Tackling Homelessness: Stoke Council Rolls Out New Five-Year Strategy
Plus A-level and BTEC students smash exams, the Knot's James launches football club for bereaved dads and new family hub set to open in Blurton…
Good News 🎉
🏡 Supporting Rough Sleepers. A new five-year strategy to help support rough sleepers and individuals facing homelessness is set to be approved in Stoke. The the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy 2025-2030 will raise the priority of homelessness prevention in the city and introduce pathways to identify and prevent crisis situations. Developed following public consultation and a review into homelessness here in Stoke, there will be early intervention support for groups who are particularly vulnerable to becoming homeless, including care leavers, single parent families, and Armed Forces veterans. The strategy also focuses on exploring new ways to use existing accommodation options in the city.
👩🎓🧑🎓THE KNOT’S PEOPLE OF THE WEEK – A Level, T Level & BTEC students 👩🎓🧑🎓
Students from Stoke-on-Trent College and Newcastle College are celebrating a landmark year of academic success, with exceptional results across advanced technical, professional, and vocational qualifications. The first cohort of T Level students at Stoke-on-Trent College achieved a 100% pass rate and 89% high grades, while elsewhere there was a 100% pass rate for Access to Higher Education Diploma; 100% pass rate for Level 3 Engineering; 94% pass rate for Digital & Creative courses and 91% pass rate for Health and Social Care courses. Over at Newcastle College, there was a pass rate of 97% for A-Levels, 96% pass rate for T-Levels and 99.7% pass rate for BTEC, with 56.2% achieving triple distinction grades or above, (equivalent to AAA or above at A Level).
With qualifications gained, more students are deciding to stay on in Stoke, too. This includes Newcastle College classmates Jack McDonald and Jess Gimbert, who both achieved a triple distinction in BTEC Games Art, Concept Art and Animation. Now, they are both heading to the University of Staffordshire to study Games Art and Illustration respectively. Newcastle College students Ella-Faye Jackson and Grace Mountford, who both achieved a triple distinction in Health and Social Care BTEC results, will study degrees in Early Childhood Studies and Policing and Criminal Investigation respectively. Need a place? Check out the university’s Clearing page.
🚇 Appeal to Find Relatives of WWI Heroes. Stoke City Council is trying to trace relatives of two of the city’s most decorated First World War heroes ahead of commemorative events this November, which are expected to include an expanded exhibition in the Spitfire Gallery at The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery. The council is keen to find people related to John Rhodes and Ernest Egerton, both of whom were awarded the Victoria Cross for their bravery during the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917. Got any information or leads? Drop them an email.
👨👩👧👦 New Family Hub and SEND Support Space for Blurton. Launching in the old Blurton Local Centre on Finstock Avenue on 28/08, the Blurton Family Hub is a space where local residents can access support, advice and engage in activities. It will also be part of a shared community space bringing together the health centre, The Hive and other local services. Support is primarily provided for children up to age 16 extends up to 25 years for those with special educational needs and disabilities. Go take a look around on the opening day from 10am, where activities will include Sensory Stars, Read Chat Play, and crafts.
⚽️ Welcoming Forget-Me-Knot FC. There is still not enough support for bereaved parents. To address this, The Knot’s founder, James, has set up a five-a-side football team and community for bereaved dads, Forget-Me-Knot FC, at the Port Vale Foundation in association with the UHNM NHS Trust and the Forget-Me-Knot bereavement suites at Royal Stoke, where many families go to say Goodbye to their baby. If you want to join, then reach out here.
💯Capo Sculpture set to Return for Centenary. Josiah’s statue is now in a more prominent place in front of the station, and now plans are afoot to re-build and re-instate the landmark Capo sculpture near his former home of Etruria Hall on Festival Park. A distinctive profile in carved red brick, the sculpture was created by the late Vincent Woropay for the 1986 National Garden Festival, moved near Etruria Hall in 2009, and was then removed in 2023 as part of the regeneration of Etruria Valley. It will be unveiled in its new location later this year, subject to planning approval and negotiations with the land owner.
🏭 Bespoke Bottle Kilns Get Snapped Up. Miniature collection maker Chris Twigg, who created a centenary edition of 100 miniature bottle kilns, was blown away by the interest he received and how quickly the collection sold out. Due to the popularity of these mini bottle kilns, Twigg is now offering offer a standard edition, which is now available to preorder. The standard edition will not have the same range of options or limited edition serial numbers, but will still be made to customer specifications. Shopping doesn’t get more Stoke than this, surely?
🥨 Good Vibes Only: A word from Helen, writer at The Knot
It’s heartbreaking to see people out on the street with just a sleeping bag, their possessions contained in a rucksack or plastic bag. While we can do some good by getting them a brew, a meal deal, having a chat, or giving them a number to call where they can get help, ultimately they need a roof over their head and emotional and practical support to help them get back on their feet.
While Stoke-on-Trent City council’s last five-year strategy to tackle homelessness did a lot of good – it opened a Homelessness Hub that supports more than 900 different individuals every month and created 74 new bed spaces through rough sleeper programmes – more action is needed to get people off the streets and into their own home. We will be following the new strategy with interest and hope that the council can drive down those homeless figures down over the next five years.
Know someone who needs help? Check out the link at the council’s website for some advice, and numbers to ring if someone has nowhere to stay tonight…
Really Good News 🎉 Your favourite news from the last week
🎸 Why Lemmy is to Stoke what Shakespare is to Stratford: Check out this cool piece by Lemmy statue creator Andy Edwards
👩🎨 Showcasing the Best New Artists in Clay: The British Ceramics Biennial is on its way and you were keen to find out all the deets…
🎤 Passing the Mic to up-and-coming Musicians: Honeybox Live will showcase the most exciting new voices in music with a series of dates from 31/08 at Foxlowe
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 ⛅️ 21° (11°) Tue ⛅️ 21° (11°) Wed ⛅️ 19° (11°) Thu ⛅️ 19° (10°) Fri ⛅️ 19° (9°)
Sat ⛅️ 21° (11°) Sun ⛅️ 21° (10°).
Sunrise 18/08 ☀️05:54 Sunset 18/08 🌅 20:29
I do hope that the strategy for homeless comes off- it was pleasing to note that Allison Gardener visited Andy Burnham in Manchester recently to discuss this issue