Editors Letter

Belinda Hargreaves Contents Editor news@timesandecho.co.uk Erin Tuckwell Tracey Redfern Design & Production Thomas Brian General Manager tom@timesandecho.co.uk Mobile: 07855 252693 Jane Walters Advertising Sales jane@timesandecho.co.uk

Times, Echo & Life Publications 18 Tape Street, Cheadle, Stoke-on-Trent ST10 1BD Tel: 01538 752214 www.timesechoandlife.co.uk life@timesandecho.co.uk Did you know that you can read Newcastle Life online?

Visit timesechoandlife.co.uk

Find us on Facebook search for Stone & Eccleshall Life Magazine

EDITOR’S LETTER Springing into the easing of lockdown

Well Spring is finally here – and so too is the start of the long-awaited lifting of Government restrictions surrounding the pandemic.

I hope everyone is enjoying our ‘new found’ freedom but also keeping to the regulations still in place to keep us safe and well.

It’s great to see the community of Newcastle beginning to thrive once more – with the reopening of non-essential shops and businesses.

In saying that there’s still been lots going on in our wonderful town with many helping to keep the community spirit alive.

In this edition of Newcastle Life Magazine we feature just some of those such community activities and projects.

We have a feature about a pop-up exhibition which was poignant to the times; donations made by the town’s Lions club; a new sculpture which has ‘hopped’ into town; a time capsule which has been buried containing memories of lockdown; a Rotarian knitting lots of goodies for charity; a fundraising campaign flying high for a life-saving organisation; and there’s lots of feel-good green fingered projects which have been taking place too, including new trees being planted across the borough; a top green focused award for an education establishment; along with our regular tips for gardeners from a well-known plant fair business.

We have some features about what’s to come including: the county-wide celebration of all things Staffordshire; an open art exhibition; a feature all about expansion plans at a museum; as well as a guide surrounding the forthcoming elections.

We also have some inspirational stories about individuals within our community including: a Clayton patient who has found a new lease of life by taking part in a medical trial; and a firefighter who has retired after 27 years with the life-saving service.

We hope you enjoy reading our jam-packed edition of the Newcastle Life Magazine, and if you have a story to tell about life in our area, please get in touch with us at news@timesandecho.co.uk.

Until next time – take care!

Belinda

Cover Photo

The town of Newcastle Under Lyme is opening up again with non-essential shops and businesses now able to trade following the further easing of restrictions, and also with markets back up and running creating a lovely bustling atmosphere for shoppers once again. Our cover photo is from the Castle Artisan Market which took place this month in Newcastle town centre. Thank you to Jody Foxcroft of Wriggly Tin Soap Company, who had a stall at the market, for letting us use her image as our cover photo for this edition of the Newcastle Life Magazine.

Have you taken a photo in or around Newcastle which you would like to be considered for use on the front cover of our magazine? Email us at news@timesandecho.co.uk