The Angel – Issue 7, Winter 2008

the

ANGEL

AN UPDATE ON BURSLEM REGENERATION PROGRESS ISSUE 7 Winter 2008

Pretty Pots World class design is a magnet for ceramic tourists See centre pages

New manager’s single-minded mission for Mother Town Page three

Creative industries have vital role to play

By Hugh Edwards Chairman of The Burslem Regeneration Company

THOSE parts of the ceramic industry most closely allied to the creative industries in our country are doing well and a number of the very best of them live in and around Burslem.

Our creative industries are the fastest-growing sector in the British economy and it is good for Burslem that they are here.

The touring public come to see pretty pots and lamps and absorb the history, traditions and heritage of the Mother Town as well.

There is little purpose in speculating on whether or not the heavy side of the ceramic industry is in good shape.

Bricks, drainpipes, loo pans and hospitality ware attract few tourists, while Moorcroft, Burleigh Pottery and Moorland Pottery to name but three, all quote visitor figures rising – now that the D-road work has been completed.

With the tourists, (Moorcroft alone had 55,000 last year) come the tourist pounds and we are ready to start collecting those pounds for the good of our community. Indeed, it is community cohesion and a sense of belonging to Burslem which must be the driving forces behind the redevelopment of the Doulton site in Nile Street.

2008 promises to be an eventful year. May it be a happy one for you all as well!

2 THE ANGEL

MP briefs minister on challenges facing town STOKE-ON-TRENT North MP Joan Walley has personally briefed the Minister for the West Midlands Liam Byrne on the regeneration challenges facing Burslem.

Joan invited Mr Byrne to meet with local people and see at first hand the work being done to revitalise the Mother Town.

She said: “I believe it was important that the Minister with

special resposibility for the region should view on the ground the issues in what is a priority regeneration area.

“I wanted to make sure that local agendas are communicated to Government. The Minister is now fully aware that there is much to be done in Burslem to achieve our vision of making the town a quality place to live, work and visit.”

West Midlands Minister Liam Byrne

Call to duck in at

Swan Bank T

Rev. Ashley Cooper, new minister at Swan Bank Methodist Church, pictured inspecting the progress of improvement work at the church’s community centre buildings.

HE new minister at Swan Bank Methodist Church plans to swell his congregation with a £300,000 makeover of the church building.

Rev. Ashley Cooper said the two year plan, which will be funded by church savings and charity Coalfield Regeneration, will focus on making Swan Bank more attractive and accessible to the wider community.

The first phase of work will install a new lift, kitchen and disabled toilet on the top floor, and should be completed by the end of February.

Rev. Cooper plans to follow this with a coffee lounge, modern reception area and glass facade. He said: “The new entrance will make the church more welcoming and accessible, allowing passers by to see inside the building.

“We want a coffee lounge that offers drinks and refreshment of the same quality as you would find in Starbucks.

“I have travelled to Methodist churches in Brazil, Pakistan and Korea where congregations are growing constantly, and I hope the renovations will see a similar growth for Swan Bank.”

New manager is single-minded in his aim to bring life and prosperity to Mother Town

Burslem Regeneration Manager Julian Read will be carrying out an urgent review of the town’s masterplan.

Regeneration J

ULIAN Read’s new job has given him a single-minded professional mission – to bring life and prosperity back into Burslem town centre.

As the Mother Town’s Regeneration Manager – a newly-created position he took up at the start of the year – Julian is based permanently in an office at the School of Art building in Queen Street.

He is employed by the North Staffordshire Regeneration Partnership to be their “man in Burslem” and will working closely with the Burslem Regeneration Company, which now has its own budget and more clout to get things done.

As a Regeneration Project Manager, Julian oversaw the economic development proposals for Newcastle-underLyme as well as managing the learning and skills programme for North Staffs Regeneration Zone.

But he does not underestimate the size of his latest challenge. “We need to restore momentum to the regeneration process in Burslem,” said Julian.

“Everyone knows Burslem has

company is given own budget and

more clout

beautiful, historic buildings and has an immense amount of potential.

“We need to get people, shops, businesses and enterprise back in the town in a substantial way. We want to move quickly but it is important to get it right for the long term rather than go for a quick fix.”

Julian’s first task, working with colleagues in the Regeneration Partnership, will be to carry out an immediate review of the Burslem Masterplan – a blueprint of planning ideas and guidelines drawn up by specialist consultants to take the town forward.

“It was adopted by the City Council back in 2004 and

perhaps now needs updating and freshening up with new ideas,” he said. “We want to carry out this review as a matter of urgency but we recognise there is no point in throwing money at schemes that are inappropriate for the town and cannot be sustained.”

Part of the review is devising new proposals for three iconic buildings – the Wedgwood Institute, the old town hall (now Ceramica) and the market hall.

Multi-million pound schemes for the Institute and the market hall have been put on hold pending the review of the Burslem Masterplan.

“It is vital we develop these three key buildings with viable future uses which will make a

significant and lasting contribution to the town’s economy,” said Julian. “We can’t afford to get these wrong. But getting them right will be a catalyst to rapid regeneration.”

Being a “local lad” – he was born in Weston Coyney, attended Longton High School and graduated from Staffordshire University in Business and Finance – Julian, aged 39, believes he has a good knowledge of the area – and a passion for wanting to make it a better place to live and work.

He added: “This is more than just a job. I desperately want the regeneration of Burslem to be a success and it would give me great pride to have played a part in that.”

THE ANGEL 3

Training for new home building technology IMAGINE choosing a house – walls, roof and all – in a showroom, then receiving it fully formed on the back of a lorry.

Burslem will be offered a glimpse of the prospect in March when two factory built homes arrive at the town's Stoke-on-Trent College Campus.

The project, which aims to show the possibilities for future construction in the city, will see the houses built off site at a factory and placed in the earth by crane.

This will enable plumbers, decorators and electricians to work on the house from the inside without the disruptions of weather.

While houses built from the ground up often take months to complete, factory-produced "shell" homes can be ready for habitation within one or two weeks.

The buildings have been bought at cut price from manufacturer OSM Homes with funds from the college coffers, North Staffordshire Regeneration Partnership, the Learning and Skills Council and West Midlands Construction Excellence.

Ken Burgess, who heads the College Construction Faculty, said: "In Germany the off site manufacturing of homes is quite common.

Each house appears in a showroom with a price tag on the front lawn, followed by kitchens and bathrooms which shoppers can choose to fit inside.

"The houses on our campus will perhaps give us a peep into Staffordshire's own future. This kind of construction could one day become commonplace, so any training our students can do in the houses will put them ahead in the labour market."

4 THE ANGEL

Charles Cumbo and his company’s famous bear mascot which is an eye-catcher in the showroom window.

Motor dealer predicts town’s fortunes will

accelerate L

EADING motor dealer Charles Cumbo is predicting brighter years ahead for Burslem – and he is fully committed to ensuring his business plays its part in the regeneration of the Mother Town.

Charles started his family business with his brother Anthony on a site in Nile Street back in 1972. As the company has grown and developed, Charles has stayed loyal to the town.

Now he is reaping the rewards of that 35 years of loyalty with a landmark modern showroom on one of the main gateways into the town in Waterloo Road. The dealership for American automotive giants Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge has an annual turnover of £12 million with customers throughout the UK. And he is currently in talks with another major car manufacturer with a view to launching a second dealership on recently-acquired land down the road at Cobridge.

“I have never been tempted to move away from Burslem and I am sure Cumbo will be part of the business community in the town for a long time to come,” said Charles, Managing Director of the company which has 32 employees and will be creating more jobs if expansion plans come to fruition.

“Burslem is going through a tough time at the moment but you have to be optimistic in business and I am optimistic about the town’s future. It has a great history and heritage, some wonderful buildings – once the regeneration initiatives start to kick in and more homes are built I believe we will see a revival.”

Charles pointed out that Burslem is an ideal location for a car dealership. “There are good links with the motorway network and its geographical position in the centre of the UK means we can deliver cars throughout the country without any overlong journeys,” he said.

“We invested two-and-half million pounds in developing the showroom complex – that is a measure of our confidence in the town’s future.”

The entrepreneur has welcomed the commitment to Burslem by the North Staffordshire Regeneration Partnership, but he believes that the involvement of major private developers and businesses is vital to making things happen.

He said: “I am pleased that the developers St Modwen are involved in two key sites in the town – they have a track record of success and we need that. Success breeds optimism and it will help to encourage more businesses to invest and locate in Burslem.”

Burslem is developing as a town for specialist retailers. Here, The Angel highlights two such shops which are finding the Mother Town an ideal location...

A place where small is A

STITCH in Time Miniatures on Market Place sells dolls houses with a difference. The tiny buildings are precise, scaled down models of real homes throughout the ages with all mod cons available on request – from a twig-thick hat stand to a thimble-sized teapot.

Pat Barnard, who runs the shop with her husband Derek, said: “Many of our customers are amateur historians who want to recreate households of the past, piece by piece.”

The Lilliput-like figures and furniture are crafted by local artists in painstaking detail.

In a Victorian dining room, potatoes, roast beef and vegetables sit on plates the breadth of coins while, further along the shelf, a modern lounge is lit up by pea-sized electric bulbs.

The shop, which is the only one of its kind in North Staffordshire, attracts customers from as far as Wales and Manchester seeking houses and furnishings for their collections. Pat said: “The strangest order we ever had was for a tiny coffin to complete a church funeral scene.”

Pat Barnard with one of the dolls houses.

The Burslem-born couple, who are both 61, have been trading in the mother town for 17 years and have even built a replica of its iconic building The Westminster Bank. Pat said: “Some customers do a double take when they see the model because they don't

realise where they have seen the building before.

“In the future, we hope to make a replica of Josiah Wedgwood’s ‘Big House’ on the corner of Market Place and Wedgwood Street.”

New shop is big hit

Cricket retailer Jason Baker is batting for Burslem’s regeneration.

OWNERS of a specialist cricket shop have struck a big hit for Burslem. JS Sports has signed up 18 clubs, including North Staffs and South Cheshire League champions Audley and runners-up Stone, since opening last February.

And the success of the business, based in Brickhouse Street, has now encouraged owners James Menzies and Simon Baker to branch out into other sports.

James’ wife Joanne, who runs the shop with Simon’s brother Jason, said: “James plays cricket for Meakins and Simon plays cricket for Blythe and rugby for Hanford.

They are well known in local sporting circles and that has

helped enormously.

“Each cricket club we deal with has at least two senior and several junior teams and we are able to provide the full package on site, including putting on the club logos.

Jason, 21, added: “We saw a gap in the market and we believe no-one locally can match the system we operate. We’ve had excellent feedback from customers and are in discussions to sign up more clubs all the time.”

Why Burslem? Joanne, 29, said: “We are a specialist shop and don’t need to be in the city centre. Our customers come to find us and we love it here.”

THE ANGEL 5

Agency is key link in construction jobs market LOCAL construction industry workers are set to be first in line for jobs on building projects in North Staffordshire thanks to a free employment agency service set up in Burslem.

The Construction Employment Centre in Moorland Road links tradespeople with contractors looking for skilled labour, removing the need to search outside the area.

Since launching in June, the centre has secured jobs for 94 workers and put 221 through training courses to boost their prospects. The service, which is funded by the city council and Advantage West Midlands, charges nothing for training workers or linking them with employers.

Courses are open to anyone who is out of work or about to be made redundant and span from a day to six weeks.

Every aspect of building site work is covered from health and safety, plumbing and tiling to driving a JCB or dumper truck.

The centre is based at Groundwork in Burslem, and uses the charity’s links with local politicians and entrepreneurs to maximise opportunities for the 2000 plus workers on the centre’s books.

Project Manager Tim Robins said: “The city is really booming in the area of regeneration, and it's important that local workers benefit from it.

What we want to avoid is outside workers coming in to build new developments, then leaving, along with their earnings and the skills they have learnt.

“The centre is not only helping skilled people find jobs but enabling them to pick up new skills, which will enrich the city's labour market in the future.”

Employers can access the service free of charge.

6

THE ANGEL

Heritage and world class design is

irresistible mix T

Tracy Sproston demonstrates the traditional decorating method of underglaze transfer printing at Burleigh Pottery.

Below, Tour Guide Jemma Baskeyfield with some of the finished Calico ware in the factory shop.

Youngsters enjoy a pottery painting birthday party at Royal Stafford’s popular ceramic café in Burslem town centre.

HE IRRESISTIBLE combination of centuries-old pottery heritage and contemporary artistic design-led production is a jewel in the Mother Town’s tourism crown.

Despite the loss of some great pottery names in recent years – most notably Royal Doulton – Burslem still attracts tens of thousands of visitors who come in search of collectibles, giftware and factory shop bargains.

Now, as the town battles to pull itself up by its bootlaces, the development of ceramic tourism is set to be one of the cornerstones of regeneration.

“Burslem and Stoke-on-Trent are unique for ceramic tourists – nowhere else in the world will you find such a concentration of ceramic activity, history and heritage,” said Julie Obada, the City Council Tourism Marketing Officer.

“Preserved bottle kilns and amazing buildings like the Wedgwood Institute provide a superb historical setting but it’s not all about times gone by. Burslem has a cluster of ceramic manufacturers that are producing innovative, world class designs.

“The skills and know-how keep The Potteries at the cutting edge of the industry and it is still THE place to visit for the millions of people fascinated by ceramics. I believe the development of ceramic tourism is going to be an important part of the future regeneration of Burslem – it is a big asset for the town and we should make the most of it.”

The potential of tourism is reflected in the latest figures – 3.5 million visitors to the city a year, spending £138 million. “The vast majority of these people came for the pottery – it is what makes our city very special,” said Julie.

Julie points to a number of notable ongoing success stories on the Burslem ceramic tourism trail.

Moorcroft Pottery – celebrated for the distinctive decoration style of its prestige vases and other giftware – attracted more than 55,000 visitors from throughout the UK and overseas to its museum

and factory shop – many of whom took in a factory tour including a look in at the world-famous Moorcroft design studio.

Moorcroft Chairman Hugh Edwards said: “The tourists come to see what I call the ‘pretty pots’ – artistic design-led pottery that is the best in the world. We have talented and innovative pottery companies with amazingly skilled people doing beautiful ceramics.

“Combine this with a heritage second to none and Burslem has everything that is required to attract tourists on a large scale for many years to come. The town is a treasure trove for people who love pottery and there is no doubt that this can be further developed to regenerate the Mother Town.”

In the town centre at Wedgwood Place, tableware specialists Royal Stafford’s factory shop and ceramic café has been awarded the coveted VAQAS national accreditation as a quality visitor attraction. The facilities for disabled visitors have been held up as a national model and at the café people can decorate ware, creating their own unique piece of pottery. Particularly popular with youngsters, the café has become a novel venue for children’s parties.

Looking to the future of tourism in Burslem, Royal Stafford Managing Director Norman Tempest has urged that

the planners look to provide much-needed additional car parking and improved signage.

M

OORLAND Pottery in Moorland Road aims to mark 2008 by relocating its factory shop to ground floor premises to improve access to tourists and visitors. Managing Director Jon Plant said the bigger space could also be used to offer a wider range of facilities to visitors, including demonstrations or even hands on masterclasses in the art of decorating pottery.

Burleigh Pottery, which has established a reputation for using traditional methods of decoration, is planning to follow up a high profile year with a spring tourism event at its Middleport factory shop. Look out on the web site at www.burleigh.co.uk for details of the open day that could take place in March.

The company is looking to build on an exciting 2007 which saw Middleport Pottery host a broadcast of BBC TV’s popular Antiques Roadshow, and the national launch of the Civic Trust’s Heritage Open Day scheme, in which historic buildings open their doors to the public. Burleigh Sales and Marketing Manager Gary Preston said: “We are regularly visited by tourists, many from America, who are drawn to the factory’s

Moorcroft paintress Vicky Ford with an example the classic ware which attracts tens of thousands of visitors a year.

Victorian history, the heritage of the pottery and the fact that Burleigh ware is made in England.”

Tableware and hotelware manufacturers Dudson’s popular Nile Street factory shop continues to draw visitors to the Mother Town six days a week. And the Scotia Road-based pottery also hopes to repeat an extension to opening hours of its museum at Hanley’s Dudson Centre during the 2009 Ceramics Festival. Last year’s festival saw a tenfold increase in visitors to the museum, housed in a renovated bottle oven.

Also making a major contribution to the ceramic scene in Burslem are Wade, who have become world leaders in the manufacture of pottery decanters, and the highly successful hotelware giants Steelite. Lorna Bailey Artware – which has a strong collectors’ club of more than 5,000 and a busy visitor centre in the old post office building in Wedgwood Street – and new-kids-on-theblock Living Glaze are among the smaller potters proving to be a magnet for tourists.

Ceramica, the interactive pottery industry exhibition housed in the old town hall, has been extremely popular with young visitors and, across Market Place, the exceptional Burslem Antiques and Collectible shop is a cause of considerable curiosity for ceramic enthusiasts. ● A leaflet has been produced by the City Council highlight Burslem’s tourist attractions including the new heritage trail. Copies are available at local visitor attractions and the tourist information office.

THE ANGEL 7

Agency is key link in construction jobs market LOCAL construction industry workers are set to be first in line for jobs on building projects in North Staffordshire thanks to a free employment agency service set up in Burslem.

The Construction Employment Centre in Moorland Road links tradespeople with contractors looking for skilled labour, removing the need to search outside the area.

Since launching in June, the centre has secured jobs for 94 workers and put 221 through training courses to boost their prospects. The service, which is funded by the city council and Advantage West Midlands, charges nothing for training workers or linking them with employers.

Courses are open to anyone who is out of work or about to be made redundant and span from a day to six weeks.

Every aspect of building site work is covered from health and safety, plumbing and tiling to driving a JCB or dumper truck.

The centre is based at Groundwork in Burslem, and uses the charity’s links with local politicians and entrepreneurs to maximise opportunities for the 2000 plus workers on the centre’s books.

Project Manager Tim Robins said: “The city is really booming in the area of regeneration, and it's important that local workers benefit from it.

What we want to avoid is outside workers coming in to build new developments, then leaving, along with their earnings and the skills they have learnt.

“The centre is not only helping skilled people find jobs but enabling them to pick up new skills, which will enrich the city's labour market in the future.”

Employers can access the service free of charge.

6

THE ANGEL

Heritage and world class design is

irresistible mix T

Tracy Sproston demonstrates the traditional decorating method of underglaze transfer printing at Burleigh Pottery.

Below, Tour Guide Jemma Baskeyfield with some of the finished Calico ware in the factory shop.

Youngsters enjoy a pottery painting birthday party at Royal Stafford’s popular ceramic café in Burslem town centre.

HE IRRESISTIBLE combination of centuries-old pottery heritage and contemporary artistic design-led production is a jewel in the Mother Town’s tourism crown.

Despite the loss of some great pottery names in recent years – most notably Royal Doulton – Burslem still attracts tens of thousands of visitors who come in search of collectibles, giftware and factory shop bargains.

Now, as the town battles to pull itself up by its bootlaces, the development of ceramic tourism is set to be one of the cornerstones of regeneration.

“Burslem and Stoke-on-Trent are unique for ceramic tourists – nowhere else in the world will you find such a concentration of ceramic activity, history and heritage,” said Julie Obada, the City Council Tourism Marketing Officer.

“Preserved bottle kilns and amazing buildings like the Wedgwood Institute provide a superb historical setting but it’s not all about times gone by. Burslem has a cluster of ceramic manufacturers that are producing innovative, world class designs.

“The skills and know-how keep The Potteries at the cutting edge of the industry and it is still THE place to visit for the millions of people fascinated by ceramics. I believe the development of ceramic tourism is going to be an important part of the future regeneration of Burslem – it is a big asset for the town and we should make the most of it.”

The potential of tourism is reflected in the latest figures – 3.5 million visitors to the city a year, spending £138 million. “The vast majority of these people came for the pottery – it is what makes our city very special,” said Julie.

Julie points to a number of notable ongoing success stories on the Burslem ceramic tourism trail.

Moorcroft Pottery – celebrated for the distinctive decoration style of its prestige vases and other giftware – attracted more than 55,000 visitors from throughout the UK and overseas to its museum

and factory shop – many of whom took in a factory tour including a look in at the world-famous Moorcroft design studio.

Moorcroft Chairman Hugh Edwards said: “The tourists come to see what I call the ‘pretty pots’ – artistic design-led pottery that is the best in the world. We have talented and innovative pottery companies with amazingly skilled people doing beautiful ceramics.

“Combine this with a heritage second to none and Burslem has everything that is required to attract tourists on a large scale for many years to come. The town is a treasure trove for people who love pottery and there is no doubt that this can be further developed to regenerate the Mother Town.”

In the town centre at Wedgwood Place, tableware specialists Royal Stafford’s factory shop and ceramic café has been awarded the coveted VAQAS national accreditation as a quality visitor attraction. The facilities for disabled visitors have been held up as a national model and at the café people can decorate ware, creating their own unique piece of pottery. Particularly popular with youngsters, the café has become a novel venue for children’s parties.

Looking to the future of tourism in Burslem, Royal Stafford Managing Director Norman Tempest has urged that

the planners look to provide much-needed additional car parking and improved signage.

M

OORLAND Pottery in Moorland Road aims to mark 2008 by relocating its factory shop to ground floor premises to improve access to tourists and visitors. Managing Director Jon Plant said the bigger space could also be used to offer a wider range of facilities to visitors, including demonstrations or even hands on masterclasses in the art of decorating pottery.

Burleigh Pottery, which has established a reputation for using traditional methods of decoration, is planning to follow up a high profile year with a spring tourism event at its Middleport factory shop. Look out on the web site at www.burleigh.co.uk for details of the open day that could take place in March.

The company is looking to build on an exciting 2007 which saw Middleport Pottery host a broadcast of BBC TV’s popular Antiques Roadshow, and the national launch of the Civic Trust’s Heritage Open Day scheme, in which historic buildings open their doors to the public. Burleigh Sales and Marketing Manager Gary Preston said: “We are regularly visited by tourists, many from America, who are drawn to the factory’s

Moorcroft paintress Vicky Ford with an example the classic ware which attracts tens of thousands of visitors a year.

Victorian history, the heritage of the pottery and the fact that Burleigh ware is made in England.”

Tableware and hotelware manufacturers Dudson’s popular Nile Street factory shop continues to draw visitors to the Mother Town six days a week. And the Scotia Road-based pottery also hopes to repeat an extension to opening hours of its museum at Hanley’s Dudson Centre during the 2009 Ceramics Festival. Last year’s festival saw a tenfold increase in visitors to the museum, housed in a renovated bottle oven.

Also making a major contribution to the ceramic scene in Burslem are Wade, who have become world leaders in the manufacture of pottery decanters, and the highly successful hotelware giants Steelite. Lorna Bailey Artware – which has a strong collectors’ club of more than 5,000 and a busy visitor centre in the old post office building in Wedgwood Street – and new-kids-on-theblock Living Glaze are among the smaller potters proving to be a magnet for tourists.

Ceramica, the interactive pottery industry exhibition housed in the old town hall, has been extremely popular with young visitors and, across Market Place, the exceptional Burslem Antiques and Collectible shop is a cause of considerable curiosity for ceramic enthusiasts. ● A leaflet has been produced by the City Council highlight Burslem’s tourist attractions including the new heritage trail. Copies are available at local visitor attractions and the tourist information office.

THE ANGEL 7

8

THE ANGEL

Work trials offer chance of new

career J

OBCENTRE Plus is contacting local businesses to let them know about Work Trials, an initiative which means companies can trial potential employees for up to 15 days before deciding whether to make them a firm offer.

Work Trials also gives unemployed people the chance to try an advertised job in order to find out if the job is just right for them.

Research has revealed only 26 per cent of employers were aware of Work Trials, but after hearing of it more than twice that number thought the scheme was relevant to their business – with interest especially high amongst small and medium-sized companies.

The beauty of a Work Trial is that it gives individuals the opportunity to show an employer the skills and enthusiasm they have to offer.

They remain on their benefits during the trial and receive travel expenses plus a meal allowance of £3 a day while trying out a new job. It provides an employer with the time to assess if that person is right for the job, something that an interview cannot always show.

Jobcentre Plus have been successful in paving the way to new career opportunities for their customers in a wide range of occupations, including warehousing and logistics, clerical,retail, catering and hospitality.

Alwena Parry, Labour Market Recruitment Advisor at Burslem’s Jobcentre Plus, said: “The time spent on trial job placements often provides good training and helps those who have been long term unemployed to get used to the workplace environment once again.

“Also, under Work Trial, people with absolutely no

Labour Market Recruitment Advisor Alwena Parry

experience of the job being advertised can use the time on the scheme to show the employer that they have the potential to reach the required skill level with more training.”

Nicola, from Burslem, is a typical Work Trial success story.

The 39-year-old former pottery industry operative was put in touch with a Hanley dry cleaning company who were recruiting for a new assistant.

The 13 days Nicola spent on Work Trial prepared her for taking responsibility for the running of the outlet, dealing with customers, working alone, handling money and being the key holder – and she was delighted when she was offered the job.

Nicola said: “Work Trial is a great idea for anyone like me. It gave me the time to find out what I can do and to develop the confidence I needed after being a full time mum for a number of years.”

Work Trial is available for those who have been unemployed for six months or longer, but others may be eligible.

If you are interested and not sure if you are eligible contact Burslem Jobcentre Plus on 01782 426260 or 01782 426262.

Employers who want to know more about Work Trials can call Alwena Parry or Hilary Hibbitts on 01782 426459/ 449.

Thurayya Cahill at the New UACCO HQ in Bycars Lane.

International union moves to

new HQ AN ORGANISATION that has spread worldwide since it was founded in Burslem has moved into new international headquarters in the town.

The Union of African and African Caribbean Organisations was formed to meet the health, social care, education, training, business and employment needs of black people in North Staffordshire.

It was started at the George Hotel in Burslem and progressed to Furlong Road

by Zanzibar-born by Thurayya Cahill.

The UAACO has rapidly expanded on a regional and national basis, and has grown to international proportions with representation in Africa, Jamaica, USA and Europe.

Now the UACCO head office has moved to a 14 room building in Bycars Lane to provide the space needed to coordinate such a fast expanding organisation.

Thurayya said: “After starting in a small way UAACO has become a worldwide organisation that

has helped to put Burslem on the map. Now our doors are open to help people from all ethnic groups, not just those from the black African and African Caribbean community.

“Our main role is to bridge the gap between service providers and users and to train people in doing so. Our unique training concentrates on cultural competence and not cultural awareness.

Knowledge in culture and psychology is crucial to the delivery.”

Thurayya was recently invited by The Queen to Buckingham Palace prior to the Royal state visit to Uganda and the Commonwealth conference in Kampala.

She was one of several prominent African and African Caribbean people invited to discuss global issues, particularly those in Africa.

Other guests included broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald, Baroness Amos, Leader of the House of Lords, Dr John Setamu, Archbishop of York, and the BBC World Service team.

THE ANGEL 9

An Update on Port Vale Football Club’s Community Activities

VALE Community

in the

Acclaimed scheme to

expand A NEW indoor sports hall is being built at Vale Park which will enable the expansion of the club’s acclaimed Football in the Community scheme.

Located at the Hamil Road end of the stadium, the facility is a third larger than the existing gymnasium used by local schools and youth groups.

And the double whammy is that it will free up the gym to be converted into additional classrooms and flexible space for the Vale’s educational programmes and other community activities such as youth clubs.

The project, which has been partly financed with a £272,000 grant from the regional development agency Advantage West Midlands, would see the further development of a scheme that connects with thousands of youngsters throughout North Staffordshire and South Cheshire.

Football in the Community Manager Jim Cooper – who started the scheme as a one-

man operation back in 1993 – now heads up a team of 10 full-time soccer coaches plus additional casual staff and volunteers. They deliver multi-sport sessions during curriculum time and after school to more than 50 schools every week.

In addition, the Playing for Success project based in classrooms at Vale Park provides IT, numeracy and literacy programmes for local pupils and the gymnasium has football coaching for youngsters in the evenings and weekends.

Other initiatives includes the successful Boomer’s Club – named after Vale’s popular doggy mascot Boomer – which provides multi-sport activities for eight to 14-year-olds during the school holidays. The club, which has gained a coveted quality assurance award, is expanding and could hit capacity this year.

Jim said: “Our Football in the Community scheme is classed nationally as a large one –

Football in the Community Manager Jim Cooper takes a multi-sport coaching session at Silverdale Primary School. He is pictured with pupils, left to right, Georgia Smith, Jack Hyde and Lauren Barber. which is an achievement for a club of Vale’s size and reflects its status as a true community club.” ● The search is on for a new training complex for the Vale – which will double up for community use.

The club want a site that can accommodate five pitches and an indoor facility including

changing rooms and showers.

Chairman Bill Bratt revealed that two possible sites have been identified and talks with the owners are ongoing. He said: “It would complement our facilities at Vale Park and give a boost to our junior and youth teams. The complex could also be used to extend our community activities.”

Children’s centre on target for opening AN £800,000 ground-breaking “one stop shop” for children services is set to open at Vale Park at the end of March. Offering a huge range of services for local families, the exciting new facility is located on the ground floor of the Lorne Street stand.

Work has now been completed on fitting out the project which is the UK’s first children’s centre to be built at a football stadium. One unique feature which puts the facility in a league of its own is a raised balcony open-air play area at the front of

10 T H E A N G E L

the stand providing a close-up of the Vale pitch. The centre, which has been partly funded with a £260,000 grant from the regional development agency Advantage West Midlands and £550,000 from the Department of Education and Skills, underlines the club’s commitment to making Vale Park a community hub.

Vale Chairman Bill Bratt said: “We are a family orientated club so what better than having a children’s centre at Vale Park which will benefit local families by

providing first-class services. It makes the club even more deep rooted in the community and I believe it will lead to more community facilities being based at the stadium in the future.”

Adele Eaton, City Council Project Officer with The Early Years and Childcare Service, said: “It is a top quality centre which will provide a much-needed resource for thousands of families in the Burslem area and help to give children the best possible start in life.”

Trailblazing partnership

is making club national model A

JOINT initiative with Stoke-on-Trent City Council has helped to make Port Vale a national model as a community football club. Trailblazing plans to expand its work and activities with local people and organisations were given financial backing by the council with a £2.25 million loan.

The cash is enabling the club to develop new facilities at Vale Park for the benefit of the community, including an innovative Children’s Centre, 20 enterprise units for starter businesses and a multi-purpose sports hall.

“We see the club as a strategic partner of the council working to deliver quality community services which will improve quality of life for local people,” said Vale Chairman and Chief Executive Bill Bratt.

“Vale has a proud track record of community activities but this initiative with the council is taking everything to a new level. Clubs from throughout the country are watching what we are doing here with great interest. I like to think we are establishing a model for others to follow.

“As a professional football club we have a privileged status in North Staffordshire and with that status comes a responsibility to give something back to the community.”

As part of the loan agreement, the local authority has the Children’s Centre based in the Lorne Street stand at a peppercorn rent for 25 years and the council carries out a rigorous monitoring and evaluation of Vale’s Community Facilities Plan.

“It is this accountability which makes the big difference,” said Bill. “Each year we draw up a plan which sets out specific aims and aspirations for our community work.

“The plan is subject to approval by the council whose officers monitor the outcomes, outputs and milestones.

“The onus is on the club to show that its work is having a real benefit for people and organisations in the community.”

Councillor Mohammed Pervez, the City’s Portfolio Holder for Community Services and Equality, said that the council was pleased with the way the club had delivered and is continuing to develop its community activities.

He added:“There has been a significant increase in these activities which are in line with the Community Facilities Plan.

“A valued partnership has been established with Port Vale which I believe will strengthen the club’s links with the community and in turn improve quality of life for residents in the surrounding neighbourhoods.”

VALE Chairman Bill Bratt joined Stoke-on-Trent North MP Joan Walley to launch a RESPECT action event at Chell Heath. The initiative highlighted the problems of bullying at schools and discussions with pupils were held in special assemblies. Bill said: “It is important the Vale support and endorse local campaigns like this and we like to be involved whenever we can.”

Creating jobs is new goal A NEW enterprise centre at Vale Park is contributing to the regeneration of Burslem by creating new jobs and encouraging start-up businesses.

Located on the first floor of the Lorne Street stand with stair and lift access, the centre has 20 office units ranging from 130 sq ft to 430 sq ft. After just a few weeks of its opening the facility is already a third full with projections of a 90 per cent occupancy by August.

“We hope to create up to 35 new jobs at the centre this year,” said Chairman Bill Bratt,” This is particularly important in an area hit by job losses. It is the UK’s first business startup facility to be based at a football stadium and is another example of how we are putting Vale Park at the hub of the community.”

The centre has been partly funded with the help of a £268,000 grant from the regional development agency Advantage West Midlands.

Support for local charities NEARLY £6,000 worth of club merchandise has been donated by Port Vale to more than 200 charities and good causes over the past year. Balls and shirts signed by the players are among the most popular items to be given for fundraising raffles and auctions.

In addition, charities have benefitted from bucket collections at most home games and some from free use of facilities at Vale Park.

Vale’s two adopted charities, the Donna Louise Treetops Children’s Hospice and the Douglas MacMillan Hospice, benefit from ongoing fundraising by the club and its supporters.

T H E A N G E L 11

Research casts new light on the life of

the real

Card

Sir Harold Hayles, pictured above, is proof that truth is sometimes stranger than fiction.

R

ARE documents uncovered by local historians have cast new light on the Burslem man behind one of Arnold Bennett’s most famous characters and proved the old adage that truth is stranger than fiction.

Bennett’s Edward Henry Machin – “The Card” whose mother coined the name Denry to “save a certain amount of time every day” – still enthralls readers all over the world by dancing with the Countess of Chell, saving Bursley Football Club and growing a business empire to climb to the top of the town’s social ladder.

But the inspiration behind Denry – local trader Sir Harold K Hales, who grew up with Arnold Bennett – was even larger than life and brought an astonishing splash of colour to the town.

Growing up on Waterloo Road, Hales and Bennett crossed the Grange every day A caricature to go to school at Wolstanton. drawing of Hales became a travelling salesman for Sir Harold.

Gibson’s pottery, based on the site of the current Moorland Road enterprise centre.

Local historian Albert Finney – an aficionado of the Harold Hales story – has painstakingly restored an old handwritten extended to building the town’s Coliseum rates book from 1912 which includes Theatre. Amazingly, he offered hot air information on the flamboyant Hales, the balloon flights, and even flew his own plane growth of his businesses and several other around Hanley Park in 1910, before crashing surprises from the Edwardian Mother Town. from 50 feet. He was also a close friend – by The large folio edition shows Hales sold letter – of Indian spiritual leader Mahatma motor cars and pianos from a showroom in Ghandi.

Market Square. He even showed off his fine Albert Finney said: “To say the man was inventory of Clement Talbot, De Dion Bouton, larger than life is an understatement. His Lanchester and Humber vehicles in the drill autobiography, advertisements about his hall on Scotia Road, and sold a selection of business, his obituary and the rate book pianos, one of which he presented to the revaluing properties after the federation of town. the Six Towns are a treasure trove of Almost incidentally, the rate book also information.” shows a Pat Collins, whose Moorland Road When the First World War broke out Hales ‘Showland’ depot was home to travelling lied about his age to join up and spent the entertainment, giving rise to the derogatory conflict fighting in the desert. description: “It’s like Pat Collins’ Circus.”

Albert added: “He always claimed to be Amazingly, the self-same steep hill from the subject of The Card, which Bennett often Smallthorne into town provided a home and denied. However, in letters they exchanged, business premises for Burslem’s very own Hales said Bennett owed him royalties for American consul – Edward B Walker – who using him as the subject of the book. arrived in town in 1906 to foster trade links Bennett replied that Hales should pay for all between the Potteries and the US! the publicity the novel had given him!”

Harold Hales’ success in business paid off After the war, Hales business interests for the Mother Town. His philanthropy

Local historian Albert Finney with a few of his thousands of documents and books relating to the Mother Town.

stretched to India and the Far East, and he became the equivalent of a 21st century multi-millionaire.

He was elected MP for Hanley from 1931 to 1935, the same year he commissioned the majestic Blue Riband trophy, manufactured by Pidducks jewellers in Hanley and presented by Sir Harold to the ship that made the fastest transatlantic crossing.

His obituary, which took up most of the front page of Stoke-on-Trent’s City Times, noted: “He had a passion for the sea, and was himself the owner of a fine sailing yacht, Westward.” Ironically, he had died in a boating accident on the Thames.

Albert Finney, whose passion for Burslem stretches back 50 years to conversations about Bennett’s novels with friends to pass the time down Sneyd Pit, now has a collection of more than 1,500 books, many artefacts, maps and other documents.

He said: “Burslem’s history has so many amazing stories, but the true tale of Sir Harold K Hales certainly takes some beating!” ■

The Angel is produced on behalf of Burslem Regeneration Company by Smith Davis Press