Inside The Old Department Store | July Recap & Highlights
July has been a full and rewarding month here at The Old Department Store. We’ve wrapped up our very first six-month social impact report (soon to be shared), celebrated our first award, welcomed the summer holidays, and opened our doors to a wonderful mix of events, activities, and people. Our building continues to grow as a place of welcome, creativity, and shared purpose — and we are thankful to all who have been part of it. There’s so much to share, so let’s recap July at TODS!
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HIGHLIGHTS
POTTERY WORKSHOP
We were excited to welcome Jo Trott Pots to The Old Department Store for a pottery workshop held in our ‘Living Window’ space, overlooking Cirencester’s High Street.
Workshops like this are at the heart of how we’re reimagining the Old Department Store — breathing new life into the building and creating a space where people from all walks of life can come together and belong.
We have many exciting ideas for the Living Window, from podcasts to other unique activities, so keep an eye out as we continue to bring fresh experiences to this space.
One participant shared this feedback from the pottery workshop:
“My first therapeutic experience here today getting mucky making a salt pot, wonderful!”
YOUTH EVENT
It was great hosting World Jungle for our Youth Event focused on the question: “What does Cirencester need for young people?”
Over 20 young people joined us to brainstorm, explore our spaces, and share their ideas. The event also brought together The Door and Family Action youth workers, members of The Churn Project, and community police officers — all collaborating to address the needs of young people in the town.
We are excited about the ideas emerging, with plans in the pipeline for a creative wall mural on our first floor.
We are already seeing the potential of our space to connect with young people in meaningful ways. This August, The Long Table will be hosting open DJ workshops (4th, 11th, and 18th | 2–4pm), inviting young people to enjoy making music together in a welcoming and safe environment.
OUR COMMUNITY
This month, we have enjoyed our team weekly breakfasts where each business has had the chance to set the theme and host the team.
The Long Table team themed their breakfast around “We’re all mad here” for Alice in Wonderland Day, making pancakes for the team, whilst Kids Stuff hosted a party themed breakfast and The Bike Drop treated everyone to egg and bacon English muffins.
Breakfasts are certainly part of the rhythm at TODS, bringing food, fun and friendship to the start of the day.
We also celebrated some birthdays for two of our team members, and said a very sad goodbye to our Head Chef, Em, who’s been at the helm of The Long Table Cirencester since day one.
From building a mini Long Table in our upstairs kitchen to serving incredible food, Em has fearlessly set the standard for what it means to feed change in our community. In her own words: “I am thrilled to have been involved in demonstrating there is another way — to feed and nourish a community. It is doable, and we call it radical.”
Em will be missed but we send her off with the biggest thanks and every good wish for her next adventure.
And in other community news… the TODS team recently took on a fun challenge, guessing how many meals have been served since we opened in Cirencester. The answer? An incredible 13,416 meals over 8 months — averaging 94 meals a day. Fraser took the win receiving the The Long Trophy award!
THANK YOU
A big thank you to the wonderful Soroptimist group for choosing us as their regular space for their Orange Café gatherings. It’s always a pleasure to host you, and we deeply appreciate your supportive interest in our work.
Saturday evenings at The Long Table are becoming a favourite in Cirencester offering delicious food, community, and live music. Thank you to Sophie’s Choir for bringing beautiful entertainment to one of our Saturday evenings. We look forward to hosting you again soon!
FEATURED IN
We shared the exciting news that The Old Department Store was named one of the Top 100 Social Enterprises in the UK as part of the 2025 NatWest SE100 Index. A big thank you to all who attended our celebration gathering. Your continued support helps make our work possible. Read more about what this award means for us here.
We were also pleased to learn that The Old Department Store has been recognised as a Third Space. Third Spaces are vital community hubs – places that bring people together, encourage connection, and create a real sense of belonging. We are hopeful to see TODS being celebrated alongside other spaces across the UK that champion inclusion, belonging, and meaningful community life.
SPACE HIRE
The Old Department Store offers a range of characterful spaces in the heart of Cirencester’s High Street—perfect for workshops, board meetings, and even fitness classes. We’ve loved welcoming such a range of activities into our building over the past few months.
With growing interest in our spaces, we invite you to explore the options available for hire. Find out more details below.
Thank you for taking the time to read our joy-filled July newsletter. It’s been a month of celebration, momentum, and meaningful impact. We continue to feel hopeful and inspired by the work we’re privileged to do, right here on Cirencester’s high street.
Together, we’re reimagining an old department store as a place of welcome, wonder, and belonging. Thank you for being part of the journey.
Continue to share your thoughts and feedback with us and follow us on Facebook for our regular news and updates.
See you soon at The Old Department Store!