Amplify Stroud

01/10/2025

GLOUCESTER WELCOMES REFUGEES
In the wake of anti-refugee protests outside the Ibis hotel in Gloucester, an upcoming gathering in solidarity with refugees and asylum seekers is planned for Sunday 5 October.

Read more at Amplify Stroud

A peaceful, non-confrontational gathering will be held in Gloucester on Sunday 5 October to show support for people seeking asylum and challenge attempts to stoke division and racism.

21/09/2025

It seems like an important time for us to share this article from last year

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.

10/09/2025

DATELINE: 10 SEPTEMBER
TITLE: STROUD FESTIVAL OF COMMONING
WRITER: CHIKARA SHIMASAKI

Chik breaks down the Festival of Commoning taking place in Stroud on 12 / 13 September.

Stroud becomes a hub for rethinking community, economy, and democracy this September.

01/08/2025

Video made by local artists from Stroud calling for everyone to "Raise Your Voice" for Gaza. Features members of the Stroud Ceasefire Now Coalition at vigils and at the National March for Palestine.

15/07/2025

Redz is the latest face of a long and proud tradition of grassroots community organising in Stroud. Since opening their doors two months ago, the group have been providing activities, opportunities, and an accessible chill-out space for local youth in the town centre.

Whilst the Redz volunteer team are happy to take the reins on the practical stuff - bulk buying the Ribena and keeping the lights on - they want to encourage young people to pitch ideas and make the space their own.  

“Whilst we are organisers, I think this space wants to belong to all of the youth in Stroud in terms of like feeling a level of [shared] ownership. We want people to feel like this is a third space or an extension of their living room.”

You can see Redz’s timetable of events on the Stroud Community Space website, and make a suggestion or hire the space using their online form.

30/06/2025

How much has Stroud changed?
Collected from antique centres and charity shops across the county, these postcards date from the early 1900s to the mid-20th century. The antique images show Stroud’s bustling town centre, sleepy lanes, and historic buildings - many of which remain familiar today, while others have been obscured by housing developments or changed beyond recognition.

This project brings these vintage scenes back to life, recreating old postcard images with modern-day photography. The fascinating results are a glimpse into how Stroud life has evolved over the centuries while retaining the essence of its rural, post-industrial character.

Read the full article, including side-by-side comparisons and featuring interviews with local historians, on the Amplify Stroud website.

Article and photography by Alex Parnham-Cope

30/06/2025

Introducing Na'amod
June 2025
by Jeremy Green | writer

Na'amod is a growing movement of British Jews that openly rejects the narrative of complete unswerving support for Israel. Na'amod is calling for an end to the Occupation and an end to the practice of Apartheid by the State of Israel.

“I've felt that it's important for me to identify as a Jew who feels this way, rather than simply as a person who feels this way, because I think Jewish people are generally perceived as supportive of Israel, and if we don't say anything, then that's what people will assume.

“And particularly, I'm fed up with certain leaders of the Orthodox conservative Jewish tradition who claim to speak on behalf of the whole Jewish community. I am not alone in this.”

— Colin Levine from Na'amod Gloucestershire

Read the full article here

>>> https://amplifystroud.com/introducing-naamod/

10/06/2025

The Rodborough Fields Preservation Group have announced that their community bid to buy part of Rodborough Fields and Frome Banks - the 9.42-acre meadow and woodland between Arundel Drive and the River Frome - has been accepted.

The agricultural land has provided a green haven for local wildlife, grazing for cattle, and dog-walking space for generations. Part of the land is included in the 'Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty', and includes a Right of Way shortcut into Stroud town for Rodborough residents.

Watch this short video by Amplify Stroud interviewing the RFPG, Rodborough Parish Council, and local residents to find out more:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AF2xRqbwcw

Read the full article and find out how to help the Preservation Group convert pledges for the purchase into cash donations on our website:
https://amplifystroud.com/rodborough-fields-video/

Article and video by Alex Parnham-Cope for Amplify Stroud

Local writer Alex Parnham-Cope interviews residents about the sale of Rodborough Fields.

06/06/2025

For the past few months, the whirling of drills and churning of machinery has kept Rodborough Community Hall temporarily retired from its usual duties as a bustling hub of Stroud social life and local politics. 
But behind the metal fences and flailing tarpulin, and after years of planning, exciting changes are happening. Amplify Stroud donned our hard hats and headed in to get a sneak peek of the exciting transformation of this beloved community resource.

Read the full article, including quotes from the architects and local councillors, on our website.

Written and photographed by Alex Parnham-Cope for Amplify Stroud

28/05/2025

Wild campers, trekkers and nature revellers from across the South West were rejoicing in Dartmoor on Monday, 26 May, following a historic Supreme Court ruling affirming the right to responsible wild camping on the unenclosed moorland.
The case has opened up huge questions about England’s poor public access rights to the countryside and fragile legal protections for common green spaces. One rainy Bank Holiday morning, Alex and Emma from Amplify Stroud packed into the van and trundled down the M5 to find out more.
Read our full explainer article and check out Alex and Emma's photos on the Amplify Stroud website.

26/05/2025

How can contemporary sculpture be environmentally responsible and socially inclusive for Gloucestershire's diverse communities? Amplify Stroud chat to visual artists, curators, and local young people all exhibiting work at The Hide's Installation and Sculpture Showcase (THISS) next month, which is supported by public funding from Arts Council England.

19/05/2025

Sherborne Cinema celebrates 10 years providing an affordable and accessible movie-going experience to locals in Kingsholm and beyond. Amplify Stroud sat down with Assistant Manager Shawn Reed to hear more about how they keep their independent, art deco cinema thriving in a challenging industry.
Read the full article on our website.

Text and images: Alex Parnham-Cope for Amplify Stroud