Volunteering

Sylvia set for mission trip abroad

Eccleshall Rotarian Sylvia Keris, who is an Ambassador for the charity The Buddy Bag Foundation, has been given a place on a team of volunteers going with the Charity Mission Direct, on a two week project to Zambia.

The Buddy Bag Foundation helps children in the UK taken away from domestic abuse into safety, with a backpack of essential items.

Sylvia said: “The charity will be working with their established long term project partners in the country, who help children living on the streets of Lusaka - many of whom will have fled from domestic abuse, or whose family can no longer afford to keep them, or because of their disabilities. “So the team will be helping these vulnerable children, at risk of further abuse, trafficking, in need of medical care, and some teenage girls who have babies with them on the streets.

“Each volunteer on the team has to raise £2,000 for their place on the team, and I had already raised half this amount by early 2020, the original date of my overseas project, before Covid postponed all travel.

“The Development Aid project is now rescheduled for the Autumn of 2022, and I have begun selling tickets for my Grand Raffle draw again, to raise funds for the project work and donate aid items to the medical and other organizations working with the street children.”

The raffle draw is set to take place in mid August.

Sylvia said: “Tickets are selling at £1, and local businesses have generously donated prizes including vouchers for meals at London House Restaurant, The Smithy and The Royal Oak.

“There are also family entrance tickets to Gentleshaw Wildlife Centre, tickets for Eccleshall Community Cinema, Holistic therapy, Print by Stone Artist Craig Sumner, History of Stafford illustrated reference Book, and family board games.”

Sylvia will be outside the Co-op store in Eccleshall selling raffle tickets, by kind permission of Co-Op Manager John James, on a number of occasions before the draw; or people can phone her for tickets on 01785 851005.

Sylvia added: “I am also happy to give illustrated talks to groups such as Rotary, WI, churches or any other local organisations on my charity project work - either before or on my return from Zambia trip - in return for a donation towards the Zambia project.”

Anyone wishing to support Sylvia’s charity work, contact her on 01785 851005.

Crowds enjoy food and drink in the sunshine

Blue skies and forecast record temperatures brought out the crowds at the first ever July edition of the Stone Food & Drink Festival this Summer.

With the mercury topping 30 degrees on both Saturday and Sunday, revellers made the most of the summer vibe; eating, drinking and dancing to great live music over the weekend of July 15, 16 and 17.

A spokesman for the festival said: “Alongside street food stalls, artisan products in the Gourmet Marquee and a host of bars serving everything from locally brewed real ale to traditional cider, fizz and cocktails there were regular cookery demonstrations from top local chefs in the Granville’s of Stone Demonstration Kitchen and sessions covering a variety of topics in the Joule’s Brewery Talks and Tastings Tent, all included in the ticket price.

“Family fun was also high on the agenda – in the Little Foodies Zone, the Children’s Farm stand saw Penkridge’s PLAY@ Lower Drayton Farm educate families on their foods farm to fork journey, with friendly animals to meet and a massive combine harvester to look at as well as ride-on pedal tractors, crafts and competitions. Funfair rides, the chance to design your own milkshake and face painting all added to the family festival atmosphere.”

The spokesman added: “On the Lexus Stoke Live Music Stage meanwhile, headline acts included Lost the Plot, Stone Cold Sober(ish), 90s dance act House Jammerz, who bought the ‘house’ down on Saturday afternoon and Cherry Groove who provided a party atmosphere to close the event. Talented youngsters from Stone Performing Arts school Rooftop Studios also helped keep the crowd entertained.”

Festival chairman, Richard Stevens, said: “With this year being the first we’ve ever run in July, it was a bit of a learning curve in terms of how being smack bang in the busiest part of festival season would impact numbers, but it soon became evident