(junction of North Rd and Elder Rd, Cobridge)
on Sun 31st Aug from 12-5pm
The event will be aired by Aap TV Sky Channel 803
Acts booked for the event include:-
* Hussain Brothers Qawwali Group
* Break Dancers
* World Famous African Drummer
* Fashion Show featuring Miss World finalist
* Bhangra Dancers/Dhol Players
* Singers
* British Twaekando Champion
* Pyrotechnics and Firework Display
* Sumo Wrestling, Gladiator Games
* Street Sports
* Bouncy Castles
* Henna Painting
* Face painting
* Balloon Modelling
* Competitions
* Food and Clothes Stalls
* Stalls by various business's, partner agencies etc (any other Businesses or agencies are welcome to book their places now ! )
More information:
Imran Shah
Community link officer
North Staffs British Muslim Welfare Society
01782 769300
Cobridge Park Mela
St Patricks Day Bingo Night
Disability Solutions held a successful St. Patrick's Day Bingo Night on 13th March 2008, at Cobridge Community Centre, Bursley Road, Cobridge.
Over 100 people attended on the night enjoying a pie supper and Irish coffees. The event raised over £700.
Many people commented on how well the hall and tables were decorated, with chocolate gold coins, helium filled balloons and inflatable Guinness bottles. Bingo players won Guinness hats and wore them on the night!
Disability Solutions would very much like to thank Phil Eagles, Centre Manager of Cobridge Community Centre, for his part as the Bingo Caller. He gave up his time freely and put great effort into the event. We appreciate all his hard work and the tremendous support he gave to our charity.
Disability Solutions would also like to thank Liverpool FC, Stoke FC, Port Vale FC, Arsenal FC and Moddershall Oaks for donating items for the auction and all those individuals and organisations that kindly donated items towards the 36 prizes that were won, and tombola. We must also thank everyone who came along, helping to make the night so successful.
Disability Solutions' next event is a Halloween Race Night on 30th October 2008 at Cobridge Community Centre.
Tracing our heritage
John Webbe follows Burslem's new heritage trail
Have you seen the new information boards around Burslem town centre? Maybe you have seen the bright-green leaflets which proudly shout “Welcome to Burslem, Mother Town of the Potteries”? These two recent additions to the town are linked – they form Burslem’s new heritage trail.
I decided to follow this route last October with my retired parents and my nearly-two-year old daughter as we enjoyed the sun shining bright overhead. There are nine heritage trail boards in total – seven around Burslem town centre and one each at Moorcroft & Middleport Pottery. I am not going to repeat any of the information on the heritage trail boards or in the leaflet, I’ll leave that to you to find out, but believe me, it’s worth it – there’s some fascinating information for even the most hardened Boslemite to learn!
It’s important to know that this new heritage trail, funded by the North Staffs Regen Zone, has not just been imposed on the town – a lot of local businesses have contributed their own histories, others have helped with the design and layout, whilst the vast majority of the text on the leaflet and the information boards has been compiled & factually checked by local historians Fred Hughes and Mervyn Edwards. The result is a credit to all involved.
We started the day at about 10.30am, parking for free on the former Kwik Save on Nile Street, and began the trail at Swan Bank (heritage board number 4), then crossed over onto Market Place (board number 2). Even after reading the information here, I’d recommend just standing and slowly turning around to look at the architecture Burslem is blessed with – Wedgwood’s Big House, the Lloyds TSB bank, Swan Bank Church, The George Hotel, Market Place shops, Ceramica (the Old Town Hall), Overhouse Chambers, Queen’s Theatre, the Prince’s Hall and the former Post Office – what stunning buildings seen from one single spot!
From Market Place, we wandered up Hamil Road, had a look over at Port Vale’s ground & the Children’s Centre under construction, then went into Burslem Park where my daughter ran off to the brand-new play ground excitedly shouting.
The information board (number 3) is over by the Moorland Road entrance near the lake, and after learning more facts about the area, we headed down to Moorland Pottery’s factory shop, and then onto the greenway to walk up to Moorcroft.
If you’ve not been on Burslem greenway, we were impressed – it was very clean and so quiet – no noise from traffic can be heard all the way along and it’s safe enough to let the kids charge up and down.
It’s worth the walk along the greenway to Moorcroft just for the scenery as it’s elevated above local buildings and there’s a fantastic view back over to the Burslem town centre as well. On arrival at Moorcroft (board number 9), we enjoyed a much-needed hot drink from their machine and enjoyed even more the quality designs on show in the Moorcroft shop & the museum (whilst at the same time telling the child: “Please do not touch anything!”).
We headed back towards Burslem along Nile Street, popping into the Moorcroft & Dudson factory shops on the way, and then having a good look at the sad sight that is the former Royal Doulton factory.
We crossed into Queen Street, popped into the shops and admired the grandeur of the School of Art & Wedgwood Institute buildings (board number 5).
After lunch we walked over to learn more facts about the town at St John’s Square (board number 6) and across to Westport Road (board number 1), and then walked down Newcastle Street to visit Middleport Pottery (board number 8) and see the wonderful Burleigh ware in the factory shop. Then we strolled back up towards the town along Furlong Lane, down Woodbank Street, stopped off to read the final board of the tour (board number 7) at the historic St John’s Church and finally back to the car.
Admittedly, with a nearly-two-year old, it was a good walk as the pace of progress is slow, but we managed to get around the town, learnt some really fascinating information, and saw some sights which were new to all of us. I would really recommend getting out there and enjoying this new trail as well – you’ll enjoy it, learn new things about Burslem & its fantastic history, you will feel the energy of this wonderful area.
Church at a Crossroads
Our Faiths by Matt Pointon
I knew where Christ Church Cobridge was even before its vicar, the Rev. Rod Clarke, gave me directions. Approaching the Waterloo Road crossroads from Sneyd Green, it looms up, a beacon in brick amidst the wasteland. But according to Rod, the church is at a crossroads in more ways than one. For starters, it is in Cobridge and according to Rod, “Cobridge is a strange place, is it Burslem or Hanley? Our mother church is St. John’s in Burslem but we are part of the Hanley Team Ministry.”
Whatever Cobridge may be, Rod is quite sure that Christ Church is to be in the heart of it. “The Church of England is perhaps the only organisation that exists for those who are not members,” he joked, “and I see that very much as part of our vision. Christ Church is a sacred space in the heart of a busy community that is accessible to all.” I asked him what he meant by ‘sacred space’ and he told me, “a place of quiet where people can connect to God.”
That community is itself also at a crossroads. One of the poorest in the city, it is home to many immigrants from around the world. “Islam is now the largest religion in Cobridge,” says Rod, “but there are many other immigrants from Africa and Eastern Europe. As part of his commitment to being a church for all, Rod told me how the church building is used to host a Zimbabwean Pentecostal church, of work done with Cameroonian asylum seekers and of how a group of young Poles are currently preparing for confirmation.
“We have to tread a fine line between change and tradition,” said Rod, “and I think that we doing that right.” A healthy congregation certainly supports that viewpoint and so the future does not look dim for Christ Church. “The thing with us Anglicans is our stickability,” said Rod with a smile. “We were here when Cobridge began and so long as Cobridge exists, we shall stay. We try to make this a real church for a real community.”