Game-Changer: Port Vale Set to Develop Multi-Purpose Community Campus
Plus 30 days out under £30 in Staffordshire with the kids, snap up a Lemmy statue, plans to make Stoke taxis greener and safer, and new development for Stafford
Good News 🎉
⚽️ Up the Vale. Now, this is pretty big. Port Vale Football Club and Port Vale Foundation have teamed up with the council to develop a multi-purpose community campus backed by £2.3 million of government funding. The project, based at Sproson Park and the surrounding area, marks a significant milestone in the club’s long-term commitment to local regeneration. This redevelopment aims to revitalise the green space surrounding Vale Park, laying the foundation for a multi-use area for the local community. The project will deliver inclusive community facilities, including the redevelopment of two youth football pitches for boys and girls; a multi-use games area (MUGA) suitable for SEND children, padel courts, walking trails, and a new community hub building. Wow!
🥊 🎓 THE KNOT’S PERSON OF THE WEEK – Nathan Heaney 🥊 🎓
Former British Middleweight Boxing Champion Nathan Heaney, who studied Sports Science at the University of Staffordshire, has become an honorary doctor in recognition of his achievements both in and out of the ring, including being a passionate mental health advocate and a positive influence for young people. Meir-born SCFC fan Heaney left school with one GCSE before going to college to re-sit his exams. Having beaten Grant Dennis at the King’s Hall last night after enduring back-to-back defeats, he now wants to fight at his beloved Stoke City.
Other former alumni to be awarded at the university’s Summer Awards Ceremony included Mohammed Ramzan, chair of the Chair of the Shelton Community Partnership, and politician Abi Brown, former leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council. Congrats to them all, nice one!
🤩 30 Days Out under £30. If you’re not going away for the school summer hols, don’t fret, as there’s plenty to do here. Visit Staffordshire’s 30 Days Out Under £30 campaign features some fab, and affordable, family days out. These include pottery painting workshops at the World of Wedgwood in Barlaston every day, which cost just £4.50 each; the mile-long Stickman Outdoor Trail at the National Memorial Arboretum, which is free; and a free wallaby sculpture trail across the Staffordshire Moorlands, also free. Get the full details here.
🍺 Stoke’s Pubs Recognised. We’re always on the look-out for a great pub we haven’t yet visited, and are now look forward to swinging by The Golden Cup Inn and The Coachmakers' Arms in Hanley, both famous for serving Bass ales, and which also made the cut for The Telegraph's list of the 500 Best Pubs in England. The Boat & Horses in Newcastle, The Yew Tree Inn in Cauldon, and The Swan Inn in Stone all made the newspaper’s list, too. Mine’s a pint of Bass…
🤘 Get Your Hands on a Lemmy Statue. Love Lemmy? Sculptor Andy Edwards is offering copies of the Lemmy statue now in situ at Burslem town centre. The statues will come in three sizes: 600mm full bronze, 450mm Bronze or Nickel finish and 225mm non bronze but with a bronze finish (no mic stand). Each will come with a certificate of authenticity. These will be available to order from Barewall Art Gallery from 03/08, at which time prices will be posted. All profits go to IFK Legacy CIC to support the proposed Kilmister Halls project in Burslem.
👷 Developments Afoot in Stafford. While developments in Newcastle and Stoke gather pace, there’s plenty going on in the county town, too. The Eastgate regeneration scheme will redevelop surplus Staffs County Council buildings and land into mixed-use residential, commercial and leisure development. The council is working with developer ION on the scheme, which may attract up to £30 million of private investment, includes buildings in Tipping Street, Martin Street and land formerly occupied by the town’s magistrates court. This could include new and enhanced public realm and green spaces at St Chad’s Place and off South Walls.
🚕 Drive to Make Taxis Greener and Safer. Conventional diesel or petrol taxis will be gradually phased out in Stoke, with only electric and hybrid taxis to be licensed after April 2031. On the safety front, all taxi owners must have DBS checks for unspent convictions and cautions and will continue to face enhanced DBS checks. They will also need to attend courses about safeguarding children and vulnerable people before they begin work and re-attend every three years. The council is additionally recommending that all drivers install CCTV in their vehicles for their own safety as well as that of their passengers.
🥨 Good Vibes Only: A word from Helen, writer at The Knot
Described by Port Vale FC owner and chair Carol Shanahan as, “a catalyst for positive change in the Burslem community,” the Vale’s new multi-purpose community campus will create a place where people can be active, connect with others, and feel proud of their local area. But while there will be options to play footy and other sports, the community hub building will deliver a range of activities for people of all ages and abilities to support wellbeing and education.
Led by Sports Development Consultancy STRI, which has now begun work on-site with extensive surveys and environmental assessments, it will be working closely with the project’s governance group, which is made up of representatives from the club, the foundation, and the city council.
There will be opportunities for additional local partners, businesses and providers to come on board with the project, along with public engagement events to be shared in the coming months. We’ll keep you updated on it all…
Really Good News 🎉 Your favourite news from the last week
🔵 The March of Reform: What’s Going on With Staffordshire County Council? We spoke to a Reform Councillor, a Labour MP, a Tory councillor and a Lib Dem councillor about what the council’s been up to since Reform took over in May
💻 Virtual School Supports Kids in Care: It’s helped more than 1,000 kids so far…
🗳️ Should Stoke Become a Unitary Authority? 54% of Knotters voted ‘no’ in our poll
The Knot Pod 🎤 ⬇️ Catch James chatting with some of our amazing innovators
🥨 The Red Haired Stokie: Our ace local blogger, photographer & Knot contributor
🗣️ Kirsty Hulse: Get inspired, it’s the founder of leading event Confidence Live
🏃♂️ George Bettany: Jog to this chat with the founder of MARA Run Club
📽️ Daniel Moore: So much creativity going on in Stone at top agency Dissident
🎶: Ash and Ryan: Listen to two of Stoke’s biggest names in music and fashion
🕯️Beth Warren: Founder of sustainable candle brand The Wandering Bee
Weekly Weather (Stoke-on-Trent):
Mon ⛅️ 20° (13°) Tue 🌦️ 21° (13°) Wed ☁️ 23° (13°) Thu 🌦️ 22° (11°) Fri 🌧️ 19° (10°)
Sat 🌦️21° (13°) Sun 🌦️ 22° (13°).
Sunrise 28/07 ☀️05:19 Sunset 28/07 🌅 21:10
