Memories relived (From Stroud News and Journal)

Memories relived

THE Old Town Hall in the Shambles, Stroud is this week hosting The Shadow Of Foot And Mouth, an exhibition of work by artists and those affected by last year's epidemic.

Julia Currie, a Gloucestershire farmer and organiser of the exhibition, said: "I have gathered together photographers, poets, writers and many others who all felt deeply enough about the foot and mouth slaughters to produce work about it. "Together, we feel it is important to keep the memory of 2001 alive out of respect for those suffering."

The exhibition has a West Country focus, with photographs of Gloucestershire farmers by Ian Geering, paintings and poems by local artists and writers, including Jay Ramsay, plus videos recorded in the Stroud area.

The exhibition starts in Stroud, although Julia hopes that it may be taken to city areas where she believes there has always been a certain level of ignorance.

"Many urban people have been unaware of the lingering effects of foot and mouth on country communities. The horrors live on," Julia explained.

She has seen usually toughened farmers break down over the loss of animals; frustrated by the inability to be heard, Julia hopes the exhibition will be a way of telling stories of the past months both to her local community and to people whose lives have not been directly touched by the crisis. "It is vital that we face up to the mistakes made," she said.

Photographer Ian Geering said "A number of farmers told me that for a period of days after slaughter, even the birds did not sing. It was as if the whole of the countryside was held in a silent invisible grip."

The exhibition will be held at The Old Town Hall, the Shambles, Stroud, Gloucestershire from Thursday, October 31 to Saturday, November 2 from 9.30am to 5pm each day.