A family business changing lives 

Flashback to 2016. Colin Taylor has spent over 20 years working for Royal Mail and is ready for a change. Something’s missing: the ability to make a meaningful impact in people’s lives. 

Colin coaches under-16 football in his spare time*. One of the young people he coaches is a hugely talented footballer who happens to have ADHD. 

While the other adults around him struggle to comprehend his needs as a young neurodivergent man, Colin has built a strong, deeply connected relationship based on trust and understanding.

Seeing the difference this support has made to the footballer, Colin leaves his career at Royal Mail to support more neurodivergent young people at Gloucestershire-based mentoring firm, Ability. 

In 2017, he and his good friend Ian Lawrance – known as Larry – decide to establish their own mentoring business to make a difference to the lives of young people in Gloucestershire.

And Taylored Mentoring Services (TMS) was born.

From small roots mentoring just five young people, demand for high quality, skilled mentoring and training in Gloucestershire have seen us grow to support more than 70 children and young adults each week.

Colin’s own children, Josh and Izzy, joined the business in 20XX, his wife, Helen, in 20XX and many family friends since. Today, we may be more than just a family business, but the desire to change lives remains at our heart – and TMS is a happy place that celebrates creativity, positivity and progress. 

Our ever-growing team shares one commitment: to improve the lives of the people we work with. With an approach that’s underpinned by family values, our experienced mentors and educators are supportive, understanding and driven by a genuine desire to make a difference. 

Today we employ a team of around 60 staff, improving the lives of young people each day. Those eight to 18-year-olds may struggle with mainstream education – but they’ll always have the TMS family by their side.

*Little did Colin know he’d go on to become Chairman of Gloucester City Football Club!