Katie Jarvis

Why do you live here? What brought you to Stroud?

I've never lived in Stroud as such, but I've been in the area since I was 10 years old - in fact, I went to Stroud High School. My real connection with the town began when I went to work for the Stroud News and Journal between 1987 and1989 - one of the best times of my life.

What do you love/like best about Stroud?

I love the way Stroud has so many different types of people: you can find everyone from a tweed-clad "hunting, shooting, fishing" gentleman to an alternative therapist: they're all here.

What do you hate about Stroud?

The perception of some who think Stroud is a dump. It isn't.

What do you think is Stroud's best physical feature?

I love the beautiful School of Science and Art in Lansdown. Isn't that just like Stroud? You wander down a seemingly ordinary road and, if you open your eyes and look about you, you see something wonderful and inspiring.

What do you think is Stroud's best communal feature?

Tricky; I like the Sub Rooms' forecourt and all its street entertainment, and I love the farmers' market. I admire those who are prepared to have "sit-ins" in order to protect what they love about Stroud. But overall, I would have to nominate the Stroud passion for the peace movement. Stroud might be a small town in a Cotswold valley, but it's far from being an "island".

What would you change about Stroud if you had a magic wand?

Nothing! Some people long for a big John Lewis or a Marks and Sparks. But the whole point of Stroud is that it's true to itself. It is what it is without apology, and that's what makes it wholesome.