New Clay Commissions to be Unveiled Spode Works for British Ceramics Biennial
Plus mural restored for International Women's Day, more cash for electric charge points, and new app developed to prevent suicide in young people…
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🥨 Celebrating All Things Pottery at Spode. We’re a World Craft City now, and the British Ceramics Biennial will spotlight leading contemporary ceramic artists and introduce work by new talent from 06/09-19/10 at Spode. There will be two major commissions on display: Rammed Earth by Sarah Fraser, which will transform a construction clay spoil into a children’s play area, and The Chimney Princess, a five feet sculpture in black clay by Josie KO inspired by the shape of Stoke’s bottle kilns. The full programme – including exhibition updates and the talks and events programme - will be announced in May 2025. Can’t wait for this.
🎬 Mural Restored For Women’s Day. Newcastle-under-Lyme Business Improvement District (BID), in collaboration with local business leaders, came together to restore the Get Home Safe mural on Scarlett Street after it was defaced, for International Women’s Day last Saturday. Launched in 2022, the Get Home Safe campaign focuses on practical measures to improve women's safety, including a dedicated women's safety hub, first aid responders on key nights, provision of personal safety items, and enhanced training for nightlife businesses. Newcastle-under-Lyme BID is also funding spiking awareness training for all licensed businesses in the town this April.
The Get Home Safe mural on Scarlett Street has been restored to its former glory 🏫 Nine out of 10 Parents Get First Choice Secondary School. Of the 8,262 (2024: 8,482) offers made for a Staffordshire secondary school at age 11, 91.9% (2024: 90.8%) per cent were for a first-choice school. National and regional average is around 85 per cent. 99 per cent have been allocated one of their top three preferred schools. Best of luck to all kids out there starting secondary!
⚡️ More Cash for Electric Charge Points. Staffordshire County Council is among 13 local authorities in the Midlands that have collectively secured £40.8 million in government funding to install more electric vehicle charge points in areas with limited off-street parking. The funding, provided through the Government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund, will help deliver more than 16,000 new charge point sockets across the region.
Staffs Council’s cabinet member for Strategic Highways Mark Deaville
🍻 New App to Support Young People. Designed to improve lives and prevent suicide in young people aged between 11-18 years, the UTH City app has been created by Ruff & Ruby Urban Youth Charity and Stoke-on-Trent Youth Collective (SOTYC). Showcasing local events, activities, education, training, jobs, apprenticeships and support services, the app also has its own unique suicide prevention button linked to the under 18s crisis care team and Staffordshire Police. Users can also access a ‘talk to support’ service, which directs them to personal ‘safe’ contacts. The app was built by Hanley design firm BWAR UK.
🏡 First Sustainable Homes for Cannock Chase. Work has started at the site of the former Aelfgar School in Rugeley, where Cannock Chase Council and partnerships housing specialist Lovell will provide 58 new homes, 29 of which will be available for affordable housing. The development will see the first homes built to Future Homes Standards in the district. The design includes key features such as air source heat pumps, solar panels and battery storage technology. The scheme is set to be completed in 2026.
Really Good News 🎉 Your favourite news from the last week
🔟 Magic Tenner Fortnight: Knotters love a bargain and wanted to know more about snapping up goods and services for a tenner in Newcastle (runs until 16/03).
🎉 Join the People’s Parade: This landmark event takes place on 07/06 - and you wanted to get all the deets. Missed it first time? Check here for more info.
📅 The Knot Life: did you know you can list your events for free at The Knot Life? More and more readers are doing it - get yours on too!
Unsung Heroes ⬇️
🏃♀️ Dave Juggins. The 75 year old gold medal duathlete can run a 5km in 21 minutes.
👗 Anya Parker James. Read about the designer that built a fashion career here.
👨🎨 Ian Parker: Mouth painter Ian has illustrated a kid’s book and is a full-time artist.
👩⚕️ Ruth Chambers: The retired GP won an OBE for improving health outcomes.
🥨 Good Vibes Only: A Word from Helen, Writer at The Knot
This was a big week for us as a family, as my eldest was officially offered a place at the secondary school of our choice (and the same one I went to an embarrassingly long time ago). While it’s sad in some ways that my first born is growing up and I’m worried about how he’ll adjust moving to a busy secondary from our tiny rural primary, I’m excited about the opportunities ahead. I’m also hopeful that my music-loving boy will meet some kids who love rock music just as much as him so so he can get a band together (he’s got the drum kit and a pretty solid repertoire of tunes already thanks to lessons with the excellent Josh at Staffordshire Music Hub).
The county council recently announced it would be spending around £50 million on new schools and expanding and refurbishing existing ones over the next year. If you didn’t get your kid into the school you wanted, info on how places were allocated at oversubscribed schools, schools with vacancies and the appeals process can be found through the county council’s website. Good luck!
Weekly Weather (Stoke-on-Trent):
Mon ⛅️ 12° (2°) Tue ☁️ 7° (-1°) Wed 🌧️ 7° (0°) Thu ⛅️ 7° (-1°) Fri ⛅️ 9° (0°)
Sat ⛅️ 8° (0°) Sun ⛅️ 9° (2°).
Sunrise 10/03 ☀️06:38 Sunset 10/03 🌅 18:01
