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Reclaim the Night

Friday 27 November, from 6pm to 8:30pm

What is Reclaim the Night?

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an international campaign that calls for an end to violence against women and girls (VAWG). Taking place each year from 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day, the campaign raises awareness, promotes action, and encourages communities to stand together against gender-based violence.

As part of this global movement, Reclaim the Night provides an opportunity for local communities to come together and take a stand against violence towards women and girls. The march highlights a simple but powerful message: women should be able to go about their daily lives, at any time of the day or night, free from fear, harassment and violence.

By walking together, participants show solidarity with survivors, raise awareness of the impact of violence against women and girls, and demonstrate a collective commitment to creating safer communities for everyone.

Reclaim the Night 2026 will take place on Friday, 27 November 2026, from 6:00pm to 8:30pm, during the 16 Days of Activism campaign. We invite residents, community groups, partners, and supporters to join us in sending a clear message that violence against women and girls has no place in our communities.

Walking Routes

Main Route

The main walking route will begin in the centre of Cinderford at the Triangle. It will then work its way up Belle Vue Road before taking a left opposite St. Stephens Church and using the alleyway to cut through to Forest Road. From there, the march will continue down Forest Road, onto Commercial Road, and back to the Triangle via Market Street.

The main route is around 0.6 miles long. A map showing this route is below:

 

 Alternative (shorter) Route:

There will also be a shorter route available. This will again begin in the Triangle before making it's way up the slight incline of Heywood Road. It will then turn left down Marshall's Lane before returning to the High Street and the Triangle. This route is around 0.2 miles long.

What are the timings?

6pm onwards: meet in the Triangle, find us using What3Words

6:30pm: begin the march

7pm: return to the Triangle for speeches and hot refreshments

Is the route accessible?

The route is step free, however there are gentle inclines and declines around the town, volunteers will be on hand to help. There will be an alternative (10 minute) loop if you prefer a shorter route.

Where can I park?

Various parking facilities are available in Cinderford. For information on specific car park locations, please click the links below.

Forest of Dean District Council car parks

Belle Vue Road, Cinderford GL14 2AA – What3Words (Always free of charge)

Heywood Road Cark Park, GL14 2QT - What3Words (This car park will be free of charge from 5.30pm on the day of the event)

Rowandean, Cinderford, GL14 2LR – What3Words (Always free of charge)

Do I need to bring anything?

Prepare for the weather, wrap up warm and wear waterproofs if it’s raining.

You can bring a placard, or it’s fine to walk and show your support without a placard.

GRASAC will be holding a placard-making workshop in Cinderford before the event, details to follow.

Do I have to come for the whole walk?

No, you can come for any part of the event you feel comfortable with, or complete the shorter, alternative loop.

What if I need assistance?

There will be stewards who will be easily identifiable to help.

Is there anything else I need to know about the walk?

  • The walk will involve a crowd of people and is likely to be noisy. Drummers will be leading the walk.
  • Stewards, the Police, First Aiders and various support services will be present the whole time.
  • There will be designated indoor safe spaces with hot refreshments.
  • Trigger warning: there will be speeches which will contain topics such as domestic abuse and sexual harassment.
  • Chant sheets will be provided, but you don’t have to sing or chant if you don’t want to.

Filming and Photography - Protecting survivors

Reclaim the Night is a survivor-centred event. We know that for some survivors, being photographed or filmed can be unsafe or distressing.

We kindly ask that you do not livestream the event or film participants without their explicit consent. If you are taking photographs for personal memories or media purposes, please avoid capturing identifiable images of people who have not agreed to be photographed.

Thank you for helping us make Reclaim the Night a safe and empowering event for all.

Helpful links

For more information, please email us at street.wardens@fdean.gov.uk.

© Forest of Dean District Council 2026