COLUMN by Stroud mayor Louisa Stinton.
Since I've started in this role, one of the main questions I get asked is: 'What does a mayor do?'
It's an excellent question and, being almost three weeks in, I can definitely confirm that it varies!
Representing the town and the interests of residents is at the forefront and, for me, this includes shining a spotlight on the people, organisations, initiatives and spaces that make Stroud the incredible place that it is.
Last Saturday, I had the pleasure of being invited to the Mood-Boosting Books 2026 event at Stroud Library, launched by the brilliant team at The Reading Agency.
The event was to launch a nationally promoted collection of uplifting titles designed to help readers find comfort, hope, escape and even connection in books.
The collection was curated by 18 to 25 year olds, with young adults helping to select the final titles.
The launch also aptly landed on World Mental Health Day (October 10) as well as within National Reading Week 2026.
Alongside Simon Opher MP and The Reading Agency Team, we got to hear from the fabulous multi-million selling author, Amanda Prowse about her career as a writer.
Amanda shared her passion for reading, for encouraging other people to read and her appreciation for libraries as a sanctuary and physical space for community and warmth.
It doesn't matter what you like to read, whether it's horror, romance, sci-fi, non-fiction or comics (or catalogues!) the main thing is that these spaces are made accessible for everyone.
Regardless of reading ability, reading interest, from children to adults, everyone is welcome and included in the space.
I was struck by a similar theme when I had the opportunity to volunteer for a shift at Middle of the Hill Community Group last week.
The team of volunteers there (and across all Stroud hubs) work really hard to make it a welcoming and supportive place for people to use and I was honoured to be a small part of that for those few hours.
It was really interesting to speak with not only the volunteers but people using the hub to hear what was going on for them and how important it was to have that physical space - a place of community and connection.
It doesn't matter who you are or where you're from, we all need connection with our local network.
With so much uncertainty in the world at the moment, and concern about everyday issues, whether it be the cost of food, fuel or provisions, community spaces are needed more than ever.
You can find out about Stroud’s community hubs here: www.stroudtown.gov.uk/stroud-community-hubs.
To find out more about the Mood-Boosting Books 2026 collection, please visit The Reading Agency site https://readingagency.org.uk/get-reading/our-programmes-and-campaigns/mood-boosting-books/ or better still, if you're able to, pop down to Stroud library!
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