Community action/Stoke-on-Trent

The aim of this page is to recognise, celebrate and encourage the self-empowerment of community agency networks (CANs) and community groups' activism for climate, environment and many other sustainability topics across Stoke-on-Trent.
News
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‘This May Day is a Celebration of Work and Innovation’, Dave Proudlove, thestokemodel.com (May 01, 2024)
If 400,000 groups, causes and charities could consciously generate social capital, says Mike Riddell, a "caravan of love" would start, The Daily Alternative (Jul 23, 2022)
- "The Market Hall is going to become the Souk of Stoke". Regeneration practitioner Mike Riddell says Burslem will be a showcase for "communification", Mar 15, 2021...thealternative.org.uk
Rights of Nature movement grows, with the Wye and Ouse subject to new protection charters, wickedleeks.riverford.co.uk (Jun 18, 2026) — Nature sits at the heart of several new sets of rights and charters; it’s even headlining a festival this summer. Is the way that we view and value Nature within our political and cultural frameworks at a turning point? asks Hannah Marsh
The English community that brought its river back from the brink: ‘If we can get it right here, we can do it everywhere’, theguardian.com (May 20, 2026)
How volunteers are saving the River Wye with citizen science, cpre.org.uk (Mar 30, 2026)
Firefighters voice growing concerns over water supplies to tackle UK wildfires, theguardian.com (Oct 21, 2026) — Housing development recognised as one of a number of pressures increasing demand on an already stretched water network
Severe drought declared in six areas of England as reservoirs run low, theguardian.com (Oct 15, 2026)
Ardingly Reservoir falls below 20% as drought persists, BBC News (Oct 14, 2026)
Citizens need to power Europe's future, demnext.substack.com (Oct 02, 2026) — The EU can enable new democratic institutions: in European countries; with a European Citizens’ Assembly as a 4th branch of government, and by legally enforcing the Global Citizens’ Assembly on AI, Claudia Chwalisz and Another Democratic Future
Reclaiming the streets: the architects clawing back Europe’s car-centric spaces, theguardian.com (Sep 09, 2026) — The European Prize for Urban Public Space’s shortlist highlights projects helping people cope with climate crisis
We’re the mayors of Paris, Milan and Phoenix. The heat crisis has us all facing the same question, Emmanuel Grégoire, Giuseppe Sala and Kate Gallego, theguardian.com (Sep 07, 2026) — Our three cities are learning from each other about how to protect residents. These climate policies are also public health measures
Giving £2 a day to people in the Amazon helps protect rainforest, pilot project finds, theguardian.com (Oct 20, 2026)
From Protesting To Worldmaking, Alternative Editorial (Oct 18, 2026)
Hunter Valley community group wins landmark high court climate change case over coalmine, theguardian.com (Oct 07, 2026) — Ruling on Mount Pleasant coalmine shows ‘we cannot continue to dig up coal … and pretend the consequences have nothing to do with us’, group says
Networks
[edit | edit source]- Counter Community, describe themselves as "...a membership network and digital platform that enables organizations and individuals to work together for social change and to boost the local economy." They are currently running a pilot in North Staffordshire. added 17:11, 5 December 2020 (UTC)
Each week 3 different short videos from across the UK or world.
Community action/United Kingdom/Cycling activism, Community action/South East England/Saving water / ...This week's featured Global videos / ... read more about Cosmolocalism
UK and international events
[edit | edit source]UK events
Nov 9 - 15, 2026 (Mon - Sun) — Living Wage Week, livingwage.org.uk
Nov 13, 2026 (Fri) — Kindness Day UK, Nov 13 annually, aiming to increase the value of kindness in society as well as increase the amount of kind acts that take place, making kindness a greater part in our daily life, kindnessuk.com
Nov 15 - 21, 2026 (Sun - Sat) — Road Safety Week, brake.org.uk
Nov 21 - 29, 2026 (Sat - Sun) — National Tree Week, The Tree Council's annual tree celebration. People across the country planting thousands of trees to mark the start of the winter tree planting season. "Trees and hedgerows are some of the most powerful tools we have in the fight against climate change.", treecouncil.org.uk
Global or international events
Nov 05, 2026 (Thu) — Media Liberation Day, Change the Media, Change the Future, mediarevolution.org
Nov 13, 2026 (Fri) — World Kindness Day, Nov 13, annually, highlighting good deeds in the community focusing on the positive power and the common thread of kindness for good which binds us, randomactsofkindness.org
Nov 15, 2026 (Sun) — World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims, third Sunday in November each year, worlddayofremembrance.org
Nov 16, 2026 (Mon) — International Day for Tolerance, Nov 16 each year, fostering respect, acceptance and appreciation of the rich diversity of our world's cultures, our forms of expression and ways of being human, unesco.org
Nov 19, 2026 (Thu) — International Men's Day, Nov 19, annually
Nov 27 & 28, 2026 — Buy Nothing Day, en.wikipedia.org
Nov 27, 2026 (Fri) — Citizen Friday, actionism.space
2021-2030, UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, International community action events
Video
[edit | edit source]Community involvement
[edit | edit source]- All the Small Things, collective of community development practitioners - information on corganisers.org.uk
Community and voluntary action
[edit | edit source]Food activism
[edit | edit source]- Affordable Food Stoke on facebook.com, added 14:35, 30 June 2021 (UTC)
- Stoke-on-Trent Foodbank, added 17:01, 19 February 2021 (UTC)
Community energy
[edit | edit source]In 2014, Stoke-on-Trent City Council announced plans for a £52 million project to create a district heating network powered by geothermal energy. This will provide heating, in the form of hot water, to local customers. As of 2024, the heating network had finished building, but the geothermal project was yet to start. Planning permission was requested for the third time in 2024, after develop Star Energy had let previous permission expire twice.
</section><section data-mw-section-id="6" id="mw5w">Community resources
[edit | edit source]Maps
Research
- What Makes for a Good Life in Stoke-on-Trent? July 2017 cusp.ac.uk
Art, sport and culture
[edit | edit source]- Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire Cultural Education Partnership, stokecep.co.uk, added 16:42, 19 February 2021 (UTC)
- Port Vale Foundation Trust, registered charity, using the Port Vale brand to engage, inspire and motivate individuals of all ages and backgrounds, providing programmes, events and courses in four core areas: Sport, Health, Education and Inclusion.
Climate action
[edit | edit source]Research: Energy and carbon, information about Stoke-on-Trent from pcancities.org.uk, Place Based Climate Action Network, added 16:16, 19 February 2021 (UTC)
Sustainable transport
[edit | edit source]The city is served by the Trent and Mersey Canal, which sees traffic of some 10,000 boats a year. The Caldon Canal branches off from the Trent and Mersey Canal at Etruria, within the city boundaries, going to Froghall with one branch going to Leek.
Cycling activism
[edit | edit source]As of November 2009, there were 77 miles (124 km) of new National Cycle Network off-road bicycle paths through the city, connecting to the national long-distance paths which were completed in 2005. Together with those in Newcastle-under-Lyme, there are now over 100 miles (160 km) of cycle paths in the urban conurbation. A further £10 million of funding has now been secured for the city's cycling network, to be spent in 2009–2011 through Cycling England's support for Stoke as a Cycling City.
- Cycle communting guide, Stoke-on-Trent from britishcycling.org.uk, added 16:49, 19 February 2021 (UTC)
Biodiversity
[edit | edit source]Westport Lake is a lake and local nature reserve in Stoke-on-Trent, in Staffordshire, England, about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) south of Tunstall. It is alongside the Trent and Mersey Canal.
It is owned by the Canal and River Trust, and is operated by Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
The visitor centre at Westport Lake was operated by the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust until the end of September 2024.
The lake is the largest expanse of water in Stoke-on-Trent. There is a level footpath of about 1 mile (1.6 km) around the lake. There is waterfowl on the lake, and it is an overwintering site for many species.
Environment quality
[edit | edit source]- Air quality in Stoke-on-Trent, information from iqair.com
Open spaces
[edit | edit source]Stoke is at the centre of the Stoke-on-Trent Green Belt, which is an environment and planning policy that regulates the rural space in Staffordshire surrounding the city and Newcastle-under-Lyme, and extending into Cheshire. It is in place to prevent urban sprawl and minimise further convergence with outlying settlements such as Kidsgrove and Biddulph. First defined in 1967, the vast majority of area covered is outside the city.
Each of the six towns in Stoke-on-Trent has at least one park. At nine hectares, Burslem Park is one of the largest registered Victorian parks in the UK.[45] Park Hall Country Park in Weston Coyney is a national nature reserve, and its sandstone canyons are a Site of Special Scientific Interest.[46] Hartshill Park in Stoke is also a nature reserve, and Bucknall Park is home to the City Farm. Westport Lake in Longport is the largest body of water in Stoke-on-Trent and has a nature reserve. Queens Park or Longton park in Dresden is one of the city's heritage parks and is famous for its horticulture and lakes. It houses several buildings including a clock tower and three bowling pavilions. W
Towards sustainable economies
[edit | edit source]- The Stoke Model, #bekind is a Community Benefit Society based in Burslem, established and run by volunteers and activists and tapping into the Wedgwood spirit to build The Stoke Model, a pioneering approach to genuine community wealth building that is underpinned by a philosophy of creative collaboration. added 11:53, 1 May 2024 (UTC)
Social inclusion
[edit | edit source]News archive
[edit | edit source]2019-2020
- New fund to help communities tackle climate change, Nov 9, 2020...makeitstokestaffs.co.uk
- Students have designs on a sustainable Staffordshire, Feb 13, 2020...staffs.ac.uk
- Work Starts on Stoke-on-Trent's Sustainable Heating Network, Sep 30, 2019...makeitstokestaffs.co.uk
- Stoke-on-Trent hosts second CtrlShift Emergency Summit for Change in May, Mar 24, 2019...thealternative.org.uk
About Stoke-on-Trent
[edit | edit source]Stoke-on-Trent, often known as Stoke, is a city and unitary authority area in Staffordshire, England. It had an estimated population of 259,965 in 2022, making it the largest settlement in Staffordshire and one of the largest cities of the Midlands. Stoke is surrounded by the towns of Alsager, Biddulph, Cheadle, Kidsgrove, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Stone, which form a conurbation around the city.
The city is polycentric, formed from the federation of six towns in 1910. It took its name from the town of Stoke-upon-Trent, where the main centre of government and the principal railway station in the district were. Hanley is the primary commercial centre. The other four towns which form the city are Burslem, Tunstall, Longton, and Fenton.
As the home of the pottery industry in England, the area is known as The Potteries. It is a centre for service industries and distribution centres. It formerly had a primarily heavy industry sector.
| Authors | Phil Green |
|---|---|
| License | CC-BY-SA-3.0 |
| Cite as | Phil Green (2021–2026). "Community action/Stoke-on-Trent". Appropedia. Retrieved October 21, 2026. |



