscombe Mill has the heart of a charity, and the body of a business. We invest in and support our social enterprises, and the profits are then recycled into the local community through higher staff pay, community events and providing free or subsidised goods.