New App Launches to Support Safer Nights Out
Plus local designer set for final of BBC's Interior Design Masters tomorrow night, free NHS heart age tests this June, and new places to eat, drink, and pet cats…
Today, The Knot is brought to you by Hanley Economic Building Society, which offers mortgages, savings accounts including ISAs, insurance, and more
Good News 🎉
🌃 Walk Home With Greater Peace of Mind. A new safety app is being rolled out across Stoke and Newcastle, WalkSafe. It has been introduced through a partnership between Staffordshire Police, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, Newcastle-under-Lyme BID, and Stoke-on-Trent City Council. The app’s features include sharing your live location with trusted people, planning and tracking journeys, and accessing a UK-wide map of accredited safe spaces and venues. For more info on WalkSafe, visit their website.
🛋️ THE KNOT’S PERSON OF THE WEEK – Sophie Newlands 🛋️
Owner of local design business Shag Interior, Sophie is helping put Staffordshire design on the map by reaching the final of BBC show Interior Design Masters. Originally from Newcastle-under-Lyme and now living in Cannock, this week’s episode revealed Sophie who, along with delivering commercial design services is Staffordshire’s leading limewash and colourwash specialist, as one of the final contestants. She told The Knot, “I am super excited to watch the final on Tuesday, even though I know the result I haven't seen the episode so it's going to be really fun to watch. I finally unleash my signature style for the final brief and I don't hold back. Expect lots of animal print, antique furniture, and a very unexpected guest bedroom!” Want to watch? The series finale airs tomorrow (09/06) on BBC One at 8pm.
💷 Refresh Your Finances. If it’s been a while since you reviewed your savings, mortgage, or everyday banking, now is a good opportunity to take a closer look with Hanley Economic Building Society. Pop in and have a chat with the team about your options, whether that’s making your savings work harder, reviewing your plans, or simply getting a better understanding of what’s available to you. You can book a free savings appointment at your local branch anytime.
😋 🐈 New Places to Eat, Drink, and Pet Cats. Pepe’s Piri Piri Chicken has opened on Newcastle high street, with chick ‘n’ rice and a harissa honey melt (chicken or paneer) among the items on the menu. Up Hanley, the city’s first cat cafe, My Purrfect Caté, has made its debut (it’s £7 for a 1.5 hour session), with homemade cakes and desserts and 11 cute cats to befriend. We can also tell you that entertainment venue The Vaults at Goods Yard is set to open in September, offering “food, drinks, music, social gaming, and a whole lot more,” according to new owner Andy Brooks. We’ll bring you more on this soon.
❤️ Check Your Heart Age this June. Aged between 40 and 74? You can book a free NHS health check, which are designed to help spot early signs of heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure. If you haven’t had a check in the last five years and don’t already have certain long-term conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, or kidney disease, you’re eligible to book an appointment at one of these locations by texting HEART to 60777 and requesting a call back, or calling 0333 005 0095.
🔋 More Electric Charging Points in Tunstall, Fenton & Hartshill. If you’ve got an electric or hybrid, you’ll be pleased to know that six more public charging points have been installed across the city. The new chargers are situated across three residential locations: Hawes Street off-street car park in Tunstall; Clarence Street car park in Fenton; and Stoke Old Road community car park in Hartshill. More charging points are scheduled for deployment throughout the summer.
🥨 A word from Helen, editor/writer at The Knot
I still perform the old trick of threading my keys through my fingers when I’m feeling vulnerable walking home at night in an attempt to stave off any attackers. I also ring family or friends to let them know my location and expected arrival time home. Unfortunately, I’m not alone in feeling uneasy walking around the streets at night.
More than 80 percent of women feel they have to consider their safety when walking home from pubs, clubs, and bars, while 63 percent are more likely to visit venues with visible safety measures in place. That’s why we’re pleased to hear about the WalkSafe initiative for Stoke and Newcastle, which gives women, and men, practical tools to help them feel more confident and supported when travelling across our city.
We’ll certainly be downloading the app – will you? Let us know in the comments…
Really Good News 🎉 Your favourite news from the last week
⛏️ Reflections on the Minnie Pit Disaster: 155 men and boys lost their lives in 1918…
🐶 Find the Best Prices at the Vets: Draycott man Ryan Wilson has launched an app, whatthevet, to help you get the best deals when your pet is sick – and it’s free to use
🚶♂️Staffy Trail Launches Get Moving Campaign: walk, run, or cycle your way along it…
Weekly Weather (Stoke-on-Trent):
Mon 🌧️ 15° (7°) Tue 🌩️ 16° (10°) Wed 🌩️ 16° (8°) Thu 🌩️ 18° (10°) Fri 🌥️19° (10°)
Sat 🌩️ 21° (12°) Sun 🌩️ 21° (12°).
Sunrise 08/06: 04.44 ☀️ Sunset 08/06: 21.31 🌅