020: Good News for Stoke & Staffordshire
World Craft City Status! Stoke-on-Trent Centenary Celebrations, Green Flag Award for Parks, Keele Uni Move Into N-U-L.
Good News 🎉
Stoke-on-Trent Claims World Craft City Status. After the international panel of judges came to visit in April. Stoke has now been recognised as a World Craft City, one of 65 places across the world. The award acknowledges the significant history within the pottery industry, the global cultural impact of that and the continuing craft that exists today. Other areas known as World Craft Cities include; The Outer Hebrides (for making of Harris Tweed) and Liquiñe in the Los Lagos region of Chile (known for woodcarving). Stoke-on-Trent is one of three places in the UK with World Craft City status (others are Hebrides and Farnham). It is hoped this status will galvanise further investment and create future tourism opportunities.
Plans to Celebrate Stoke-on-Trent’s Centenary. Plans for Stoke-on-Trent’s 100 year birthday are underway after Stoke-on-Trent City Council celebrated the launch with partners at Gladstone Pottery. A brand for the centenary has been created and guests were welcomed to learn more about how everyone can play a part in contributing to the centenary. There will be flagship events around the City’s centenary date (5th June), yet the idea is that organisations across the city will put their own events on to celebrate, which the council will support - creating a programme of events throughout the year. You can submit events, share memories and find out more at SOT100 - here.
Stoke-on-Trent became a federation of six towns in 1910 and its first application for city status was refused, yet after directly approaching King George V, city status was granted on 5th June 1925.
Parks Across Stoke -on-Trent and Staffordshire Receive Green Flag Award. 14 parks and counting have been recognised for their beauty, maintenance, heritage and biodiversity. The Green Flag award is part of “Keep Britain Tidy” and each park is visited by a “mystery shopper” to assess it’s upkeep. Hanley Park and Burslem Park have been awarded the Green Flag in Stoke-on-Trent. Bradwell
Crematorium, Brampton Park, Keele Cemetery, Lyme Valley Park, Queens Gardens and Wolstanton Park across Newcastle. Cannock Park, Ravenhill Park, Elmore Park, Hednesford Park, Stile Cop Cemetery and Castle Ring across Cannock Chase. No doubt more across Staffordshire will have be recognised too.
Queen’s Gardens, Newcastle Tennis Courts Refurbished Across Stoke-on-Trent. The LTA (League Tennis Association) has invested £256,000 across six parks to improve playing surfaces for Tennis as well as opening up new booking systems and offering free taster sessions to get people involved.
Keele University Move Into Town. Work has begun on a new teaching and learning facility for Keele University within Newcastle-under-Lyme. The 19th century, three storey building on Ironmarket will become a mixed-use space for businesses, cafe, co-working for students, art exhibitions and provide a place for Keele University to interact more closely within its local community.
Editor’s Note
I’m delighted to return from my holiday and to have crossed the 2,000 subscriber threshold. Thank you! This feels like another great milestone. I’m feeling refreshed to continue to share The Knot with more people - my focus remains on growing the team of writers and journalists to contribute to The Knot and building a model that allows for The Knot to be a part of the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire community for many years to come.
Cheers,
James
The best way to support The Knot is by sharing it with someone you know.
FRIENDS OF THE KNOT 👋🏼
Thank you to support from our friends.
Re World Craft City Status. I think Farnham got it first.