businesses - Stoke-on-Trent City Council

24 Our City MARCH 2012
Proud salute to sporting
stars and heroes
THE cream of the city’s sporting
stars and heroes has been
honoured at The City of
<strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent Sports Personality
of the Year Awards.
The glittering ceremony hosted by double
Olympic gold medal rower James Cracknell saw
local cricketer Ben Johnson and Olympic
running hopeful Emma Jackson named Male
and Female Sports Personality of the Year.
Inspirational Ben from Checkley Cricket Club
returned to the cricket field less than a year after
a road accident left him in a coma. His
achievement earned a standing ovation from the
400-strong audience at the King’s Hall in <strong>Stoke</strong>.
Emma, who also collected the Senior
Individual title on the night, is only the 18th
British woman to run 800 metres in under two
minutes. She is now preparing in her bid to
represent Team GB at the London Olympics.
A total of 34 awards were handed out at the
gala night attended by triple jump world record
holder Jonathan Edwards and World Cup winner
Gordon Banks, nine-time Paralympic gold medal
winning equestrian Lee Pearson and reigning
world darts champion Adrian Lewis.
Imran Sherwani, the Olympic gold medal
winning hockey player, was inducted into the City
of <strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent Sporting Hall of Fame
alongside Hanley-born cycling legend Les West.
Inspirational Achiever went to three times
Potteries marathon winner Julia Matheson, who
overcame a crippling back injury to compete again,
while former Paratrooper Dan Hopwood who is
paralysed from the chest down scooped the
Disability Award for winning a World Sprints
canoeing medal.
Junior award winners included hurdler James
Taylor who is top of the UK under-17s rankings
and the Staffordshire under-13s cricket team.
Former Paratrooper Dan Hopwood
receives the Disability Award from
television presenter Nick Hancock.
Main winners at a glance:
SENIOR INDIVIDUAL:
Emma Jackson
JUNIOR INDIVIDUAL:
James Taylor
SENIOR TEAM:
<strong>Stoke</strong> Rugby Club
INSPIRATIONAL
ACHIEVER:
Julia Matheson
DISABILITY:
Dan Hopwood
JUNIOR TEAM:
Staffordshire
Under-13s cricket
COACH:
Darren Barton
SPORT IN
COMMUNITY:
Bradwell Belles
SERVICE TO SPORT:
Neil Gilson
EDITOR’S AWARD:
Peter Coates
FOOTBALLERS OF
THE YEAR:
<strong>Stoke</strong> City FC:
Jonathan Walters
Port Vale FC: Doug Loft
OVERALL WINNERS:
Male: Ben Johnson
Female: Emma Jackson
Sports Personalities of the
Year – international runner
Emma Jackson and local
cricketer Ben Johnson.
Inspirational Achiever
Julia Matheson is
presented with the
award by World
Cup winner
Gordon Banks.
Footballers of
the Year – <strong>Stoke</strong>
City’s Jonathan
Walters, left,
and Port Vale’s
Doug Loft.
Does your gran
look like HRH?
GRANNIES in the city could scoop a
Royal Jubilee prize... if they resemble
Her Majesty The Queen. Tourism
officers in <strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent have
launched the hunt for a royal
lookalike grandma as part of a
campaign to
promote the
city in the run
up to Diamond
Jubilee
celebrations.
To enter the
competition just
email a photo of
somebody you
know (it doesn’t
have to be your
gran!) – with
their permission
– to images@
stoke.gov.uk
Some of <strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent’s most
famous pottery manufacturers have
joined the council to put together a
royal itinerary to follow in the
footsteps of The Queen and her
family. It can be seen at
www.visitstoke.co.uk/royal.aspx
It includes opportunities to visit
the Wedgwood Visitor Centre and
Museum, Moorcroft Heritage Visitor
Centre, Emma Bridgewater, Aynsley
China, Portmeirion and The Potteries
Museum & Art Gallery. Details of
these venues and a link to money
saving vouchers can be found at
www.visitstoke.co.uk
Civic celebration
of Fairtrade
OVER 100 people attended
a civic reception hosted by
Lord Mayor Councillor Terry
Follows to celebrate
Fairtrade Fortnight.
The event showcased
achievements of the city council and
Fairtrade Action in <strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent
(FAST).
Fairtrade aims to achieve better
deals for producers of food and other
commodities in developing countries.
<strong>Stoke</strong>-on-Trent is a Fairtrade city and
the reception celebrated St Margaret
Ward High School achieving Fairtrade
status.
To find out more please visit
stoke.gov.uk/fairtrade
Fuel bills survey
A citywide survey is seeking
residents’ views on priorities for
reducing household fuel bills and
carbon emissions.
A strategy is being developed in
partnership with public and private
sector organisations to help save
householders and <strong>businesses</strong> money
and create a cleaner environment.
The council recognises that a
changing climate, rising bills and
poor health from living in cold
homes have a detrimental impact on
the city.
Please visit stoke.gov.
uk/consultations to find out more.
Pictures courtesy of The Sentinel