City Voices and Age UK

City voices were delighted to welcome two members of the Age UK North Staffordshire, Goldenhill and Sandyford memories group. The group meets at Goldenhill community centre to talk about their memories of the area and to raise funds for good causes. The group is currently working on a book about the area and so sent Jim Dutton and Jenny Bell on a fact-finding mission to one of Stoke on Trent’s most popular writing groups based at the City Central Library, Hanley on September 23^rd to ask for help and advice, as well as poems and stories relating to Goldenhill.

The pair was then treated to poetry recitals from Paul Williamson, Tom Larvin and Derek Payne. There were also stories and comedy quips from local authors Stephen Harvey and Alan Barnett. To finish the session local short story writer and poet Lily Meigh sang a ditty that she had composed to the group and guests. City voices will be guests at the Goldenhill group in the following months so watch out for that one!!

Anyone interested in either group can contact:

Alan Barnett – City voices writers forum – 01782 814023

Jim Dutton – Goldenhill memories group – 01782 200729

http://www.cityvoices.co.uk/

Date for traders – *visitors*!

Key date for your diary – the Queens Theatre are hosting a concert in the evening of 4th November 2010 – this event is sold out, in the region of 1400 tickets have been sold.

 

Two impressive people, two impressive new businesses « Bizfizz Burslem’s Blog

Two impressive people, two impressive new businesses « Bizfizz Burslem’s Blog.

Bulls Head and Gorgeous Homes in Burslem to be renovated with help of Townscape Heritage Initiative | Titanic Brewery

Bulls Head and Gorgeous Homes in Burslem to be renovated with help of Townscape Heritage Initiative | Titanic Brewery.

The Torch Burns On | Stoke Street Culture & Music

The Torch Burns On | Stoke Street Culture & Music.

Ideas flowing in the Old Post Office

With a new exhibition being put up around us, around 15 people gathered for this first experimental meeting. 10 ideas were presented with discussion inbetween. While some were ideas that fit the category of “would be great if enough people got behind it”, many more were already active pieces of work that can inspire other people.

All the ideas will be developed into individual posts and in the meantime here’s a brief summary of the discussion. We think we’ll get together again in a month to continue the discussions.

Many thanks to Rob and the Old Post Office for hosting. This space will be open all weekend for a sales exhibition of pottery and also hosts a Social Media Surgery on September 1st – this is a chance for anybody in the community to come and get free advice about helpful ways you can use the internet. More information here.

The Ben Howard Warehouse

The Ben Howard Charity Warehouse is trading 7 days a week, 10am-4pm at Fraylings Furniture site, Davenport Street Trubshaw Cross (Near Longport)

Come along and bag yourself a bargain! All goods are donated items, from shoes, books, furniture, ornaments, TVs.

We even have a full sized theatre organ here today! Prices are very affordable as we aim to help our community furnish their homes in style at low cost. Donate items if you like… call the warehouse on 01782 826531. We will collect your donated items where possible, but NO FRIDGES or FREEZERS please.

ECHO celebrates 10 years of supporting people who self harm

This week The ECHO Group which is part of Brighter Futures, celebrates a decade of supporting people in Stoke-on-Trent who have experience of self harm. ECHO was set up in 2000 in response to people telling us that because of the stigma attached to self harming they had nowhere to talk freely. They wanted somewhere where they could meet to support each other in a safe and non-judgemental environment.

In the beginning six people came together to support each other using Brunswick House, part of The Safe Spaces Network, as a base. In 2004 the

service moved to The American Clubhouse and Judith Shaw, who was one of the original six, became ECHO Co-ordinator. Earlier this year the group moved to a beautifully renovated new home, ECHO House, within The Dudson Centre. Various sessions are held in the calm, relaxed atmosphere at different times throughout the week, which includes an evening session on a Tuesday for people who find it difficult to attend during the day. ECHO also offers training to professionals to help them understand the complexities of self harm and how to respond to someone who has self harmed.

Judith Shaw, group co-ordinator says, ‘Most people think that self harm is about cutting, but it actually covers a much wider spectrum of self destructive behaviours including eating disorders, drug and alcohol abuse, smoking and even over-exercising. These are all ways in which people try to cope with painful emotions and low self esteem. At school young people are taught everything from French to physics but at no point do they receive lessons on dealing with life and all the problems that go with it. At ECHO we help people to recover their self-worth and offer coping strategies as alternatives to self harm.’

Anyone who lives in Stoke-on-Trent can refer themselves to ECHO if they feel they will benefit from the support. Please call 01782 683192 and we will arrange a time to meet you at ECHO House. Alternatively if you are feeling worried, low or concerned about self harm call the Staffordshire Mental Health Helpline on 0808 800 2234 for emotional support and information. This helpline is open evenings and weekends every day of the year.

So what do you do? – Urban Vision North Staffordshire

Urban Vision North Staffordshire is an architecture and urban design centre.  We work with partners to promote high quality architecture and urban design in and around the North Staffordshire conurbation as a means of:

• Bringing about successful physical and economic regeneration, and social inclusion

• Creating a better and more sustainable urban environment

• Improving the image of the area

• Raising the quality of life for the citizens of today and tomorrow.

Urban Vision is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee and a registered charity.

Urban Vision is based in the Burslem School of Art in Stoke-on-Trent and is a full member of the UK’s Architecture Centre Network.

Congratulations

… to Sam Collett who runs Gorgeous Homes* on Market Place (older Burslem residents know it as the shop that used to be Askeys), who won the National Landlord Association Woman in Property Award 2010 (West Midlands). See her collecting her award on the Burslem Facebook group.

* nice website, by the way