Guide for Apprentices
Cheltenham
Welcome to Hazlewoods
Many of our apprentices and placement students join us from outside the county, so we’ve created this guide to help you settle in by providing useful information about Cheltenham and the surrounding area.
Cheltenham
Voted the best place to live in the South West in 2020, Cheltenham is a vibrant town with a population of around 118,000. Known as the ‘Festival Town’, it hosts a wide range of annual events celebrating arts, music, food, and science, alongside its world-famous horse racing at the Cheltenham Festival.
Gloucester
Just 5 miles from Cheltenham, Gloucester is the county city and offers plenty to explore. Gloucester Quays is a popular destination for shopping, dining, and bars, complemented by regular food and craft fairs. The city is also home to the stunning 11th-century Gloucester Cathedral, a must-see for visitors.
Transport
Rail
Cheltenham train station has around 8-12 trains each hour with regular services to Gloucester, Cardiff, Bristol, Birmingham and London.
Bus/Coach
Located in the town centre, you can access 20 intercity bus routes including London and Heathrow Airport. Flixbus and National Express have services to London from Cheltenham starting from £6 one-way.
Taxi
There are taxi ranks at Cheltenham rail station and on The Promenade. Other firms include:
Starline: 01242 250250
Dial-a-Cab: 01242 242424
Andy Cars: 01242 262611
E-scooters
Voi operates e-scooters in Cheltenham & Gloucester. You book via the app and will need a driving licence
Voi | E-scooters for hire in Cheltenham and Gloucester
Cycle to Work scheme available – contact HR for details.
Letting Agents
Cheltenham and Gloucester have many letting agencies who advertise on national sites. Some are listed below:
OnTheMarket
Zoopla
Rightmove
Carlain Properties
CJ Hole
Having the nearby University, there may be student accommodation available.
If you prefer a student house-share, you can look into Carlain (above) or here
Other house-share websites:
Spare Room Roomies
If you would like to house-share with another apprentice/placement student, please contact HR.
The WhatsApp group set up by HR, is an ideal place to discuss housing options.
Sport and Leisure
Hazlewoods is proud to sponsor Gloucester Rugby and Cheltenham Town FC. Each month, a limited number of tickets are available for staff to claim on a first-come, first-served basis - giving you the chance to enjoy local sporting action.
Health and Fitness in Cheltenham and Gloucester
Both Cheltenham and Gloucester offer a great choice of health and fitness facilities, including the following:
Leisure@Cheltenham – A large leisure centre featuring a fully equipped gym, fitness classes, squash courts, and an indoor heated pool.
Sandford Parks Lido – A stunning, heated Olympic-size outdoor pool in the heart of Cheltenham. Perfect for cooling off in summer! Even better, Hazlewoods employees enjoy a 10% membership discount.
Gyms – Hazlewoods employees also benefit from corporate discounts at several local gyms, including Everlast, Anytime Fitness, Energie Fitness, Halo, and Nuffield Health.
The Padel Club – with venues in Cheltenham and Gloucester, it’s the ultimate destination for anyone passionate about padel.
Things to do
Cheltenham and Gloucester offer a fantastic mix of dining, shopping, and leisure activities. Nearby towns such as Cirencester, Stroud, and Tewkesbury add even more variety, and the stunning Cotswolds are right on your doorstep.
The Brewery Quarter, Cheltenham
Cheltenham’s Brewery Quarter is a ‘one-stop shop’ with dining and leisure outlets including Five Guys, Mr Mulligan’s golf, Escape Rooms and Flight Club (Hazlewoods employees get £ off, head to the eHub to find out more)
Gloucester Quays
Gloucester Quays is a bustling place to shop, eat and relax in a waterfront location.
The shopping centre has 50 stores offering up to 70% discount. With a wide range of dining option, The Quays is home to The Gym, Cineworld and monthly food and craft markets.
Gloucester Quays is a short walk from the city centre and the historic cathedral.
Cotswold Designer Outlet
Cotswolds Designer Outlet is a premium outlet shopping destination at the gateway to the Cotswolds. Located just off J9 of the M5 on the A46 in Tewkesbury, it is home to well-loved and aspirational brands from M&S, Cadbury, BOSS, Under Armour, Sweaty Betty, to The North Face.
Health and Wellbeing
At Hazlewoods, we’re committed to supporting your health and wellbeing - physically, emotionally, and mentally.
Mind, Body and Soul is our annual programme of events designed to promote overall wellbeing. There are a range of activities throughout the year - visit the eHub for full details.
We also provide a range of wellbeing services, including:
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Mental wellbeing app
• Virtual GP appointments
• Health checks and mental health consultations via Aviva
To reinforce our commitment to mental health, we have trained Mental Health First Aiders in every office. They’re available to listen and offer support whenever you need it.
In addition to your line manager, you’ll also be paired with a buddy to help you settle in and provide day-to-day support.
Adele Beadle, Early Careers Manager adele.beadle@hazlewoods.co.uk
(for study-related queries)
Natasha Ireland, HR Assistant natasha.ireland@hazlewoods.co.uk
(for questions on your contract, onboarding and other HR matters)
Human Resources human.resources@hazlewoods.co.uk For confidential advice on any aspect of your employment.
