'Past creativity can help the city to look forward'

CERAMICS are in our blood here in Stoke-on-Trent.

- Lyn Sharpe - Councillor and centenary champion

If you've ever picked up a mug, plate, or any other bit of pottery and turned it over to see where it was made, you'll know exactly what I mean.

Pottery isn't just on our shelves and in our cupboards, it's part of who we are. And this year, as we celebrate 100 years of city status, we're putting it right where it belongs - front and centre.

We were built on clay and coal.

More than 300 million years ago, the foundations were being laid for our city's heritage, as the coal that fired our kilns formed deep underground.

The ceramics that came out of those kilns were shipped all over the world, earning us our nickname, the Potteries. And today, ceramics still shape who we are.

This year is about celebrating the creativity, skill and sheer grit that built this city.

It's about looking back at what made us, and showing off the talent that still makes us proud today.