Why city freedom is such stuff as dreams are made on!

RECENTLY I've been having a recurring dream about walking through the city centre surrounded by animals.

- Fred Hughes - Historian and author

Cattle lowing, sheep bleating, and swarms of clucking hens all contributing to a cacophony of farmyard noises. This obviously created chaos to the town’s usual activity with shoppers having to leap out of the way for fear of being knocked over.

Few dreams make sense. We're all susceptible to them, and so I shrugged off trying to decipher these weird night time fantasies, noting, however, that Hanley was just like this some 300 years ago when the town was little more than a farming community. There's even a 1950s Sentinel picture showing sheep grazing in fields at the top of College Road, a stone's throw from Hanley Town Hall.

The big event in the city this year is the ongoing centenary celebrations. Thursday was an exceptional day for me when I was one of 10 recipients of the award of Freedom of the City. This is the highest mark of respect in recognising individuals who have made substantial contributions, 'men and women of note who have lived or worked in the city, and who are proud to be a part of its history.