✞ Commemorating Armistice Day ✞
Plus national award for nurse at Royal Stoke, three new places to eat in Stoke, credit union The Potters Bank debuts, free festive marketing for SMEs, and improving adult social care
Good News 🎉
🌹Lest We Forget. As the nation prepares to hold a two-minute silence at 11am tomorrow to mark the end of World War I, a series of events has been planned to mark Armistice Day this Tuesday across Staffordshire, with the National Memorial Arboretum streaming a live video feed to Heroes’ Square so all visitors can participate, and an exhibition and field of Remembrance open until 16/11.
Arriva, D&G, First Potteries and Stantons of Stoke are offering free travel on their networks to people connected with the armed forces on 11/11. All serving armed forces personnel (both regular and reservists), veterans and cadets in military uniform or presenting a military ID will be allowed to travel free on buses.
👨🍳 THE KNOT’S PERSON OF THE WEEK – Emily Cliffe 👨🍳
A senior sister at Royal Stoke University Hospital has been presented with a national award in recognition of her exceptional leadership, compassion, and resilience. Emily Cliffe, senior sister on Ward 121 (Medical Diabetes and Endocrinology) was awarded the Cavell Courage Award after being nominated by more than 10 of her ward colleagues. Her colleagues describe her as a “role model who uplifts others, fosters progression, and inspires courage in those around her”. She said: “I never expected anything like this. To receive the nomination by so many colleagues on the ward is amazing. They’re like a family and mean the world to me, so to know that I’m doing something right for them and I’ve got their support is the most important thing to me.”
😋 New Places to Eat! An Indian restaurant and takeaway, Urban Curry Co, opened last week on Newcastle high street; it’s open from 5pm-10.30pm Tuesday to Sunday. A new chicken shop, Wingers, also opened on Stanley Matthews Way last week, representing the national chain’s first restaurant in the city (opening times TBC). Over in Leek, The Russell Street Kitchen is the latest addition to the dining scene, which is open 4pm-10pm Thursday to Saturday.
💰 Affordable Credit with The Potters Bank. A credit union designed to combat illegal lending and provide safe, affordable financial services to the people of Stoke-on-Trent, the Potters Bank is a new chapter in community finance, offering a secure place to save and access low-cost loans. Operated by not-for-profit Just Credit Union, it will complement the work the council already provides under its Help is at Hand Banner Supporting our city | Stoke-on-Trent. This includes Money MOTs through Citizens Advice, Saltbox and Disability Solutions, plus help through the Household Support Fund and community lounges.
🎁 Free Festive Marketing for SMEs. With more than 80 per cent of UK consumers intending to shop with small businesses this Christmas, local digital experts are poised to offer bespoke support to local firms keen to boost their online presence. The Get Started and Grow programme run by Staffordshire County Council is offering fully funded, expert marketing or social media support to small businesses to gain competitive edge this festive season. If you’re a business that’s less than five years old, then find out more and apply here.
👵 Improving Adult Social Care in the City. Stoke-on-Trent City Council is set to approve a new plan to further enhance adult social care in the city by building on recent successes following the national watchdog for social care rating the city’s services as “Good” overall. The plan will focus on strengthening hospital discharge pathways, improving “front-door” access and expanding support in the community. It will also step up initiatives to promote independent living, helping prevent the need for social care. How? There will be a wider use of the Live Life to the Max campaign, which signposts people to vital support.
A word from Helen, editor/writer at The Knot
Yesterday, Stoke-on-Trent paid tribute to three Victoria Cross recipients: Burslem’s lance sergeant John “Jack” Baskeyfield, Packmoor’s lance-sergeant John Harold Rhodes, and Longton’s sergeant Ernest Albert Egerton. A city remembrance service was held at Stoke Cenotaph, while over at Burslem Cenotaph, a service remembered Jack Baskeyfield, who posthumously received the honour for his actions at Arnhem in 1944, manning two anti-tank guns despite being wounded.
John Rhodes was the most highly decorated non-commissioned officer in the Grenadier Guards, recognised for bravery at Passchendaele in 1917. Ernest Egerton received the Victoria Cross at just 20 years old for actions in the same battle.
Other recipients of the cross in Staffordshire include Lance Corporal William Harold Coltman, a stretcher bearer born in Rangemoor who went forward alone under fierce fire on three occasions to rescue wounded comrades and carry them back to safety in 1918; and Major Robert Henry Cain, the only living man to receive the VC at Arnhem after leading his men and destroying enemy armour.
Then there was lieutenant George Albert Cairns, who lost his arm to a Japanese sword, then killed the officer and continued to lead his men until he died of his wounds, and private Thomas Barratt, who stalked and killed several enemy snipers before being killed by a shell. Let us also pay tribute to captain Arthur Kilby and sergeant John Carmichael for their brave actions in Cuinchy, France, in 1915, and Zwarteleen, Belgium, in 1917.
We hope you will join us as we remember these heroes and millions of others who gave their lives on the frontline during the two-minute silence this Tuesday.
Really Good News 🎉 Your favourite news from the last week
👨🍳 New restaurant from Cris Cohen: it’s called H I D D E N and it’s at Spode Works! It’s fully booked until the end of the year but you can go on the waitlist here
࿚ QueerQuest Trail Opens in Staffs Moorlands: more info here
😝 It’s Comedy Time: There’s a show coming up at Fenton Town Hall, tickets here
Weekly Weather (Stoke-on-Trent)
Mon 🌧️ 12° (7°) Tue 🌧️ 13° (11°) Wed 🌧️ 13° (10°) Thu 🌧️ 13° (11°) Fri 🌦️ 13° (10°)
Sat 🌧️ 11° (7°) Sun 🌧️ 8° (5°).
Sunrise 10/11 ☀️07:23 Sunset 10/11 🌅 16:22