Our City Issue 15

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Stoke-on-Trent

BEST DESIGNED COUNCIL PUBLICATION

Our City ISSUE 15: MAY 2010

Citizen of the century Delight as proud daughter accepts Sir Stan’s award Tributes paid to city heroes SEE CENTRE PAGES

COVER PICTURE: Stan Matthews is pictured holding his FA Cup winner’s medal at Wembley after the 1953 “Matthews Final”.

He is held shoulder-high by team mate, Scottish international Jackie Mudie, who became assistant to Stan when he was Port Vale manager in the sixties.

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National experts help city launch centre of excellence Celebrating the past while Families planning for all welcome our futures dementia

By City Council Leader Councillor ROSS IRVING CELEBRATIONS marking 100 years since the Six Towns of Stoke-on-Trent federated to lay the foundations of our proud city have begun in earnest and we are looking forward to a summer of events in which everyone can take part.

But as we look back over our city’s history, successes and achievements, those charged with steering Stoke-on-Trent through one of the last century’s deepest financial crises are working hard to steady the course.

It is no secret there are difficult decisions to be made in the face of the toughest financial restrictions I have ever seen on local Government.

Make no bones about it, local authorities like Stoke-on-Trent City Council will have to survive on less money to help the country recover financially.

But the biggest challenge is not the savings that need to be made, but the fact that we need to maintain our city’s progress, and improve the quality of front line services we offer to our customers – the people of Stoke-on-Trent.

That is why we have already started a “root and branch” review of everything we do to save money by identifying more effective ways of working.

I am sure efficiencies can be made by working smarter and in partnership.

So let’s not talk about cuts. It is a case of doing more for less. Every business, Government department and council in the country knows it can do things better by doing things differently, so Stoke-on-Trent is no exception.

We must make sure we take the best advice, from people whose daily business is to improve organisations’ efficiency.

With that advice in mind the cabinet, councillors and management at the city council will work hard to take the action needed to pull the city through while maintaining our focus on regeneration and improving the services we deliver.

HOW fitting to see 100 very special people join the centenary celebration dinner at the King’s Hall, 100 years to the day since the federation of the Six Towns.They were ordinary people from across our city, invited because of the contribution they make to Stoke-on-Trent and their communities.

Residents’ associations, volunteers, charity workers and even an oatcake man were honoured that night, along with more famous sons and daughters who have put the city on the international map. Each and every one of them made me even more proud to be a Potter!

Our City is printed on recycled paper. When you have finished with this publication please help the environment by passing it on to a friend or recycling it.

support A FORMER residential care home in Longton has been transformed into an advanced support facility for people with dementia.

Marrow House Centre of Excellence has opened its doors after a £1.7 million revamp by Stoke-on-Trent City Council, offering 28 beds to provide a mixture of permanent accommodation for residents and short break facilities for carers.

Internationally acclaimed dementia experts from Sterling University helped to design Marrow House, which boasts a range of stunning design features including an indoor street, complete with hairdressers, pub, lamp posts and benches.

Outreach and support As part of its stimulating dementia-friendly environment, the centre incorporates memory boxes outside residents’ bedrooms, with instantly recognisable items from their past such as medals and pictures to help recognise their bedroom.

Colour schemes and distinctive doors for toilets, shower rooms and bedrooms have been used to aid orientation. As well as superb

residential facilities, the centre also provides comprehensive outreach and support to people in the community, promoting their independence and wellbeing so they can live at home longer.

The Longton-based centre builds on the success of Abbots House Centre of Excellence in

Abbey Hulton, which opened in July 2009 following a £1.3 million revamp.

Jeanette Page, from Werrington, whose 84-year-old mother-in-law Gladys has been at Marrow House for three years and who has witnessed the transformation, said:“It has really raised the quality of care for

Jeanette Page, and her 84-year-old mother-in-law Gladys who is a Marrow House resident.

Gladys.

She now knows which her room is by the colour of her door and the memory box outside it.

The staff are incredibly supportive and nothing is too much trouble for them.”

Discussions underway following

local council elections THE Labour Party now holds the largest number of seats on Stoke-on-Trent City Council following the election on May 6

The party claimed 17 of the 20 wards which were up for grabs taking their total to 26 seats.

Meanwhile, the City Independents Group now has 11 seats after losing four and the Conservative and Independent Alliance moved to eight seats, after gaining one.

The British National Party currently holds five seats (down two), the NonAligned Group two seats (down one) and Other Non-Aligned councillors now have

Meeting dates are now online A full list of dates and times of full city council meetings and committee meetings can be found on our website stoke.gov.uk/meetingdates

two seats (down one). There is also one Potteries Alliance councillor and one Libertarian Councillor on the new look 60-seat council.

Talks are now underway to decide whether the results of the election will mean changes to the Cabinet.

As Our City went to press, the current nine member cabinet had two vacancies, after City Independent Councillor Derek Capey stood down and Ian Mitchell lost his seat.

Council Leader Ross Irving, who also leads the Conservative and Independent Alliance Group, called for all parties to work together to help the city push

forward during difficult times both economically and politically.

He said: “I think we all recognise the difficult position that local Government finds itself in over the next 12 months. It is the duty of all of us to make sure we are fit for purpose to go into the elections in 2011.

“We will be having discussions about the new groupings on the city council and about the leadership and the make up of the cabinet and see what view people take about moving forward.”

A third of the city’s 60 seats were up for grabs on polling day. However, in 2011 the full council (all 60 seats) will be contested.

Give us your feedback on this issue of Our City by emailing ourcity@stoke.gov.uk or write to: FREEPOST Our City

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Arrests made as criminals are

caught in a rat trap A

“Rat Trap” set by police in Stoke-on-Trent has been successful in targeting motorbike thieves.

The puppy being named.

A number of culprits have been caught red handed after detectives from the city’s proactive unit sprang their trap – an ordinary looking motorcycle that officers leave in areas particularly affected by this kind of crime.

The detectives lay in wait until someone attempts to steal the machine – then move in and arrest the thieves who discover to their cost that the bike was far from ordinary.

Over the first six weeks of the police sting a total of 16 males aged between 12 and 35 were arrested and a number have already been convicted after appearing before the courts and are awaiting sentence.

The targeted operation is based on police intelligence and community information to ensure that the “Rat Trap” is set in the most appropriate areas.

Special puppy needs a name

Extremely successful The decoy motorbikes have been previously seized by police and were facing destruction for being driven without insurance or for being involved in other serious motoring offences. Because police have access to a number of different machines, offenders never know if a motorbike they see unattended is one of those being used to trap them.

The proactive team has made

arrests in the Cobridge, Fegg Hayes, Tunstall, Fenton and Abbey Hulton areas of the city.

Detective Inspector Jim Wood, who leads the proactive team, said: “This operation has been extremely successful at tackling those involved in this sort of crime. We know that

WATCH OUT... these stolen motorbikes are often ...there’s a trap involved in causing antisocial about. Would-be behaviour or involved in accidents. bike thieves are being “My message to any person who warned that their may consider being involved in next theft might vehicle crime is that you can never be lead to arrest. sure you’re not about to caught in our ‘Rat Trap’.”

LORD Mayor Councillor Jean Bowers wants help to name a very special puppy donated to charity by the city as part of its centenary celebrations.

The golden retriever, which will be trained by Hearing Dogs for the Deaf to help a person with hearing difficulties, currently lives in Oxfordshire along with the rest of its litter. The person who puts forward the winning name will be able to meet the puppy in the Lord Mayor’s Parlour later this year.

Councillor Bowers said: “We are looking for a name that will fit the centenary and prove a fitting reminder of the year the puppy was born.”

Hearing Dogs for the Deaf is one of the Lord Mayor’s chosen charities this year, and so far she has raised £12,000 to be shared with Child Victims of Crime.

Anyone wanting to propose a name for the puppy should send their idea, with their name, address and contact number, by email to ourcity@stoke.gov.uk or by post to Freepost Our City.

Smiles all round at good news from dentists Megan Brown, 21, from Trentham is all smiles at how easy it is to register with an NHS dentist in the city.

NOW HERE’S some good news to make a lot of people smile… eight dentists across Stoke-onTrent are taking on new NHS patients.

Happily, the announcement that NHS dental care is now even more easily available in the city coincides with National Smile Month run by oral health charity British Dental Health Foundation.

This year’s campaign theme, Teeth4life, highlights the importance of looking after your teeth maintaining them for life – and that includes a regular dental check-up.

The dentists creating the opportunity for new NHS patients to register with them all offer first class dental care facilities – like the recently established £1 million state-of-the-art Alchemy Dental Practice in Shelton. With 7,000 patients it offers nine surgeries and the latest technology such as a CT imaging scanner and intra-oral cameras that shows patients images of their mouth and teeth as they watch on screens overhead.

Practice Business Manager Linda Furbur said: “Nationally there is a perception that it’s difficult to register with an NHS dentist – but this is certainly not the case in Stoke-on-Trent.

It’s important to register with a dentist, not only

for urgently needed treatment but also for regular check-ups that can prevent problems with teeth and gums.”

There are places for more patients at the following dental practices: ● Alchemy Dental Practice, Shelton – 01782 410051 ● Blurton Dental Centre, Blurton – 01782 593029 ● Dividy Road Dental Practice, Bucknall – 01782 213387 ● Middleton & Partners Dental Practice, Shelton – 01782 212308 ● Shelton Dental Centre, Shelton – 01782 848434 ● Sneyd Green Dental Practice – 01782 219711 ● Victoria Dental Practice, Fenton – 01782 849590 ● Waterloo Dental Practice, 239 Waterloo Road, Burslem Patients wishing to access an NHS dentist can either call the practice direct or call the North Staffordshire Dental Access Line on 01782 425846 (patients are asked to call into the Waterloo Dental Practice to register rather than phone).

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Mobile film unit scores a

blockbuster success

A

MOBILE film unit for young people is already proving a big hit in its first weeks of use in Stoke-on-Trent.

The Rolla is the latest addition to a fleet of high tech vehicles used by the city council’s Youth and Play Services to reach out to young people in the city. The film production van comes complete with state-of-the-art broadcasting equipment like high definition cameras and iMac computers.

Workshops have already been organised across the city and the unit is already being used in a pilot project by young people on the Newstead Estate in Blurton to make a DVD about alcohol abuse.

Learning resource Youth Development Worker John Simmonds said: “The young people involved are scripting the piece themselves and will act it out. The beauty is that other young people will use the completed film as a learning resource across the city.

“We are aware that there are young people out there we

haven’t reached so The Rolla is another great string to our bow. We will be offering The Rolla to schools as an additional resource and we get involved in community events as well.”

Word has spread across the country and youth services from Flintshire have already been to see The Rolla, which completes a range of four similar vehicles with the other three called the Rocka, Socca and Hoppa. They are used to deliver DJ and recording workshops, football sessions and one acts as a mobile youth club. All the vehicles have caused a real stir with youth services across the country.

Anyone interested in booking the vehicles can contact John Simmonds on 01782 231627 or by emailing him on john.simmonds@ stoke.gov.uk

Above, John Simmonds, Youth Development Worker for Positive Activities shows guests Alan Ellis and Aileen Williams from Flintshire Youth Service the capabilities of the iMac-based audio visual software.

Inset: Rolla... the mobile video suite, in a van.

The Sixth Form College at the heart of the University Quarter...

The City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College is embarking on an exciting journey – a move to a state-of-the-art development which will provide world-class resources and the best modern features for young people across Stoke-on-Trent and beyond.

The new Sixth Form College is the ‘Young Person’s College’. It is being built to meet the future needs of students who are at the heart of the college. Representatives from the student body and local partner schools have been consulted at stages of the planning and design process, visiting the building site in Stoke-on-Trent’s emerging UniQ (University Quarter) educational area.

UniQ is an ambitious project which brings together a collaboration of Stoke-on-Trent’s three key educational partners, The City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College, Stoke on Trent College and Staffordshire University, all sharing a vision of breaking down barriers to give everyone the chance to achieve their full potential within the City of Stoke-on-Trent.

As the building has taken shape, students have had the unique opportunity to be part of this ‘live project’, incorporating elements of the building process into their own studies. Students studying English Language have acted as Journalists – writing articles about the new building. Accounting students worked with the Quantity Surveyors, costing up the new college and Art students have sketched and photographed the building at various stages of its development.

Helen Pegg, Principal, pointed out that the college has a strong reputation as the major provider of Sixth Form education in the city and many local students seek to take advantage of this by early applications directly or through their schools.

“The relocation of this college to Leek Road sends a very clear, positive and visible message that we are working hard to create an accessible, exciting and vibrant future for students and the community. Our students deserve the very best facilities in which to study and develop. This new building will make a strong statement about the value we place on providing them with the very best resources and teaching to enable all to realise their ambitions.”

Apply to the Sixth Form College and you will have a fantastic (NOT TO BE MISSED!!) opportunity to spend three days with us...

Attend lessons in all the subjects you have applied for – this is ESSENTIAL when making the RIGHT subject choices in August.

Meet some of the people who will be on your course.

See some of the teachers and discover what topics they will cover during the courses.

Get a real feel for the college environment and quite literally FIND YOUR FEET as a new student, learning more about the new college building – Opening September 2010.

POP THE R DATES IN YOU !

DIARY TODAY L IT’S ESSENTIA !

D EN YOU ATT

tel:

01782 848736

www.stokesfc.ac.uk City of Stoke-on-Trent Sixth Form College, Victoria Road, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 2RR

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Advice helps couple

back into work Lifelong workers manage to find jobs they love

F

Six years ago Yvonne, who was a sales assistant, slipped at work – an accident that made her arthritis worse and forced her to give up work. Four years later Peter, who had never been out of work since going into the pits at 15, lost his job when the civil engineering company he worked for went out of business without warning.

Well into his 50’s and suffering from angina and diabetes, Peter despaired of ever finding employment again.

The proud Hanley couple, who had worked and paid tax while bringing up four children, were uneasy about having to register for the incapacity and unemployment benefits they were entitled to.

However, both Peter and Yvonne, who have seven grandchildren, are now back at work with new jobs that they both love – thanks to being put in touch with a network of support by their Jobcentre Plus advisers.

Jobcentre Plus referred them to Seetec BTC Ltd. The Hanley branch of Seetec is one of the UK’s largest and most experienced providers of Governmentfunded employment and skills training.

They help people find employment and gain qualifications.

Peter and Yvonne were placed on a remedial programme where they were given valuable information about career options, guidance on preparing a job application and were encouraged to work out exactly what they wanted from a job.

The happy outcome is that both are now earning once again and have jobs that

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Why everyone must now play their part in improving city

By City Council Chief Executive

John van de Laarschot

OR a couple like Peter and Yvonne Protheroe, who have worked hard for decades to support their family, losing their jobs through disability and redundancy came as a bitter double blow.

Career options

Our City

‘‘’’

The job I have found is perfect as I get the opportunity to move about and sit down, and the hours are just right.

they really enjoy.Yvonne, aged 57, works three hours a day as a catering assistant at Holden Lane High School, Stoke-on-Trent, while Peter, 58, is a Patient Transport Service driver with the West Midlands Ambulance Service.

Seetec set each of them up Yvonne’s with a computer page that husband Peter listed vacancies being found employment offered by Stoke-on-Trent City Council and the as an Ambulance NHS – and the couple Service driver. successfully applied for their respective jobs when their computer pages alerted them about the vacancies.

Yvonne explained: “They did far more for us. The remedial programme helped to restore our selfconfidence.

“I hadn’t been able to find a job I could cope with because of my arthritis. I can manage limited hours and I

Yvonne Protheroe in her new role as a catering assistant at Holden Lane High School.

suffer real pain if I stand or sit down for long periods.

“The job I have found is perfect as I get the opportunity to move about and sit down, and the hours are just right. We married at 16 and struggled at first to set up a home and bring up the children, then we thought we had reached a stage when life was going to be easier.

“But we both lost our jobs and it seemed we had gone full circle back to struggling again.”

Peter, who has done heavy manual work all his life, added: “I love my new job and wish I’d done something like this years ago. The help we received was wonderful.

Neither of us know much about computers, but Seetec set up a computer page to alert us of any suitable vacancies and helped us with our job applications.

“Our Seetec advisor always had time for us if we had a problem. We could go in and have a chat and a cup of coffee any time or just ring her.” ● If you are on a health related benefit and would like further information please contact Hayley Durose or Gary Shaw on 01782 269281.

IN my last column, I spoke about creating a city where everyone in Stoke-on-Trent would be able to have a decent roof over their head, with the opportunity of a good education, realistic prospects of employment and enjoying a healthy and safe life in a clean and green city.

Hopefully, we have taken a big step towards one of those aims with the city’s first “Cleaning and Greening Day.” It’s a tremendous achievement for our environmental team and the private sector companies we worked with.

Over 500 staff and volunteers were part of the biggest clean up operation the city has ever seen, with around 100 sites across the Stoke-on-Trent being cleaned and greened.

This is a great example of how we can work with communities and businesses to make a tangible impact on where we live.

Creating a better environment for everyone is something I am keen to see continue, and now the emphasis is on the city council, businesses and most importantly the community to do their part.

Anyone who drops litter or engages in fly tipping needs to know that there will be harsh enforcement penalties for anyone caught doing it. The city council can clean the city, but everyone needs to keep it clean.

That’s why we want you to tell us where your litter hotspots are, so we can go and sort them out, but also for people who drop litter to stop and think about the cost to both the environment and the taxpayer when it comes to cleaning that up.

Drive and determination Keeping the city clean is just one part of what needs to be achieved. We also need to be creating more efficient services for everyone who lives and works in Stoke-on-Trent. I have already been and spoken to local communities, businesses and partner agencies to find out what their concerns are, and over the last month I have been talking to all sections of our staff and members, to share with them how I think we can improve as a city council, and also gather their opinions.

All the sessions have been informative for me, and it’s clear that we have many people who possess the drive and determination to make the changes we need. I’m asking people to buy into a vision that will guide us through some tough times, but I’m confident if we all strive for a common goal, then we can achieve any target we set ourselves.

Those targets extend well beyond the next few years, but I was also thrilled to be able to gain an insight into the city’s past at the Citizen of the Century Awards. I was tremendously honoured to have been part of the ceremony and it showed me how much Stoke-on-Trent has to celebrate about its heritage and success.

It demonstrates what Stoke-on-Trent can achieve if people strive for their best and work together. We have done this for the last century and now it is time to build foundations for a solid future too.

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Hayley Hughes and daughter Tallula enjoy the new facilities at The Grange Children’s Centre.

Amnesty declared for person who can solve mystery of Fenton’s missing civic medallion ONE hundred years ago, around His theory is based on a the time of the Federation of the conversation he had in The Six Towns, there was mystery Terrace public house in surrounding the Smithpool Road a little over whereabouts of the civic 20 years ago with a man medallion of the who knew more than Chairman of Fenton most about past and Urban District Council. present goings-on in As a symbolic gesture, Fenton. the other five towns had Stan confided: “I knew all handed over the his family might know golden chains of their about the missing Mayors to the new medallion and I asked him County Borough of straight out if he knew The last Chairman of Stoke-on-Trent – and they where it was. He said he not Fenton Urban District were unified by one Mayor only knew where it was but Council Mr P. Elliott. for the new authority. But the he had been looking at it a Fenton badge, worn around the fortnight before. I believe he was neck with a ribbon, was never telling the truth.” presented – some thought as a defiant act by Now, in this Federation Centenary year, City those who were against Federation and Council Leader Ross Irving has offered an wanted the towns to stay independent. amnesty for the person who has the medallion To this day the medallion of Fenton – the – known as “the Chairman’s jewel” – which is one town that did not have a Mayor – still the rightful property of today’s council. He remains unaccounted for. said:“It would be such an appropriate time to The cynical might conclude the civic regalia unite the Fenton badge of office with the was melted down or flogged off long ago. other five town chains which are kept in safe However, former Lord Mayor and loyal keeping at the Lord Mayor’s Parlour.There Fentonian Stan Bate has reason to believe the would be no repercussions for whoever hands coveted medallion is still in Fenton in it in – just a grateful civic thank you.” someone’s home.

Someone out there knows something.

Families welcome their

new centre L

IFE for Hayley Hughes and busy parents just like her has suddenly got easier – thanks to the opening of The Grange Sure Start Children’s Centre at Meir.

Fond memories of two right royal kisses THE highly successful visit in February of The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall to Stoke-on-Trent to mark the Centenary of the Six Towns Federation brought back fond memories for many people of a royal occasion nearly three decades ago.

And the reminiscences will not come much fonder than those shared by the two young ladies pictured above chatting to a dashing young Prince Charles in 1981 when he came to officially open The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery.

The image was taken by former Sentinel photographer Horace Wetton as The Prince went on walkabout outside the museum in Bethesda Street, Hanley, after the opening ceremony.

Horace recalls that the two girls put themselves in the news spotlight that day

by holding up a home-made placard with the words “Give us a kiss Charlie”.

To their’s and everyone else’s surprise The Prince obliged and went over to give the delighted pair a peck on the cheek.

“At that time Prince Charles was one of the most eligible bachelors in the world – so they pulled off quite a coup,” Horace told me.“The Prince was obviously amused by the sign and joined in the fun.

There were a few gasps of surprise among the crowd. The girls enjoyed a moment they would never forget and ensured their places in the next day’s newspapers.”

I’d love to know if the girls are still living in the area – and hear their own recollections of that day. If you are reading this please get in touch by writing to Freepost Our City or emailing ourcity@stoke.go.uk

The brand new purpose-built £350,000 facility is proving to be an ideal solution for families in the Meir, Meir Park and Sandon areas who had previously found it difficult to access The Crescent Children’s Centre on the other side of the A50. “It’s great that we now have this super new centre on our doorsteps,” said 24-year-old mother-of-two Hayley who lives in the Sandon Road area. “There is everything there for young families and it’s so convenient.”

Hayley has a six-year-old son, Levi, who is at school and three-year-old daughter Tallula, with a third child expected in July.

When Levi was younger she took him to The Crescent until he started school and for a short time also attended The Crescent with Tallula.

“It seemed to get more and more difficult to get there,” recalled Hayley. “At that time I didn’t have a car and it took me 25 minutes each way to push Tallula in her buggy.

“In bad weather it was an awful journey, so for the past 18 months or so I have not been going to the centre. Tallula and I really missed it, so I was delighted when I heard that The Grange Centre was being built. It’s just a few minutes’ walk from where I live.”

Along with many other parents Hayley went along to an open day at the new centre, in the grounds of Grange Primary School in Normacot Grange Road, and was impressed with what she saw.

The centre, which officially opened its

doors on 26 April, offers children up to five-years-old and their parents or carers a full range of services that include Stay and Play sessions, a crèche, baby massage, midwife support, health visitors, family support and training.

Children can enjoy the crèche facility whilst parents access training and support.

Hayley has already enrolled in the Stay and Play sessions twice a week and on a third day, Tallula will go to the crèche whilst her mum attends the parent’s forum which will help to determine services delivered at the new centre.

She said: “I’m really thrilled that we now have our own centre for families in this part of the city - and I know that lots of other parents round here are just as delighted.

Close to home “It’s good to know there is so much help and support available so close to home if ever I need it, and I know that both me and Tallula will make lots of new friends through the centre.”

Clare Phillips, Community Development Officer with the city council, said: “The new centre is an great facility linked to the larger Crescent Centre which will ensure that families in Meir, Meir Park and Sandon will benefit from a wide range of services delivered at a convenient location in their community.

“There has been very positive feedback from parents and children who came along to the open day, and a number of families are already using the centre even though it was opened only recently.”

For more details about what The Grange Children’s Centre has to offer, drop in and talk to the helpful staff or phone the centre on 01782 233775.

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A dedicated team is working with young people across the city to achieve major reductions in the number of teenage pregnancies in our communities. Here, as we continue to feature our unsung heroes, Our City talks to another worker at the front line of improving quality of life in Stoke-on-Trent...

Teen pregnancy rates tumble as team effort scores

instant impact L

EANNE Dudley is one of a team of dedicated people who are instrumental in helping to reduce Stoke-on-Trent’s teenage pregnancy figures.

The teenage pregnancy unit at the city council set up a new way of working with young people two years ago and now the benefit of that strategy is showing in the dramatic reduction of teenage pregnancies.

And 27-year-old Leanne is one of the front line workers who can quite rightly claim some responsibility for the new, improved figures.

She is one of six pregnancy prevention officers who work with 13 to 19-year-old girls and boys in groups and on a one-to-one basis.

They work on building confidence and selfesteem as well as offering information on relationships and sexual health. Specific referrals mean they are giving help to those young people who really do need it.

Leanne said: “I’m really proud of our work.

It’s difficult at times to get the message across, but we feel we’re really beginning to make the young people understand about sexual health and the problems that can arise with unwanted teen pregnancies.

Making a difference “I feel we’re really making a difference and the figures bear that out. Of course, there’s still a lot of work to do but I believe we’re getting the message across.”

Good support was in place for Pregnancy girls who became pregnant but Prevention Officer Teen Pregnancy lead Tracy Leanne Dudley with Kirk decided more needed to some of the advice and be done on prevention and closer work with schools was information given out vital so they could identify to young people in young people in high risk the city as part of groups like young offenders, her work. truants and those not in education or employment.

Hundreds of teachers and other professionals were trained to help the Teenage better than the average for England and Wales, Pregnancy Services Unit with advice and has been so impressive that 47 local support for those that really needed it. The authorities have been in touch wanting to impact was instant. The city’s teenage know Stoke-on-Trent’s secret. Tracy Kirk has pregnancy rate for 15 to 17-year-olds plunged addressed MPs at Westminster and been in 2008 to its lowest for 10 years, falling a invited to speak to a Department of Health staggering 14 per cent in one year. conference of excellence.

The improvement, which is seven times

thought that his wife Katrina’s spinal disability caused by a car crash would rule them out of fostering but he was wrong.

They have now been fostering for three years. They have looked after boys aged 16 and 10 and are currently long-term fostering a 15-year-old boy.

“At first we were really scared and it was a steep learning curve but we stuck at it.

“It’s our way of giving a warm, loving home to a child when they

7

Street dance acts urged to show off talent in UK finals HIP-HOP acts from all over the UK will take part in the first National Street Dance Finals in Stoke-on-Trent later this year.

Information packs have been sent to all high schools in the city asking teams to take part in the contest, which includes the offer of a FREE dance workshop.

Regional heats are being staged throughout the summer and autumn and the final will be held at the Victoria Hall in the city centre in November.

As well as hosting the national final, Stoke-on-Trent will be the city where Midlands dance hopefuls will converge in October for the regional heat at the Fenton Manor Sports Complex. ● For more information about the competition visit stoke.gov.uk/artsandculture the UDO website at www.udostreetdance.com email schools@united dance.co.uk or contact Kate Lewis on 02920 799199.

LINk research group looks at communication

Leanne added: “My job can be difficult.

When you say you’re a teenage pregnancy prevention officer to a young person it’s like putting a guard up.

“It can be challenging and there can be all sorts of issues to deal with but we are breaking down those barriers.”

Learning curve leads to triumph as foster carers reap rewards MORE foster carers are being urged to come forward in Stoke-on-Trent for children of all ages from newborn to teenagers.

Stoke-on-Trent Fostering Service offers foster carers a range of specialised support and training, generous set up grants and tax free allowances for each baby or child placed.

Depending on the age of the children involved, carers can receive up to £400 a week.

Paul Austin, 37, from Burslem

Our City

most need it. Their triumphs are our triumphs.

“A lot of people discount themselves but the fostering team is not looking for reasons not to consider people.

“They want to find reasons to accept people. It’s not about race, religion or sexuality,” said Paul.

Anyone who wants to find out more about fostering in Stoke-onTrent should contact the Fostering Service on 01782 234555 or visit stoke.gov.uk/fostering

Foster carer Paul Austin, of Burslem.

STOKE-on-Trent Local Involvement Network (LINk) is working with a leading charity for blind people to look at the way organisations provide information and communicate with people who are visually impaired.

A research group of visually impaired people from Stoke-onTrent will co-ordinate and carry out an assessment of the ways in which organisations, such as the NHS, provide health information.

This will be used to suggest improvements, and if necessary training, to ensure that the visually impaired are not left out in receiving important information on changes to services, healthy life styles.

It is also hoped that the results of the study may help communication with other disabled groups such as people with learning difficulties. ● If you would like to know more about this joint project between LINk and Action for Blind People, (an associate charity of the RNIB), please call the LINk office on 01782 416575 or email info@linkstokeontrent.org.uk

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Public urged to have their say on services THE city council has historically closed down some of its services between Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. Although always maintaining a level of cover for certain service areas – from care in residential facilities, waste collection, CCTV coverage, and call centres to the public mortuary. It also provides officers on-call to deal with emergency situations such as dangerous structures and pest control issues, but other services and facilities remain closed.

The city council is now looking to consult residents on what they think should remain open on non-Bank Holiday days. This could include Local Centres, Libraries, Museums and other city council offices.

If there is enough demand the city council will consider opening these services and facilities – so tell us what you think by emailing ourcity@stoke.gov.uk Alternatively, send your ideas to: Freepost Our City. Please make sure you send your ideas for the services you want to open between Christmas and New Year by the end of June.

Pharmacists sign up to give

health advice

F

EELING under the weather? Worried that your child is running a temperature? A visit to your local pharmacy may well resolve the problem rather than you having to make an appointment to see your GP. Most of Stoke-on-Trent’s 61 pharmacies have signed up to the Pharmacy First Service which provides customers with advice and recommendations about a range of minor illnesses that account for nearly one fifth of GPs’ workload and cost the health service nationally almost £2 billion a year.

The consultation is free, takes only a few minutes and though the pharmacist may recommend over-the-counter remedies these are also provided free of charge under Pharmacy First Service to those normally eligible for free prescriptions – who include the under-16s, the over-60s and those in full-time education.

The service ervice currently deals with common ailments such as sore throat, chesty cough, earache, sinusitis, headlice, threadworm, thrush and conjunctivitis (commonly known as red eye).

Recently, childhood fever has been added to the comprehensive list – good news for parents who are naturally anxious when a child develops a fever usually caused by children’s immune systems developing antibodies to common bugs they are encountering for the first time.

Andy Pickard, the city’s Community Pharmacy Lead who is helping to develop Stoke-on-Trent’s Pharmacy First network, said: “The aim of Pharmacy First is to offer advice and reassurance for people with minor ailments. This frees up GPs to devote more time to discuss care and treatment options with patients who have long-term and more complex conditions.”

Andy Pickard, the city’s Community Pharmacy Lead who is helping to develop Stoke-on-Trent’s Pharmacy First network.

Your local Family Information Service provides free, friendly and impartial information, advice, assistance and signposting on a wide variety of subjects including:

FREE

Support and advice for families

● Childcare – we can support you through the whole process of choosing a childcare provider that is right for the needs of you and your family. ● Family friendly financial benefits – including what is available to help with childcare costs. ● Parental rights and entitlements. ● Signposting – advice on the many support services available across the city and much, much more.

So if you are responsible for a child or young person aged 0-19 and are struggling to find the answers to your questions, please call us free on:

0800 015 1120

or email us at fis@stoke.gov.uk www.facebook.com

and search for Stoke Family Information Service

www.twitter.com/StokeFIS

stoke.gov.uk

www.stokefis.blogspot.com

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Healthy crop of interest in allotments hailed as

blooming marvellous B

OOMING interest in allotments means many more plots are available in Stoke-on-Trent now the city council has partially cleared some derelict sites.

Demand in the city is at its highest since the Second World War according to the council and confirmation that the worm is turning away from flower growing to vegetables comes from the Royal Horticultural Society and seed companies, who report that vegetable seeds are selling faster than flower seeds for the first time since the 1940s.

Thirty years ago, thousands of acres across the country fell into disuse and were taken back by local authorities for development but Stoke-on-Trent kept faith and still has nearly 3,500 plots, making the city council one of the largest providers of allotments in the country.

The vast majority have tenants but around 150 plots are available in areas like Fenton, Trent Vale, Burslem and Weston Coyney.

Sue Radcliffe, the city council’s Allotments Officer, said: “Demand is exceptionally high at the moment as families think about their finances, the environment and the health benefits of growing their own produce.

Young families “Allotments are a community, great places to make friends. People I’ve spoken to who are new to allotments often comment how friendly it is.

“I was on a site the other day with loads of young families with the kids helping out and one of the older tenants said ‘it’s just like when I was a lad.’

“It really is something for the whole family to do and it doesn’t cost a fortune,” said Sue. The city council is investing in clearing derelict plots and improving facilities with councillors supporting work to breathe life into sites across the city.

Two sites with about 50 plots have just been re-opened in Weston Coyney and Fenton after decades spent over-grown. ● Citywide events to mark National Allotment Week from 9-15 August are now being planned. The average cost of a plot in the city, depending on size, is about £50 a year. Anyone interested can apply via the allotments page at stoke.gov.uk or by calling Stoke-on-Call on 01782 234234.

CAN YOU DIG IT? Martha Warrilow, aged 8, and her sister Madeleine, 3, at the Trent Vale allotments.

Our City

Tweeting cops have a twitter treat for public TWITTER is the latest weapon being used in the fight against crime in Blurton, Newstead and Hollybush.

PC Simon Stone has become the first police officer in Staffordshire to use the social networking site to keep the people of his patch up to date with what he and his fellow officers are doing to combat crime and antisocial behaviour.

Twitter is a popular site which allows millions of ‘followers’ to read short posts called tweets which have up to 140 characters.

Simon, a self confessed gadget geek who jumped at the chance to activate his own account, said:“This is a simple and very quick way for me to tell local people what I am doing and, importantly, gives them a chance to highlight issues or ask questions about what we are doing in the area.

“It only takes a couple of seconds to add a comment which people will be able to see at a time that suits them.

“I want as many local residents as possible to start to follow me. I will follow them so I can play an even greater part in the local community,” he said.

More police in Stoke-on-Trent will sign up to Twitter once officers evaluate the impact of Simon’s page. You do not need a Twitter account to follow Simon on www.twitter.com/ policetango7 ● Anyone in the city can keep up to date with citywide police issues on Twitter by following www.twitter.com/ policingstoke

Parents complete healthy living workshops across city

Living Well project participants Nathan Pearcy, Andrew Jordan and Janice Lowndes, with Physical Wellness Workshops project leader Graham Bailey.

PARENTS across the city have taken part in the latest phase of an initiative to help them and their families lead healthier lifestyles.

Workshops have been staged at the city’s children’s centres as part of the Living Well Stoke-on-Trent project.

The workshops include five weekly sessions each lasting two and a half hours organised to cover five key areas: well-being, self-image, healthy eating, physical activity and relaxation.

Project leader Graham Bailey said:“The workshops helped build people’s confidence and offered them practical ways to make small steps towards adopting healthier lifestyles.

“Physical wellness isn’t just about exercise routines, we take a much more holistic approach.

Everyone found something on our programme to benefit them.

“We’re in the final year of the

project and it’s gone really well. All our programmes have been well attended and we’ve had some good feedback.

The courses really do help people make changes in their lifestyles,” he added.

The workshops are part of a wider Living Well scheme of 25 health and well-being programmes being delivered across the West Midlands thanks to a Big Lottery grant of £6.8 million. Living Well Stoke-on-Trent is a partnership between NHS Stoke on Trent, the charity Changes 12 Steps to Mental Health and Hanley based charity Media Action Group for Mental Health.

Living Well Stoke-on-Trent is concentrating on three key objectives of supporting communities, marketing health and improving health and well-being. Schemes have been launched including Community Health Champions, cook and eat programmes, community weight management schemes and projects designed to challenge perception and stigma surrounding mental ill health. ● For more information go to www.livingwell westmidlands.org

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Hoard display is extended MORE people will have the chance to see the Staffordshire Hoard, the largest ever find of Anglo-Saxon treasure, thanks to an extension of the current display at The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery.

The display of 59 items from the collection had been due to end on April 18 but it is now carrying on until June 28. Items on show include a delicate filigree gold horse’s head, a gold strip with a biblical inscription and a crumpled gold plaque with ornate fish and bird heads.

Since the start of the exhibition, Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Birmingham City Council have been successful in raising the £3.3 million needed to ensure that the stunning collection of 1,800 7th Century items will stay in the region where it was discovered.

The Staffordshire Hoard has also been seen by millions of television viewers, thanks to the documentary Saxon Gold made by the National Geographic Channel. It was screened on Channel 4 – attracting 2.1 million viewers, well above the channel’s usual audience share for a Sunday evening programme.

Then it was aired on the National Geographic digital channel across the UK, the United States and Europe.

New gates are

pride of our alleys M

ORE alley gates have been installed in the city to protect residents against crime, antisocial behaviour and fly tipping.

Eleven gates have been fitted in Portland Street and Century Street as up to 35 people from various partner agencies staged a Respect Day to clean up the area.

Offenders from Community Payback scheme and Werrington Young Offenders Institution were also set to work.

City council neighbourhood management, police, the fire and rescue service and the local residents’ association all played their part as three skips were placed in the streets to encourage householders to have a clear out.

Ten official notices had previously been posted at various properties blighted by rubbish. Those properties were cleared on the day with the owners and landlords now facing a bill. Tree surgeons were also on hand to lop bushes and branches in the area.

Inspecting the new alleygates at Portland Street and Century Street are, left to right, Neighbourhood Manager Jan Simpson Neighbourhood Impact Officer Colin Barker, Safer City Partnership Fire Officer Pete Hall and local resident Michele Costa, 83.

Pete Hall, the Safer City Partnership Fire Officer, said: “The idea is to keep the back alleys clean, prevent crime and antisocial behaviour and prevent fly tipping. We had an extremely successful day so it’s great really. We are sure the alley gates will go a

long way to making it safer for residents.

We’ll keep monitoring the area so the good work we’ve done is not wasted. We are seeing a gradual improvement and when you look at the figures, it is having an impact on crime and fly-tipping,” he added.

Children’s Centres Your children’s centre will provide you with a range of services including: ● Childcare ● Health services ● Family support ● Specialist support for children with additional needs ● Outreach workers ● Information for parents ● Activities to help parents and carers get back to work Each children’s centre will also deliver additional services tailored to meet your local communities’ needs.

Our Centres are: The Crescent Children’s Centre Pinewood Crescent, Meir • Tel: 01782 596421 Stoke-on-Trent North Children’s Centre Bishop Road, Chell Heath • Tel: 01782 232977 We also have an outreach centre at: Whitfield Valley Sure Start Centre Fegg Hayes Rd, Fegg Hayes • Tel: 01782 232977

Ball Green Children’s Centre Ball Green Primary School, Whitfield Road, Ball Green • Tel: 01782 234811 Norton Children’s Centre St Nicholas Avenue, Norton • Tel: 01782 231096 Burslem Children’s Centre Vale Park, Hamil Road, Burslem • Tel: 01782 238989

Blurton Children’s Centre Oakwood Road, Blurton • Tel: 01782 231815

Fenton Children’s Centre Temple Street, Fenton • Tel: 01782 237650

Kingsland Children’s Centre Werrington Road, Bucknall • Tel: 01782 238352

Penkhull Children’s Centre Greatbatch Avenue, Penkhull • Tel: 01782 236333

The Hope Children’s Centre Garth Street, Hanley • Tel: 01782 234357

Tunstall Children’s Centre Woodland Street, Tunstall • Tel: 01782 236655

Thomas Boughey Children’s Centre College Road, Shelton • Tel: 01782 237100 Treehouse Children’s Centre Dawlish Drive, Bentilee • Tel: 01782 233670 Westfield Children’s Centre Buccleuch Road, Longton • Tel: 01782 237500

The Grange Children’s Centre Normacot Grange Road, Meir • Tel: 01782 233775 Trentford Children’s Centre Jubliee Road, Trentham • Tel: 01782 234204 Milton & Baddeley Green Children’s Centre c/o Kingsland Children’s Centre Werrington Road, Bucknall • Tel: 01782 238352

For more information about Children’s Centres call us on 0800 015 1120

stoke.gov.uk

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Our City

11

Blue chip academies set to open doors in

September WORK is gathering pace on Stoke-on-Trent’s blue chip centre’s of learning – which will transform the future of education in the city.

Under the £250 million Building Schools for the Future Programme (BSF) five academies are being created across the city, with the first two opening at the start of the autumn term.

The aim is to create a “family” of schools, academies and post-16 centres in the city, which will increase learning opportunities by offering specialist teaching and

New rules on cut price bus travel NEW rules have been introduced on handing out popular free bus passes to pensioners.

More than 41,000 pensioners in Stoke-on-Trent currently benefit from free bus travel all over the country.

The passes were previously issued on a person’s 60th birthday, but the issue date will now move in line with a national initiative to make the pensionable age for women the same as it is for men.

The pensionable age date for women will change on a sliding scale over the next 10 years.

It means any woman will automatically qualify for a bus pass on the day she starts drawing her pension. A man qualifies for his bus pass on the day he would have qualified for his pension had he been born a woman!

Concessionary Fares Scheme Officer Sandra Wainwright said: “These are national rules and unfortunately there is no simple way of explaining the change.

“We have put up posters on the buses and would urge anyone who would like to check when they will be eligible to contact us. Once they have a pass, anyone will be able to benefit from free travel throughout the country. The changes do not affect existing pass holders, who just need to renew their passes as normal.”

Disabled people who qualify for free bus travel are not affected. ● To find out when you qualify for a bus pass, please contact Sandra Wainwright on 01782 235995.

facilities to all school pupils living in the city.

In total, the new proposed schools will include five brand new academies, six proposed foundation or trust schools, three voluntary aided schools, four special schools and a “hub” for children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties.

It is part of the overall project, which will see all secondary and special schools in the city rebuilt or refurbished between 2010 and 2014.

The five academies will see the closure of some schools, with pupils transferring to the academies, many of which will be on the same site as the existing school they replace.

Each academy is backed by a sponsor or number of sponsors that come from a wide range of backgrounds including universities, colleges, businesses and the charitable sector. As well as providing endowment funding, sponsors act as a driving force for the academy and will help to set up a structure for the governing and managing of the school.

Catalyst for regeneration Council Leader Ross Irving said: “The academies form a keystone in the overall Building Schools for the Future project, which in turn is key to improving education and a catalyst for regeneration in the city.

“I am delighted to see work is gathering pace and the first academies will be opening later this year with all the benefits they will bring to the pupils who attend them.”

The latest developments include: ● Brownhills Maths and Computing College in Burslem closes this summer and a new academy is set to open on the same site in September. The new

Academy Principal Designate Andy Stanier and Co-operative Travel Group Managing Director Mike Greenacre (front right) with pupils, left to right, Saira Ahmed, Dan Townley, Sarah Shield and Brandon Millard. co-educational academy will be able to accommodate up to 1,050 pupils, aged 11-16. Co-operative Travel is the main sponsor for the academy and Staffordshire University and Stoke on Trent College the co-sponsors. The academy will be called The Cooperative Academy at Brownhills. ● Blurton High School and Enterprise College will close in August and a new academy, called Ormiston Sir Stanley Matthews Academy will open on the same site in September.

Educational charity the Ormiston Trust is the sponsor, which will accommodate 1,050 pupils, aged 11-16. ● James Brindley Science

College in Chell will close and a new academy will be built on the same site. This will open in September 2011. It will accommodate up to 1,050 11-16 year old pupils. NHS Stoke on Trent and Keele University are the sponsors for the academy. ● St. Peter’s High School and Berry Hill High School will close and a new academy will be built on a new site located at the current Sixth Form College, Fenton. The new co-educational academy will be able to accommodate up to 1,200 pupils, aged 11-16, with provision for post-16 studies on site. The academy would open in September 2011, initially

operating from the existing high schools. The new academy building would open in 2013.

The proposed sponsors for the new Church of England faith academy are the Diocese of Lichfield with the Woodard Schools. ● Mitchell High School and Edensor Technology College will close and the new Discovery Academy will be built to replace them. The new academy will open on their existing sites from September 2011 and the main sponsor of the academy will be Stoke on Trent College.

Provision will be made at all the academies for post-16 studies on site.

Residents’ fun day celebrates start of £7m facelift

Blurton Pharmacist Beverley Stacchini who is welcoming the £7m improvement to Ingestre Square.

RESIDENTS celebrated the start of work on a £7million community hub at the heart of a Blurton estate.

A day of fun activities marked the launch of the project to transform the district centre – the estate’s focal point at Ingestre Square.

The city council-backed development will provide: ● 41 mixed tenure affordable homes. ● A community hub which will deliver social and learning activities for local people and offer corporate space for hire. ● Six new shop units ● Car parking, landscaping, secure yards and new signage.

Residents and children from local schools marked the start of work with fun events including face painting, balloon modelling and caricature drawing. Artwork created by young people from Blurton High, Blurton Primary, Newstead Primary and Sutherland Primary schools is decorating hoardings screening the site while work takes place.

Will Nixon, Director of Regeneration at Aspire Housing, the city council’s partner in the scheme, said: “Our overall aim is to produce a prosperous community and this redevelopment will provide both a renewed central area for Blurton as well as essential affordable housing.”

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Annual fun day celebrates canals’

rich heritage C ANAL culture and days gone by will be remembered and celebrated at the annual Etruria Canals Festival.

The free event staged virtually every year since the early 1990s has now become a regular fixture in the canal boating calendar and attracts an average of nine to ten thousand visitors from all over the region.

They flock to Etruria Industrial Museum on the junction of the Trent & Mersey and Caldon canals for two days of nostalgia and fun and this year’s event promises something for the whole family with the accent on historic and working canal boats.

Three restored boats, which once plied their trade up and down the canals for the transport company Cowburn and Cowpar and dating back to the 1930s, are expected this year. Similar boats would have carried flint and bone to the old Jesse Shirley’s Etruscan Bone and Flint Mill, which now forms the cornerstone of the museum.

The mill, which was scheduled as an ancient monument in 1975, features one of the world’s oldest working beam engines that still drives machinery and it will be “in steam” for the first time this year during the weekend.

Steam features elsewhere with a variety of engines and machines on display in the field next to the museum as well as a funfair, craft stalls and a music marquee featuring, among others, a brass band and a singer of Edwardian songs.

Organisers have come up with a series of free Wild Over Waterways activities in partnership with the Inland Waterways Association and British Waterways. Children following the trail collect stickers in a special “WOW” passport and a goody bag on completion.

Glenn Airey, Museum

Assistant-Working Exhibits, said: “We attract a mix of local families as well as steam and canal enthusiasts from across the region and much further afield.

“We tend to have it around the same dates every year so it’s now become an annual fixture in the diary for boaters.

There’s an open invite to anyone on the canal network to come along.

“We are hoping to build on the success of last year’s festival and

attract even more people to the museum. We do like to work with the community around us and keep it as local as we can. It’s always a nice way of getting a glimpse into by-gone years.”

● The festival is being staged on 5-6 June between 10am and 5pm each day. For more information contact Etruria Industrial Museum on 01782 233144 or visit stoke.gov.uk/museum

Museums Education Officer Katie Leonard dresses in a traditional Victorian canal costume at Etruria Industrial Museum, pictured left.

Firefighters offer free boat safety checks

Strong action sends warning to litter louts A teenager who dropped litter in the street has been taken to court by Stoke-on-Trent City Council for not paying a fixed penalty fine.

Damien Turner, 18, of Wyndham Road, Newstead, was first issued with an on the spot £50 fine after a neighbourhood impact officer spotted him dropping a plastic drinks bottle in Wimbourne Avenue on the estate. But he failed to pay.

So Local Service Neighbourhood Manager Pauline Lawrence asked the city council’s legal services department to take action.

Turner pleaded guilty when he appeared at Newcastle-under-Lyme magistrate’s court, to littering under section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and was fined £50.

The court heard Turner had not paid the fixed penalty notice because he was waiting for a student grant or loan to come through and had picked up the litter when asked to do so.

Carol Gibbs, Environmental Services Area Manager, said:“We’re delighted this case ended up in court. It sends out a strong message that we’re determined, through the patrols of our neighbourhood impact officers, to enforce the law on littering.

“We take seriously all problems that have a detrimental effect on people’s lives. Our message to people who litter their streets is simple. We won’t tolerate it and where our neighbourhood impact officers see people dropping litter, we will take action right up to court proceedings if necessary.”

FIREFIGHTERS in Stoke-on-Trent will take to the water of the city’s canals to advise boat users about fire safety afloat.

The initiative, part of National Boat Fire Safety Week, is perfectly timed for the annual Etruria Canal Festival, which attracts hundreds of leisure craft to the Etruria Industrial Museum on the banks of the Trent, Mersey and Caldon canals.

A visit to the festival is one of many activities organised by the boat fire prevention team who visit boat users and advise them about minimising on-board hazards.

The firefighters will carry out free fire risk checks on boats, including the fitting of smoke detectors and advise on how to identify potential problems before a fire starts and what to do should a fire break out.

Donna Broadhead,Watch Manager Risk Reduction for Stoke-on-Trent, said:“The boating

holiday season and the boating festival has given us a good opportunity to meet lots of boat users in the city and advise them about safety issues.

“Although boat fires on inland waters are less common than fires on land, when they do occur they can have devastating consequences.

“Boats are often in remote locations with difficult access, which may result in firefighters taking longer to arrive at an incident and allowing a fire to totally destroy a boat and everything on board.”

For further information about boating fire safety, phone the Boat Safety Scheme on 01923 201278 or visit www.boatsafetyscheme. com/fire ● To book a free Home Fire Risk Check for your boat contact 0800 0241 999.

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13

Message

about the dangers of

grass fires

IN THE SWIM: Zafar Iqbal and Lifestyle Coach Emilio Davola after a training session at Tunstall pool.

City lifestyle programme is

changing people’s lives M

ORE and more people in Stoke-on-Trent are feeling fitter and healthier thanks to an innovative Lifestyle Programme that is tailored to their needs.

Eligible patients are assessed by their GP practice and if they meet the relevant medical criteria, they can be referred on to the programme.

They are then assigned to their fullytrained lifestyle coach to guide them through activities designed to tackle problems such as obesity.

The programme targets five key areas: physical activity levels, diet, smoking cessation, alcohol consumption and mental wellbeing.

The Lifestyle Programme is commissioned

by NHS Stoke on Trent with the Lifestyle Coach Service provided by Voluntary Action Stoke-on-Trent (VAST). Stoke-on-Trent City Council provide the bulk of the physical activity elements of the programme.

Chris Leese, Principle Health Improvement Manager at NHS Stoke on Trent, said: “The programme is a successful combination of colleagues in general practice,

the local authority and the voluntary sector working together to ensure individual participants achieve their healthier lifestyle goals.”

The programme is free to enter and the kind of activities that are usually paid for, such as visits to gyms and swimming baths, are free for a period and then available at a discounted rate. Free vouchers are provided for those who take part in Weight Watchers and Slimming World groups.

A key feature of the programme is that it is self managing – each person sets his or her own lifestyle change goals rather than being told what to do, therefore a certain level of self motivation is needed to achieve change.

Emilio Davola, one of a team of Lifestyle coaches, said: “Each client is carefully screened to ensure they water aerobics sessions for me take part in activities that will and introduced me to someone provide the maximum benefit. else on the programme who “They can opt to sign up to a became my badminton partner.” single activity or any number of Within just a few weeks Zafar them. This is a 12-month programme was feeling fitter, fresher and was but clients who make good enough able to enjoy life better – but the progress can leave it beforehand. full effects of the programme “The Lifestyle Programme is only became clear when he went benefiting an increasing number of people since it was launched two to his GP for a check up. years ago, and presently there are Zafar said:“I had not only lost around 280 new referrals a month.” well over a stone in weight, but Emilio added: “Most clients tell us my sugar levels were under how good they feel once they have control and the biggest surprise completed the programme – which is was that my cholesterol level very rewarding for the lifestyle was actually lower than average! coaches.”

“The Lifestyle Programme has ● Referral on to the programme is certainly changed my life for the via your GP practice – not everyone better and I would definitely will be eligible for referral, please recommend it.” check with your family doctor.

Grim warning was Zafar’s inspiration ZAFAR Iqbal was given a grim health warning when he visited his doctor in 2008. His blood levels were out of control due to Type 2 Diabetes, he was overweight and his cholesterol levels were alarmingly high.

Zafar’s doctor warned he was at risk from heart disease and other health problems and after suggesting some gentle exercise put him in touch with the Lifestyle Programme.

When he was younger Zafar enjoyed swimming so Emilio, his Lifestyle coach, arranged for Zafar to attend Tunstall swimming baths. However, Zafar was in for a shock.

He explained:“When I was

young I could swim very strongly and thought I would be able to do that again.

“As soon as I got into the pool I realised I couldn’t. Even a few yards was a struggle that left me out of breath.”

Regular swimming soon helped Zafar to gain some fitness.“I was never pushed, but encouraged to make progress at my own steady pace. It was great fun and I looked forward to every session.” he recalled.

As well as swimming, Zafar joined a walking group and took up badminton as well.

“My Lifestyle coach Emilio was always there for support and advice,” he recalled.“He arranged

PARENTS and guardians are being urged to make their children aware of the dangers associated with starting grass fires – after a spate of blazes during school holidays.

Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service attended 96 deliberately started blazes of this kind in Stoke-on-Trent during the Easter break.

As well as being a danger to young fire starters, other people and the environment – particularly as the fires can quickly get out of control – they also prevent firefighters from attending other incidents that may be life threatening.

Now with half term and the summer school holidays approaching the fire service is calling on people to ensure their children are fully aware of the risks.

These include the legal implications of starting grass fires which can lead to prosecution for arson.

The service’s Risk Reduction Manager, Simon Craythorn said: “The most common causes of grass fires are discarded cigarettes, which if thrown from a car window can ignite dry grass verges.

“However there are those people who set deliberate fires.

You can be sure people responsible for setting a grass fire intentionally, or any incident of arson, will face serious consequences.”

He added:“If you see a grass fire do not under any circumstances try and put it out yourself. Grass fires can travel very quickly and change direction without warning. Call the fire service and we will deal with it.”

Chief Fire Officer Peter Dartford said:“For every call we receive about a grass fire which has been needlessly set by an inconsiderate individual there could be a person desperately trying to get out of a burning building or trapped in a car crash in urgent need of our assistance.

“This is why we treat every call as seriously as the last, and when you’re dealing with hundreds a day it can take its toll.

“Responding to and tackling deliberate grass fires has as much to do with firefighting tactics and operational equipment as it has with prevention, education and enforcement.”

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Stoke-on-Trent leads the way with healthy living, envi

Brand new bike goes to city’s

super cyclist C

YCLING fanatic Christopher Heslop has racked up 34,000 miles cycling to and from work over the last six years...and his amazing feat has won him a new mountain bike.

Balloon artist Liam Ball joins in the fun at the cycle path opening with balloons shaped as a bike.

80 riders launch new track A NEW 1.6 kilometre long cycle path has been officially opened at Grange Park, Cobridge, as part of a £500,000 CycleStoke initiative.

Existing footpaths and links on Grange Park Greenway have been improved and a 2.5 metre wide path created between Pleasant Street and Festival Park. Work has also been completed on a key route between Stonor Street and Festival Way. The paths now connect with the national cycle route and are just one part of the £9.6 million Stoke-on-Trent Cycling City programme of improvements and projects over three years.

Launch day saw more than 80 cyclists turn up and 50 broken bikes fixed free of charge thanks to Doctor Bike, organised by the city council.

Phil Chatterley, CycleStoke Project Officer, said:“The day went very well. It’s a great facility and means the residents of Cobridge can cycle to Festival Park and out into wider Staffordshire.”

School scoops gala day prize CHILDREN at Ball Green Primary in Stoke-on-Trent were treated to a fun Cycling Gala day… thanks to their fantastic efforts at ditching the car to get to school.

The Gala was their prize for winning the 2009 Bike n Hike Challenge, a four-week Ball Green Primary School pupils attempt to cycle or Jessica Bowers, five, Jacob Howell, four, walk the equivalent of and Drew Dawson, five, with fun rider Land’s End to John Mr Doo from Solo Circus.

O’Groats to and from school. The Ball Green youngsters beat every other school in the city, managing a staggering 2,651 miles.

Head teacher Sharon May said:“I can’t tell you how proud I am.

They, and their parents and carers, really got the idea and put in a wonderful effort. The school has doubled bike storage to 70 spaces since it was first introduced last October and between 45 and 70 children now cycle to and from school every day.

CycleStoke Project Officer Phil Chatterley said:“They’re absolutely inspirational. It’s brilliant.”

The 43-year-old entered Our City’s free prize draw by simply telling Stoke-on-Trent City Council how his weekly 160-mile commute from Fenton to Stafford and back reduces his carbon footprint.

The married father of two has ridden a bike on and off for most of his life but it became more of a permanent fixture when his wife became pregnant with their second son about six years ago.

Chris handed over the family car to his wife Joy, 37, and first started riding 110 miles to and from his home to JCB in Cheadle. “It started as a necessity,” he said.

“I was unfit and it used to take me about an hour and a quarter to do 10 miles. It was very slow going. But by the time I was made redundant I’d got it down to about half an hour.”

So, as soon as he saw the mountain bike competition in Our City, he set about composing his entry email.

He wrote: “The way in which I help by reducing my carbon footprint, besides the obvious of switching off lights and unplugging everything when not in use, is by cycling from Fenton to Stafford to work every day... a total of 160 miles. When it snows I will go to work by public transport.”

“I have been cycling to and from work for nearly six years, five of those years was only to Cheadle, a measly 110 miles a week. While cycling to Cheadle, it was even in snowy weather.

“A new bike, wishful thinking, will certainly keep me on the road for a lot more years,

“I was surprised to win and very excited. I can’t wait to get my hands on the new bike,” Chris added.

Jane Forshaw, Head of Environmental Services at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: “I’m delighted the bike has been won by such a deserving cyclist.

“I’m amazed that he does so many miles a year. We should all be proud of his fantastic achievements.

“He’s a great example and a real role model in how he tries to live a low carbon life.”

Chris is now encouraging more people to take up cycling. “It’s a great way to cut your carbon footprint and experience the countryside.You get plenty of fresh air and get to see things you normally wouldn’t in a car,” he said.

Stress reliever He was out of work for about three months last year but kept up his fitness with 40 to 50 mile rides and then landed a new job at the Stafford Aluminium Window Company. He rides, mainly in shorts, come hail, rain or shine and only resorted to public transport when the snow defeated him.

“I set off about seven in the morning and it takes me about 50 minutes to get to Stafford. It can sometimes be very hard but I love cycling. It keeps the weight off, saves money and you get to see the countryside. It’s a good stress reliever unless a car cuts you up,” he said.

He and the family have given up their car and now all have bikes, his two boys Billy, aged 5 and Jack, 12, included. “Joy uses buses for work but we do go on trips on our bikes as a family,” he said.

Chris has had his current bike, a Claud Butler hybrid road machine, for about three years. “It’s falling to bits and has seen better days.

The front light, after you’ve hit a few bumps, swings round and shines in your eyes,” he said.

Our City competition winner Christopher Heslop from Fenton receives his new mountain bike from Head of Environmental Services Jane Forshaw.

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vironmentally friendly cycling initiative... an Our City special report

Soccer hero kicks off ‘Spoke City’ initiative Nisa Ahmed aged 10, of Waterside Primary School, locks her bike in the new storage racks.

Smart new racks add to museum facilities STOKE City defender Ryan Shawcross helps kick off a new cycle training initiative called Spoke City.

The England international has thrown his weight behind Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s CycleStoke team who are offering free training on the car park at the Britannia Stadium.

“Cycling’s great fun and a great way to keep fit so I’d encourage people to have a go,” he said.

You can learn to ride at the sessions to Level 1 and 2 Bikeability standard. Basic Cycle Maintenance is also provided. There are a limited number of cycles available for use on a first come, first served basis and all under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.

Sessions are being staged every Wednesday from 6pm to 8.30pm up until the end of September. Each session ends with an optional half-hour leisure ride.

Government grants help families enjoy

training courses C

YCLIST training for children and adults is being offered in Stokeon-Trent thanks to a £72,000 grant and special confidence building courses.

The city council has been awarded the Government money to spend on Bikeability Level 2 training for 1,800 Year 5 and 6 children across the city.

A contract has been awarded to Cycle Training Ltd to provide sessions and interested schools are being urged to contact the company direct.

Adults are being offered training at Cycle Confidence Camps being provided by CycleStoke at various locations across the city including leisure and community centres, Stoke

City and Port Vale football clubs and at the Civic Centre in Stoke.

Cycling City Project Officer Emily Robinson attended the free training even though she considers herself competent and experienced. “It totally changed my riding or more specifically my positioning. It really opened my eyes,” she said.

“I thought I was fine next to the kerb out of everyone’s way. But after the training I could suddenly see what a dangerous position I’d been putting myself in for all those years.”

Kim Moody had not been on a bike for years and lacked confidence as she went on a course while deciding if she should start cycling to work.

She said: “The cycle training provided by CycleStoke was both

informative and confidence building for me. Before I had finished I decided to buy a bike through the salary sacrifice scheme at work. I would encourage anyone who is considering cycling to go on the training, even seasoned cyclists, as it greatly helps with awareness and safety,” she said.

Schools organising training are being asked to contact Cycle Training Ltd on 01889 566281. Information leaflets on the Cycling Confidence Camps are available at cycle shops, libraries, local centres and the Civic Centre in Stoke. ● People can request a free leaflet by emailing cyclestoke@stoke.gov.uk by visiting www.cyclestoke.co.uk or by contacting the Transport Planning Group on 01782 238692.

PUPILS from Waterside Primary School in Hanley were the first to chain their bikes to CycleStoke’s new bike storage facilities at Etruria Industrial Museum.

The six new storage spaces were created by the museum’s resident blacksmith Charis Jones in order to increase the number of visitors who cycle to the attraction in a healthy and environmentally friendly way.

The pupils – and their bikes – were invited to the official unveiling of the six new stands in time for the museum’s re-opening after the winter break.

The hoops, which incorporate the CycleStoke logo in their iron framework, are designed to provide space for an additional 12 bikes – increasing the maximum number of spaces from eight to 20.

Councillor Derek Capey, Cabinet Member for Sport, Leisure, Parks and Open Spaces, said: “This city has continued to see the benefits of having cycling city status with the opening of new cycle paths and storage facilities like this.

“We are in the fortunate position to have someone as skilled as Charis to forge these unique cycle racks for visitors to use and we must now continue to push the importance of cycling in Stoke-on-Trent.”

Attractive ironwork by blacksmith Charis Jones.

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YEAR OF CELEBRATIONS MARK STOKE-ON-TRENT’S PROUD CENTENARY... 100 YEARS SINCE THE SIX TOWNS JOINED TOGETHER TO FORM THE FOUNDATIONS OF OUR CITY Members of the public helped nominate the local heroes whose names were put forward for the citizen of the century awards. Here, we spotlight the sons and daughters of Stoke-on-Trent whose names made up the proud roll of honour...

Men and women whose efforts put our great city on the map Action from last year’s Tour Series visit.

Tour Series cycles in to bike week line-up THE men’s Halford Tour Series cycle race is coming to Stoke-on-Trent again this year just two days before an exciting week long programme of events begin in the city to mark National Bike Week.

Ten teams will race on the streets of Hanley city centre on 17 June as the culmination to a whole days festival of cycling including a World Cup parade for children and a veterans’ race.

The city is also staging the only UK women’s professional race, the Horizon Fitness Grand Prix, sponsored by Stoke-on-Trent firm Horizon Fitness based on Festival Park. The races are being screened on ITV 4 with the day starting at 12 noon and racing getting underway at 2pm.

The city meanwhile is hosting several cycling events during the following week. The programme gets underway on 19 June with the CycleStoke team taking part in the Sanity Fair health street festival in Hanley to promote physical activity. There will be a display of extreme mountain bike stunts and the chance to ride a bike.

The city council is staging a leisure ride from Ford Green Hall to Biddulph Grange Country Park

followed by a picnic on 20 June as part of a series of leisure rides planned between March and October.

Age UK (formerly known as Age Concern) is arranging a ride between the Berryhill and Bradeley retirement villages while the Lyme Racing Club plans a 12-mile meander over the Maer Hills and the Newcastle Track Cycling Association is hosting a Lyme Valley Track Open Day on 21 June.

Parkhall Country Park is the venue on 26 June for the inaugural UK Mountain Bike Britain Short Track championships.

Riders will compete over a fast and furious course for British Cycling ranking points as well as a £1,000 cash prize.

The week ends with the opening of Stoke Cycle Speedway on 26 June as the Stoke Whiterock Cycle speedway club celebrate their new track in Etruria Park. People are being invited along to try out speedway bikes, which have no brakes and no gears.

The last event on 27 June is a bottle oven ride. ● You can get more details on all events by visiting www.cyclestoke.co.uk

Hunt is on for city stories A SHORT story writing competition, entitled ‘My City My Story’, is being run to celebrate the centenary of the Federation of the six towns.

The judges are looking for a story of up to 2,500 words, based in the city of Stoke-on-Trent or the immediate surrounding area.

It can be any style – fiction or non-fiction, prose or poetry – and it can be set in the past, the present or even the future.

Hopeful writers, who must be 16 or over, will be in line for a first prize of a Netbook computer, a second prize of £100 Waterstone’s vouchers or a third prize of £50 Waterstone’s vouchers.

The closing date for the competition, which is organised by Stoke-on-Trent Libraries, is 4pm on Saturday, 26 June, 2010.

Completed entries, typed, double line spaced and in English, should be sent to: Amy Shutler, City Central Library, Bethesda Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 3RS or emailed to amy.shutler@stoke.gov.uk Entrants should go to stoke.gov.uk/2010 for competition rules and the cover sheet which they need to attach to their entry.

Left, Jean Gough receives the Citizen of the Century award on behalf of her father, Sir Stanley Matthews and right, the Wizard of the Dribble in action against Leeds United’s Jack Charlton.

Daughter’s pride as Sir Stanley Matthews named

Stoke-on-Trent’s Citizen of the Century O

NE of the proudest moments of my life. That’s how Jean Gough described her feelings when it was announced that her late father, the Stoke City and England soccer legend Sir Stanley Matthews, was named as Stoke-on-Trent’s Citizen of the Century.

Jean was among 300 guests who celebrated the federation of the Six Towns 100 years ago with a glittering Federation Day Dinner at the King’s Hall.

Stoke, and she accepted the award on behalf of The Wizard of the Dribble who she affectionately calls Pops.

Sir Stan, who died shortly after his 85th birthday in February 2000, was among an impressive final shortlist

A cake made to celebrate the centenary.

of twelve contenders for one of Stoke-on-Trent’s highest honours. His daughter stepped forward to accept the impressive centenary ceramic Wedgwood bowl and said: “I know if Stan was here he would say ‘look at all these wonderful heroes here’ and for him to be among them is such a great honour.”

Sir Stan, Britain’s first soccer knight, was born in Hanley and played for Stoke City before joining Blackpool. He returned to Stoke in 1961 and helped their promotion to the old First Division, playing his last game in 1965 just five days after his 50th birthday.

Famous sons and daughters The sporting hero competed for the prestigious centenary title against a line-up of the city’s other famous sons and daughters, such as writer Arnold Bennett, Lord Jack Ashley, long-time MP for Stoke South and a vigorous campaigner on behalf of deaf people, pottery designer Clarice Cliff, the Spitfire inventor Reginald Mitchell, darts ace Phil Taylor and pop superstar Robbie Williams.

To qualify, each nominee had to either have been born, educated, lived or worked in the city in the past 100 years.

They also had to have made a difference in their chosen field, achieving recognition nationally or internationally for their work.

Jean has given the centenary bowl to her late father’s beloved Stoke City so it can be put on display with all the other memorabilia in the Sir Stanley Matthews museum at the Britannia Stadium.

Talking about the night when guests from the fields

of culture, sport and politics as well as invited citizens of Stoke-on-Trent came together to remember the city’s achievements, Jean said: “Walking up to receive the award made me feel very emotional. I could not help thinking that Stan would have been asking why he had been singled out for the honour instead of others he regarded as heroes such as Reginald Mitchell, Arnold Bennett and Lord Jack Ashley.

“However I know that he would have regarded this as the best honour he has ever received because it came from the city and the people that he loved.”

City Council Leader Councillor Ross Irving said: “The Citizen of the Year Award was a very fitting way to celebrate the centenary of the federation.

“Over the past 100 years so many people have made wonderful contributions to this city, and it was difficult to choose just one for the title – but I’m delighted that Sir Stan was chosen from a very strong field and that his daughter Jean was able to receive the award on his behalf.”

Councillor Irving added: “It also gave us

the chance to remember the achievements of people earlier in the 20th century which younger people today may not be aware of – such as the Duchess of Sutherland and Reginald Mitchell.”

Jack Ashley. 1922 Baron Ashley of Stoke is a Labour member of the House of Lords and served as Stoke-on-Trent South MP for 26 years until 1992. He became profoundly deaf at 45 after complications following surgery.

He was a noted campaigner for the deaf and blind and led the Thalidomide compensation fight in the 1970s.

Sir Oliver Lodge. 1851-1940 Thought of as a scientific genius, the inventor and physicist pioneered radio technology and is credited with transmitting radio signals a year before Marconi. He also patented an electronic spark ignition for the internal combustion engine. He was given the freedom of Stoke-on-Trent in 1928.

Gordon Banks OBE. 1937The legendary Stoke City Football Club and England goalkeeper who was part of England’s World Cup winning team in 1966. He won 73 caps for his country and turned out 194 times for the Potters.

He lost the sight in his right eye in a car crash in 1972. He is currently President of Stoke City Football Club.

Sir Stanley Matthews. 1915-2000 The ‘Wizard of the Dribble’ was the only footballer to be knighted while still playing.

At 50, he became the oldest professional still playing in England’s top division. He turned out more than 300 times for Stoke City and was capped 50 times by England. He was inducted into the City of Stoke-on-Trent Sporting Hall of Fame this year.

John Baskeyfield VC, 1922-1944 Born in Burslem, John Baskeyfield worked as a butcher in the town until he signed up to serve with the 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment, in the Second World War. During the Battle of Arnhem he commanded a pair of anti tank guns that destroyed several enemy tanks before the crews were killed. Baskeyfield subsequently fired the guns alone before he too was killed. He was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously for his bravery.

Arnold Bennett. 1867-1931 The city’s most well known author was born in Hanley and drew on his experiences of life in the Potteries to write his most famous works the Clayhanger trilogy and The Old Wives’ Tale. He referred to the city in his novels as “the five towns” and omitted Fenton.

Doug Brown. 1922-2002 Served twice as Lord Mayor of the city in 1983-84 and 1997-98 and worked as Stoke City Football Club’s physiotherapist. He founded the Lads’n’Dads football programme for children, which gave a start to famous players like Adrian Heath and Steve Bould.

Rock megastar Robbie Williams’ proud dad Pete Conway accepts a certificate and limited edition vase on behalf of his son.

Clarice Cliff. 1899-1972 Clarice started in the pottery industry at 13 and became one of the world’s most renowned ceramic artists.

Her Bizarre range was launched in 1927 and is still collected worldwide. Devotees from all over the world still come to the Potteries to worship their heroine.

Reginald Mitchell.

1895-1937 Designed the iconic Spitfire fighter plane, which played a pivotal role in enabling the RAF to win the Battle of Britain. Awarded the CBE in 1929, the Mitchell Memorial Theatre in Hanley is named after him. He died young from cancer at the age of 42.

Millicent, Duchess of Sutherland. 1867-1955 Married three times, the Duchess was a British society hostess and social reformer. She started the North Staffordshire Cripples Aid Society and established a Red Cross Ambulance unit in Belgium when the First World War broke out, which developed into a Red Cross hospital in France.

Phil Taylor. 1960 Known as ‘The Power’, Phil is widely regarded as the greatest professional darts player of all time. He has been World Champion a record 15 times and won 130 professional tournaments, more than twice as many as any other player. Phil was one of the first inductees into the City of Stoke-on-Trent Sporting Hall of Fame.

Robbie Williams. 1974 Robbie shot to fame with Take That as a 16-year-old in 1990 before leaving the band five years later. He has sold more than 55 million albums worldwide with seven of his studio albums reaching the UK No 1. He lives in Los Angeles and is the majority shareholder in Port Vale Football Club.

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YEAR OF CELEBRATIONS MARK STOKE-ON-TRENT’S PROUD CENTENARY... 100 YEARS SINCE THE SIX TOWNS JOINED TOGETHER TO FORM THE FOUNDATIONS OF OUR CITY Members of the public helped nominate the local heroes whose names were put forward for the citizen of the century awards. Here, we spotlight the sons and daughters of Stoke-on-Trent whose names made up the proud roll of honour...

Men and women whose efforts put our great city on the map Action from last year’s Tour Series visit.

Tour Series cycles in to bike week line-up THE men’s Halford Tour Series cycle race is coming to Stoke-on-Trent again this year just two days before an exciting week long programme of events begin in the city to mark National Bike Week.

Ten teams will race on the streets of Hanley city centre on 17 June as the culmination to a whole days festival of cycling including a World Cup parade for children and a veterans’ race.

The city is also staging the only UK women’s professional race, the Horizon Fitness Grand Prix, sponsored by Stoke-on-Trent firm Horizon Fitness based on Festival Park. The races are being screened on ITV 4 with the day starting at 12 noon and racing getting underway at 2pm.

The city meanwhile is hosting several cycling events during the following week. The programme gets underway on 19 June with the CycleStoke team taking part in the Sanity Fair health street festival in Hanley to promote physical activity. There will be a display of extreme mountain bike stunts and the chance to ride a bike.

The city council is staging a leisure ride from Ford Green Hall to Biddulph Grange Country Park

followed by a picnic on 20 June as part of a series of leisure rides planned between March and October.

Age UK (formerly known as Age Concern) is arranging a ride between the Berryhill and Bradeley retirement villages while the Lyme Racing Club plans a 12-mile meander over the Maer Hills and the Newcastle Track Cycling Association is hosting a Lyme Valley Track Open Day on 21 June.

Parkhall Country Park is the venue on 26 June for the inaugural UK Mountain Bike Britain Short Track championships.

Riders will compete over a fast and furious course for British Cycling ranking points as well as a £1,000 cash prize.

The week ends with the opening of Stoke Cycle Speedway on 26 June as the Stoke Whiterock Cycle speedway club celebrate their new track in Etruria Park. People are being invited along to try out speedway bikes, which have no brakes and no gears.

The last event on 27 June is a bottle oven ride. ● You can get more details on all events by visiting www.cyclestoke.co.uk

Hunt is on for city stories A SHORT story writing competition, entitled ‘My City My Story’, is being run to celebrate the centenary of the Federation of the six towns.

The judges are looking for a story of up to 2,500 words, based in the city of Stoke-on-Trent or the immediate surrounding area.

It can be any style – fiction or non-fiction, prose or poetry – and it can be set in the past, the present or even the future.

Hopeful writers, who must be 16 or over, will be in line for a first prize of a Netbook computer, a second prize of £100 Waterstone’s vouchers or a third prize of £50 Waterstone’s vouchers.

The closing date for the competition, which is organised by Stoke-on-Trent Libraries, is 4pm on Saturday, 26 June, 2010.

Completed entries, typed, double line spaced and in English, should be sent to: Amy Shutler, City Central Library, Bethesda Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent ST1 3RS or emailed to amy.shutler@stoke.gov.uk Entrants should go to stoke.gov.uk/2010 for competition rules and the cover sheet which they need to attach to their entry.

Left, Jean Gough receives the Citizen of the Century award on behalf of her father, Sir Stanley Matthews and right, the Wizard of the Dribble in action against Leeds United’s Jack Charlton.

Daughter’s pride as Sir Stanley Matthews named

Stoke-on-Trent’s Citizen of the Century O

NE of the proudest moments of my life. That’s how Jean Gough described her feelings when it was announced that her late father, the Stoke City and England soccer legend Sir Stanley Matthews, was named as Stoke-on-Trent’s Citizen of the Century.

Jean was among 300 guests who celebrated the federation of the Six Towns 100 years ago with a glittering Federation Day Dinner at the King’s Hall.

Stoke, and she accepted the award on behalf of The Wizard of the Dribble who she affectionately calls Pops.

Sir Stan, who died shortly after his 85th birthday in February 2000, was among an impressive final shortlist

A cake made to celebrate the centenary.

of twelve contenders for one of Stoke-on-Trent’s highest honours. His daughter stepped forward to accept the impressive centenary ceramic Wedgwood bowl and said: “I know if Stan was here he would say ‘look at all these wonderful heroes here’ and for him to be among them is such a great honour.”

Sir Stan, Britain’s first soccer knight, was born in Hanley and played for Stoke City before joining Blackpool. He returned to Stoke in 1961 and helped their promotion to the old First Division, playing his last game in 1965 just five days after his 50th birthday.

Famous sons and daughters The sporting hero competed for the prestigious centenary title against a line-up of the city’s other famous sons and daughters, such as writer Arnold Bennett, Lord Jack Ashley, long-time MP for Stoke South and a vigorous campaigner on behalf of deaf people, pottery designer Clarice Cliff, the Spitfire inventor Reginald Mitchell, darts ace Phil Taylor and pop superstar Robbie Williams.

To qualify, each nominee had to either have been born, educated, lived or worked in the city in the past 100 years.

They also had to have made a difference in their chosen field, achieving recognition nationally or internationally for their work.

Jean has given the centenary bowl to her late father’s beloved Stoke City so it can be put on display with all the other memorabilia in the Sir Stanley Matthews museum at the Britannia Stadium.

Talking about the night when guests from the fields

of culture, sport and politics as well as invited citizens of Stoke-on-Trent came together to remember the city’s achievements, Jean said: “Walking up to receive the award made me feel very emotional. I could not help thinking that Stan would have been asking why he had been singled out for the honour instead of others he regarded as heroes such as Reginald Mitchell, Arnold Bennett and Lord Jack Ashley.

“However I know that he would have regarded this as the best honour he has ever received because it came from the city and the people that he loved.”

City Council Leader Councillor Ross Irving said: “The Citizen of the Year Award was a very fitting way to celebrate the centenary of the federation.

“Over the past 100 years so many people have made wonderful contributions to this city, and it was difficult to choose just one for the title – but I’m delighted that Sir Stan was chosen from a very strong field and that his daughter Jean was able to receive the award on his behalf.”

Councillor Irving added: “It also gave us

the chance to remember the achievements of people earlier in the 20th century which younger people today may not be aware of – such as the Duchess of Sutherland and Reginald Mitchell.”

Jack Ashley. 1922 Baron Ashley of Stoke is a Labour member of the House of Lords and served as Stoke-on-Trent South MP for 26 years until 1992. He became profoundly deaf at 45 after complications following surgery.

He was a noted campaigner for the deaf and blind and led the Thalidomide compensation fight in the 1970s.

Sir Oliver Lodge. 1851-1940 Thought of as a scientific genius, the inventor and physicist pioneered radio technology and is credited with transmitting radio signals a year before Marconi. He also patented an electronic spark ignition for the internal combustion engine. He was given the freedom of Stoke-on-Trent in 1928.

Gordon Banks OBE. 1937The legendary Stoke City Football Club and England goalkeeper who was part of England’s World Cup winning team in 1966. He won 73 caps for his country and turned out 194 times for the Potters.

He lost the sight in his right eye in a car crash in 1972. He is currently President of Stoke City Football Club.

Sir Stanley Matthews. 1915-2000 The ‘Wizard of the Dribble’ was the only footballer to be knighted while still playing.

At 50, he became the oldest professional still playing in England’s top division. He turned out more than 300 times for Stoke City and was capped 50 times by England. He was inducted into the City of Stoke-on-Trent Sporting Hall of Fame this year.

John Baskeyfield VC, 1922-1944 Born in Burslem, John Baskeyfield worked as a butcher in the town until he signed up to serve with the 2nd Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment, in the Second World War. During the Battle of Arnhem he commanded a pair of anti tank guns that destroyed several enemy tanks before the crews were killed. Baskeyfield subsequently fired the guns alone before he too was killed. He was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously for his bravery.

Arnold Bennett. 1867-1931 The city’s most well known author was born in Hanley and drew on his experiences of life in the Potteries to write his most famous works the Clayhanger trilogy and The Old Wives’ Tale. He referred to the city in his novels as “the five towns” and omitted Fenton.

Doug Brown. 1922-2002 Served twice as Lord Mayor of the city in 1983-84 and 1997-98 and worked as Stoke City Football Club’s physiotherapist. He founded the Lads’n’Dads football programme for children, which gave a start to famous players like Adrian Heath and Steve Bould.

Rock megastar Robbie Williams’ proud dad Pete Conway accepts a certificate and limited edition vase on behalf of his son.

Clarice Cliff. 1899-1972 Clarice started in the pottery industry at 13 and became one of the world’s most renowned ceramic artists.

Her Bizarre range was launched in 1927 and is still collected worldwide. Devotees from all over the world still come to the Potteries to worship their heroine.

Reginald Mitchell.

1895-1937 Designed the iconic Spitfire fighter plane, which played a pivotal role in enabling the RAF to win the Battle of Britain. Awarded the CBE in 1929, the Mitchell Memorial Theatre in Hanley is named after him. He died young from cancer at the age of 42.

Millicent, Duchess of Sutherland. 1867-1955 Married three times, the Duchess was a British society hostess and social reformer. She started the North Staffordshire Cripples Aid Society and established a Red Cross Ambulance unit in Belgium when the First World War broke out, which developed into a Red Cross hospital in France.

Phil Taylor. 1960 Known as ‘The Power’, Phil is widely regarded as the greatest professional darts player of all time. He has been World Champion a record 15 times and won 130 professional tournaments, more than twice as many as any other player. Phil was one of the first inductees into the City of Stoke-on-Trent Sporting Hall of Fame.

Robbie Williams. 1974 Robbie shot to fame with Take That as a 16-year-old in 1990 before leaving the band five years later. He has sold more than 55 million albums worldwide with seven of his studio albums reaching the UK No 1. He lives in Los Angeles and is the majority shareholder in Port Vale Football Club.

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BBQ season sees food hygiene at top of the menu

18-year-old advocate in city’s children’s pledge launch

FOOD hygiene is top of the menu as the start of the barbecue season lights up.

Last year 342 people in Stoke-on-Trent became ill from food poisoning, and a few simple steps, especially around cooking over charcoal or on a gas grill, can prevent a thoroughly miserable experience.

Martyn Brindley, the city council’s Head of Regulatory Services, said: “People should not worry unduly about food poisoning: just storing, handling and cooking food properly will minimise the risk.”

Top tips from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) include: ● Cook food properly to kill bugs. Make sure poultry, pork, burgers and sausages are cooked all the way through with no pink meat or juices!

Stoke-on● Check your food is steaming hot all the Trent’s Champion for way through before serving.

Children Sue Thomas ● Store raw meat covered and at the with Ade Clarke, who is bottom of the fridge away from using his experience of ready-to-eat food. growing up in foster care ● Never use the same chopping board to help promote the for raw meat and ready-to-eat foods city council’s without washing board and knife services. thoroughly first. ● Always wash your hands when preparing food and store food at the right temperature. Food that needs to be chilled should be kept in the fridge between 0°C and 5°C. On a picnic use a cool bag to keep food chilled until ready to eat. ● For more information look on the city council’s website at stoke.gov.uk/ foodsafety or go to eatwell.gov.uk/ keepingfoodsafe

Spice up your life with chicken curry THIS easy recipe for chicken curry has been drawn up by the Food Standards Agency.

Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 large onion – chopped; 2 cloves of garlic – chopped fine; 1 large tomato – chopped; 1 tbsp tomato puree; 1 medium chilli – chopped; quarter tsps of chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder; 2 tbsps water; 250g boneless chicken, chopped; 1 tbsp natural yoghurt; pepper to taste; 130g basmati rice; 160g cauliflower. To garnish: fresh ginger finely chopped and 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander.

Method: 1. Wash your hands, work surfaces, utensils and chopping boards before you start cooking.

2. Prepare all ingredients making sure to wash hands, utensils and chopping board after preparing the chicken. Keep the raw chicken away from the other ingredients.

3. Heat the oil and fry the onions until soft.

Add garlic, tomato, tomato puree, chopped chilli and spices. Cook for a few minutes and then add 2 tablespoons of water and allow to reduce.

4. Add chicken and cook for 10-15 minutes on a medium heat, then add in yoghurt stirring slowly. Season with black pepper and simmer for a further 5-10 minutes.

5. Make sure that the chicken is cooked until steaming hot all the way through and that no pink meat remains. Meanwhile, cook the rice following the packet instructions and boil or steam the cauliflower until tender.

6. Garnish the curry with ginger and coriander.

7. Serve with rice and cauliflower.

11 years in foster care helps Ade promote his

positive experience C

HILDREN being looked after by Stoke-on-Trent City Council can expect a brighter future thanks to a pledge outlining what the city council will do to improve their lives.

The five-page document covers four key areas and sets out promises and standards for around 400 children in care and those who have left care. ● On service delivery, the city council promises to give children a good home and help them stay fit and healthy. This covers areas like where they live and who their carers and social workers are. ● On involvement, the city council promises to respect their views and give children a say in decisions affecting their lives.Young people are being assured they can have a say in anything from their own review to the complaints procedure. ● On achievements and milestones, children are promised help to get the best out of life at school and college and with their moves from care to independent, adult lives. ● The fourth area covers individuality and promises to help children develop into the best people they can be by championing their interests and helping them make the most of their talents.

It pledges to help children keep links with their families as far as possible and to get life enhancing experiences and happy memories.

The ‘Pledge’ document was developed by the city’s Children in Care Council (CICC) which is made up of young people in care or who are care leavers, and formally endorsed when it was presented to a full Council meeting earlier this year.

The ‘Pledge’ may now be extended to all children in the city.

Sue Thomas, the city’s Champion for Children, said: “This has evidenced that the CICC and the city council have listened to children in care. Every single child has a voice. We have around 400 in care in the city and every single one should be listened to.”

Positive experience She thinks it will lead to better monitoring and improvements in service and welcomes input from young people who have had a positive experience as well as challenges from those where their care plan has not worked so well.

18-year-old Ade Clarke has had a positive experience in the care system, having spent the last 11 or 12 years with foster parents he now considers Mum and Dad. He helped shape the Pledge and

delivered it in a five-minute speech to a meeting of the full Council. He serves on the CICC and works part-time for it as an administrator.

“I’ve had a great time in care. The Pledge is very important. We’re trying to make changes for young people in care so they get better placements and better support from social workers,” he said.

Ade’s work has just been recognised at the Children and Young People’s Trust Awards for Engagement event, hosted by the Voluntary Action Children and Families Engagement Service at the civic centre. He picked up the trophy for Young Ambassador for the over 16s.

His nomination read: “Ade is a young man who has faced significant challenges in his life, yet grabs opportunities with both hands and shares the good stuff through his common sense and empathy with others.

“He is a natural mediator and has a view of life that is based on what can be done rather than what is unrealistic. Ade loves the work he does, the people he works with and the challenge of doing things in the best way possible. This attitude is very important when supporting others and communicating the views of a wide group, which he does on behalf of the Children in Care Council.”

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19

Youth forum workers make

big difference on estate T

EENAGE members of the Blurton Youth Forum are quietly making a big noise for the benefit of their community.

The forum meets on a weekly basis to discuss issues and problems affecting young people and the area as a whole before they feed their ideas back to organisations like the police or Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s neighbourhood teams.

Members provide the youth voice on the Blurton Community Steering Group and help organise and run community events like the forthcoming Family Fun Day at the Blurton Millpond on 5 June.

Lucy Dyer, 14, who has been a Forum member for two years, said: “A youth worker came to the talk about the Forum in assembly so I joined to get my voice heard.

“There was nothing to do around here so I talked about getting more stuff to do, more activities. Now we have youth facilities at Wimbourne Avenue so we have been able to help shape things.”

14-year-old Jess Pratt, who joined the Forum about a year ago, said: “We have made a difference. Now there are not as many lads on the streets in gangs. It’s time well spent when I come to the meetings.”

Chantelle Osborne, 15, who has just been elected to the Stoke-on-Trent Youth Council, has also been on the Forum for two years and agrees with her friends on the need for a clean up of public parks in the area.

“Kids want to come with their parents but they can’t,” she said. A meeting is now being set up so the Forum can pass their concerns to police and neighbourhood teams.

Great commitment Kevin Hawkins, the area implementation officer for neighbourhood management, said: “The Forum is a great way to make sure all age ranges are heard. I’m very proud of the Forum members. They’ve shown great commitment and the improvements in the area have been massive.”

Youth Development Worker Andrew Johnston said: “Working with Kevin is an example of how youth services are working in partnership with other agencies.

“The Forum has given young people a voice and is a shining example of how young people are working in their community.”

‘‘’’

We have made a difference. Now there are not as many lads on the streets in gangs.

It’s time well spent when I come to the meetings. JESS PRATT Any young people who want to get involved with the work of the Forum can do so by contacting Andrew Johnston at youth services by phoning 07717 714187 or emailing andrew.johnston@stoke.gov.uk

Our City reports back on convictions secured to make Stoke-on-Trent safer for us all...

SOUTH WESTERN NEIGHBOURHOOD – DRUGS HOARDER JAILED: Stoke man Darren Keen has been jailed for five years after stashing drugs worth more than £100,000 in his sister’s loft. Police found cocaine and amphetamine at the property in Harpfields Road, Trent Vale and a cannabis plant at Keen’s house in Fontaine Place.

Keen, 40, admitted possession of cocaine and amphetamine with intent to supply.

He also admitted production of cannabis.

Keen told police he had wanted to sell the drugs, which had been in the loft for 10 to 12 months, but could not find a buyer.

EASTERN NEIGHBOURHOOD – BLOODIED BURGLAR: Burglar Shaun Wallace was caught after a bloodied bandage found at the crime scene was linked to him. The 22-year-old of Cliveden Road, Bucknall got into the house in Hanley through a utility room window while the homeowners were in bed.

Wallace, who has an extensive criminal record, admitted burglary with intent to steal and was given an eight-month jail sentence suspended for two years, 18 months supervision, 180 hours unpaid work and told to attend thinking skills and alcohol treatment programmes.

NORTHERN NEIGHBOURHOOD – NEW POWERS: Police have been given new powers to tackle “hard core” groups of troublemaking youths on the streets of Norton and Ball Green. A Section 30 Dispersal Zone is now in force, which aims to stop antisocial behaviour, and gives officers the power to disperse groups of two or more people and take under 16s home after 9pm. Inspector Mark Hardern, commander of Tunstall neighbourhood policing, said:“We don’t want people to feel frightened or discouraged from using public places because of the behaviour of certain groups of people.”

Youth Development Worker Andrew Johnston with Blurton Youth Forum members, left to right, Jess Pratt, Chantelle Osborne and Lucy Dyer.

Complaints procedure improved for quicker response THE time it takes to investigate complaints about Stoke-on-Trent City Council is being reduced thanks to the streamlining of the authority’s complaints procedure.

Eight key changes that have been introduced will also help to make the complaints process more accessible to everyone.

One improvement is a new online system that gives customers an instant reference number so they can track their feedback through the system.

Also, training has been provided for investigating officers to ensure a thorough investigation takes place in the first instance.

John van de Laarschot, the city council’s Chief Executive, said:“We want to make sure that people receive the best possible service from the city council at all times, but if we do make mistakes and people have cause to complain, they need to know it is being dealt with quickly and efficiently to get things right.”

SOUTH EASTERN NEIGHBOURHOOD – DEALER JAILED: Drug dealer Mark Stewart, who got a four-year jail sentence in 2002 for supplying cocaine, has been locked up again. Stewart, 40, from Ramsey Street, Fenton, has been jailed for three years this time after he was arrested with heroin worth £200. Stewart appeared at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court and admitted possession of diamorphine with intent to supply. Judge Robert Trevor-Jones told him:“Your life has been almost destroyed by your drug dependency.”

WESTERN NEIGHBOURHOOD – NEW CAMERA: A new security camera could monitor drinkers and drug addicts who cause trouble outside the Jobcentre in Hanley. Stoke-on-Trent City Council wants to install the camera in Upper Huntbach Street now Jobcentre Plus has moved there. It comes as an Alcohol Restriction Zone has been introduced to stop people drinking in public in the area. Paul Breeze, chairman of the Hanley One Residents’ Association, said:“The camera will be a welcome addition to the Alcohol Restriction Zone and antisocial behaviour orders.”

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Diversity champ scoops

fire award

S

TOKE-ON-TRENT was well represented among the honours announced at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service’s 2010 MORE Awards which recognise outstanding contribution and dedication.

The city’s firefighters and support staff won one of the 11 categories and were runners-up in no less than four others despite stiff competition from nominations from all over the county.

The prestigious annual awards, now in their third year, were announced during a ceremony at The Moat House in Stoke-onTrent.

One of the main accolades – Diversity Champion – went to Tracey Cresswell, Neighbourhood Co-ordinator for South Stoke-onTrent for her voluntary work on equality and diversity projects.

In particular the award honoured Tracey’s work as a member of the Equality and Diversity Focus Group in supporting women and those

from black, minority and ethnic groups across the city by campaigning in schools to promote a firefighting career to young girls.

Tracey has also worked with Asian women to open up the possibility of them considering a career as a firefighter – and in her own time has visited fire stations to assess the quality of facilities for men and women staff.

Highlight After receiving her award Tracey said: “I’m very proud. It’s great to be recognised for the work I’ve been doing alongside the rest of the team. A highlight for me has been the days I organised that gave Asian ladies an insight into the fire and rescue service and the career options available to them – these days were very rewarding.”

Firefighters from Hanley were runners-up for the only category of the MORE awards to be nominated by the public. A teacher from Haywood High School nominated Jim Taffe, Majid Ullah, Rob Ward, Neil Cheshire, Steve Atherdon, Matt

Award winner Tracey Cresswell gives Zainab Iqbal, 12, and Hannaa Akram an idea of life working as a firefighter as part of her community outreach work.

Buiskool, Bob Bennett, Krissi Evans and Chris Elkin for putting nearly 60 students through their junior firefighters course in the last three years. Keith Stubbs, Area Commander for South Staffs, was short-listed for the Services to the Community award for his voluntary work with Swan Bank Methodist Church, Burslem, supporting less fortunate people in the

community. Runners-up for the Innovation and Improvement award was the Transport and Engineering Workshop Management Team of Rob Mason, Glynn Cox, Mick Elkin and Dave Fletcher who committed much of their own time to ensure the move to the new £3 million Transport and Engineering Maintenance Facility at Trentham Lakes from the old

workshop at Hanley went smoothly. Rob and Glynn also had a major input in the design of the new building.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council was short-listed for the Partner of Choice category for ensuring that Social Care and Health staff are properly trained to identify fire risks in the homes of elderly and vulnerable people when making care visits.

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Link-up with young people

pays off for communities A

Police and the city council are working closely together in Norton and the Westbourne Drive district of Tunstall, parts of the city where residents have been particularly affected by nuisance and antisocial conduct.

The imaginative approach – which includes the provision of activities for young people to keep them out of trouble – is beginning to show positive results.

The number of calls to police reporting antisocial behaviour in Norton and Ball Green has

21

Fun day gives out a serious message

Sports leaders Darren Swift and Amaan Merali run a soccer training session at the Norton Activity Centre.

N innovative partnership is being successful in tackling the problem of antisocial behaviour in two targeted areas of Stoke-onTrent made up mainly of council and ex-council properties.

Our City

dropped by 36 per cent, while calls from residents in Tunstall’s Westbourne Drive area are down by 19 per cent.

Police and council officers work together in the “engagement and enforcement” initiative that includes the use of Antisocial Behaviour Contracts (ABCs). If this fails, or in more serious cases, the team can resort to applying to the courts for an Antisocial Behaviour Order (ASBO).

They also work closely with Stoke-on-Trent City Council’s StreetGames project and youth service that steer young people away from things like drugs and knife crime through sporting activities.

However, the police and council partnership also have get-tough tactics at their disposal if necessary. For instance the noise nuisance and danger of off-road

motorbikes being ridden along The Greenway in Tunstall was combated by the erection of trip rails to prevent access.

Offenders also know that if caught their bikes will be confiscated and their families may lose their homes as a result of them being identified by the council for an eviction order.

Positive input With the agreement of residents’ representatives, police can also use Section 30 powers under which they can arrest young people who are in groups of two or more causing trouble and take them home to confront their parents.

There are also two notable examples of how positive input by the police, councillors and the youth service has helped to reduce antisocial behaviour:

Olympic chief praises city sports DOUBLE Olympic champion Sebastian Coe has praised Stoke-on-Trent’s attitude towards sport and believes its young and upcoming athletes are in gold medal position when it comes to gearing up for the 2012 London games.

Lord Coe, who won gold at the Moscow and Los Angeles games in the 1980s, was guest of honour at the Stoke-on-Trent Sports Personality of the Year Awards. He said:“The city has a fantastic record of encouraging young sportsmen and women and during my visit I have seen facilities and standards of coaching that show the real

attitude of the city towards sport and how it encourages young people towards excellence in their chosen field.

“I’ve seen how Stoke-on-Trent can compete at every level when it comes to the Olympics – and the prospect of taking part in the Games is a massive inspiration for a young athlete.

“Stoke-on-Trent is not only up to the challenge of being an Olympic City, it is far beyond the level of other cities I have seen.”

At Norton the partnership has organised six nights of activities at Norton Activity Centre as well as a boxing club and in addition four hours of free soccer coaching is provided by Port Vale Community Football.

At Tunstall an issue with young people was tackled by getting them involved in a litter pick in their area in exchange for two hours of free sport activities with the StreetGames programme.

Inspector Mark Hardern, Commander of Tunstall Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “It’s a common complaint that young people get into trouble because they have nothing to do, so one way we are tackling antisocial behaviour is by providing them with the activities that will keep them out of trouble and help their personal and physical development.

“By working closely with the city council and the community in these two neighbourhoods we are able to improve the quality of life for residents.”

Northern Neighbourhood Manager Steve Price said: “The City Council has invested significantly into the Norton Activity site and into establishing Streetgames, youth services and boxing activities in the area.

“We are really excited and pleased at how successful the partnership schemes have become. It shows that when we all work together it can make a real difference.”

THOUSANDS of people joined the celebrations when Stokeon-Trent marked World Health Day for the first time.

NHS Stoke on Trent and the city council as well as a host of partners teamed up to organise a day packed with free fun and informative activities in Central Forest Park, Burslem Park and the city centre. In Central Forest Park, which attracted around 7,000 people, one of the main attractions was a fitness and games area hosted by Stoke City Football Club, Port Vale Football Club, Youth Services, the Army and local cadets and local businesses and organisations.

Other attractions at Central Forest Park included dance groups and advice on growing vegetable and healthy eating, while in the city centre restaurants put on healthy cookery demonstrations and at Burslem Park there were health and fitness demonstrations, clay sculptures, flower arranging and much more.

Judy Kurth, Local Strategic Partnership Strategic Co-ordinator- Health, said: “People really enjoyed the day and many of them said they were impressed with the tips and ideas about how to improve their own health.”

City has new superhero DESTINA Mangala has joined the ranks of Clean Air Superheroes for Stoke-on-Trent.

The five-year-old from Northwood won a bike in a city council competition with her pledge to get more exercise on bikes.

She entered while visiting the Clean Air Superheroes exhibition being staged at the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery.

The exhibition featured superheroes Travis the Time Traveller and Fiona Freeze who were created along with Professor Pollutant to highlight air pollution in the city and to encourage people to find greener ways to travel.

Her mum Nicky said:“She’s really chuffed to have won the bike.”

Martyn Brindley, Head of Regulatory Services at the city council, said:“It’s great that Destina, along with approximately 300 other people who took part in the competition are helping to improve the air quality in Stoke-on-Trent.”

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Creating a healthier and safer city

New zones stop rogue traders in their tracks THE introduction of No Cold Calling Zones in residential areas across the city is helping to significantly crack down on unwanted visits from rogue traders, distraction burglars and bogus callers. By the end of April, 12 zones had been set up covering more than 3,500 properties, spanning the length and breadth of the city.

The scheme set up by the council’s Trading Standards team in conjunction with Staffordshire Police and Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service – and funded by the Safer City Partnership – is targeted at unscrupulous traders, property developers and people who pose as bogus officials and mainly target elderly and vulnerable people.

The pilot scheme was set up in the Forest Park area of the city, near to Hanley, in October last year and the first six-month evaluation demonstrated it had been a real success.

More than 93 per cent of people living in the community said they felt safer in their homes as a result of the scheme being set up and 94 per cent felt the zone had been a success.

Since then the project has been rolled out city-wide and the latest zone to be set up is in the Newford estate, Smallthorne.

Trading Standards Advice Manager Val Edmonds said: “In setting up the zones we identify areas where there have been a number of incidents and there is a concentration of elderly or vulnerable people.

“Then we discuss the idea with the local community and if the vast majority back the idea we introduce a No Cold Calling Zone.

“Posters are put up throughout the area warning traders that it is a No Cold Calling Zone and all residents are issued with a sticker to put into their front windows and information about how to avoid falling victim to bogus callers and rogue traders.

“We are extremely pleased the scheme has been such a success in the pilot area and are confident this will be mirrored in all the zones.”

MAKING A CLEAN SWEEP...

Environmental Services Manager Carol Gibbs and Ground and Cleansing Team Leader Karl Timperley during a clean up at Festival Park.

Cast of hundreds sign up to city’s biggest ever

community clean-up

T

HE biggest ever city-wide clean up operation has been organised to enhance green spaces, reduce environmental antisocial behaviour and tidy up key public areas.

The Cleaning and Greening Days involved more than 500 staff from the city council’s Environmental Services Team and the Future Jobs Fund joined around 250 community and private sector volunteers to spruce up streets, parks, open spaces and town centres.

Organisations such as British Waterways, JCB, the Highways Agency, Michelin, Groundwork and Community Payback were involved in the city-wide operation which saw around 80 sites tackled in a 12 hour period.

A NEW project is being launched in time for this summer’s World Cup, helping to clamp down on alcoholrelated violence.

Police officers will target unruly drinkers in the city centre on peak nights (Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays) and at key times such as when England games are shown in bars.

Community alcohol workers from Adsis will be in the city centre before most matches, talking to fans about

Over the course of the two days the teams collected 1,800 bags of litter (around 47 tonnes), cleaned 82 road signs, felled five dangerous trees, pruned 157 more trees, swept 366,800m of highways (around 250 miles), collected 36 tonnes of silt, cut 104,000 square metres of grass, swept 10 terraced streets, repaired and painted 300m of fencing and installed six new bins.

The city council also jetwashed 500m of footpaths, 15 bus shelters and two bridges, as well as removing graffiti from 34 lampposts and 12 walls.

City council Chief Executive John van de Laarschot said: “This is about making Stokeon-Trent a place that can stand up and say ‘we have clean and green streets for everyone in the city’ and showing the community we

are committed to keeping things that way.

“Events like this give people confidence in the city council to keep Stoke-on-Trent looking good and making sure we care for the environment.

“Now the event is over we want to hear from people who have spotted areas around the city that need tidying up. We want people getting involved, telling us where hotspots are and what needs to be done.

“We are encouraging people to feel part of this and take real pride in their city by volunteering to help our teams and working with us to address the problem areas.”

■ If you spot a problem area let us know by calling 01782 234234 or email cleanand green@stoke.gov.uk

World Cup clampdown on unruly drinkers and antisocial behaviour enjoying their night while staying safe. Police will approach people who are drunk and disorderly, ask them to leave the city centre and not return for 48 hours.

A record of problem people will be kept and alcohol awareness sessions may be offered to prevent further

offences. Suzie Kelly, Alcohol Programme Lead for the Safer City Partnership, said:“This approach allows us to target low-level alcohol misuse such as binge-drinking on nights out.

“We are doing this because of the associated links between violence and

drinking too much alcohol.

“It is important to separate those who know their limits from those who don’t.”

Persistent offenders will be dealt with through a Drink Banning Order application, barring them from all licensed premises within the city.

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Our City

23

A two-page special Our City report

Push button system boosts

shopkeeper security New wireless link up gives a hotline to deter thieves and reduce antisocial behaviour

S

HOPKEEPERS are benefiting from a new state-of-art system allowing them to alert other local traders to potential security threats at the push of a button.

A network of 32 wirelesslylinked AlertBox devices have been set up in stores in Smallthorne enabling retailers to send messages warning about theft, antisocial behaviour, forged bank notes and other potential criminal activity, as well as call for help.

The AlertBox is about the size of a paperback book and has six buttons and a screen. Depending on which button is pressed, other shops in the community get a text message indicating the nature of the problem.

Community events The scheme, which is being piloted in the close-knit community – mainly on Ford Green Road – offers particular peace of mind to people who work alone in shops. If successful, the plan is to seek funding to roll out the Home Office-financed project to other communities within the city.

Safer Neighbourhoods Programme Lead Mike Brunt said: “The scheme went live in March with a view to clamping down on antisocial behaviour and low level crime in the area and providing reassurance to traders whilst improving relationships between them and the police.

“At the touch of a button traders can communicate quickly

SAFETY NET...

PCSO Hannah Mayer, Community Safety Project Co-ordinator Mike Brunt and shop assistant Pauline Slater outside Slack’s greengrocer and florist in Smallthorne.

and discreetly. People who work in stores on their own are finding it particularly beneficial because it adds peace of mind and allows them to get in touch with other traders quickly if they need to.”

Although in its early stages, the scheme has already been hailed a success. Pauline Slater, a shop assistant at Slack’s greengrocer and florist store on Ford Green Road said: “I think it is a

Safer City Partnership scoops national award ALCOHOL awareness and treatment services in Stoke-onTrent have scooped the top accolade at a new national awards ceremony.

The city’s commissioning capacity in alcohol treatment was named the winner of the Most Useful Project of the Year 2009 award at the inaugural Hub

of Commissioned Alcohol Projects and Policies (HubCAPP) event.

In 2009, the Safer City Partnership identified gaps in services and as a result established an Alcohol Delivery Plan and four new services were set up. Suzie Kelly, Programme Lead for Alcohol for the Safer

City Partnership said: “We are extremely pleased that Stokeon-Trent has been recognised in this manner.

This award is testament to the partnership work between commissioners, service users and service providers locally and we are delighted to have been acknowledged by our peers.”

wonderful scheme. The main thing it does is provide me and others who work in shops on their own with reassurance. I think all the shopkeepers and workers think it is a great idea.”

PCSO Hannah Mayer of the Burslem, Smallthorne and Bradeley Neighbourhood Policing Unit said: “As well as reducing the fear of crime I think another important thing that the AlertBox does is instill a greater sense of community in the area and I think we will see that develop as time goes by” A full evaluation of the impact of the system will take place after is has been up and running for three months. The Safer City Partnership will take this information to analyse where else it could be used in the city.

Measures pay off with fall in youth crime THE number of young people involved in crime in the city – as well as the number of offences that have taken place – has significantly fallen, according to the latest figures.

The number of offences committed by young people in Stoke-on-Trent has dropped from 2,318 in 2006/07 to 778 in 2009/10.

The actual number of young people committing these offences fell from 1,039 to 362 over the same time period. The latest figures, presented to the city council’s Children and Young People’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee, come in the wake of the launch of the Youth Crime Action Plan in 2008.

Backed by Government funding, the plan involved setting up a wide range of measures to tackle the problem including new and refurbished youth centres.

The statistics also show that there is a continued reduction in the number of young people entering the youth justice system and a continued reduction of re-offending.

John Tate of the Youth Offending Team said:“These are fantastic results and prove that the effort that has been put in is really paying off in a big way.”

Support group in celebration AN independent support group which offers invaluable help to carers, family and friends of drug or substance users is celebrating its 10th anniversary this summer.

Assist 2000 provides support to anyone who is connected to someone who misuses substances.

Members meet once a week at a venue supplied through the Safer City Partnership and discuss issues affecting them in a confidential and non-prejudiced atmosphere.

Expert speakers from agencies such as the Probation Service and Drugs Rehabilitation teams also address the meetings. Specialist nurses pass on information about substances and their affects on users as well as information about treatments that can be offered.

The group, which is funded through donations from the Safer City Partnership and organisations such as Robbie William’s “Give it Sum” charity, also offers respite weekends twice a year so members can enjoy a break away with time to relax.

Anyone who wants to join the group should call the Adult Community Drug Service on 01782 219777 and ask for the Family Development Worker.

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Special report on recycling and composting

for Stoke

Flats residents join forces to lighten the recycling load COMPOSTING is proving a big hit at two blocks of flats where residents turned to Stoke-on-Trent City Council for help when revised household rubbish collections left some struggling with their bin bags.

Up until last autumn, council cleaners at the nine storey Port Vale and Arthur Cotton Courts in Burslem carried people’s bags to the collection skip outside. But rule changes meant that stopped for everyone but the elderly, vulnerable or those with mobility problems.

Some worried their bags were too heavy to carry downstairs so the Hamil Heights Residents’ Association came up with an inspired solution.

The organisation decided to lighten people’s load through composting and got in touch with the city council to help set up the scheme. A composting bin has now been provided so residents can dispose of green and brown waste like tea bags, vegetable peelings, egg boxes and garden clippings as they go along.

44-year-old Annette Bellyou, Secretary of the Residents’ Association, said:“We’re a street in the sky so living in a block of flats has its difficulties where bins are concerned.

Annette Bellyou, of the Hamil Heights Residents’ Association, is a keen recycler and composter.

“We don’t have the recycling bins people have in houses so we felt residents were missing out. I went to the city council with our idea and they said it was excellent. They were very keen. Now about 40 per cent of people here have taken up the scheme so we’re really chuffed. People seem to like the

idea and it’s working really well.”

The recycling initiative makes rubbish disposal easier and has the added benefit of producing compost for residents’ use.

Rachel Gumbley, Waste Minimisation Officer at the city council, said:“It was a great idea that proves people do think

about their waste. We were only too pleased to help out and would encourage more residents there to take up the scheme.”

The flats also have recycling containers for cans, glass and paper and are next set to get a container so they can recycle plastics like margarine tubs and plastic milk bottles.

New deal set to boost

green city drive A

MULTI million pound contract has been awarded for the recycling of Stoke-on-Trent’s garden, food and cardboard waste.

The city council has signed a 10-year deal with Vital Earth of Ashbourne worth between £600,000 and £750,000 a year.

The contract has a three-year break clause, which gives the city council the option of pursuing other contracts for alternative types of recycling for food and garden waste.

Cut price bins up for grabs DISCOUNTED compost bins are being offered via a special recycling website involving Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

The Recycle for Staffordshire and Stoke initiative offers composting converters and rain-saving water butts and advice on how to use them.

Go to www.staffs.getcom posting.com for special offers.

Before the introduction of the enhanced recycling scheme, garden waste collected in brown bins from 80,000 households was recycled through an open air composting process. Government regulations meant food and cardboard could not be processed this way and instead went to produce energy at the Hanford Energy from Waste plant.

The award of the contract now means that a combination of food, green and cardboard waste is being turned into award winning, organic compost at Vital Earth’s state of the art £10 million plant in Derbyshire.

The contract was awarded after a European tender process and builds on the success of a trial in Meir and Bentilee involving 14,000 properties in spring 2009.

In Bentilee, the recycling rate increased by 86 per cent and overall composting by 195 per cent.

Thirteen city council refuse collection vehicles will now unload at a licensed waste transfer depot provided by Vital Earth in Longton and the firm will then bulk transfer the material to its plant.

The scheme is already showing early signs of success in Stokeon-Trent and contributed to an overall percentage jump of around 10 per cent in the city’s recycling rate in 2009-10 The city council has yet to receive its officially audited recycling rate for a full year using the new system.

Jane Forshaw, Head of Environmental Services, said: “The contract we have signed enables us to recycle waste in a more efficient way and guarantees that it will be making a significant contribution to the environment.

“We are constantly looking for new ways to improve our methods of recycling and this contract will allow us to expand a service we are already proud of.

Indeed, we are trailing Vital Earth’s award winning compost in growing our award winning plants at the council’s Greenhouse 2000 facility.”

All areas of Stoke-on-Trent benefit from recycling collections and the new enhanced scheme involving Vital Earth covers three quarters of the city. A review is underway of those areas not currently taking part.

Waste Minimisation officer Rachel Gumbley with Commercial Services Manager Andy Mayer.

City’s garden waste produces award-winning compost GARDEN waste from Stoke-on-Trent is being recycled and used to make award-winning compost.

Material recycled through the city council’s brown bin scheme is used in two Vital Earth products, which made the top three in a Which? Gardening consumer magazine test of container compost.

Vital Earth’s Tub and Basket compost came first with a score of 83 per cent. The firm’s Multi Purpose compost came equal second with 82 per cent. Both have been named as Best Buys.

The top three are peat free and

Which? described it as a milestone at a time when the Government has set a 2010 deadline for 90 per cent of the market for compost and soil conditioners to be peat free.

Andrew Mayer, Commercial Services Manager at the city council, said “It’s win, win.

“The people of the city are really making a fantastic contribution and they don’t really realise how much they’re doing to help save the environment.”

Green fingered staff at the city council are now test growing plants in the Vital Earth composts for use around the city.

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Our City

25

New champion fights corner for

victims and witnesses A

NTISOCIAL behaviour victims and witnesses in Stoke-on-Trent have a new champion.

Hunt is on for Potteries poet laureate

Heleen Witte has been appointed as part of the ‘Justice Seen, Justice Done’ campaign after the Home Secretary announced funding of £2.8 million in October 2009 for 85 such roles across the country.

She now has a crucial role in a crossgovernment programme aimed at tackling people’s concerns about crime and justice and to raise awareness and understanding of the services people are entitled to from the police and other agencies, including services for victims.

Heleen said: “The overall aim of these posts is to deliver practical help to those taking a stand against antisocial behaviour.”

“Standing up to antisocial behaviour can take courage.

“It can be a particularly difficult thing to go to court and give evidence against someone who you may have to return home and live next door to.

“These champions posts are important so that people in Stoke-on-Trent know they will get help if they are the victim of antisocial behaviour, and so are more likely to come forward, but also to help support people if a case goes to court.”

Heleen is 44 and employed by Victim Support, the national charity for victims of crime in England and Wales, and is based within the Stoke-on-Trent Safer City Partnership. She has a strong background as a volunteer caseworker in victim support and is just completing her degree in criminology and psychology at Keele University.

Antisocial behaviour victims and witnesses champion Heleen Witte with PC Scott Gidman, neighbourhood officer for Penkhull.

Talking and mediation Cases will be referred to her, as she becomes a single local contact or referral point for all antisocial behaviour victims and witnesses.

It is her job to support victims, make sure those that need help get it and to promote the service so people know what services are available.

She is currently developing a referral plan, which will involve partner agencies like the police, housing offices and legal departments and wants to approach each case on its own merits.

“Talking and mediation, if it’s low level antisocial behaviour, can help. But if there’s a change and it becomes worse, never mind PUBLIC NOTICE STOKE-ON-TRENT CITY COUNCIL NOTICE OF A DECISION OF THE STANDARDS COMMITTEE (REFS. 05/09 and 07/09) NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Standards Committee of Stoke-on-Trent City Council (through its Hearings SubCommittee) has considered two allegations against Councillor David Sutton that he acted in breach of the Members’ Code of Conduct by disclosing confidential information at a meeting of the Newshaw Walk Residents’ Association.

The Hearings Sub-Committee considered a Deputy Monitoring Officer’s report of his investigation into the allegations. The Sub-Committee accepted the report’s conclusion that the information disclosed by Councillor Sutton was confidential information and that none of the exceptions to the requirement of confidentiality wholly applied to justify its disclosure.

The Sub-Committee determined that, taking into account Councillor Sutton’s public apology and that he was acting in the public interest and in good faith, he should be required to undertake training with the Monitoring Officer on the treatment of confidential information.

Paul Hackney Head of Legal Services/Monitoring Officer Date: 21 May 2010

getting aggressive, then the police can become involved. In the worst scenarios, we will get an antisocial behaviour order out,” she said.

“We aim to get a bigger awareness of the problem so people start to think it is worth reporting it to the police so the police do something about it.

“We don’t just want people to be victims and suffer in silence, we want them to report it.” ● Meanwhile, £10,000 has been spent to improve facilities for witnesses and victims at courts serving Stoke-on-Trent, with particular help for those involved in NHS Stoke on Trent is reminding residents that 18 health centres and services across Stoke-on-Trent have now changed over to the new 0300 telephone numbers.

The new numbers, which are only charged at a local rate, are live and previous telephone lines have been disconnected.

The 0300 number is only available for public sector organisations or charities, and provides a major saving for patients ringing the health centres and health services.

No matter where in the country a patient is ringing from, the 0300 numbers are all categorised as a local call.

To make the new numbers

antisocial behaviour cases.

Improvements include additional recruitment and training of Witness Service volunteers to provide support so people feel safer when attending court.

The changes, funded with money from ‘Justice Seen, Justice Done’, have been co-ordinated by managers from Victim Support and Her Majesty’s Court Service.

People who want to report antisocial behaviour should call Staffordshire Police on 0300 123 4455. Victims who need support should call 08455 212300.

New NHS numbers are easier and cheaper to use even easier to remember, NHS Stoke on Trent has also standardised its numbers for health centres and services to 0300 123, followed by four final numbers.

Priyantha Jayawardane, Head of Information Technology for NHS Stoke on Trent, said: “We are always monitoring ways to save the patient and the public money which by introducing these 0300 numbers, will help make significant savings, regardless of where you are ringing from.

“At NHS Stoke on Trent we are always monitoring ways to save the public and patients money.

“By introducing these 0300 numbers, it will help them to make significant savings regardless of where in the country a they are calling from.” ● See page 30 of Our City for a list of health centre numbers in Stoke-on-Trent, or log onto the NHS Stoke on Trent website – www.stoke.nhs.uk

THE search for a Young Poet Laureate is underway in Stoke-on-Trent.

Talented young writers between the ages of 11 and 19 are being encouraged to submit poems to the city’s Library Service.

To launch the project, which is funded by the Arts Council, two professional poets have been visiting various locations urging youngsters to apply.

The successful entrant will need to live, work or go to school or college in Stoke-onTrent, and be prepared to act as a champion for poetry.

He or she will write poems celebrating special events or occasions in the city, and perform at community events.

Young people are asked to submit four of their own poems, one of which should be centred or themed on the city. A £100 prize will be given.

Typed entries can be handed in at any city library, sent by post to Jayne Stanley/Caroline Lovatt, City Central Library, Bethesda Street, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, ST1 3RS or emailed to caroline.lovatt@ stoke.gov.uk or jayne.stanley@stoke.gov.uk Closing date is 10 July 2010.

Web welcome to Midlands A NEW website has been set up which helps new arrivals who have started living and working in the region gain access to vital information and essential services.

The Welcome to West Midlands website provides online information about councils and other public organisations and topics such as housing, health, keeping safe, sports and leisure facilities and legal advice.

The website, which is found at www.welcometo westmidlands.org.uk includes a dedicated section on Stoke-on-Trent as well as the other parts of the region.

The site will be officially launched at a community cohesion event at Birches Head High School on 25 June.

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Apprentice starts work at hi-tech centre

KEEPING THE SHOW ON THE ROAD...

Apprentice Shaun Beetham at work in the fire service’s new engineering maintenance facility.

A NEW £3 million state of the art Transport and Engineering Maintenance Facility has been opened by Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service in Stoke-on-Trent to keep their entire fleet of vehicles fit for the road 365 days a year.

The facility at Trentham Lakes supports the 30 fire stations throughout Staffordshire and brings the maintenance and service of vehicles, including fire engines, response cars, specialist appliances and associated equipment to a purpose-designed base.

The 22,400 sq ft building includes 12 vehicle servicing and repair bays alongside a machine workshop, spray booth, storage area and a training/meeting room. A team of 20, comprising of managers, technicians, storekeeper and admin personnel, who also deal with the design, purchase and allocation of new vehicles, will be based at the new facility.

Shaun Beetham, 23, is the service’s first Apprentice Vehicle Technician for a number of years. He said:“When I saw the job advertised I thought it was a great opportunity as it was something a bit different and sounded really interesting. It’s a four-year apprenticeship and by the end of it I will have completed my NVQ and I’ll be fully qualified as a Vehicle Technician.

“So far I’ve been helping with servicing and repair of vehicles which have included fire engines and specialist appliances.

“The building and the facilities on offer are really impressive, particularly when you compare them to the smaller garages I’ve worked in previously.”

Novel tells tale of city’s

historic horrors

N

ICHOLAS Corder’s time as a writer-in-residence for Stoke-on-Trent Library Service has allowed him to inspire countless local would-be writers – and at the same time achieve a literary success of his own.

The Staffordshire-based “jobbing writer” has landed a publishing contract for The Bone Mill, a historic novel based at the Etruria Industrial Museum, which he was commissioned to write as a term of his two-year residency.

Remembrance service invite EVERYONE is welcome to attend a special hour of thanksgiving and remembrance on Sunday 20 June, 2pm at Carmountside Cemetery and Crematorium, Milton.

Call the City Council Bereavement Service on 01782 235050 if you would like the name of your loved one mentioned during the service, or for more information.

As he began to write his fictional work, he took the early chapters out to local schools to get feedback from the pupils on whether they were interesting enough.

The verdict was positive and the finished book is a 170-page tale of dark deeds in Etruria in 1829.

The “macabre adventure”, aimed at young adults, is now on sale at Waterstone’s and Webberley’s in the city centre.

Nicholas is thrilled that his writer-in-residence appointment has led to a breakthrough in his own career.

He said: “My time with the library service has been absolutely great and I have loved every minute.

“Having a novel to my name helps me professionally and means I have another skill on my CV. “Without the commission I would not have written the book, and to get feedback from the schools was an added bonus.”

A main part of Nicholas’ role as a resident writer was to hold writing workshops, mainly for adults, in libraries and venues throughout the city.

As a result, 35 members of the public have been inspired to contribute to an anthology of work

called Write On, the same title as Nicholas’ residency project.

“There’s a real head of steam building up in Stoke-on-Trent from people who are seriously interested in writing,” he said.

“They want to write for amusement, for publication or simply to get their own story down on the page.”

The topics covered by the workshops included creative ideas, short story writing, novel writing and research.

As part of his research for his own novel he made several visits to the Etruria Bone Mill, which is now an industrial museum.

“I went to the steaming weekend there, to get a feel of the throbbing noise of the place, so that I could imagine what it was like as they worked into the night,” said Nicholas, aged 50, who teaches part-time at Manchester Metropolitan Museum. He is also studying for a PhD in creative writing.

He now has a new idea for a Stoke-on-Trent based detective story set in the Victorian era, which would be a sequel to The Bone Mill. “I even have the name for my detective – Septimus Wright,” he revealed.

ETRURIA HOUSE OF HORROR...

Author Nicholas Corder with St Peters School pupil Jenny Clowes, who was in the group that helped with the first chapters and front cover.

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‘Eye-openers’give young people

broad horizons T WO foreign trips of a lifetime are being planned by the city council’s Youth and Play Services this year to broaden the horizons of young people.

Cuba is the destination in October for a party of 15 to 21 year olds and three youth workers.

The communist state takes over from South Africa, which has hosted groups from the Potteries since 2005.

Youth Development Worker Aziz Ahmed, who is organising the trip, said: “It’s a very different country to South Africa so it’ll be a real eye opener.”

Another group of 15 students aged 13 to 18 are visiting Gambia in November to help renovate schools. Shannon Taggart, aged 16, who is an elected member of the city’s Youth Council, went last year and is going again this time as a peer mentor to help first timers with their Youth Achievement Awards.

Shannon said: “We made a lot of new friends and I felt like we really made a difference.

“In many ways, the young people over there are happier than we are.

“They just make the best of what they have and never really complain. It makes you realise what is really important.”

SPRAY AWAY...

Grega Greaves and Chris Guest from Creative Arts North Staffs join graffiti artist Josh Cooper, 15 at the project to highlight the dangers of alcohol abuse.

The colourful graffiti wall’s striking message.

Organiser and Youth Development Worker Lou Cooke said: “It’s fair to say it was a life changing experience for them and the three staff that accompanied them.

We’re hoping the group going this year get just as much from the experience.”

Both groups of young people have to raise between £350 and £500 for their trips and learn about the countries they are going to before they set off.

Meanwhile, graffiti art has been used at the Moorland Park Youth Centre in Burslem as part of a project to highlight alcohol abuse.

Young people attending workshops organised by Creative Arts North Staffs have painted walls at the centre and signed their contributions.

The project helped develop artistic skills while highlighting the dangers of alcohol abuse and underage drinking.

Volunteer praised as historic park scoops £2.1m WORK to breathe new life into historic Burslem Park with a major restoration project has been given a £2.1m boost.

The Heritage Lottery Fund and Big Lottery Fund have joined together to pay for improvements to the park’s pavillion and distinctive terracotta terrace.

There will also be better access to the park – which is one of the UK’s largest registered Victorian parks – as well as a heritage and wildlife walk and special environmental education programmes for schools and families.

The Grade II listed 9 hectare Burslem Park was designed by Thomas Mawson, a prolific landscape designer.

It opened to the public in 1894 and still retains many of its original 19th century features.

Rob Belcher, Project Manager for Burslem Park, said: “Lots of hard work has gone into securing the funding we need to make Burslem Park into one of the leading attractions in Stoke-on-Trent.

“The award will allow us to continue to improve facilities at the park and make it a peaceful and colourful place for people to visit.

“I’d like to think that we can now make the park bigger and better and people will come here in even greater numbers than they already do.”

Burslem Park ‘champion’ Mike Watson, pictured right, has been honoured for helping bring in lottery funding and his tireless work to improve the park’s profile and facilities. The 65-year-old volunteer spends an average of 30 hours a week there, leading history walks, manning the visitor centre and looking after community groups. For that, the Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, Councillor Jean Bowers has presented him with a special certificate, a tankard, a tie and a centenary bottle of beer. Rob Belcher, project manager for the park, pictured left, said:“Over the last three years Mike’s tremendous support, enthusiasm and confidence during the bid to secure funding has been really inspirational.”

Petitions to council can start online RESIDENTS in Stoke-on-Trent can now use the power of technology to let the city council know their views.

In addition to traditional paper petitions about issues of concern or significance, they may now start an electronic petition (known as an e-petition) on the city council’s website.

The petition will be hosted for a period of up to three months and can collect electronic signatures for and against. Once completed it will be referred to the relevant officer for action and reported to the next ordinary meeting of the Council.

If a petition contains 100 signatures or more, the person who started it may present it to the council meeting in person. ● To find out more, contact Nathan Dawkins on (01782) 233540 or visit stoke.gov.uk/epetitions to sign up.

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Pupils bury a slice of Potteries history under new station THE new community fire station at Sandyford is still under construction – but the purpose-designed Staffordshire Fire and Rescue facility is already making history.

A time capsule will be buried beneath the station’s foundation stone containing memory sticks with downloaded video footage made by children from three local primary schools in which they talk about life at school and at home in the early 21st century as well as their hobbies and other details of their lives.

The capsule also stores

memorabilia donated by residents’ associations and other members of the community as well as a piece of pottery,

an item of tableware and a 2010 product brochure provided by Churchill China.

In addition Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service salary slips have been put in the time warp, along with an official record of calls answered over a twomonth period

Pictured preparing material for the time capsule are Daniel Zafar, 11, Community Risk Reduction Officer Rehana Iqbal, Amelia HodgkinsonBurt, 11, Youth Intervention Officer Rebekah Fewtrell and Madiyah Munir, also aged 11.

Scoring success

on our manor

M

ORE national sporting events are being staged at the Fenton Manor Sports Complex in Stoke-on-Trent over the coming months.

It comes as staff work closely with national governing bodies to bring high profile and prestigious competitions to the city.

The British Gymnastics Acrobatic and Tumbling NDP Finals have just been staged. June sees Gymfest 2010 and a martial arts competition while the British Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships take place in July. Award presentation events are also planned for the Potteries Mini, Junior and Youth leagues.

Meanwhile a Stoke-on-Trent netball team based at the complex have become the first in the county in their age group to reach a national tournament.

Fenton Manor under 14s competed against teams from across the country at a weekend long tournament run by Netball UK in Manchester after victories in local and regional heats.

“As a club we are really proud of our girls and this is a massive achievement for them. We want Staffordshire to know how far these girls have come and hopefully inspire other girls to come along and train with us,” said Tracy Stevenson, whose 12-year-old daughter Olivia plays goal defence.

The squad of nine girls is just one of many teams at the Fenton Manor Netball Club, which has been running for six years. The club runs sides for girls and women aged six to 21.

For details about how to join the club call Alicia Watson on 07745 540 284. ● For a full list of events and dates go to the Fenton Manor Sports Complex pages at stoke.gov.uk/fentonmanor

so that fire fighters of the future can compare it with the sort of incidents they have to deal with.

Ed Case, Station Manager, said:“The new fire station will involve and welcome the whole community of Sandyford, so we came up with the idea of a time capsule that can be opened in 100 years time.

“It will then provide the future residents of Sandyford with a fascinating picture of life there today.”

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Memorabilia needed for

new sporting archive SPORTS clubs are being encouraged to help locate and preserve sporting records and photographs by contibuting to a project being put together about Stoke-on-Trent’s sporting history.

Stoke-on-Trent City Archives is playing an important part in recording our local sporting heritage and want as many sports clubs as possible to record a brief history of their club, or complete a survey of what records they hold.

Librarian Barbara Rogerson said: “Archive material can be very

vulnerable, particularly at times of change, so it is important to record this information partly in case the knowledge of such records is lost in later years.

“Some sports clubs are no longer in existence, some have just started but all their records are invaluable so we’re asking people to have a delve about for material like old books, photographs, notes of meetings and old accounts.

“Already in the past few months we have had expressions of interest from sports organisations as diverse as rowing and karate clubs and a football referees association. We’re sure there must be many more who would love to help.”

The archive, part of the city’s Festival of Sport to celebrate the city’s centenary, will be used later in the year to form part of a special exhibition at Fenton Manor Sports Complex.

Contributions will be used later in the year to form part of a special exhibition at Fenton Manor Sports Complex, part of the City’s Festival of Sport to celebrate the city’s centenary. ● Anyone with information or material for the sporting archive should call the Archives on 01782 238422 or fill out special information forms on the website at stoke.gov.uk/festivalofsport

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Masterplan unveiled for historic centre PROPOSALS are being drawn up to shape the future redevelopment of Stoke town centre over the next 10 to 15 years A masterplan will guide investment into the town and show how the historic town centre 10-acre Spode Works pottery site can be redeveloped as a mixed-use scheme that will breathe new life into the heart of Stoke.

The North Staffordshire Regeneration Partnership (NSRP) has invited architects, engineers and environmental experts to submit proposals for the future of Stoke town centre and the Spode site.

Kevin Bell, Stoke Regeneration Manager, said:“The town of Stoke enjoys a wealth of industrial heritage, has great connections with University Quarter and Stoke railway station and is the civic heart of the city.

“We are taking an aspirational approach to the town and looking to attract high profile architects and designers to create a scheme that breathes new life into the area.”

Why Kara’s just crazy about crazy golf...

LITTLE Kara Burton is getting into the swing of things at Crazy Golf Land at Fenton Manor Sports Complex.

It proved to be a real hit with the two-year-old from Heron Cross who was at the Stoke-on-Trent City Council sports centre with her mum Tamsin.

The course is laid out so each of its nine holes spells out the words crazy

golf. A new children’s play area has just been opened next to it, complete with swings and a slide.

Crazy Golf Land is open daily between 10am and 4pm, weather and course conditions permitting, and costs just £2 for adults and £1 for children.

Colourful characters set off from Tunstall on the Six Towns Challenge Walk.

Walk raises cash for 22 local good causes TENS of thousands of pounds have been raised for 22 charities during the Centenary Six Towns Challenge through Stoke-on-Trent.

Around 250 people took part in the eight and a half mile walk organised by Blythe Bridge, Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent and Stoke South Rotary Clubs as well as the city council. The walkers, a mix of Rotarians and teams from each charity, trekked through the six towns, starting in Tunstall and ending in Longton.

Everyone who took part received a commemorative china mug produced locally and organised by Rotary.

Colourful event marks global celebration WEST African drummers were one of the highlights at Queen's Park, Longton, when the Fairtrade City of Stoke-on-Trent celebrated World Fairtrade Dayfor the first time.

Attractions includeed a stall selling Fairtrade goods, ultra-trendy nail painting, energy efficiency information, Friends of the Earth and the Cooperative, all combining to highlight the key issues of sustainability and fairness.

The City Council park and youth service supported the event with a three-hour 5 aside football session.

The event was the brainchild of the Queens Park Partnership, a dynamic group of highly committed local residents who had worked extremely hard to make sure everything went to plan on the day.

This was the first time a community group had initiated a major public Fairtrade event in the city.

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Free advice helps parents

boost children’s fitness A FREE programme has been launched in Stoke-on-Trent to help children aged seven to 13 be fitter by watching their weight. The 10-week MEND programme uses practical activities and fun learning to encourage healthier eating and an active, confident lifestyle.

One of the sessions involves a fun supermarket visit to help families understand food labelling, while the course also promotes healthy recipes which will benefit all the family.

One mum, Tunzela Munir, of Tunstall, was concerned her 10-year-old son Billy was spending too much time in front of the computer and was not getting enough exercise.

Since she signed up to the MEND programme, she has seen lots of benefits. She said:“I have learned such a lot. I was impressed by the way that

parents are not made to feel they are to blame for whatever problems their child might have. In fact the MEND programme encourages and supports parents in helping them to deal with any issues.

“Checking the labelling on food has really opened my eyes about how important it is to find out about ingredients before buying food.

“Billy loves the new recipes and my other son Jimmy, who is six, is always asking for a healthy eating meal. I’ve seen such a massive change in Billy.

He has lost some weight, looks much fitter and joining the after-school football club has also made him more confident.”

■ To find out more about MEND phone 01782 298057 or 01782 298179.

HEALTHY GOAL...

Tunzela and Billy, 10, pictured after a kick about in Tunstall Park.

Drummer a smash hit in business D

RUM teacher Jess Weston is hitting his business targets thanks to support from Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

KEEPING THE BEAT... drumming tutor Jess Weston shows the style that keeps his business in tune with his pupils’ needs.

For all city council services

contact 234234

HEALTH CENTRES r u o Y ABBEY HULTON (Main) 0300 123 0976 Children and Adolescents 0300 123 0987 Mental Health Service BENTILEE

01782 231300

BLURTON (Main) 0300 123 0971 Children and Adolescents 0300 123 0977 Mental Health Service BURSLEM

0300 123 0979

WHITFIELD VALLEY

01782 425720

FENTON

01782 743100

HANFORD (Main) Children's Airway Support Team

0300 123 0974 0300 123 0977

HANLEY

0300 123 0980

LONGTON

0300 123 0993

LONGTON COTTAGE HOSPITAL

0300 123 0993

MEIR

01782 425676

NORTON

01782 534599

PACKMOOR

01782 794600

PICCADILLY CENTRE (Main) 0300 123 0985 Sexual health helpline 0300 123 0970 SMALLTHORNE

0300 123 0982

STOKE Out of Hours District Nursing Service

0300 123 0986 0300 123 0989

TRENT VALE TUNSTALL (Main) Dental Advice Line

01782 425260 0300 123 0972 0300 123 0981

For more information and advice on health issues please call NHS Direct – 24 hrs a day

0845 46 47

or visit www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk or www.nhs.uk

He joined 150 would-be entrepreneurs at the first Get Set for Business Day as the city council’s Jobs, Enterprise and Training programme (Jet) brought together 20 business support agencies.

Jess, 19, had already received grants from the city council’s Small Business Grants Scheme and the Prince’s Trust to set up his drum school in Longton when he went along to support other young entrepreneurs.

He said: “I went along to offer advice. I’d been there, seen it and done it. Business Initiative and the Prince’s Trust were very, very helpful when I was setting up. I got lots of advice at the time on the financial side and how to market my product.

They took the lid off and made me think outside the box.

“There have been times when

I have been really scared and have worried about where the money’s coming from, but you have to be persistent and keep going.”

His business, just three months old, is going from strength to strength and Jess is now offering group workshops as well as one to one tuition at his specially kitted out practice rooms.

Tide is turning Alison Knight, the Director of Employment and Skills for the North Staffordshire Regeneration Partnership, said: “Statistically North Staffordshire is below the West Midlands and UK averages for business start-ups, but it looks as though the tide is turning.

“In the last 12 months alone, Jet and its partner organisations, have supported more than 50 business start ups and all are still going strong.

“The success of this event indicates that we will help very many more in the coming

months. Supporting start-ups makes sound financial sense.

Each new business saves the taxpayer £11,000 a year in benefits so 50 new start-ups will save us more than half a million pounds in the first year alone,” she said.

More help for people like Jess is on the way with a second Get Set event planned for November. A third enterprise coach has also been recruited to provide vital start-up support for people with businesses aspirations.

A range of help is on offer through the city council’s Business Small Grants Scheme, Test Trading – a 13 week start-up programme for new businesses and Business Initiative, which offers support and training.

■ For more information and advice about setting up in business go to www.jet2work.org.uk or call on Freephone 0800 731 8587.

You can also get help by visiting www.enterprisesupport.org

Fire & Rescue contact numbers S-O-T AREA COMMAND AREA COMMANDER

ASSISTANT AREA COMMANDER – BURSLEM

Wayne Bowcock 01785 898894

Ruth Watchorn-Rice 01785 898554

ASSISTANT AREA COMMANDER – LONGTON

Glynn Luznyj 01785 898693 ASSISTANT AREA COMMANDER – HANLEY

Andy Leedham 01785 898765

HEAD OF STOKE ON TRENT RISK REDUCTION

Kelvin Knapper 01785 898882 ADMINISTRATION MANAGER Paula Goodwin 01785 898895

COMMUNITY SAFETY ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS Chris Thompson 01785 898883

RISK REDUCTION OFFICERS Donna Broadhead 01785 898904 Jim Taaffe 01785 898976

Neil Cheshire Burslem 01785 898498 Mick Warillow Hanley 01785 898902

Dave Gallimore 01785 898885

Rehana Iqbal 01785 898891

Pete Hall Safer City Partnership Officer

Paul Shaw 01785 898755

Tracey Cresswell Longton 01785 898951

07967 573263

To book your home fire risk check ring: 0800 0241 999

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r u o Y

M AY 2 0 1 0

Abbey Green

COUNCILLORS

ELLIE WALKER (Non-aligned) (01782) 397870 07917 854352 ellie.walker@stoke.gov.uk

Berryhill and Hanley East

Blurton

RITA DALE (City Independents) (01782) 267451 rita.dale@stoke.gov.uk

ADRIAN KNAPPER (Labour) 07714 334453/ 07825 732724 adrian.knapper @stoke.gov.uk

JOHN DAVIS (City Independents) (01782) 264126 07786 440876 john.davis@stoke.gov.uk

Burslem South

JAVID IQBAL NAJMI (Labour) 07846 879920 javid.najmi@stoke.gov.uk

DEBRA GRATTON (Labour) 07748 251695 debra.gratton@ stoke.gov.uk

MOHAMMED PERVEZ (Labour) 07919 917632 07825 732690 mohammed.pervez@ stoke.gov.uk

GWEN HASSALL (Labour) (01782) 263166 07851 751813 gwen.hassall@stoke.gov.uk

SARAH HILL (Labour) (01782) 845044 07833 249272 sarah.hill@stoke.gov.uk

PAUL SHOTTON (Labour) 07805 638609 paul.shotton@ stoke.gov.uk

TOM REYNOLDS (Labour) (01782) 342295 07850 828717 tom.reynolds@stoke.gov.uk

ZULFIQAR ALI (Liberal Democrat) 07838 262062 zulfiqar.ali@stoke.gov.uk

BRIAN WARD (City Independents) (01782) 312670 07879 115704 brian.ward@stoke.gov.uk

PETER KENT-BAGULEY (Non-aligned) 07773 464626 peter.kent-baguley@ stoke.gov.uk

MARGARET BARBER (Labour) (01782) 305514 07825 882059 margaret.barber@ stoke.gov.uk

JEAN EDWARDS (Labour) (01782) 816171 jean.edwards@ stoke.gov.uk

JANINE BRIDGES (City Independents) (01782) 851842 07989 385631 janine.bridges@ stoke.gov.uk

HAZEL LYTH (Conservative & Independent Alliance) 07825 732680 hazel.lyth@stoke.gov.uk

BAGH ALI (Labour) (01782) 343246 07973 848428 bagh.ali@stoke.gov.uk

AMJID WAZIR (Labour) 07747 830461 amjid.wazir@ stoke.gov.uk

OLWEN HAMER (Labour) (01782) 657133 olwen.hamer@ stoke.gov.uk

Norton and Bradeley

DAVE SUTTON (Liberal Democrat) (01782) 542998 07512 564815 dave.sutton@stoke.gov.uk

ALAN RIGBY (City Independents) (01782) 542364 07790 374152 alan.rigby@stoke.gov.uk

JEAN BOWERS (Liberal Democrat) (01782) 262613 07712 350430 jean.bowers@stoke.gov.uk

KIERAN CLARKE (Liberal Democrat) (01782) 788010 07886 358143 kieran.clarke@stoke.gov.uk

Trentham and Hanford

MARK WRIGHT (Conservative & Independent Alliance) (01782) 642653 07814 744775 mark.wright@stoke.gov.uk

MOHAMMAD IQBAL (Labour) (01782) 266893 07792 071266 mohammed.iqbal@ stoke.gov.uk

MEGAN RYAN (Conservative & Independent Alliance) (01782) 866761 07903 458768 megan.ryan@stoke.gov.uk

Information on city councillors was correct at the time of going to press.

DAVID MARFLEET (BNP) (01782) 876661 07745 157918 david.marfleet@ stoke.gov.uk

MICK SALIH (Non-aligned Group) (01782) 533542 07977 843026 mick.salih@stoke.gov.uk

DAVID CONWAY (City Independents) (01782) 790922 david.conway@ stoke.gov.uk

JOY GARNER (Labour) (01782) 768846 07986 442770 joy.garner@stoke.gov.uk

MATT WILCOX (Labour) 07810 825600 matt.wilcox@ stoke.gov.uk

JOANNE POWELLBECKETT (Cons & Independent Alliance) 07816 518275 joanne.powell-beckett@ stoke.gov.uk

East Valley

KASSEM AL-KHATIB (Labour) (01782) 849823 07704 188252 kassem.al-khatib@stoke.gov.uk

RANDOLPH CONTEH (City Independents) (01782) 256869 randolph.conteh@ stoke.gov.uk

BARBARA BEESTON (City Independents) (01782) 612072 07729 896622 barbara.beeston@ stoke.gov.uk

Meir Park and Sandon

MICHAEL BARNES (Non-aligned Group) (01782) 870065 07850 939611 michael.barnes@ stoke.gov.uk

CLIVE BRIAN (Conservative & Independent Alliance) (01782) 315702 clive.brian@stoke.gov.uk

JOHN BURGESS (BNP) (01782) 394397 07889 137308 john.burgess@stoke.gov.uk

ABI BROWN (Conservative & Independent Alliance) 07793 844169 abi.brown@stoke.gov.uk

Stoke and Trent Vale

DUNCAN WALKER (Labour) (01782) 533198 07759 240828 duncan.walker@ stoke.gov.uk

Tunstall

ROSS IRVING (Conservative & Independent Alliance) (01782) 335982 07900 135565 ross.irving@stoke.gov.uk

MERVIN SMITH (Labour) (01782) 537211 07891 395199 mervin.smith@ stoke.gov.uk

Hartshill and Penkhull

Longton South

DENVER TOLLEY (Labour) (01782) 316815 07799 032939 denver.tolley@stoke.gov.uk

STEVEN BATKIN (BNP) (01782) 859054 steven.batkin@ stoke.gov.uk

Burslem North

Northwood and Birches Head

TERENCE FOLLOWS (City Independents) (01782) 318127 07944 055379 terence.follows@ stoke.gov.uk

MELANIE BADDELEY (BNP) (01782) 763615 07979 508837 melanie.baddeley@ stoke.gov.uk

Hanley West and Shelton

Longton North

MARK DAVIS (Labour) 07813 473625 mark.davis@stoke.gov.uk

TONY FRADLEY (Labour) (01782) 787483 07919 528515 tony.fradley@stoke.gov.uk

31

Bentilee and Townsend

Chell and Packmoor

Fenton

MICK BELL (City Independents) (01782) 847760 mick.bell@stoke.gov.uk

ROY NAYLOR (City Independents) (01782) 313975 07833 183922 roy.naylor@stoke.gov.uk

Our City

GAVIN WEBB (Libertarian Party) 07949 026660 gavin.webb@ stoke.gov.uk

JEREMY DILLON (Labour) 07706 391029 jeremy.dillon@stoke.gov.uk

PAULINE JOYNSON (Non-aligned Group) (01782) 413683 07813 836057 pauline.joynson@ stoke.gov.uk

Weston and Meir North

MOHAMMED MATLOOB (Labour) (01782) 577658 07811 147372 mohammed.matloob@ stoke.gov.uk

MAJID KHAN (Labour) (01782) 411311 07989 441707 majid.khan@stoke.gov.uk

MICHAEL COLEMAN (BNP) (01782) 311697 07926 532922 michael.coleman@ stoke.gov.uk

JOHN DANIELS (Conservative & Independent Alliance) (01782) 396780 07885 894804 john.daniels@stoke.gov.uk

RUTH ROSENAU (Labour) (01782) 501940 07870 503575 ruth.rosenau@ stoke.gov.uk

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Our City M AY 2 0 1 0

Stars of the future

celebrate the past T

WENTY young sporting ambassadors have been appointed as part of Stoke-on-Trent’s Festival of Sport celebrations during celebrations of the centenary of the Six Towns federation year.

The cream of the city’s young sporting talent, many of them national champions, range in age from 11 to 18 and will represent the city at festival events to make speeches, start races and present trophies. They come from a diverse range of sports including rowing, canoeing, swimming, cycling, cross-country, badminton and volleyball.

The youngest is 11-year-old Shingirae Mhembere from St. Peter’s High School who won tumbling gold at the National Gymnastics Championships.

Among the other Ambassadors are 15-year-old Olivia Walker from Haywood High School who is a World Line Dancing Champion, 13-year-old twins Craig and Marcus Smith from St. Joseph’s High School who are national stars at badminton and Paul Sunderland, aged 12, a National Kayak and Slalom Junior Champion.

Bethany Johnson from Holden

Lane High School is a National Taekwondo Champion at 13. She is a member of the Stoke UTA Taekwondo Club and took up the martial art when she was just three.

“It didn’t click when I became champion but then when people started talking about it I felt proud of myself. It was a real honour to be made an ambassador by the city. I’m over the moon,” she said.

Discus thrower Najee Fox overcame a serious road accident three years ago to get to the top of his sport. He is currently ranked second nationally.

The 17-year-old is a member of the City of Stoke Athletics Club and is targeting the World Championships this year but thinks the European Championships in 2011 are more realistic.

The Olympic hopeful trains six days a week and was delighted when he was made an Ambassador by the city council.

He said: “It’s a real honour. It’s good for me because I want to represent Stoke-on-Trent in the wider world.”

For further information on the Festival of Sport Ambassadors Scheme contact Mark Roberts on 01782 234993 or email him at mark.roberts@stoke.gov.uk

‘‘’’

It was a real honour to be made an Ambassador by the city.

I’m over the moon...

BETHANY JOHNSON

Busy summer of events marks first Festival of Sport MORE major events are taking place as part of Stoke-on-Trent’s Festival of Sport.

The 2010k mass participation road event takes place on Sunday, 30 May and features a 10k road run and a 2k family fun run which start and finish in Stoke town centre.

Mark Roberts, seven times Potteries Marathon Champion who is part of the organising team, said:“We have many elite runners taking part and we want to see families taking part as well.

“This is an event anyone can enter and take part in for whatever reason. It is an event about sport, health and fun and there will be an entertainment village on Kingsway with all sorts of fun activities taking place.”

Great Britain athlete Michelle Ross-Cope, who was recently named the city’s Female Sports Personality of the Year, said:“This is a great event for the city.”

Port Vale’s Gareth Owen, who is planning to take part, said:“I definitely support the race.

“It helps support and celebrate the centenary and it helps unite people and keep them fit.”

Entry for the 10k run is £10 or £8 for club runners, while the fun run costs £2 to enter.

People can register on the day of the event but will also have to pay a £1

administration charge. Prizes will be awarded on the day.

June sees eight events being staged across the city including a West Midlands Amateur Gymnastics competition and a gala hosted by the City of Stoke-on-Trent swimming team at Fenton Manor Sports Complex.

Also taking place is the Sir Stanley Matthews Cup, a schools football tournament at the Hardman Football Development Centre in Milton.

Taster sessions are also being staged in June to encourage more people to take up sport or physical activity.

Our City is published by a partnership of

Stoke-on-Trent City Council, NHS Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire Police, Staffordshire Fire and Rescue and Job Centre Plus

Contact us by mail at FREEPOST Our City or by email at ourcity@stoke.gov.uk or telephone 01782 236703

Afro-Caribbean football and badminton tournaments are being staged at Cobridge TA Centre, golf lessons with an instructor are on offer at Park Hall Golf Course in Weston Coyney and a mixed Kwik cricket tournament is taking place at Longton Rugby Club.

There will also be a gym champions challenge running until 30 June and a family fun day at Fenton Manor on 17 July.

For more information on the 2010k go to stoke.gov.uk/stoke2010k or email mark.roberts@stoke.gov.uk or call 01782 234993.

■ You can find more information on Festival of Sport events at stoke.gov.uk/festivalofsport