Start the Week with Some Good News
Work on Stoke station gathers pace, lottery cash for Staffs Moorlands, bursaries for Uni of Staffs film students and council apprenticeships open doors to new careers…
Good News 🎉
🚆 Full Steam Ahead for Stoke Station. Major upgrades are being carried out along Station Road in Stoke as part of the £29 million Transforming Cities Fund (TCF) programme, which aims to enhance the connection between station and city centre.
The work will include the construction of new carriageways and footpaths, the installation of cycle lanes, upgraded bus stops and public realm improvements. While this revamp is being carried out, car park one, which is next to the Royal Mail sorting office, will be closed from today until the end of June 2025. Long-stay parking will be available at car park 2, and drop-offs at car park 3 (20 minutes free).
🌿 Championing Nature in Staffs Moorlands. Nature in Your Neighbourhood is a National Lottery Community Fund project in the Staffordshire Moorlands that’s helping the community improve areas such as roadside verges and overgrown ponds with help from Moorlands Climate Action, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust and Keele University. Submit suggested locations to monitor and improve via the form on the project’s webpage until 31/12 or contact the team for more info.
👩💼 Apprenticeship Opens Doors To Council Career. A young mum and professional events manager is now in her dream public service job thanks to a county council work experience placement. Maysel Yankey, from Lichfield, secured a temporary full-time, paid job in the county council’s Performance and Change team after completing six weeks of her 12 Open Door voluntary work placement. The programme has helped hundreds of people get the experience they need to find a job or change career.
👦 Supporting Bereaved Children. The Windmills Charity Legacy Ball recently raised £27,000 for bereaved children across Staffordshire. The event was held in memory of Becky Tinsley, who died aged 31 and left two children under 10 behind. Windmills Charity has supported more than 400 families since it was founded in 2020.
🎬 Cash Bursaries for Filmmakers. Local production company Inspired Film and Video are longtime supporters of University of Staffordshire’s BA (Hons) Film Production course, and each year students can compete for cash to fund their final year projects. Ryan Flanagan won first place with £400 for his film project, which will mix live action sequences with stop motion-animation using Lego. Second place of £250 was awarded to Owen Nettle for his comedy horror about a serial killer, while the third prize of £100 went to Jonathan Salzwedle, whose documentary film will explore the miniature world of model railways and the people behind them.
👨👩👧 It’s Private Fostering Week. Private Fostering Week starts today, and those who foster are being reminded that help is available if they’re looking after a child under 16 (under 18 if disabled) if they’re not a close relative. This includes regular visits, advice and training courses. For more info, visit the Foster for Staffordshire website.
Weekly Weather (Stoke-on-Trent):
Mon ☁ 11°(9°) Tue ☁ 12°(10°) Wed ☁ 14° (10°) Thu ☁ 13° (8°) Fri ☁ 11°(8°)
Sat ☁ 13°(8°) Sun 🌧️ 15° (10°)
Sunrise 04/11 ☀️ 07:13 Sunset 04/11 🌅 16:31
Really Good News 🎉 Your favourite news from the last week
🥨: Celebrate Stoke on Trent Day in 2025: You were keen to read about the centenary
👨🎨 Stoke’s Unsung Heroes #4: Ian Parker: Mouth painter Ian has illustrated a kid’s book👨🍳 Masterchef pops up in the Potteries Centre: Former Masterchef quarter finalist and Chell lad Steve Deakin is hosting an Indian fusion dinner on 23/11 and you want to go!
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.
🥨 Good Vibes Only: A Word from Helen, Writer at The Knot
First impressions count, which is why we’re so chuffed to see the big changes afoot at Stoke Station. To be honest, I haven’t always felt that positive about it, especially when I was a teenager keen to escape. Now, I love the station’s Victorian buildings, which have stood here since 1848 (and getting a flat white at Gourmet Coffee Bar). Built by London contractor John Jay, they were intended to resemble “a robust Jacobean manor house” and the timber frames and glass windows are set to be replaced as part of the revamp to ensure it looks the part for many years to come.
PS: you haven’t been to a bonfire/fireworks event yet, there’s still time: get along to the Stoke-on-Trent Lions annual firework display at Fenton Park (05/11), a Bonfire and Fireworks event at Stafford Grammar School (05/11) and the Alton Towers Fireworks Spectacular (8-10/11). Don’t forget your sparklers!