The Gloucester Charities Trust, known by several different names during its history, has been adapting to meet the accommodation and care requirements of people "in need" in Gloucester for over 800 years.

The Trust began its charitable work when medieval monasteries in Gloucester provided shelter for the poor and those afflicted by leprosy. The "shelters" or "hospitals" (from the provision of hospitality rather than the more modern medical use) of St Margaret, St Mary Magdalen, St Kyneburgh and St Bartholomew were established around the City during the 12th Century. By the middle of the 14th Century control of the hospitals, which had been endowed with land by the monasteries, had passed from the church to the Burgesses of the City of Gloucester.

When leprosy declined during the 16th Century the "hospitals" became more involved with the care of the infirm and elderly. Henry VIII, who had been proclaimed King at Gloucester, raised the status of St Peter's Abbey to that of a Cathedral and on the dissolution of the monasteries he gave custody of St Margaret's hospital to the Mayor and Corporation.

In the late 1800's the description of "hospitals" gave way to the term "Almshouses" and in 1896 the first Charity Commission Scheme (the governing document of GCT) came into effect and the four "hospitals" became known as the United Hospitals which were governed as one entity under the direction of 18 Trustees under the new title for the charity "Gloucester Municipal Charities".

By the middle of the 20th Century the charity had amalgamated into just one site at St Margaret's on London Road, Gloucester where it operates from to this day. Replacement Almshouses were built on the site in 1865, close by St Margaret's Chapel.

Since 1977 the charity has expanded and four new buildings of sheltered flats were erected in the City and these include St Margaret's, St Bartholomew's, St Mark's Court and St Philip's Court thereby retaining the links with some of the monastic names of the past. This enabled the charity to provide sheltered accommodation for over 130 elderly residents of Gloucester.

In the 1990's the name "Gloucester Charities Trust" was adopted and extra care facilities added to the services provided. These included Magdalen House Nursing Home, Kimbrose Day Centre and Guild House Residential Home which was extended and refurbished in 2002/3.

Today the Trust is able to accommodate 200 people and provide a range of care as the needs of the residents change with the passing of the years. The Trust's area of benefit was extended by the Charity Commission to include residents of the County of Gloucestershire as well as those of the City.