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2005 - latest stories at the top of the page
(Foe other years, see full archive)
December
Record hopes A charity record by musicians from Stoke-on-Trent has reached the top 40 in the midweek chart. Their version of "Do They Know It's Christmas", was released on Boxing Day, to raise money for the Douglas Macmillan Hospice. The man behind it is Ben McManus and he says he'd love to still be in the Top 40 on Sunday.
Downhill madness The Downhill Soapbox race takes place in Hoar Cross today to raise funds for the children's charity, When You Wish Upon a Star. The event is organised by a group of local residents known as The MAD Club and thirty contestants will do battle in self-powered purpose-built 'Soapboxes' (aka Go-karts), hurtling downhill for half a mile before a finish right by the Meynell Ingram Arms! The two competitors in each kart - and the kart itself - will be dressed to impress in outlandish costumes as they also compete for the best fancy dress title. You can view last year's Downhill Race and find out more about The MAD Club by visiting www.themadclub.com 29/12/05
No charity at Xmas Volunteers at a North Staffordshire charity shop which has been targeted by vandals say they can't now afford to send Christmas presents donated for children in Romania. The windows of the New Life Ministry Aid shop in Cheadle in the Staffordshire Moorlands have been smashed twice in a fortnight. The cost of repairing the damage means the charity now doesn't have the money to send over the hundreds of gifts and equipment collected. It's appealing for donations.
Hospice concern The future of a hospice in Lichfield - which cares for people with cancer and other serious illnesses - could be under threat because of financial problems. St Giles Hospice has received less charitable donations this year than usual, and takings in its charity shops are down. There are also signs that NHS funding in the next financial year isn't going to meet the usual levels. Chief Executive of St Giles Hospice Peter Holliday told BBC WM that other causes have taken precedence for people this year....
Have your Say - on the police Residents are having their say this week on whether Staffordshire Police should merge with others to make a single regional force. Staffordshire Police is thought to be a candidate for merger with neighbouring forces as the Home Office looks to cut the number of regional forces in England from 43 to 12. The consultation meetings are in Stafford, Stoke, Leek and Burton. 05/12/05
World Aids Day Organisers say more schools than ever in Lichfield came together to raise awareness of World Aids Day - those involved include Netherstow High School, The Friary, Queens Croft, King Edward VI High School and The Reach project - over 100 pupils and over 1000 balloons were released. The event is the biggest of it's kind in Lichfield to raise awareness of the disease. The young people hoped to raise more than last year's figure of £1000 - which will help towards the building and upkeep of an orphanage in Ethiopia, and to support people in Lichfield and Staffordshire who are affected. 01/12/05
November
Rock festival for good Twenty three causes across Shropshire and Staffordshire have received cash totalling £48,000 - all raised at the V music festival, which took place over the summer in mid Staffordshire. VIP guests at the event at Weston Park were asked to donate cash, and this year's total is the largest to date. Andy Redhead - the V Festival Organiser - said it was extremely important to them to support the local community.
See also: our V2005 reports on this site.
Ambo Consultation The last in a series of meetings designed to gauge public opinion over the Governments proposals to merge Ambulance Services throughout the West Midlands will be held in Lichfield in the Council Chamber, District Council House, Frog Lane, Lichfield on Wednesday 30th November 2005 commencing at 7:30pm. The meeting is being held to allow the members of the public the opportunity to voice any concerns they may have over the proposal to merge their ambulance service with the other four counties thereby creating a "West Midlands" service. 30/11/05
Sailability on the rocks A sailing charity in the Moorlands thinks it's going to have to close after being refused permission for a new boat shed. "Sailability", the charity which helps hundreds of people with disabilities learn how to sail on Rudyard Lake, was also ordered to pull down a temporary shed within 6 months.
Loadsa money! On Children in Need Day, hundreds of fund-raisers helped collect money for the BBC charity. Staff at BBC Radio Stoke all dressed as pirates; and one East Staffordshire teenager, Becky Hardy from Stretton, spent 8 hours behind a blind fold to raise money!
18/11/05
Learning to be mum Pregnant teenagers in Stoke on Trent can now enrol on a 'young mums to be' course. The government funded programme informs under-privileged 16 to 18 year olds how to care for their baby before and after labour. It also teaches them skills to help get them back into education or work. Teenagers who pass the course achieve a level one NVQ equivalent.
CiN to the rescue A charity in Staffordshire which helps young people with Autism and Aspergers Syndrome says a £5,000 grant from Children in Need has made a big difference to them. The Jigsaw group - which is based in Stafford - is using the money to pay to take youngsters on trips to the theatre, swimming and horse riding.
Short but good A free short film exhibition at the Brewhouse Arts Centre in Burton has been launched and includes footage from events in East Staffordshire filmed by Project WIRED. Events filmed included: Black History Month activities with Burton Caribbean Association and the One World Week organised by United Cultures of Burton at Belvedere Park Club. 14/11/05
More homes A project to help the homeless in north Staffordshire has been awarded £70,000 by the Government. 'The Empty Homes Project' finds disused, run-down houses and renovates them for families to use. Part of a regional initiative to cut homelessness in the West Midlands, the money will be used to find an officer to find suitable properties.
October
CAI helping Doctors from a North Staffordshire charity are in Pakistan to help the aid effort after the earthquake. The doctors all work for Child Advocacy International, from Newcastle. It sends the medics overseas to help train local people to be doctors.
NSAAA win support Celebrities were out on the town in Newcastle to see the launch of the only independent support group for people with Autism and Aspergers in the Midlands. TV star Jonathan Wilkes and world darts champion Phil Taylor were among the many people backing a planned £5 million pound centre of excellence for the North Staffordshire Autism and Aspergers Association. The evening began with a welcome from Robbie Williams mum, Jan. The fund-raising for the NSAAA drop-in centre in Newcastle has been started with a £60,000 donation from Robbie's Give It Sum charity. 18/10/05
Wilkesy offers help Stoke's TV star Jonathan Wilkes is joining his friend Robbie Williams in supporting a charity auction by the North Staffordshire Asperger and Autism Association. He's donating football boots he wore at a match at St. James' Park, as well as his medal and a training shirt which were signed by all the celebrities playing. The charity's hoping to raise £5m to build a specialist centre.
Citizen of the Year Do you know someone who's done something 'good' in their local community?
People in North Staffordshire are being asked to consider those who have 'made a difference' for the nominations for the region's 2005 Citizen of the Year Awards which are to be held at the King's Hall in Stoke on the 19th November 2005.
There are 14 categories to be decided on, and details of these can be found on the Stoke City Council website.
Fiji hopes Members of the North Staffordshire Fijian Community Group celebrated their national independence day with the help of £500 from Stoke-on-Trent city council. Max Maonowa, the chairman of the group, says that people from the South Pacific island living here hope to develop a community spirit and cultural identity. Many Fijians resident here are employed in the health care services. 8/10/05
Community hero A man from North Staffordshire's getting an award from Princess Anne for all his work with people with disabilities. Dennis Priebe is the principal at "Rudyard Sailability" near Leek. The charity uses specially adapted boats to allow disabled people to take to the water on Rudyard reservoir. Dennis is getting the "outstanding contribution" award from the Royal Yachting Association.
September
Kerala's Onam in Stoke-on-Trent The Kerala Cultural Society of Stoke-on-Trent celebrated their annual harvest festival of Onam in Hanley's Tontine Square. The celebration, which saw a traditional lamp lighting and dance, was attended by the Lord Mayor and his wife, as well as Keralans from all over the UK.
Onam photos
The Onam festival was a mass of colour and proved to be a joyous occasion, keeping in the very spirit of the festival itself.
See photos here
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Kerala is a region which takes in the southern most tip of India, and its population are among the most literate in Asia, with many joining the medical professions.
Uttoxeter in Bloom The East Staffordshire town of Uttoxeter has won a prestigious award at one of the country's leading town improvement contests. The town won a Silver Award in the 2005 Britain in Bloom Finals with its range of hanging baskets and floral trees. It was also applauded for addressing environmental and sustainability issues as well as its community involvement in the entry. See also www.rhs.org.uk/britaininbloom. 28/9/05
Bancroft loses funding A community centre in Staffordshire may be closed down after it lost its bid for funding from the Lottery commission. For the last eight years Bancroft Community Association has provided courses and classes for a deprived part of Tamworth. The association has only one paid member of staff and enough money left to stay open for four more weeks. Tamworth councillor Dennis Powick says hundreds use the centre's facilities.
August
Angela gets bogged down 70-year-old fund-raiser, Angela Glendenning from Newcastle-Under-Lyme, took the honour of being the slowest competitor in the annual... Bog Snorkelling Championships! Nearly two hundred people took part in the event which means racing in a 60-yard course of a peat bog in south Wales - without using any conventional swimming strokes. Firefighter Iain Hawkes won this year's competition but, at five and a half minutes, Angela played her part too. She said she was raising money for more research into kidney conditions after having donated a kidney to her daughter. 29/08/05
Burton beacon An Islamic Youth Centre in Burton has been praised for showing members how to properly integrate into British society. The town's MP, Janet Dean, made the comments at a party to mark the first anniversary of the Central Youth club at the Pakistani Centre. It was set up last year with the help of the Staffordshire Youth Service.
Staffs Scouts represented at EuroJam Staffordshire and South Cheshire scouts were present at the European Scout Jamboree at Chelmsford in Essex during late July and early August.
The local scouts joined 10,000 Scouts from across Europe at the 12 day camp at Hylands Park, taking part in numerous outdoor and sporting activies, as well as learning about the different cultures and nationalities taking part.
Support for Childrens Fund An organisation which helps young people in Staffordshire who have emotional or behavioural problems, says it's delighted that it's got funding for another 2 years. The government has decided to back the Childrens Fund - which is based in Stone - until 2008. They also help youngsters at risk of abuse or neglect, and work to stop young people getting involved in crime. Ann McIntyre from the group feels their work is making a big difference - which is why funding has been extended..
Jade dies The family of a Staffordshire girl who lost her battle with a rare bone cancer just days after a dream trip to Disneyland Paris have thanked everyone who helped get her there. Fundraisers raised more than £16,000 to send 10-year-old Jade Hayward, from Huntington, Cannock, on the trip. Her aunt Karen Wakeman said: "It was lovely to be able to give her a last treat. She was an inspiration to us all and was always happy no matter what she went through."
Abbots B is best Locals in Abbotts Bromley are celebrating after it's been voted the Best Kept in the area. It's the 44th time the village has entered the competition in the last 50 years.
July
Make Poverty white 2/07/05
As a way of promotiing the Make Poverty History campaign, at 12.00noon today, Lichfield Cathedral was wrapped entirely in a giant white band, and a bell tolled every three seconds. See our Africa Lives Section
Domestic violence increase A Staffordshire woman, who set up a charity to help victims of domestic violence, says she's alarmed by the number of people coming forward in the last few weeks. Kathy Coe runs the Pathways project - which has bases in Tamworth , Lichfield and Burntwood. She's calling for more funding from the government - as victims are being sent to other areas for shelter because emergency accommodation is limited in the area.
June
Charity boost
A record number of groups will benefit from BBC Radio Derby's Money Mountain appeal this year. It's the 22nd anniversary of the annual fundraiser. Fourteen organisations will be awarded cash from this years on-air radio auction, including William Shrewsbury's Walking Bus in Stretton and the United Alvaston Junior Angling Club. Since it was first launched in 1983 more than a million pounds has been raised for various local charities.
Rural Champion Farming and country people in East Staffordshire have a new champion to speak up for their interests. Pat Pimlott has been appointed the county's first rural hub co-ordinator, and her job will be to help breathe new life into its rural economy. Pat - who combines beef production with running a farm shop and riding courses - says many farms have big assets that could be put to profitable use.
No bullies here Pupils at two East Staffordshire schools have been given a special anti-bullying award for the work they do to deal with the problem in their communities.The Diana Anti-Bullying Award honours children they call outstanding and inspirational young people. Winsdor Park C-of-E Middle School in Uttoxeter and De Ferrers College in Burton have "special buddies" who deal with the problems. One of the winners, 13-year old Lydia Nadene who goes to Windsor Park, wants to be a counsellor when she's older.
Biddulph award The Queen has given her royal seal of approval to a community group in North Staffordshire. The Biddulph East Community Resident's Group has got a Queen's Award. It's been given because of all the work the group does for people living in the area. One of the organisers, Julie Hughes, says it will make a lot of difference in the future.
Slow down hopes Road safety groups have unveiled twenty new signs in Staffordshire, which they hope will stop drivers speeding. The new warning signs will flash when drivers are travelling faster than the speed limit. The signs, which each cost around £7,000 will be sited in speeding hotspots across East Staffordshire including Yoxall, Uttoxeter and Barton Under Needwood. The laser activated electronic sign can sense traffic travelling towards it at speeds above the limit and will flash a warning to drivers.
May
The best - and the worst In Stoke on Trent, Longton High School Year 7 students have been helping shape the future of their community. The pupils, aged 11-12, have been taking photographs of the best and worst parts of their neighbourhood for the chance to win a digital camera. The children were given disposable camera to snap ‘the good, the bad and the ugly’ parts of their village, also being asked to write down their thoughts on the area that they had photographed. Normacot (near Longton) is proposed for area improvements by RENEW North Staffordshire.
Ron Annable of Axis who conceived the project said, “These entries give us an invaluable snapshot of the areas that these young residents really believe need changing."
Leave those birds alone! People in Staffordshire are being urged not to rush out and trim their hedges despite the onset of warmer weather and general growth in the garden. Highways officials say hedges shouldn't be trimmed unless they're blocking pavements or obscuring roadsigns. East Staffordshire naturalist Dave Scattergood says, in the garden, they're home to several species of nesting birds - and could be at least until July.
“Show Me The Way To Blythe Bridge Village!” Just when you thought Peter Kay & Tony Christie’s “Show Me The Way To Amarillo” was out of you head, the staff at Blythe Bridge High School, south of Stoke on Trent, are trying to put it right back in!
The lyrics have been re-written and a spoof video taped with all proceeds from the sale of the film going to charity! The record is being sold for a minimal fee to students who may (or may not) use it
as blackmail at a later date!
Bring back dressing People in an East Staffordshire village are reviving the old tradition of well dressing. Rolleston-on-Dove doesn't even have a well - but it does have an old pump, and villagers thought that was good enough. The design - to reflect the 60th anniversary of VE Day - will go on show this weekend. Organiser Angie Gillespie says the project's brought many people from the village together. 5/5/05
Seven challenges for 70 year old Angela Glendenning from Newcastle-Under-Lyme took on seven different challenges to raise money for The North Staffs Kidney Patients Association (NSKPA) and Staffordshire Transplant Association Family and Friends (STAFF). They included efforts to: run 7 miles, walk 70, bicycle another 70, swim a mile, horse-ride for 7 miles, climb 7 tors and canoe 7 miles!!
The is to raise £28,000 through donations and support from local companies. Want to donate? Contact: [email protected]
Kids go clubbing A new scheme in Tamworth called Clubskills 7 is aiming to give socially excluded youngsters the opportunity to learn new skills to show them how music is made and performed. Youngsters are being given the opportunity to learn all about DJing, MCing, studio engineering skills and hosting club events in the scheme. The project has also been supported by the local dance club Bullit , who provide the venue for the final gig free of charge.
Don't stay missing This month the Salvation Army are urging the 27% of Britons who have lost touch with a family member to contact them during Missing Persons Awareness Month.
According to a poll,three-quarters of people who wish to trace the whereabouts of a relative have not tried to find them, possibly because they are unsure where to begin.
Check the website address: www.salvationarmy.org.uk/familytracing
Steve strikes back When teenage Steve Eastwood had a stroke at the age of 19, it looked as if his talent for art might never be discovered. Steve who's now 36 and from Stafford, lost the use of his right hand and arm, and could have been forgiven for thinking a practical vocation would never be his.
But Steve fought back, overcame his disability and learned to use his left hand when his talent for sculpting was revealed. Now his inspirational efforts are being rewarded by his being awarded the Susie Hulks Memorial Award for Art.
The award was created by the Stroke Association to recognise people whose achievements demonstrate courage and help others to overcome the effects of a stroke. Steve continues to inspire Stroke patients all these years on from his own experience - he now works as an occupational therapist in Stafford.
April
Worker's Memorial Workers Memorial Day is being marked this year by the public service union UNISON, with the presentation of a bench at the National Memorial Arboretum in Alrewas, Staffordshire on April 28th. Each year the union places a bench on the site to help spread the message that accidents at work can kill - and procedures can and should be put in place to avoid them.
Barry Bailey is Simply The Best It takes a special kind of person to stand in all weathers collecting for good causes,and Barry Bailey is just such a special person. One of a team of volunteers who collects for the Douglas Macmillan Hospice in North Staffordshire, what sets Barry apart is that he's just passed the amazing figure of £100,000 simply from street collecting. Even more astonishing, 67 year old Barry has only been collecting for the last five years and he also collects clothing to send to some of the worlds most war torn regions.
What he prefers not to tell the world is that he also does a mean Tina Turner impression, so BBC Staffordshire will tell the world instead!
Pensioner pop The North Staffs Pensioners’ Convention (NSPC) – The Hanley based organisation has come up with a novel way of raising money to expand its activities on behalf of the areas pensioners. A CD of “Dreamy ballads… middle of the road pop… and hymns” has been recorded and produced by, the organisation’s own development officer, Philip Snow.
The NSPC is aiming to bring in funds in order to expand its work encouraging pensioners to voice their needs and helping its members to become more active and learn new skills such as Public Speaking and IT skills. The CD is available through NSPC shops for £5. (Interested in joining the NSPC? Contact [email protected] or call 01782 201 724.)
Children Help Make Memories Pupils from Edensor Technology College in SoT have been working with a local retirement home to record their childhood memories. Students interviewed residents at Lady Bennett Court in Longton as part of a project to mark the 60th anniversary World War 2.
The idea is to bring the generations closer together and for children to find out what life was like for their grandparents. They’ve been learning about washing, the value of money, discipline and work. The project has been filmed to produce a video about it. The school music department and choir perform the background music to the video. For details contact: Longton Neighbourhood College
Keep on running A Staffordshire maths teacher is swapping her calculator for her trainers as she prepares for one of the most gruelling runs in the world - the London Marathon.
Carole Tilt who teaches at Chesterton High School in Newcastle is raising money for farming communities in Africa. Last year she made over £1,500 and this time she's hoping to double it. The money will be used to buy dairy goats, tools and seeds and could even train a villager in animal health care. If Carole reaches her target she'll also be able to buy a new well for the village.
Carole's already been to Africa - she spent three years working with farmers in Nigeria. She ran the London Marathon in under four hours last year and with all of her training who knows how fast she'll run this time! You can sponsor Carole - [email protected].
For more on the race see http://www.london-marathon.co.uk/
Want to see stories from previous months? See Staffordshire's Community Life News Stories Archive:
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