Yippee! New Rollercoaster for Alton Towers
Plus new youth parkrun for Newcastle, council unveils five-year climate change action plan, and book Easter activities on the Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme
Good News 🎉 Want local business news? Visit Daily Focus
🎢 New Ride, New Season for Alton Towers. Alton Towers opened its doors on a new season on 15/03 – and we can’t wait to check out new toxic waste-themed ride Toxicator, where thrillseekers zoom past themed props including barrels of “toxic waste”. The only “top spin” ride in the world that’s elevated above ground level, meaning spectators can watch from below, it stands higher than 78 feet tall and can carry up to 500 riders an hour. Located in Forbidden Valley, the ride is flanked by Nemesis Reborn, which was revamped last year. If you’re staying in the hotel between now and 17/07, kids up to 15 years ride half-price. More info here.
👗 Fashion Students Team up with Dougie Mac. Students on the BA in Fashion at the University of Staffordshire were set a brief to attract a younger audience of Gen A and Gen Z shoppers to Dougie Mac’s charity shops by transforming pre-loved clothing into stylish pieces. The sustainable fashion collection, titled “Re-Imagine” – currently on display within the university’s UniCube Gallery – will tour Dougie Mac’s charity shops across North Staffordshire next month. The students’ creations include a lace top and jeans inspired by stained glass at Stoke Minster and three-piece outfit made from a tent (see below). Perfect for festivals!
♻️ Council Unveils Five-Year Climate Change Plan. After reducing carbon emissions by 52 per cent over the past five years, reaching net zero by 2050 is the focus of the county council’s latest Climate Change Action Plan. It also focuses on adapting to the effects of climate change, including preparing for hotter, drier summers, milder, wetter winters, and more frequent extreme weather.
🐣 Get Set for the Easter Holidays. With more than 100 clubs offering 50,000 activity places, thousands of children and young people in Staffordshire can sign up for sports, creative clubs, computer sessions, animal care, and horse riding among other activities with the Holiday Activity and Food (HAF) programme. From 14/04 to 25/04, there will also be sensory and mindfulness activities and confidence-building sessions. Some clubs are offering paid places for children and young people – book either a funded or paid place online.
Keep the kids entertained over the Easter holidays with the HAF Programme
🏞️ Staffordshire Tourism Booms. Visitors continue to flock to our fine county: 2023 was our busiest since the Covid-19 pandemic, with more than 37 million people from the UK and overseas enjoying a day out or overnight stay in Staffs. Visitors helped generate more than £2.3 billion on accommodation, travel, entertainment, shopping and food and drink, and the tourism & hospitality sector now supports more than 24,000 jobs in Staffs and Stoke-on-Trent. Nice!
🏃♀️ New Junior Parkrun at Lyme Valley Park. Young runners from across North Staffordshire took part in a new junior parkrun at Lyme Valley yesterday, with JCB donating £4,800 to fund start-up costs. The free two-kilometre fun run is the youth-only version of the popular adult five-kilometre parkrun. Children aged four to 14 who want to improve their fitness and make new friends can run, jog, or walk the course, which is close to the town centre. Want to take part? Details here.
Really Good News 🎉 Your favourite news from the last week
🧘♀️ The State of Stoke’s Mental Health – And How to Get Help if You Need it: We interviewed five mental health providers on the services they offer to locals
🧑✈️ The Potteries at War on Film: Mitchell Arts Centre is set to show some footage from Staffordshire Film Archive on 18/03 and you were keen to know more…
📅 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
I remember the thrill of going on the Corkscrew, the first rollercoaster at Alton Towers, when I was a kid – the anticipation of inching up the hill in the red, white and blue car before being turned upside down over and over was exhilarating, and left me hooked on white-knuckle rides ever since. Like many Stokies, I did a stint at Towers as a student and still look back on those 12-hour shifts waiting on at functions in the marquee with a mixture of fondness (especially the double time on bank holidays!).
As the curtain opens on a brand-new season for Alton Towers, I can’t wait to go back on new white knuckle ride Toxicator (so long as there’s no more nearby burst pipes like there was on the opening day!) and am hopeful that my two kids will finally be tall enough (and brave enough) to ride the rollercoasters this year with me.
With news that Staffordshire’s tourism is on the up, we’re sure that many more will be flocking to Towers this year, perhaps for an overnight stay. Don’t forget that, if you book up at CBeebies Land Hotel, the Splash Landings Hotel, the Alton Towers Hotel or the Woodland Lodges and kids ride half-price until 17/07…
Weekly Weather (Stoke-on-Trent):
Mon ☁️ 9° (1°) Tue ☀️ 11° (2°) Wed ⛅️ 14° (5°) Thu ☀️ 16° (5°) Fri 🌧️ 14° (6°)
Sat 🌧️ 13° (5°) Sun ⛅️ 12° (4°).
Sunrise 17/03 ☀️06:20 Sunset 17/03 🌅 18:16
