Stroud Against Supermarket Saturation

Stroud Against Supermarket Saturation formed in July 2013 to protest against the proposal to build two new supermarkets in Stroud. You can find them on twitter - https://twitter.com/sasscampaign their website is here - http://sasscampaign.wordpress.com/

 

The proposed new Asda site is in part derelict, which would suggest that appropriate redevelopment would be a good idea. What does Stroud actually need? We already have a number of supermarkets. Yes, Asda will create new jobs, but it will undoubtedly cost jobs in other places. Many of the new jobs will be low paid and part time, which is not a great asset to the town. Edge of town stores with big car parks encourage people to drive, and to stay out of the town centre. Neither of these are things the Green Party feels are in Stroud’s interests. We have enough traffic flow problems as it is, especially at peak times. We have a town centre that needs our support, not further competition. We need good jobs that pay a living wage and offer opportunities for full time work, so that local people can thrive. A new supermarket would not seem to answer those needs.

 

If you object to the idea of new supermarkets in Stroud, you can sign the petition here -

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/stop-further-out-of-town-supermarket-developments-in-stroud

 

Then there is the issue of Asda itself. Asda is part of Wal-mart. If you take any interest in international issues (and I bet you do if you’re reading this) you probably have some idea already that Wal-mart does not have a great reputation. If you’d like to know more about Wal-mart/Asda there is a free film showing on Sunday the 15^th September, 7.30pm in Landsdown Hall. This is part of Transition Stroud’s bi-monthly film screenings, and there will be a debate afterwards. Stroud Against Supermarket Saturation and Stroud Community TV are also involved.

 

 (This is not an event organised by the Green Party. We are always glad to support local community projects, to encourage debate and political engagement and the like. If you have an event, campaign or activity that we could helpfully support, do get in touch by emailing brynnethnimue@gmail.com)

Stroud Community TV Awards 2012 winners

Still from winner of Best Local Film 'Beyond Goodbye'

I've uploaded today the last final winner in the Stroud Community TV Awards 2012 - the Best Local Film - a very moving film that is a must watch - you can see it along with all the other winners and nominations at: http://stroudcommunity.tv/awards-2012/

The whole experience of the awards has been very wonderful - the generosity of judges giving up time to comment and judge, those who made nominations and all the film makers....I hope next year we can make the event even bigger....anyone got ideas about what might be possible?

Stroud Community TV's first newsletter

Last week I sent out SCTV's first newsletter - copied below but you can sign up free from the Stroud Community TV website - leave email in box in right hand column.

Welcome to our first newsletter. We have already had 547 unique visitors in March and over 8,200 page views!! If you 'tweet' and 'facebook' then please encourage even more folk to find our site. You can also 'like' our Stroud Community TV page at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stroud-Community-TV/235077549899959

STROUD COMMUNITY TV APPEAL FOR FILMS AND HELP

Since the beginning of March we have started publicising our website. We already have over 200 films on the site but we after many more YouTube or Vimeo videos about Stroud or by Stroud people that can be linked to our site. We have everything from Big Cats and Lily Allen to Tricorn House and Stroud VE Day in 1945 to skateboarding and Shamanic Dance to the Cotswold Care Hospice and a Chicken-keeping workshop. Local bands, local events, local people and more. Help us build the site - help us keep the site fresh with new films.

In short we seek:

    • to publicise and promote Stroud to local people and visitors,
    • to support our local economy,
    • to create a space for voices who are less often heard,
    • to inspire audiences into actions
    • to develop the already amazing creative talent in Stroud.

We hope to also support and encourage specific projects to help develop video-making skills. Our website lists ways we would love your help. Do please get involved; http://stroudcommunity.tv

FEATURED FILM: DAD DANCING

Dad Dancing includes Five Valleys resident and Dynasty soap star Emma Samms and youngsters from Centre Stage theatre school in Ebley. Domonic White presents a SUSCITO zero budget production to help raise money for The Prostate Cancer Charity as part of Movember 2011. See it at: http://stroudcommunity.tv/dad-dancing/

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS ON SCTV

It is hard to pick but here are a few of the highlights:

A totally inspiring open and honest film made by the young residents from Ark House, supported housing in Stroud:
http://stroudcommunity.tv/ark-house/

Carers Gloucestershire’s 1 in 10 music video highlighting the role of carers:
http://stroudcommunity.tv/1-in-10-carers-gloucestershire/

Third in the series of Magnus and Granny animation/story:
http://stroudcommunity.tv/magnus-and-granny-granny-on-holiday/

Wonderful Chalford takeaway chef Tayef takes it away!
http://stroudcommunity.tv/chalford-takeaway-chef-tayef-takes-it-away/

Just uploaded: NHS Glos court case and more:
http://stroudcommunity.tv/keep-glos-nhs-public-4-min-taster/

YOUTH GRANT SUCCESS

Stroud Community TV have been part of the YES! (Youth Exploring Sustainability) Big Lottery FUTURE NOW bid. YES is a project with all 10 secondary schools in the District, Transition Stroud, Wood U Waste and Stroud District Youth Council. A whole host of other local organisations including Glos Naturalists Society, Down To Earth, the Bee Guardian Foundation and Glos Orchard Group are involved in helping youth explore what it means to be sustainable and to influence their own future. Well the great news is that the bid was one of the 30 proposals that has been accepted and has received a grant of £10,000 to develop a proposal during the next three months for one of the 10 available pots of £1m!

CALL FOR YOUNG FILMS MAKERS

Stroud Arts Festival and SVA are sponsoring The Third Annual Young Film Makers Showcase in 2012. The call is out for any film makers, under 25, to submit their short films - five minutes max - on any theme or genre they choose – drama, documentary, animated, even short clips made on mobile phones. Send or drop off the film you would like shown with a short bio to: Film Showcase SVA, John Street, Stroud, GL5 2HA  by April 30th. The films will be screened at SVA, John Street, Stroud as part of the 2012 Site Festival on Thursday May 24th @ 6.30. We hope then to be able to show a selection on Stroud Community TV.

OFF-SITE FILMS: films we can't embed on SCTV

1. 'Cyprus is an Island': a black and white documentary shot on location in 1946. The 34 minute film was scripted by the author and poet Laurie Lee: http://www.colonialfilm.org.uk/node/4511

2. Proud and Prejudiced: Painswick-based Darkfibre produced 'Proud and Prejudiced' for Channel4; the story of two of the most controversial men in Britain. Tommy Robinson, a tanning salon manager, is the leader of the English Defence League, the biggest far-right street protest movement for a generation. Sayful Islam, a former tax inspector, heads a small group of Muslim extremists, who have become notorious for abusing British soldiers and burning poppies on Remembrance Day. Both men enjoy a cult-like status with loyal followers, both are specialists in making highly inflammatory speeches and defying the authorities, and both are from the same town: Luton. Caught in the middle is Sarah Allen, the leader of Luton Borough Council's 'Luton in Harmony' initiative, the official fight back against the town's reputation as a hotbed of extremism. Filmed over the course of a year, this is an intimate portrait of the two men and how a dangerous local feud has become an alarming national drama. More about it can be read here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/marc-hawker/proud-and-prejudice-the-jihadist-and-hooligan_b_1302375.html?ref=uk

It was Pick Of The Day with The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Times, The Mirror and The Independent. "Violent and Disturbing" says the Times. But its got some funny bits in it too! It is available until 25th March at: http://www.channel4.com/programmes/proud-and-prejudiced/4od

ARTICLE OF INTEREST

'The Power of Film' - the price collapse of projectors, quality video cameras, and video editing software has enabled a wealth of all sorts of documentaries: http://www.transitionnetwork.org/stories/guest-blogger/2012-02/power-film

http://stroudcommunity.tv

Newsletter by Philip Booth, Director, Stroud Community TV

Stroud Community TV launched!

Stroud Community TV is a not for profit independent online channel by the people of Stroud and for the people of Stroud. It launched on 1st March 2012 and now we are now after more of your YouTube or Vimeo videos about Stroud or by Stroud people that can be linked to our website.
For some months I have been working on this project with a number of others - the idea came out of a conversation with website designer Peter Richardson - and since then I've had nothing but positive feedback for the idea. In November we established a group and got a small donation from the Town Council to set up the website.

We already have a huge range of videos (getting close to 200) from skateboarding, music, our beautiful countryside, history, stories, poetry community projects and much more. It has been fascinating seeing the range from videos; an old one with Chalford Station still operating, Emma Samms in a video to raise money to tackle prostrate cancer, community projects like the Horsley Orchard and Dudbridge Hydro, Rococo Gardens, work by arts students and so much more.

Basically SCTV is run by volunteers and will be a place;

• to publicise and promote Stroud to local people and visitors
• to support our local economy
• to create a space for voices who are less often heard
• to inspire audiences into actions 
• to develop the already amazing media skills and creative talent in Stroud

We hope to also support and encourage specific projects to help develop video-making skills. Many different groups are interested including Stroud Video Makers, Colleges, local charities and more. But we would welcome more - if anyone is interested in getting involved  please get in touch via the website - we need help with uploading videos, running workshops and making films.

www.stroudcommunity.tv