City Councillor for Moreland District, Gloucester, Director of Arts Diverse-City CIC, founder and trustee of OpenDoors 4U, an organisation advocating for young people with additional learning needs.

Photographed in Gloucester Cathedral

Born in Gloucester and raised in Matson before moving to Chequers as a young adult, Valerie Simms is deeply rooted in her local community.

In this portrait, Valerie reflects on home, belonging, and connection across time and place.

Much of her working life has been dedicated to creating spaces that celebrate Black culture, fashion and wearable art - and to honouring Gloucester’s shared heritage and diverse voices.

Most recently, in 2025 she supported Gloucester’s Windrush Day celebration event, Changes in Waves: Belonging, Being and Becoming, held at Gloucester’s Waterways Museum.
In this portrait, Valerie reflects on home, belonging, and connection across time and place. Seated in Gloucester Cathedral, she celebrates her sense of place within the city’s living history.
Her clothing draws on Jamaican and West African heritage, echoing Gloucester’s long links as a river port connected to global exchange and creativity.

“Whatever our background, wherever we’re from — in Gloucester, it’s the water that connects us…”

“…We’re intertwined — like the limbs and the vines in the photos — because we’re bound together in our history and heritage.”

Roots, rivers, and resilience: this portrait celebrates Gloucester’s enduring global connections and the strength found in belonging.