Latest news with #BBCRadioStoke
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
War memorial for pottery workers to be replaced
Work to replace a memorial paying tribute to pottery workers who fought in both world wars has begun – 20 years after the original went missing. The plaque outside the Royal Doulton pottery in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, was believed to have been stolen shortly after the factory closed in 2005. The site has since been redeveloped into more than 200 homes, with developer St Modwen promising to replace the memorial. It will be built at the Nile Street housing estate, and will commemorate the former workers who fought in the wars and allied soldiers across the world. Work began on VE Day. Mike Lightfoot, who was an employee at Royal Doulton for two decades, told BBC Radio Stoke it meant a lot to him. "I worked with veterans on this site. I saw some of the lads with physical scars, and a lot with mental scars that we didn't recognise that day," he said. "It's in recognition, not just to the fallen, but the veterans who came back and carried on working." The names of the workers who died in World War One and World War Two will be listed on the memorial. Mr Lightfoot, who helped to organise the project, said he was keen to get in touch with families of the Burslem veterans to get further details about their service during the wars. The memorial is due to be completed before an unveiling ceremony takes place on 14 August. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Potteries to be developed with £10m fund Royal Doulton St Modwen Homes
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
🎧 Deja vu? Stoke City's season review
"Frustrating, a bit of deja vu in there as well. Chaotic with the number of managerial changes. Tense towards the end as they continued to flirt with relegation. "I think you can sum it up by saying [it's] one to put well behind the club, the fanbase and everybody else. "We'll get this season review out the way and then never think about it again hopefully." Those are the thoughts of BBC Radio Stoke commentator Mark Elliott following the end of Stoke City's season, which saw the Potters finish 18th and avoid relegation by just two points. He joins presenter Lucas Yeomans on the latest episode of A Cold Wet Tuesday Night to review Stoke's campaign, discuss the squad and what might be needed to improve next season. Listen to A Cold Wet Tuesday Night podcast on BBC Sounds.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
🎧 Deja vu? Stoke City's season review
"Frustrating, a bit of deja vu in there as well. Chaotic with the number of managerial changes. Tense towards the end as they continued to flirt with relegation. "I think you can sum it up by saying [it's] one to put well behind the club, the fanbase and everybody else. Advertisement "We'll get this season review out the way and then never think about it again hopefully." Those are the thoughts of BBC Radio Stoke commentator Mark Elliott following the end of Stoke City's season, which saw the Potters finish 18th and avoid relegation by just two points. He joins presenter Lucas Yeomans on the latest episode of A Cold Wet Tuesday Night to review Stoke's campaign, discuss the squad and what might be needed to improve next season. Listen to A Cold Wet Tuesday Night podcast on BBC Sounds.
BBC News
29-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Blind Paralympic judo hopeful from Crewe appeals for help
A judo competitor who is blind and in the running to feature at the Los Angeles Paralympics in 2028 has begun a fundraising campaign to help him get there. Scott Bailey, 36, from Crewe, started judo seven years ago after losing his sight, and is trying to make Team GB. Mr Bailey said he trained "relentlessly" and had competed at national and international levels, but chasing his dream of representing Britain at the "very top... comes with costs".In a GoFundMe appeal with a target of £5,000, he stated the cost of travel to competitions and training camps, plus accommodation, specialist coaching and more was "starting to add up, and that's why I'm reaching out". The appeal page said he lived with diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, cataracts, diabetes and epilepsy. Mr Bailey was working in a milking parlour on a farm when he felt his sight start to damage was due to diabetic retinopathy, where high blood sugar damages the back of the losing his sight he took part in Thai boxing and he later discovered judo through the British Blind Sport winning gold medals in tournaments across Europe, he is self-funded. Mr Bailey told BBC Radio Stoke that competing in Egypt in July was self-funded and if he did well there "then I get through to Georgia which will be funded". But he added: "I'm self funded for the other competitions like Brazil and things like that, so I've got to pay for my travel, I've got to pay for my hotels, my entry fees."When you've got a family, it's pretty tough to fund a sport like judo and travel the world."Mr Bailey said it was "very stressful" and he supposed "anxiety provoking" when a competition was offered and "you can't actually say yes or no until you've looked at your finances"."I suppose this is what the GoFundMe would really help with." Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Fallen tree in Madeley carved into bench and sculpture
A chainsaw artist has created a bench and sculpture from the remains of a fallen Staffordshire tree that could be up to 300 years Dalton was tasked with giving new life to the horse chestnut, which had stood in the village of fell down during Storm Bert in November, and many locals say they have fond memories of bench is being dedicated to former borough mayor Barry Panter, who died in a car crash in February. "I can't believe the amount of local attention it has got," Mr Dalton said."This tree that's got so much history to it, is going to live on."It used to have a rope swing, which one local said many children had enjoyed over the years."When it was coming in to blossom, it was absolutely gorgeous," one man said. One woman told BBC Radio Stoke "it was a beautiful tree" - though to be between 200 and 300 years old - and said she had always loved seeing Dalton said he had cut a few discs from branches of the tree, and that people had queued up to save a piece of it. He began his career as a chainsaw artist after being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress syndrome in 2018 following his time in the forces."Something absolutely fantastic has come out of previous trauma," he said."It's the best thing that ever happened to me, and I get to do jobs like this."The people and the sentiment around this sculpture, I have never come across a piece of work that has had so many people interested in it, sharing their stories." Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
