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Community action/Stoke-on-Trent

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Hanley Park, August 2011. Attribution: Tanya Dedyukhina
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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.

Stoke-on-Trent
West Midlands
UK
Europe
Earth
  • News ‘This May Day is a Celebration of Work and Innovation’, Dave Proudlove, thestokemodel.com (May 01, 2024)
  • News 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

Read more

  • News 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
  • News 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)
  • News How volunteers are saving the River Wye with citizen science, cpre.org.uk (Mar 30, 2026)
  • News Severe drought declared in six areas of England as reservoirs run low, theguardian.com (Oct 15, 2026)
  • News Ardingly Reservoir falls below 20% as drought persists, BBC News (Oct 14, 2026)
  • News A growing movement for perennials could play a key role in future food security, wickedleeks.riverford.co.uk (Oct 08, 2026) — In the wake of this summer’s drought and rising energy costs, there is renewed interest in perennial crops
  • News 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
  • News 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
  • News 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
  • News 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
  • News 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
  • News Fifty Billion Seedlings: Can Ethiopia Replant Its Ravaged Forests?, e360.yale.edu (Oct 01, 2026)

Networks

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  • 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)
Cosmolocal discovery club

Each week 3 different short videos from across the UK or world.

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Building a Secure Cycling Network, Cyclehoop, The Power of Cycling
Authors: European Cyclists' Federation and Content With Purpose, 3.36 mins.
Date: 2026-09-15
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When will the drought end?
Authors: Tom Edwards, BBC London, 3.07 mins.
Date: 2026-08-26
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The Route Forward
Authors: Cycling UK, 6.13 mins.
Date: 2026-09-22

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

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UK events

  • Event Oct 1 - 7, 2026 (Thu - Wed) — National Vegetarian Week, discover delicious dishes and see how a veggie diet is a great choice for the planet, nationalvegetarianweek.org
  • Event Oct 04, 2026 (Sun) — Homeless Sunday, housingjustice.org.uk
  • Event Oct 18, 2026 (Sun) — Church Action on Poverty Sunday, taking place each year on the Sunday closest to the International Day for the Eradication on Poverty, church-poverty.org.uk

UK community action events

Global or international events

  • Event Oct 01, 2026 (Thu) — World Vegetarian Day, Oct 1 each year, bringing awareness to the ethical, environmental, health, and humanitarian benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle, worldvegetarianday.navs-online.org
  • Event Oct 02, 2026 (Fri) — International Day of Non-Violence, observed each year on 2 October, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi, un.org
  • Event Oct 07, 2026 (Wed) — World Day for Decent Work, October 7 is the World Day for Decent Work, ituc-csi.org
  • Event Oct 10, 2026 (Sat) — World Homeless Day, Oct 10 each year, drawing attention to homeless people’s needs locally and provide opportunities for the community to get involved in responding to homelessness, worldhomelessday.org
  • Event Oct 10, 2026 (Sat) — World Migratory Bird Day, worldmigratorybirdday.org
  • Event Oct 10, 2026 (Sat) — World Mental Health Day, Oct 10, annually, wmhdofficial.com
  • Event Oct 13, 2026 (Tue) — International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, Oct 13, annually, promoting a global culture of natural disaster reduction, including prevention, mitigation, and preparedness, un.org
  • Event Oct 16, 2026 (Fri) — World Food Day, celebrated every year around the world on 16 October, often with a focus on food security, fao.org
  • Event Oct 17, 2026 (Sat) — International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Oct 17 each year, honouring victims of poverty, hunger, violence and fear, with participation by the poorest of people an important aspect of the observance of the Day, un.org
  • Event Oct 17, 2026 (Sat) — International Repair Day, annual celebration for everyone who makes repair happen in their communities around the world. "Repair for Everyone"., openrepair.org

2021-2030, UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, International community action events

Video

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Students take on 24 hour sustainability challenge
Authors: Staffordshire University, Feb 13, 2020

Community involvement

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  • All the Small Things, collective of community development practitioners - information on corganisers.org.uk

Community and voluntary action

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Food activism

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Community energy

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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.

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Community resources

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Maps

Research

  • What Makes for a Good Life in Stoke-on-Trent? July 2017 cusp.ac.uk

Art, sport and culture

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  • 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

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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

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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

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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.

Biodiversity

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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

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  • Air quality in Stoke-on-Trent, information from iqair.com

Open spaces

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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

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  • 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

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News archive

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2019-2020

About Stoke-on-Trent

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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.

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Page data
Keywords Cities, UK cities
SDG SDG11 Sustainable cities and communities
Authors Phil Green
License CC-BY-SA-3.0
Language English (en)
Related 0 subpages, 2 pages link here
Redirects Stoke-on-Trent, Stoke-on-Trent community action
Views 51 page views (analytics)
Created February 19, 2021 by Phil Green
Last edit September 16, 2026 by Felipe Schenone
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