🥨 A word from Helen, editor/writer at The Knot
Hi, how’s it going? Welcome to The Knot’s weekly round-up of positive news from across Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire — a little something to brighten your Monday.
As Andy Burnham pledges to have every rough sleeper off the streets by Christmas, the council is now looking at alternative models that can provide more appropriate accommodation and enable better ongoing engagement with people sleeping rough, while also considering the impact on local communities and businesses.
The council will work with Swan Bank Church and Adullam, who ran the Burslem night shelter, alongside its own Rough Sleeper Team and partners including VAST, as it develops its future approach. The Rough Sleeper Team will also continue to work directly with people sleeping rough, offering support and helping them access accommodation and other services where appropriate.
Discussions will also continue with Swan Bank Church about how the existing night shelter could potentially be used for emergency provision during periods of extreme weather. If you’re concerned about someone sleeping rough, you can report it through StreetLink, or call the council on 0800 970 2304.
Have an ace week, and don’t miss Wednesday’s interview with the CEO of Citizen Advice North Staffs, Craig Browne, to get the low-down on its new Citizens Hub in the Potteries Centre, which will feature an internet cafe, wellbeing spaces and more.
Good News 🎉
🏡 Stoke ramps up rough sleeping strategy. Stoke-on-Trent City Council is reviewing how it supports people sleeping rough as part of the Government’s new national drive to get everyone in for Christmas. The council is considering a range of options for future provision, including alternative locations and different models of accommodation and support. The review will also consider how services can be provided in appropriate locations, ensuring provision is well distributed across the city and suitable for both service users and local communities. This will build on the success of a recent pilot for a night shelter in Burslem, which is coming to an end this month.
🌍 THE KNOT’S PERSON OF THE WEEK – Major Levison Wood 🌍
Explorer Levison Wood, chancellor of the University of Staffordshire bestselling author and Channel 4 presenter known for Walking the Nile, Walking the Americas and Walking Arabia will be celebrating the completion of the uni’s Student Village this Friday at a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The £100 million development is set to provide 1,000 new and refurbished bedrooms in a mix of cluster blocks and townhouses. The opening follows the university being named Modern University of the Year 2027 in the Daily Mail University Guide.
🤘Petition launched to revive Heavy Metal Holocaust. In 1981, Vale Park hosted the Heavy Metal Holocaust, with Motörhead, Ozzy Ozbourne and Rush all on the bill. CIC Lemmy Forever is hoping to bring back a similar event over the May bank holiday in 2028. If you want to sign the petition, visit the website. PS: in other heavy metal news, Lemmy Aid, special Lemmy Lemonade is now available at Lemmy’s Lounge. Though we can’t imagine Lem actually drank much of it!
🏗️ New Gates for Stoke Town Hall. To help protect one of our most important historic buildings, new gates were installed at Stoke Town Hall this weekend. It’s hoped that the improvements will deter anti-social behaviour, enhance security and create a safer environment for everyone who uses the building. While the Town Hall portico is no longer the building’s main entrance, the doors continue to be used during civic events, weddings and other functions.
🏫 Packmoor’s Watermill School welcomes SEND students. A new multi-million-pound school complex will welcome up to 70 new pupils from the start of next week, with the new school places created as part of an £11.5 million project. The new facility has been constructed on Turnhurst Road in Packmoor, to provide better learning opportunities for SEND children. The complex has been built on the site of the former Middlehurst School, which closed in 2014.
😃 Our Top Five Don’t-Miss Events this Week. The Gandeys Spooktacular Trentham is back (23/10-01/11, 12pm-8pm) with a haunted big top that’s set to be super spine-chilling; tickets from £9.99 for circle and grandstand and £14.99 ringside.
If you’ve always wondered what makes serial killers tick, get along to Murderous Minds with Emma Kenny (18/09; 7.30pm) at the Regent; tickets from £32.76. The Funhouse Comedy Club is back at the Rigger (23/09; doors open 7.30pm, show starts 8pm), where 12 acts compete in comedy’s answer to Britain’s Got Talent and the X-Factor; tickets £5.
We’ve got more details on Stoke Book Festival (03/10-10/107.30pm-9.30pm, bar opens at 6pm), with authors Helena Attlee (03/10) and Jess Kidd (05/10) among those performing, along with local writer Dave Proudlove, who will launch his new book, Street Football: The Real Grassroots of the Beautiful Game at the event; ticket prices vary, with some events free. Continuing with the literary theme, celebrated punk poet Dr John Cooper Clarke (23/10, 7.30pm), the first poet to headline an arena, Manchester’s Co-op Live, will play the Victoria Hall; tickets from £45.35.
🥨 Most popular stories from the last week on The Knot
🛍️ Can our high streets be saved from vaping and betting? It’s already happening in Longton, thanks to the likes of Dimbleby Ceramics and many other indie businesses
🍺 There’s still time to have your say on Stoke’s Local Plan: The consultation ends at 11.59pm on 14 September and you can have your say here before the deadline passes
😅 Reform councillor resigns from wrong council: Yep, you read that right!
Weekly Weather (Stoke-on-Trent):
Mon ☁️ 19° (11°) Tue 🌦️ 17° (11°) Wed 🌧️ 17° (9°) Thu 🌧️ 17° (9°) Fri 🌧️ 18° (11°)
Sat ☁️ 19° (10°) Sun ☁️ 19° (10°).
Sunrise 07/09: 06.28 ☀️ Sunset 07/09: 19.44 🌅
Homelessness is a very complex issue- I really hope the endeavour to remove rough sleepers and give them a safe place works. I do like the Lou Macari model- giving people a sense of independence and pride