Staffordshire's
Community Life
A
sideways look at life in the county
If
you're looking for a run-down of the daily BBC coverage of serious news
in the county, please go to the BBC
News Search and type in "Staffordshire" - and you'll get the full
day by day list
December
2004
Newest stories at the top, ie in date reverse
order |
Lee
heads the honours Lee Pearson, the three-times gold Paralympics winner, was
awarded an OBE in this year's New Year's Honours List. 31/12/04
See Staffordshire's
New Years Honours
Staffordshire
- home of beer Yet another micro-brewery is setting in Staffordshire. Peakstones
Rock Brewery has been set up by Dave Edwards from Cheadle and his friend Steve
Butler, from nearby Oakamoor. Production gets underway from March, but Dave says
they've already let regulars at Ye Olde Star Inn in Cotton sample it....as that's
where they came up with the idea! The regulars, incidentally, approved.... 30/12/04
Staffordshire
responds The horror of the Boxing Day tsunami in the Indian Ocean affected
all those who witnessed the aftermath, even all of us thousands of miles away.
Almost immediately, charitable organisations, large and small, across Staffordshire
began organising fund-raising. See Staffordshire
fund-arises for Quake victims. 29/12/04
Vale song A group
of Port Vale fans who dreamed of playing for the club have had their wishes come
true through music. A local band called "Cocks' Entry" - named after a street
in Burslem - will play the "Port Vale War Cry" at the club's next home game.
The
lead singer Bazzer from Sneyd Green says they were inspired by the original war
Cry song from the 1920s: the band is made up of lead singer Bazza from Sneyd Green,
drummer Mad Mick, John from Packmoor, Tiny Tim - whose real name is Russell -
and Dave from Chell. The band's named after Brick House Street, just off Market
Place, in Burslem town centre. The street's local nickname came from the Cock
Inn where cockfighting took place in the eighteenth century. 24/12/04
Drugs
- would Rob go back to them? Stoke's own Robbie Williams has revealed that
he would still be taking drugs if they did not make him fat; he said his years
of cocaine, ecstasy and alcohol addiction had given him some of the best times
in his life, even though he is now clean after a spell in rehab. 20/12/04
Is
Robbie being irresponsible? Make your
vote
Staffs brewers making Xmas a little safer Burton's
brewing giant Coors has unveiled plans to launch a lower-alcohol version of its
Carling lager in time for Christmas. Coors said it will introduce a 2% ABV version
of Carling, dubbed C2, on December 20th. With luck, beer drinking drivers will
now realise they do have a choice... 20/12/04
Canals,
roads, whatever - we're the busiest Llangollen Canal
in North Staffordshire is the busiest in Britain. That's according to research
published by British Waterways. This is on top of the fact that the M6 Motorway
is the busiest in Europe.
New
tearooms for summer! Mick Barlow, owner of Middle Hulme Grange on the moorlands
north of Leek, says he'll open it up a new tearoom and craft centre in time for
summer. This has come as welcome news to conservationists, who are relieved that
the farmhouse, parts of which are thought to date back to the 12th Century, will
be saved for future generations. Some of the stone and features used in the building
came from nearby Dieulacres Abbey, founded in 1214 and dissolved during the Reformation
in 1538.
Middle Hulme Farm is nearly a mile up the road from Tittesworth reservoir
centre and close to to the Roaches. 17/12/2004
See our page
about the Roaches - and make a comment!
Old soldiers refuse
to give up Members of the Staffordshire Regimental Association, haves been
reacting angrily to the government's announcement that the Stafford and Cheshire
regiments are to merge. They'll form the new Mercian Regiment along with the Worcester
and Sherwood Foresters.
John Bolas, a member of the 1st Battalion South Staffordshire
Regiment's Old Comrades Association, said: "It is a sad day in the history of
this great regiment." He said he was also concerned about the effect on the
morale of the regiment, due to go to Iraq next year.
Jeff Elson, of Rugeley,
a third generation Stafford after his father and grandfather, has written books
on the regiment and is a volunteer at the regimental museum at Whittington Barracks.
He said: "The men will be disappointed because they have such strong allegiance
to the regiment and I don't think they will have that for the new one".
(To read up on the story, go to our News
Search and type in "Staffordshire Regiment"). 16/12/2004
What
do you think? - have
your say
Sam's Story A Leek schoolboy has come second in
the final of a national storytelling competition. Sam Parker from St Edward's
Middle School in Leek wrote a pirate tale "Words Of Silver" for the
contest, organised by the The Prince of Wales Arts & Kids Foundation. It was
also judged the best in region. 15/12/2004
See Sam's
Story in full
Condoms
up and down The supermarket chain Asda is reporting that shoppers at its Tamworth
store are the least likely to buy... condoms! Strangely, just a few miles away,
its store in Wolverhampton is doing record business for them, second only to a
branch in Edinburgh, in selling more condoms per sq foot than any in the UK. The
chain is backing a drive to encourage sexual health awareness. 15/12/2004
Stoke
pottery giants to become one The long-awaited takeover of Royal Doulton by
Waterford-Wedgwood (a friendly affair they tell us) moved into top gear this week.
To read up on the story, go to our News
Search and type in "Waterford Wedgwood". 15/12/2004
What
do you think? - enter Stuart's
debate
Tin Can man meets the Queen A Staffordshire man is
going to meet the Queen after raising over £250,000 for the Douglas Macmillan
Hospice. John Lees from Werrington, nicknamed the tin can man, raised the money
by standing in shops and in supermarkets with a collection tin. He was inspired
to help after his wife stayed at the hospice thirteen years ago, and will be honoured
as a community champion at Buckingham Palace. Well done John! 06/12/2004
Culture
website on line A website giving details of cultural organisations across
Cheshire is now up and running. It's showcasing arts, heritage, leisure, entertainment
and sport in the county.
The site also has over five thousand entries from
the rest of the UK and the world. See www.cheshire.culture.info
04/12/2004
Stafford district luvvies! The organisers
of a £30,000 theatre project in part of Stafford say they hope it'll bring
the local community closer together. The Doxey Community Association says they
are on the lookout for any budding actors, musicians and stage crew from the Doxey
area to take part. 03/12/2004
For details, see our Am
Dram Pages
Robbie's mum backs Christmas toy appeal Jan Williams,
the mother of the Stoke-on-Trent popstar Robbie, is supporting the Salvation Army's
Pass the Parcel Toy appeal.
She helped to wrap some of the gifts donated by
members of the public in north Staffordshire. The presents are being sent sent
to youngsters across the country in time for Christmas. See Pass
The Parcel website, and also the Robbie
Charity website
01/12/2004
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