If the organisers of a Stroud business event had any doubts the district would unite to hear messages from those working to better its economic future, they were unfounded.

Billed as Stroud District Open for Business, the event saw a near full-house as business people and interested parties came to hear what the likes of GFirst LEP, Stroud Business Voice, Business West, the district council and owners of Stroud's Five Valleys shopping centre had to say.

Staged at SGS College, it was also a chance for the college's principal, Kevin Hamblin, to talk about the great strides it is making and its commitment to working with business - at its Stroud site, Berkeley Green campus and Filton headquarters - to deliver the county's next generation of talent.

It was a broad-ranging agenda, with David Owen, of GFirst LEP, discussing the local enterprise partnership's draft industrial strategy, its young people survey and Stroud Growth HUB.

There was talk on the future of our high streets, by Mark Dransfield, managing director of Five Valleys shopping centre owner Dransfield Properties and Stroud district councillor Dr Simon Pickering who talked about the business, the environment and how to improve it.

Matt Griffith, policy director, Business West, tackled that subject - Brexit - and Andrew Callard, chairman of the Forest Economic Partnership talked about how businesses in his district make their partnership work for them.

Steve Dechan, chairman of Stroud Business Voice and managing director of P14 Medical delivered what was billed as a call to arms - the need for the district to unite and in order to be heard and benefit from the plans of the likes of GFirst LEP.

Also leading from the front was Kathy O'Leary, chief executive of Stroud District Council who talked about the local authorities commitment to business.

All of which was ably chaired and assisted by Ian Mean, the Gloucestershire director of Business West.

All pictures by Carl Hewlett of Stand Out Studio Ltd

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All pictures by Carl Hewlett of Stand Out Studio Ltd