COLUMN BY SDC leader Catherine Braun. 

FEEDING Gloucestershire is a fantastic new organisation working to address food inequality and find solutions for a fairer and more environmentally sustainable food system.

At the Stroud district launch last week, I met with dozens of people from the Feeding Gloucestershire network, from community hubs, councils, local farms, campaign groups, the foodbank, the Long Table, and the wonderfully-named NOSH (Network of Stroud Hubs – which provides free/affordable food).

We talked about the Feeding Gloucestershire vision, for a county “where everyone can enjoy good sustainable food, and nobody goes hungry” and heard great examples of farmers in the county who are already providing top quality local produce to the community. www.feedinggloucestershire.org.uk

This week our new Low Carbon Communities project has also launched. The project will provide advice and technical support to households in Stroud district who are keen to invest in their home to make it warmer, greener and cheaper to run. If you’re interested, please fill out the survey: https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/helpustohelpyou/.

For families looking for school holiday ideas, there are lots of local activities available, including at the Museum in the Park, Berkeley Castle, the canals and commons. In Wotton-under-Edge, our popular outdoor heated pool has now reopened for the summer season and offers daily sessions, as well as swimming lessons and pool party bookings: www.wottonpool.co.uk.

In Stroud, the Stratford Park Lido, is a great place to swim for those who like a cold water dip, and it will re-open for the summer season in June, slightly later than planned due to weather and maintenance issues: www.everyoneactive.com/centre/stratford-park-leisure-centre

Community resilience and wellbeing is one of the key themes of our council plan and includes a healthy lifestyles scheme. Classes include sessions for people facing health challenges. See tinyurl.com/4f96z3s7