Former Catholic priest Alexander Bede Walsh has been convicted of a non-recent sexual offence against a boy. On Tuesday, January 13, Bede Walsh, 72, of HMP Wakefield, West Yorkshire, was found guilty of indecent assault on a child after a trial at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. Walsh committed the indecent assault at a church in Cheadle during the 1980s. He is presently serving a 22-year prison sentence, having been convicted in 2012 of two sexual offences and 19 counts of indec

POV: Bernie's Story As a reporter for COGNEWS, I come across many people who, through no fault of their own, spend the Christmas and New Year season on their own. This may be due to the loss of a partner or having gone through the breakup of a relationship. The feeling of isolation can be quite painful, especially after a Christmas spent with relatives. In this modern world, we don’t have the social connections we once had, and certainly in Cheadle isolation can be quite seve

If Staffordshire is known as the country's creative county, then Staffordshire Moorlands should be considered its crown jewel. This is not only because of the amazingly diverse range of art found throughout the moorlands but also due to the immense efforts of an organisation called Outside Arts. You may already know them; if not, your path will have crossed at some point with some element of their work. They provide funding, training, and every other kind of support imaginabl

Local PCSOs have confirmed that Cheadle Police Station is open for policing purposes and is a place the public can attend if they have been a victim of crime, if they have reported something and expressed that they would rather have a meeting at the police station than at their own home or at the location of the crime. It is also used by local officers in their duties. It's a busy place; they are well-staffed and well-equipped. They don't have a front desk that is open to the

1. If you need to drive somewhere Icy, wintry weather can cause delays and make driving conditions dangerous, follow these few simple steps to prepare before journeys: Plan your route. Check for delays and road closures. Leave more time to prepare and check your car before setting off. Check wipers, tyres and screen wash. Pack essentials in your car (warm clothing, food, drink, blanket, torch). Take a fully charged mobile phone. Pack an in-car charger. 2. Driving safely on i

Yesterday, local police confirmed a rise in crime over the past month in and around the Cheadle area, particularly involving shoplifting and anti-social behaviour. Several known individuals are involved, and active investigations are underway. Some criminals are coming from the city and are linked to these local offenders. PCSO Adrian Walters informed attendees at last night's town council meeting that they believe the activity has decreased since Christmas, noting that this

We're delighted to announce that we've added a new weekly print publication called Pocket COG to our growing communications family. We aim for this to provide a fast & lovable version of good-to-knows for Moorlands residents, visitors, and communities in a pocket-sized format. Please let us know what you'd like to see in coming issues and if you'd like to secure your copy for you or a family member - here's the link to tell us what you need: https://www.cheadlecog.com/contact

Wanted at Cheadle Food Bank. Here is the list of food bank shortages for this week and we thank you for your continuing support.

A lot has happened across Staffordshire's woodlands, heathlands, and heritage sites this year – and Staffordshire's countryside team has been at the heart of it. Their hard work helps protect rare wildlife, care for our landscapes, and preserve Staffordshire’s rich history. Thanks to them, our countryside remains a beautiful and vibrant place for everyone to enjoy. Here are just some of the highlights from this year:  2,390 trees planted  Around 97,500 trees surveyed  10,904

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1st – 30th December 2025 Great Wood Community Hall, Upper Tean, ST10 4JY Free Event This December, Great Wood Community Hall in Tean is proudly hosting The Longest Yarn 2: Britain at War, which is a stunning exhibition of knitted and crocheted wartime scenes.  From the declaration of war in 1939 through to VE Day in 1945, this 3D wool art display brings history to life with colour, creativity, and heart. Created by artist Tansy Forster and a talented community of knitters and

In many communities across the UK, the Christmas Lights Switch On event is a celebration of both the Christmas period ahead and a wonderful way to light up those darker nights after long summer days. It's the coming together of families and friends to the town or village centre, not just to count down the moment until the lights are first seen, but to experience other activities too. Favourites include a visit to Santa Claus, mulled wine and mince pies, carol singers and othe

People in Staffordshire can grab a household bargain or Christmas gift and support a community group or charity at the same time at a series of pop-up sales events run by the county council. At all of Staffordshire’s household waste recycling centres, good quality reusable items are donated to county charities, care leavers who are setting up a new home or sold at one of the regular Rescue Me pop-up sales. People can pick up a wide variety of bargains of items including kitch

This week we love is new segment for COGNEWS which highlights something exceptional in the local area this week. This week we loved all the amazing festive activities being organised by Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. You'll find them under What's On right across all our publications. Many are taking place at the Wolseley Centre in Stafford, and this is a great way to support a local charity that does amazing things for nature and education in Staffordshire. They are also COG C

After a dreadful start to November weather-wise, we've experienced continuous rain leading to flooding, as shown in this photo. It was taken at the junction with the A52 as we leave Cheadle, just before the Churnet Valley Railway Station. If you choose to drive through a flood, it's recommend to use a low gear and proceed slowly to prevent water from being drawn into the engine. For electric vehicles, it's still advisable to drive slowly to avoid insulation faults or moisture

Please note that Cheadle Library is managed locally and is not included in the group. Libraries have always been at the heart of our communities, but how can they become vibrant, welcoming community hubs? Staffordshire County Council is inviting residents to help shape the future of libraries across Staffordshire. Many libraries across Staffordshire already offer much more than core library services - such as creative workshops, youth programmes, arts and music events and mor

It can be really tricky to find things to do at the weekend. We sometimes realise that our weekend consists of nothing but chores...

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