In Bathurst Park, Di Martin, who has spent 31 years as a Cinderford East town and district councilor, stood up on the 20th of June and read the canonic poem, Still I Rise by Maya Angelou.

The Black Lives Matter movement spread has across the globe, but there are still many standing in the way of progress by denying that racism exists.

Where to go and what to do if you have been the victim of a racial crime

I KNOW some of you will roll your eyes and scoff at the suggestion that Stroud has problems with racism but I hope my personal experience of living in this town will shed light on prejudice on our doorstep.