Amplify Stroud

21/07/2024

DATELINE: 21 JULY 2024
WRITER: RHIA DAVENPORT | BOSS MORRIS
TOPIC: “FEET” — DANCE AS AN ACT OF RESISTANCE
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Rhia Davenport pens this article from our SUMMER OF RESISTANCE series, exploring how dance can be a transformative action and the crucial role that Boss Morris is playing in their partnership with the Right to Roam campaign, anchoring protest into culture, tradition and history through Morris dance.

https://amplifystroud.com/feet-dance-as-an-act-of-resistance/

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Amplify Stroud is actively nurturing the next generation of young writers and each TEN paying subscribers enables us to commission an article from a new writer.

Please support local writing.

>>> amplifystroud.com

Stroud, with its rolling hills and rich artistic heritage, provides a fertile ground for Boss Morris. They draw upon local traditions, folklore, and the natural environment, infusing their dances with a sense of the land's history and spirit.

03/07/2024

DATELINE: 03/07/2024
WRITER: ROBIN LAYFIELD
TOPIC: STROUD SACRED MUSIC FESTIVAL
Stroud Sacred Music Festival takes place on Friday 7 and Saturday 8 JULY at St Laurence's church in Stroud.

Robin catches up with the ever-present Rev Simon Howell to talk about the festival, its origins and the wider connection that adds Stroud to a global network of Sacred Music Festivals.

Highlights of the festival are listed and tickets for it are still available at the Stroud Sacred Music Festival website.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE at

>>> https://amplifystroud.com/ > amplifystroud.com

The Sacred Music festival returns to Stroud. We cover the highlights and the history of this event.

03/07/2024

DATELINE: 02/07/2024
WRITER: ROBIN LAYFIELD
TOPIC: FILM — NOT IN OUR NAME
Robin interviews Stroud-based Iranian film-maker Sohrab Kavir about his latest project - "Not in My Name" - a microcosm of the War on Gaza set in a small Stroud household that explores how relationships can be rebuilt through empathy and understanding.

The film is currently being crowdfunded on Kickstarter and could use your support.

>>> http://kck.st/4biYoJQ > amplifystroud.com

An interview with filmmaker Sohrab Kavir about the film he is making that explores relationship between two women - one Palestinian and one Jewish, sharing a household in the aftermath of October 7.

27/06/2024

DATELINE: 27 JUN 2024
WRITER: COMMUNITY SOLIDARITY STROUD DISTRICT
TOPIC: HI**ER APOLOGIST IS STANDING TO BE STROUD'S MP

CSSD write of their concerns of independent candidate for Stroud Saskia Whitfield's deeply ingrained antisemitic and homophobic values.

Cheltenham-based Saskia Whitfield - who is being promoted by The Light - is standing in Stroud as an independent candidate for Parliament. A look into her social media reveals a deeply ingrained pattern of homophobic and antisemitic values.

21/06/2024

[a]
DATELINE: 21/06/2024
WRITER: ALUN HUGHES | DIALECT
TOPIC: ”HANDS” — WRITING AS AN ACT OF RESISTANCE

In the first of our SUMMER OF RESISTANCE articles, Alun Hughes explores what resistance feels like for him as a writer, what it means and what influences he draws on in his writing.

The piece is framed around preparations for an XR Funeral for Nature in Bath and goes on to explore our connections to the land as indigenous custodians.

"To resist is to create in our times. Artists and makers can create from the unknown, draw from the mystery. Some are adept at the deep dive into the well of excruciating grief and despair (the thick present) yet, somehow return with some treasure, a gift from the unknown that the artist carries to and for their community.

“Or maybe finding, making and appreciating beauty is the true act of resistance?”

https://amplifystroud.com/2024-06-writing-as-resistance/


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Amplify Stroud is actively nurturing the next generation of young writers and each TEN paying subscribers enables us to commission an article from a new writer.

Please support local writing.

>>> amplifystroud.com

Across the world, in this moment, people are stepping up and standing in defence of the land they live on, the waters they live with and each other’s rights to freely be.

20/06/2024

THE PARENTS FOR FUTURE STROUD MONTHLY SHARED MEAL AND DISCUSSION is back at our hub next MONDAY (24th JUNE, 5PM-6:30PM) with the theme of 'our radical roots'.

FEATURING GUEST SPEAKER STUART BUTLER (LOCAL HISTORIAN, TEACHER AND FOUNDER OF RADICAL STROUD (WWW.RADICALSTROUD.CO.UK) sharing and inspiring with stories from our radical past.

As always anyone is welcome to come along.

20/06/2024

CLIMATE & NATURE HUSTINGS
Sunday 23 June
Subscription Rooms Stroud

Amplify Stroud will be covering the hustings this Sunday evening in Stroud, reporting back on responses from candidates to questions submitted by the audience and community groups: CPRE, Parents for Future, Zero Hour, Transition Stroud, The RYSE, Greenpeace.

Join us on the evening - sign up for a ticket on EventBrite

>> https://tinyurl.com/can-stroud

17/06/2024

DATELINE: 17/06/2024
WRITER: CLARE PENKETH
TOPIC: DEEPFAKES AND DEMOCRACY — the risks created by the use of computational power and artificial intelligence to produce lookalike and soundalike video and audio clips that can go viral and potentially influence the outcome of elections.

In this piece, Clare explores the current state of the technology, what political parties and media platforms are using to try to reign it in and what the potential effects of deepfakes and the use of "generative ai" might be on democracy in general.

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Amplify Stroud is actively nurturing the next generation of young writers and each TEN paying subscribers enables us to commission an article from a new writer.

Please support local writing.

>>> amplifystroud.com

HALF THE WORLD'S DEMOCRACIES, INCLUDING the UK, head for the polls this year and deepfakes are adding a new dimension to telling fact from fiction during elections.

26/05/2024

DATELINE: 29/05/2024
WRITER: Eli Parry | THE RYSE
TOPIC: ”Paradoxes of Danger” — the Cass Review and its implications for trans youth

Eli Parry critically assesses the Cass Report in light of evidence as to its shortcomings, an ever present anti-trans bias and the political drive to frame gender diversity as a medical / mental health issue, instead of addressing the mental health needs of a vulnerable - and often vilified - minority.

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Amplify Stroud is actively nurturing the next generation of young writers and each TEN paying subscribers enables us to commission an article from a new writer.

Please support local writing.

>>> amplifystroud.com

As a community that acts to subvert and resist toxic gender norms and ways of relating, trans youth are being exploited by political powers for their own broader destructive ends.

24/05/2024

[a]
DATELINE: 24/05/2024
WRITER: ROMA ROBINSON | THE RYSE
TOPIC: NEO ANCIENTS - WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO REDISCOVER A CULTURE

Roma goes on a deep dive into thoughts and feelings inspired and povoked by the recent NeoAncients event around the sub rooms.

Touching on culture, history, mystery, artefact and imagination, Roma explores what it means to rediscover our Britishness through the prisms of folk & rebellion.

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Amplify Stroud is actively nurturing the next generation of young writers and each ten PAYING subscribers enables us to commission an article from a new writer. Please support local writing.

>>> amplifystroud.com

It’s the final day of the Subculture festival hosted by the Sub rooms - this year’s theme: “Neo-Ancients”. At a time when pre-Christian, Pagan and folk culture is rearing its head from the misty hills of history, this is an exploration into how and why.

19/05/2024

DATELINE: 19 May 2024
WRITER: Emma Kernahan | Dialect / Stroud Mythical Entities
TOPIC: NEO ANCIENTS - THE INTERVIEW

Emma Kernahan interviews John Best and Ben Wardle from POP UP - Stroud Music & Culture Bookclub - two of the three organisers of this years jam-packed festival of folk & weirdness, NeoAncients.

Emma explores the folk revival taking place across the country and its deep and sometimes surprising roots in counterculture, rave culture, land rights, rebellion and misrule.

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Amplify Stroud is actively nurturing the next generation of young writers and each ten PAYING subscribers enables us to commission an article from a new writer. Please support local writing.

>>> amplifystroud.com

It would have been hard to miss the drumming, or the sound of singing, but the keen eyed would also have spotted a circle marked out in salt, an altar, containing a figurine of a cotswold british-romano goddess: Cuda.

10/05/2024

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DATELINE: 9 May 2024
WRITER: Oonagh Cousins | Stroud Parents for Palestine
TOPIC: LOCAL PROTESTS AGAINST ISRAEL'S INVASION OF RAFAH ESCALATE
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On Tuesday, 14th May, scores of protestors turned out at MP Siobhan Baillie’s office in a strong showing to hold the MP accountable for their continued support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza & to demand a ceasefire.

Oonagh Cousins reports back on the protest, with contributions from partner members of Stroud Ceasefire Now Coalition.

“In this world, right now we have a clear choice: we can stand with our global family and put ourselves on the line for justice, or we can allow ourselves through our inaction to become complicit in the perpetration of this violence.”

— Roma Robinson, the RYSE

>>> amplifystroud.com

On Tuesday, 14th May, scores of protestors turned out at MP Siobhan Baillie’s office in a strong showing to hold the MP accountable for their continued support for Israel’s genocide in Gaza & to demand a ceasefire.

03/05/2024

DATELINE: 3 May 2024
WRITER: ROBIN LAYFIELD
TOPIC: CARGO BIKING - MUMS ON THE RUN
========robin.layfield interviews Iszi Rudman about what it's like to ditch the car and transport her two young children to school on the back of a longtail cargo bike.

>>> amplifystroud.com

30/04/2024

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DATELINE: 30 April 2024
WRITER: Laurie Davies
TOPIC: STROUD LOCAL ELECTIONS FOCUS: LIBERAL DEMOCRATS
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Laurie Davies interviews Georg James, newly minted leader of the Green Party on Stroud District Council about representation, the candidates, ambitions for the group on the council, what the Liberal Demcrats think about the Local Plan and plans to take Stratford Park Leisure centre in house.

>>> amplifystroud.com

George James is interviewed by Laurie Davies George James is the new leader of the Liberal Democrats group on Stroud District Council, with the long time leader Ken Tucker retiring his seat at the coming election. He is currently a councillor for Wotton-under-Edge but is changing to stand in the

30/04/2024

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DATELINE: 30 April 2024
WRITER: Laurie Davies
TOPIC: STROUD LOCAL ELECTIONS FOCUS: GREEN PARTY
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Laurie Davies interviews Catherine Braun, leader of the Green Party on Stroud District Council about representation, the candidates, ambitions for the group on the council, what the Green Party think about the Local Plan and plans to take Stratford Park Leisure centre in house.

>>> amplifystroud.com

Catherine Braun is interviewed by Laurie Davies Catherine Braun has been the leader of Green Party at Stroud District Council since she was successfully elected in 2021 and stepped into the role as Leader of Stroud District Council in 2022, after a series of resignations of Labour councillors made t...

30/04/2024

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DATELINE: 29 April 2024
WRITER: Laurie Davies
TOPIC: STROUD LOCAL ELECTIONS FOCUS: COMMUNITY INDEPENDENTS
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Laurie Davies interviews Robin Layfield, leader of the Community Indepedents Group on Stroud District Council about representation, the candidates, ambitions for the group on the council, what Community Independents think about the Local Plan and plans to take Stratford Park Leisure centre in house.

>>> amplifystroud.com

Robin Layfield Community Independents Group Leader is interviewed by Laurie Davies ROBIN LAYFIELD IS CURRENTLY a district councillor for Rodborough. He has been the leader of Community Independents for the last year, taking over when the previous leader Doina Cornell became Chair of Council. The gro...

30/04/2024

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DATELINE: 25 April 2024
WRITER: Caroline Molloy
TOPIC: STROUD LOCAL ELECTIONS FOCUS: LABOUR
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Caroline Molloy interviews Steve Robinson, leader of the Labour Group on Stroud District Council about representation, the candidates, ambitions for the group on the council, what Labour think about the Local Plan and plans to take Stratford Park Leisure centre in house.

>>> amplifystroud.com

But this time, Labour’s regional party HQ have made clear, “we've got to win as many seats as we can. Both to be supporting Simon [Opher] when it comes to [the general election], and also so that we we have got representatives across the district.

30/04/2024

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DATELINE: 25 April 2024
WRITER: Caroline Molloy
TOPIC: STROUD LOCAL ELECTIONS FOCUS: CONSERVATIVES
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Caroline Molloy interviews Lindsey Green, leader of the Conservative Group on Stroud District Council about representation, the candidates, ambitions for the group on the council, what Conservatives think about the Local Plan and plans to take Stratford Park Leisure centre in house.

>>> amplifystroud.com

“Obviously, we would love to take overall control. We would not rule out working with anyone else, if that was an option as well,”

09/04/2024

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DATELINE: 9 April 2024
WRITER: Jo Woolfall | Parents for Future Stroud
TOPIC: EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT CITIZENS ASSEMBLIES
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Parents for Future are working to build a ‘standing’ (or permanent, or rolling) Citizens’ Assembly here in Stroud.

They are not the only organisation seriously considering alternative forms of public participation as a means to achieving democracy.

In this article for Amplify Stroud, Jo Woolfall takes a deep dive into the many conversations that are taking place and the landscape of activist movements, here and abroad.

>>> amplifystroud.com

Parents for Future are working to build a ‘standing’ (or permanent, or rolling) Citizens’ Assembly here in Stroud.

09/04/2024

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DATELINE: 9 April 2024
WRITER: Organiser | RS21
TOPIC: DIRECT ACTION IS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP BRITAIN BEING COMPLICIT IN A GENOCIDE
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On 20 March two blockades took place simultaneously. One in Cheltenham, England and one in Edinburgh, Scotland. Two companies were targeted: GE Aviation and Leonardo UK.

Why? Because they are involved in the production and supply of components used in F35 Stealth Combat aircraft currently being used in the bombardment of Gaza.

By extension this makes Britain complicit in acts of genocide that may be happening across the world.

Workers for a Free Palestine united campaigners and trade unionists to shut both locations down for the day and to engage in conversation with workers about what they were involved in producing.

We hear from an activist on the ground that day about what it was really like.

>>> amplifystroud.com

by antenna ON WEDNESDAY 20 MARCH, Workers for a Free Palestine alongside other campaigners blockaded the GE Aviation factory in Cheltenham, creating an impassable barricade and forcing the factory to close. ⛔ HAPPENING NOW: Protesters from have blockaded an arms factory in Cheltenham,...

02/04/2024

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DATELINE: 2 Apr 2024
WRITER: ELI PARRY, THE RYSE
TOPIC: REVOLUTIONARY LOVE
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“if you cannot love anybody, you are dangerous… you have no way of learning that other people suffer, no way of learning how to use your suffering, and theirs”
— James, Baldwin

In February, the RYSE held a special session to discuss what Revolutionary Love looks like and how we can grow our empathy and our resistance and broaden our idea of love to include love and a culture of respect for nonhuman animals, lands and earthly elements.

The discussion incorporated a wide range of views on love including JAMES BALDWIN, bell hooks, ESIE MENSAH, ASSATU SHAKUR and LEANNE BETASAMOSAKE SIMPSON.

In this piece writer ELI PARRY discusses the event, the topics and themes it covered and the outcomes of the group discussions.

>>> amplifystroud.com

“if you cannot love anybody, you are dangerous… you have no way of learning that other people suffer, no way of learning how to use your suffering, and theirs” — James Baldwin

27/03/2024

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DATELINE: 27 Mar 2024
WRITER: FASCIST FREE STROUD
TOPIC: IT'S TIME FOR US ALL TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST NA**SM AND THE FAR RIGHT
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Following news that a number of Hi**er-promoting and antisemitic events have been called off, local anti-racist groups have warned that now is not the time to let down our guard against hate, prejudice and division.

Fascist Free Stroud - a loose coalition of Community Solidarity Stroud District, Stroud Against Racism, The RYSE and Stroud Together With Refugees have warned that the planned N**i meetings are not an isolated incident.

There is a public meeting at 3pm on Saturday 30 March at Trinity Rooms to discuss how to stand up to the Far Right.

This will be followed by a fundraiser social for Stroud Against Racism later on the same evening.

Read more on our website and subscribe for articles straight to your inbox.

Local anti-racist groups have warned that the planned N**i meetings are not an isolated incident – and have invited everyone to a public meeting at 3pm on Saturday 30 March.

24/03/2024

[9 Mar 2024] KITE FLYING FOR GAZA | GEORGE THOMAS for amplify stroud

BONUS VIDEO - accompanying the article by Diya Mukarji on kite flying in solidarity with Palestinian children, we have a video report of the day.

To find out more about similar events in Stroud, you can attend the Friday vigils outside the MPs office (6pm — 6:15pm) or seach for StroudPSC on facebook.

24/03/2024

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DATELINE: 23 Mar 2024
WRITER: DOINA CORNELL | MIGRANT CHAMPIONS NETWORK
TOPIC: REFUGEE STORIES: SHOWING HATE THE RED CARD
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At the end of 2022, the UK home office informed Stroud District Council that they would be outsourcing accommodation of asylum seekers to an external contractor - Clearsprings Ready Homes - and that one of the locations was to be an isolated hotel in Stroud District.

SDC Migrant Champion Doina Cornell writes of how a community embraced our new visitors, how strong bonds were formed through food, football and friendship.

The hotel is now closed but the friendships still remain.

Read more on our website and subscribe for articles straight to your inbox.

Here is a story of a moment of warmth and hope in an obscure rural corner of our district. A story that shows you can fix a little bit of the broken world and push back against the hate with a smile and a hand of friendship.

23/03/2024

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DATELINE: 23 Mar 2024
WRITER: COMMUNITY SOLIDARITY STROUD DISTRICT
TOPIC: STROUD RESPONDS TO NEWS OF PLANNED MEETINGS PROMOTING HI**ER AND ANTISEMITISM
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An investigation by Community Solidarity Stroud District has brought to light to meetings to promote Hi**er and antisemitism that are planned to take place in central Stroud in April.

CSSD, along with the RYSE, Stroud Against Racism and Stroud Together with Refugees, are calling on all concerned residents to sign the open letter, more information in the article.

Stroud community leaders are meeting on 30 March at 3pm in the Trinity Rooms to discuss how to challenge a local event promoting Hi**er and antisemitism

21/03/2024

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DATELINE: 21 Mar 2024
WRITER: BEN CHALLIS | HEAVENS VALLEY ACTION GROUP
TOPIC: THE HEAVENS IS SOON TO BE SOLD
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“For decades Stroudies have walked, foraged, partied, picnicked, camped, cried and canoodled in the Heavens without permission or payment. It is our shared space, where people across our community and between generations form common memories and experiences. It is a special place…”

Ben CHALLIS reports back on the news that rocked Stroud that one the towns favourite wild areas is to be offered up for sale.

In this article, Ben explores the wider implications for common land, including wild camping and the right to roam and taking in the recent paywalling of Cirencester park too. Our commons are under threat — many of them aren't even ours any more.

For decades Stroudies have walked, foraged, partied, picnicked, camped, cried and canoodled in the Heavens without permission or payment.

17/03/2024

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DATELINE: 17 Mar 2024
WRITER: ROMA ROBINSON | SISTER
TOPIC: STROUD REPRESENTED IN DELEGATION SENT TO THE SAHEL
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This week two local activists and campaigners: Gail Bradbrook and Robin Cockroft-Ellis visited Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger as part of an international delegation led by PARISC (Pan-Afrikan Reparations Internationalist Standing Conference).

In this article writer Roma details the reasons for the visit along with some of the background to the emergence of the AES (the Alliance of Sahelian States) and why this is important for Stroud and for internationlist solidarity.

Read more at amplifystroud.com and subscribe for articles straight to your inbox.

06/03/2024

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DATELINE: 6 Mar 2024
WRITER: NIKKI OWEN | TEN
TOPIC: THIS ENDS NOW
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In the first of a series of articles for our This Ends Now strand, writer and campaigner Nikki Owen looks into how we can rewire the words we use to shape our society and transform attitudes around sexual violence to women.

Read more at amplifystroud.com and subscribe for articles straight to your inbox.



https://amplifystroud.com/2024-03-this-ends-now/

This Ends Now co-founder and director Nikki Owen introduces the first of a new series articles from the campaign group in partnership with amplify stroud

04/03/2024

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DATELINE: 4 Mar 2024
WRITER: ROBIN LAYFIELD
TOPIC: BLACK DOG WAY AT STROUD FILM FESTIVAL 2024
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In our latest Stroud Film Festival film profile we catch up with director SAM POPE to discuss the premiere screening of the long awaited BLACK DOG WAY.

This film details the journey of homelessness champion STEVE GOWER as he learns about the crumbling social safety net in this country and what he must do to challenge it.

Read more at amplifystroud.com and subscribe for FREE articles straight to your inbox every week.

Black Dog Way screens at the Trinity Rooms on Wednesday 6 March at 7.30pm. There will be a discussion and Q&A session with the film's director Sam Pope and Steve Gower.

Tickets are available through the Stroud Film Festival website.

https://tinyurl.com/sff24-black-dog-way

01/03/2024

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DATELINE: 29 Feb 2024
WRITER: ROBIN LAYFIELD
TOPIC: UNREFLECTED REFLECTIONS
AT STROUD FILM FESTIVAL
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In this deep dive into the Stroud Film Festival, we interview the producer of unreflected reflections films 'gloucester's glory' and 'pioneering glimpses' about how unreflected reflections is bringing the history of Gloucester's Muslim community to life and in the process inspiring other communities to tell their own stories.

A fascinating conversation, read more at amplifystroud.com and subscribe for articles straight to your inbox.

unreflected reflections: pioneering glimpses screens at the Trinity Rooms on Saturday 3 March at 4pm. There will be a discussion and Q&A session, along with food.

Tickets are available through the Stroud Film Festival website.