If your organisation has positive news to share, send it over: editor@northstaffs.news
Charity expands to offer more local people opportunities to improve their reading skills
Read Easy North Staffs, a branch of a national charity, has expanded its team with 8 new coaches to enhance adult literacy in Stoke-on-Trent. This move aims to tackle the reading difficulties faced by 2.4 million adults in England.
Read Easy North Staffs provides one-to-one reading sessions in local libraries and community centres, led by volunteers. All the sessions delivered by Read Easy North Staffs are provided free of charge.
Team Leader Sue Bell encourages adults struggling with reading to join their supportive programme.
Sue said: “Read Easy North Staffs is so fortunate that so many valued volunteers are able to offer a few hours a week to help someone less fortunate than themselves to develop their reading skills. Any adult struggling with reading can come and join one of our friendly and supportive reading pairs.”
Challenges faced by those with low literacy include unemployment, low income, and social isolation. The scheme involves twice-weekly sessions using the phonics-based course, Turning Pages.
Anyone who wishes to contact Read Easy North Staffs, either to join a reading pair or for further information, can contact them at email: nsadmin@readeasy.org.uk
New Leadership at British Ceramics Biennial
The British Ceramics Biennial (BCB) welcomes Rosy Greenlees OBE as its new Chair, alongside new trustees Claire Hickey and Kirsty Andrew.
Greenlees, with her extensive experience in the creative and cultural industries, steps into the role previously held by Alison Wedgwood.
The BCB, known for championing innovative ceramics practice, aims to further its growth and impact under this new leadership. The organisation recently attracted over 38,000 visitors to its 2023 events in Stoke-on-Trent and continues to foster partnerships across various sectors.
Heartfelt Fundraising for Cuddle Cot
Karis Thompson and Jack Burgwin, parents of premature twins Ayda Lane and Remi Love, raised over £3,000 for the University Hospital of North Midlands (UHNM) Charity.
Their contribution enabled the purchase of a cuddle cot for UHNM's Forget Me Not Suite. This cot offers grieving families precious time with their lost loved ones in a non-clinical setting.
The couple's experience with the cuddle cot inspired them to ensure other families receive the same opportunity for closure and healing.
Funding Boost to Support Rough Sleepers in Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent City Council has received over £200,000 in government funding to support rough sleepers and those at risk.
The £209,140 grant from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will help bridge gaps in support for those with long histories of rough sleeping and complex needs.
The initiative includes 10 new night shelter beds, additional emergency accommodation, and a support worker for complex needs.
The funding will also aid in establishing tenancies in the private sector and maintaining current ones, ‘enhancing the city's commitment to supporting its most vulnerable residents’.
Fire Station Manager's Three Decades of Dedication
After 30 years of devoted service to local communities in Staffordshire, Station Manager Darren Jackson, affectionately known as 'Daz', has retired.
Daz, who joined the Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service in the early 1990s, served in various locations, including Hanley, Longton, Eccleshall, Stone, and Gnosall. He notably raised over £100,000 for Caudwell Children Charity through a charity boxing match against Staffordshire Police.
Chief Fire Officer Rob Barber commended Daz's expertise, integrity, and professionalism, presenting him with a commemorative fire axe to mark his retirement.
Staffordshire Chambers and VAST Collaborate to Support Charities
Staffordshire Chambers has partnered with VAST, a charity for voluntary sector development in Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire. This collaboration provides VAST members access to the Chambers’ Quest support services, offering HR support, health and safety guidance, and legal and tax advice.
The initiative, announced by Chris Plant of Staffordshire Chambers and Lisa Healings of VAST, aims to assist voluntary organisations, especially those with limited staff or volunteer-run, in navigating legal compliance and governance challenges, ultimately benefiting the broader community.
Evaluating the Impact of Stoke-on-Trent's Goods Yard Development
Staffordshire University researchers have launched a study to assess the impact of the £60m Goods Yard development in Stoke-on-Trent.
This significant urban regeneration project, backed by the government’s Levelling Up fund, is expected to create social value and reduce regional inequalities.
The research will include stakeholder reflections, interviews, focus groups, and workshops, aiming to understand the project's broader implications and long-term effects on the local community and economy.
Keele University's Malaria Research Receives Major Grant
Keele University's innovative malaria research has been awarded a $750,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Dr. Roberto Galizi from Keele's School of Life Sciences, collaborating with Virginia Tech's Sharakhov Laboratory, will lead the project.
They aim to enhance the understanding of genes regulating mosquito reproduction, specifically Anopheles gambiae, a malaria vector.
The research focuses on using gene editing techniques, like CRISPR, to potentially control mosquito populations and reduce malaria transmission. This work, crucial for combatting malaria's impact in sub-Saharan Africa, is limited to laboratory settings without field releases.
UHNM's £5.4 Million Net Zero Carbon Emissions Project
The University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust (UHNM) has commenced a £5.4 million project to achieve net zero emissions by 2040.
This initiative, supported by a Decarbonisation Scheme grant, involves replacing industrial boilers at the Royal Stoke University Hospital with air source heat pumps. The project also includes installing nearly 100 solar panels and LED lights, contributing to the national target of reducing carbon emissions by 80% by 2028.
This significant step forward in sustainability is hoped to improve local air quality and align with the upcoming District Heat Network in Stoke-on-Trent.
News with a positive purpose!
We’re a growing readership of people who just want the best for Stoke-on-Trent, Newcastle-under-Lyme, and North Staffordshire.
You can be part of this too - get in touch anytime.
Email: editor@northstaffs.news
thanks for now,
Jerome, the editor
SUBSCRIBE! And SHARE!