With the end of the school year on its way, residents are encouraged to think local with teacher gifts to boost Gloucester’s economy.
A clear ‘support local’ message has been shared ahead of the end of term on behalf of Gloucester businesses.
The backers of the Gloucester Gift Card say the end of term is an opportunity to lock vital spend into the city, with an estimated £7.8 million set to be spent in the UK on teacher gifts by families with primary school aged children.
Introduced in 2019, the Gloucester Gift Card can be spent with over 165 local businesses. Over £55,000 has been spent in businesses through the initiative between October 2022 and June 2025.
Gift cards were popular for end of term gifts in 2024, with Gift Card & Voucher Association (GCVA) data suggesting that 2.9% of people purchased a gift card for the occasion.
Claire Knight, marketing & business engagement lead, at Gloucester Business Improvement District (BID), which introduced the Gloucester Gift Card to the city six years ago, said: “Teachers and school staff do an amazing job each year, and it’s natural that families want to say thank you. Collecting as a class is a popular way to arrange a teacher gift, and the Gloucester Gift Card is the ideal gift as it can be spent with over 165 businesses locally.
“There were around 4.5 million children in primary education in the UK in January 2024, if 25% of those families contributed £7 to a teacher gift, that is over £7,875,000 being spent on teacher gifts each year. Choosing our local gift card as an end of term gift locks some of that spend into our city and importantly, gives teachers unbeatable local choice.”
The Gloucester Gift Card is part of the award-winning Town & City Gift Card concept from Miconex, active across the UK. Colin Munro is the managing director of Miconex and said:
“In our 2024 research, 97% of people said they’d like a gift card that can be spent with local businesses. The Gloucester Gift Card can be spent with big brands and indies across a wide range of sectors, so there’s no need to second guess a teacher’s favourite shop, restaurant or salon – they can pick for themselves. And as cards are spent locally, it has a positive impact on the local economy, which is good for everyone.”
The Gloucester Gift Card can be purchased online and in person from: Gloucester Quays and GL1 Freedom Leisure.
