Apprenticeship opportunities and open events
Stroud District Council is inviting people to take the first step in their careers by attending a series of Apprentice Open Evenings this June, showcasing a wide range of apprenticeship opportunities starting in September 2026.
The open evenings will take place on:
- Wednesday 17 June, 4pm to 6.30pm
- Wednesday 24 June, 4pm to 6.30pm
These sessions offer a chance to meet staff, learn more about each role and training provider, and find out how apprenticeships at the council combine real work experience with nationally recognised qualifications.
Apprenticeship opportunities:
Business Administration – Planning Strategy (Level 3) This role supports the council’s Planning team, helping deliver key services and policies. Apprentices will gain skills in administration, data handling and customer service while working alongside experienced professionals.
Business Administration – Museum in the Park (Level 3) Based at the Museum in the Park, this apprenticeship focuses on visitor services and events. The role includes supporting front-of-house operations, bookings and customer enquiries while helping deliver a high-quality visitor experience.
Business Administration – Elections and Democratic Services (Level 3) This role offers a unique insight into local democracy, supporting council meetings, preparing agendas and assisting with elections and electoral registration while developing strong administrative and organisational skills.
Customer Service Specialist – Customer Contact Centre (Level 3) Apprentices will be at the frontline of council services, responding to enquiries and helping residents access support. The role develops communication, problem-solving and customer service expertise in a fast-paced environment.
Housing and Property – Housing Services (Level 3) This apprenticeship provides experience within housing services, supporting residents and learning about tenancy management, housing operations and property services.
Business Administration – Asset Data and Compliance (Level 3) A data-focused role supporting the management of council assets, including maintaining records, analysing information and ensuring compliance with standards and regulations.
Multi-Trade Property Maintenance (Level 2) A hands-on apprenticeship working across council housing, developing practical skills in carpentry, plumbing, decorating and general repairs while supporting the maintenance of safe and well-managed homes.
Stroud District Council has a strong track record of supporting apprentices, offering a structured programme that combines workplace learning with formal training and qualifications. Apprentices gain valuable experience while earning a wage and building skills for future careers.
Stroud District Council’s Chief Executive, Kathy O’ Leary said:
“Our apprentices bring so much enthusiasm and positivity to our workplace and we really value and appreciate their hard work. These open evenings are a great opportunity to showcase the range of careers available at the council and to encourage more people to consider an apprenticeship with us.”
SDC Head of HR Lucy Powell said:
“Apprenticeships offer a valuable opportunity to earn while you learn, combining real life work experience with formal training and gaining a qualification in the process. They’re an excellent alternative for anyone who feels university may not be the right path, allowing you to develop practical skills while working alongside experienced and passionate professionals across a wide range of services”
Anyone interested in applying is encouraged to attend one of the open evenings or get in touch for more information.
To register your interest or ask a question, email: recruitment@stroud.gov.uk
Apprenticeships are open to anyone aged 16 and over and provide a valuable route into employment, combining practical experience with formal training and qualifications.
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Enjoy outdoor theatre across Stroud district this summer
Residents and visitors are being invited to enjoy a summer of outdoor theatre across the Stroud district, with a fantastic line-up of performances in some truly special settings.
At the heart of the programme is the Museum in the Park, where the much-loved ‘secret garden’ will once again host a series of outdoor shows. This unique space offers a relaxed and intimate way to experience live theatre, right in the middle of Stratford Park.
The season begins on Sunday 21 June with The Emperor and the Nightingale, a magical interactive storytelling experience for families, co-hosted by Stroud Valleys Project. Blending performance, dance and creativity, it’s designed especially for younger audiences, who can also get involved by making their own bird masks inspired by the story.
There’s plenty more to look forward to as the summer continues, including a lively Sherlock Holmes adventure packed with twists and humour, Shakespeare’s fast-paced Comedy of Errors, and a fun, family-friendly production of The Wizard of Oz to round off the season in August.
While the Museum in the Park is a real highlight, there are also outdoor performances taking place at Painswick Rococo Garden, Newark Park and Woodchester Mansion, offering even more chances to enjoy theatre in beautiful surroundings across the district.
Cllr Martin Brown, Chair of Stroud District Council’s Community Services and Licensing Committee, said:
“Outdoor theatre is a fantastic way to make the most of summer and enjoy our green spaces. The programme at the Museum in the Park is always something special, and the secret garden provides a brilliant setting for live performances that bring people together.”
Find out more and book tickets for the Museum in the Park performances using the link below.
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Museum in the Park launches new display on migration and belonging
Museum in the Park has opened a new long term display, Home From Home: Our Migration Stories, exploring the experiences of migration within Stroud district.
The display brings together personal stories and around 50 objects from 12 local contributors with direct or family experience of moving to the area, reflecting journeys from 11 different countries including India, Poland, Syria and Ukraine.
Through a mix of keepsakes, everyday items and artwork, the display explores what home and belonging mean for those who have made Stroud district their home. These contemporary stories sit alongside historic objects from the museum’s collection, showing how migration has shaped the district over thousands of years.
Highlights include personal items from the Windrush generation, post war settlement stories and The Boat of Hope, a collaborative artwork created with people who have experienced seeking sanctuary.
Home From Home: Our Migration Stories is on display in the At Home gallery at Museum in the Park, Stratford Park. Entry is free.
Opening times are Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 4.30pm, and weekends and Bank Holiday Mondays, 11am to 4.30pm.
The display has been supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Arts Council England and the Cowle Trust.
The Museum offers a free to join membership, giving members regular updates on exhibitions and events, along with exclusive behind the scenes content. Find out more at http://www.museuminthepark.org.uk/membership
Help shape the future of transport in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire County Council is updating its Local Transport Plan which will set the long-term vision and priorities for how transport is planned, managed and improved across the county over the next 15 years and beyond.
We want to understand your experiences of our transport network today and your priorities for the future. For more information and to take part in the online survey, go to: Help shape the future of transport in Gloucestershire.
You can also have your say at our drop in events which will be held across the county over the next few weeks. Visit the survey page to find out more information.
Please fill in our online survey to have your say before Wednesday 24 June when our feedback period will close.
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New £5 bulky waste collections for residents who receive council-issued benefits
Stroud District Council has launched a new reduced bulky waste collection charge to support residents who receive council issued benefits – Council Tax Support or Housing Benefit. Eligible households can now book a collection for up to three bulky items for just £5. The standard charge is £25.
The new scheme is designed to make responsible disposal more affordable for those who need a little extra support. It also encourages large items to be collected safely rather than left to become an eyesore or added to fly tipping hotspots.
Bulky waste includes items such as mattresses, furniture and white goods. Collections can be booked online or by phone, and you will need to enter your Council Tax Support or Housing Benefit claim reference when making the booking in order to receive the reduced rate.
Before booking a collection, could you repair, reuse or give away items? There are several repair cafes across the district where volunteers work with residents to fix broken household items, sometimes in return for a small donation. Items that are in a sellable condition may also be collected by local charities, including The Home Remedy Stroud, based in Brimscombe Mill.
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Garden waste service expands
Every household in the Stroud district can now use the council’s garden waste collection service, thanks to a fleet expansion that provides full district-wide coverage, including remote and rural areas that were previously unreachable.
The service already helps 18,000 households recycle their garden waste, but some properties haven’t been able to join until now because the larger collection vehicles were unable to reach narrow roads.
To change that, the council has introduced a smaller vehicle, along with a new kerbside compostable sack collection system designed specifically for locations with very limited access. Instead of the standard brown garden waste wheelie bins used elsewhere, these properties will use compostable sacks collected by a pick‑up style vehicle, ensuring all homes across the district can now benefit from a convenient garden waste service.
How the new compostable sack service works:
Residents living in properties that cannot be serviced by a vehicle fitted with a bin-lift will be offered the new compostable sack scheme.
- Subscriptions are now open, with collections starting from 30 March.
- Residents pay an annual subscription fee, which will be reduced for 2026 due to the later first collection.
- The subscription includes fortnightly collections until the end of November and the supply of compostable sacks.
- To help avoid unnecessary travel to remote locations, all collections must be pre-booked.
- Subscribers will receive 50 compostable sacks per year – 25 at the start of their subscription, with a further 25 available on request once the first batch has been used.
- Residents may book up to two sacks per collection.
- Full instructions will be given on how to use the sacks which should be filled to a marked line and the tops folded over to prevent spillage.
Standard bin service continues.
For the majority of homes, the standard brown garden waste bin service continues as usual. Subscriptions for 2026 are now open, costing £58.50 per year, with a one‑off £20 fee for new customers who need a bin.
Recycle more at home: we’re now collecting toothpaste tubes and plastic plant pots
Stroud District Council has expanded the range of items collected from people’s homes, helping residents recycle even more as part of the national Simpler Recycling initiative.
Residents can now recycle toothpaste tubes and non-black plastic plant pots in their green recycling bins or bags. These items can be added to the existing range of plastics already collected at the kerbside.
Simpler Recycling is a national programme designed to make recycling easier and more consistent across England. Its aim is to ensure all households can recycle the same core set of materials, reducing confusion, increasing recycling rates and supporting the transition to a more circular economy.
Stroud District Council already meets most of these new standards. Residents benefit from weekly food waste, household battery and vape collections and fortnightly recycling collections covering tins and cans, glass, plastic bottles, tubs and trays, paper and card. A fortnightly paid garden waste service also runs from February to November each year.
If the average person uses around six toothpaste tubes a year, the district’s residents could stop more than 750,000 tubes being thrown away annually.
To stay fully aligned with national requirements, the council is also preparing to introduce kerbside collections of plastic film and wrapping by 31 March 2027. Further details will be shared closer to the time.
Cllr Martin Pearcy, Stroud District Council’s chair of Environment Committee said:
“We’re pleased to be expanding the range of materials residents can recycle from home. These changes make it even easier for people to do the right thing and help us all move towards a cleaner, greener future.”
Plastics that can be recycled at home:
Plastic bottles, pots, tubs and trays including yogurt pots, margarine tubs, fruit and vegetable punnets, clear food trays, toothpaste tubes and non-black plastic plant pots.
We can’t accept:
Flexible plastic including cling film, carrier bags, biscuit and crisp packets, pouches, polystyrene or bubble wrap, blister packs such as paracetamol packets, black plant pots and polystyrene. Many supermarkets will accept these.
Tips to make the most of your recycling service:
- Rinse food containers – it keeps your bin and the recycling fresh
- Fold or cut cardboard to the size of your recycling box – the smaller it is, the more we can fit in the truck
- Put bins out by 6am on collection day.
If you’re unsure whether an item can be recycled in your home collection, check the Waste Wizard on our website, which will explain how it can be repaired, reused, recycled or disposed of: Waste wizard
For more information on recycling services in the district, visit www.stroud.gov.uk/recycling
Thank you for recycling!