‘Togetherness can help tackle city’s challenges’

JUNE 2025 will go down as a month of celebration. The special civic meeting of Stoke on Trent City Council on the occasion of the centenary of the awarding of city status was a milestone in our shared history.

- Joan Walley-former MP for Stoke-on-Trent North

A time to look back, yes, but time is marching on and we're already into the next hundred years and now it’s down to all of us to renew our commitment to the city that shapes us all.

First though, a reminder to look out for the evocative historic film screenings that archivist Ray Johnson is showing about life in the six towns.

Whether you want to bask in the nostalgia, or marvel at how times have changed, they remind us of the good times and the bad, and the way we rolled up our sleeves to get things done.

The centenary event was a special occasion for me and my family and I'd like to say thank you for the award of the Freedom of The City.

It was a real challenge having to limit an acceptance speech to just three minutes. What I wanted to convey is that time flies, and that whatever our circumstances, we only get the time we have once.

Whether as councillors serving a fixed term of office or in a role at work, we can all make an impact. It's also important to know, as in a football match, that the last minute of extra time counts as much as the rest of the game.