The Weight of Light
“Not all who carry fire dare to let it burn. Some smother it beneath the surface, fearing the cost of illumination. Others cradle their glow in silence, unwilling to reveal its power. Yet, among them, one chooses to rise unapologetic, unhidden, a beacon in the vast expanse.” ~ Nana Frimpong
A special edition of Notes from the Edge about our recent project on ‘thrutopia',
funded by Stroud District Council’s Nature and Climate fund
Inspired by Nana Frimpong’s quote above, The Weight of Light is a project we’ve been running since late summer 2025, commissioning an inter-generational team of four writers from the Stroud District. These brilliant writers co-created writing with a hyperlocal lens about positive ways of adapting and moving through changes brought about by climate crisis. Their editorial approach has been rooted in peer care, offering a model for artist-led climate communication.
Our brilliant writers, Charlotte Levene, E. M. Potts, Roma Robinson and Philip Rush, began with the idea of Thrutopia, a storytelling concept and cultural movement that invites writers, artists, and thinkers to imagine credible, hopeful pathways through our current crises, rather than defaulting to dystopias or distant utopias. Coined by ecological philosopher Rupert Read and developed further by novelist Manda Scott, Thrutopia is about crafting narratives that help us navigate through the polycrises of climate breakdown, social fragmentation, and systemic collapse.
Thrutopia asks, “If you knew you were living in the last days of the old world, what stories would you tell to help us get through to the next?”
Thrutopias are narratives of transitions, stories that show how we might realistically move from where we are now to a more regenerative, just, and life-affirming world.
We are delighted to be publishing the work of these writers here. In addition to reading their stories, they have produced a podcast episode of their work, available to listen to below. Join us for an evening celebrating Weight of Light with readings and zine making at Museum in the Park, Stroud, 7pm - 9pm. Ilse Pedler, one of the three authors of our latest Dialect Pamphlet, We’ll Meet You There, will also be reading. Tickets are free but we invite you to book here.
The Writers
Charlotte Levene
Charlotte Levene is a resting social worker and active writer living in Stroud. She writes short stories, plays, poems and articles. She has been shortlisted and highly commended for short story competitions and recently completed a Creative Writing MA at Bristol University, graduating with a Distinction.
E.M. Potts
E.M.Potts lives in Rodborough, Stroud, and writes stories in the spaces between parenting and supporting environmental social science research. She was highly commended in the 2023 Laurie Lee Prize.
Roma Robinson
Roma Robinson is a Stroud-based young journalist, writer, activist and radical educator who writes a lot about bread, friendship and reckoning with imperialism and how to build a new world.
Philip Rush
Philip Rush is a retired English teacher who lives in Stroud. He oversees 'Yew Tree Press of Stroud’ which publishes small-run pamphlets from local and not-so-local poets. His own poetry has been published most recently by The Garlic Press in his book, Camera Obscura. He plays the fiddle enthusiastically.
