These are heart breaking times, especially for those of us who have lost loved ones. There is much despair - I’m thinking about those of us who are struggling with the mental health breakdown of family members. I’m thinking about those that have lost their livelihoods. Many people are in extreme isolation and loneliness. Some people haven’t felt a hug for months. We have all lost our peace of mind and our freedom.

So of course we are scared and angry. We want everyone we care for to be safe and well. But there have been too many letters tearing at one man. I believe Richard House is worried for people’s health and all we have lost - the same as the rest of us. When we tear at people and their character, when we brandish them as less than we are – emotionally and/or intellectually, when we act as judge and jury over a human being - this weakens us as a community. This is dehumanising and this is how intolerance supremacy, hatred and violence is manufactured. These kinds of character attacks also effect a much wider community of people and network of family and friends.

There is a common vulnerability at the centre of our concerns for our future health and freedom and the way through this crisis is for us to up our capacity for staying together when there is so much that separates us physically. We need to keep reaching for our shared humanity. There are facts, truths and everything in between for us to hear, read, write and speak. I think this unprecedented moment in human history, with its multiple crisis is asking to listen, speak, read and write with a loving heart as well as a critical mind. We are a head strong community but this is Stroud and one thing we also know how to be is a heart strong community.

I am appealing to both the strong human hearts who arrange the news and letters in this paper, to the letter writers who speak of Richard and to the hearts of people of Stroud to step forward with respect and kindness for the sake of our community. We simply cannot afford to turn on one another, there is much to weather and we need each other, including Richard House.

Cllr Skeena Rathor

District Councillor Stroud Central