A lucky Leek resident has won the jackpot in the Staffordshire Moorlands Community Lottery. The winner, who wishes to be identified only as Kevin, won the top prize of £25,000 in a recent draw. Describing it as a “shock at first,” he said he chose to play the Community Lottery because: “The principle of supporting causes that are more locally based to the area I live in is something I like the idea of. In this way, I know financial support is directed to my local community, w

Dougie Mac Hanley Superstore, Etruria Road, Hanley. Saturday March 14, between 9am and 5pm. Brides-to-be can pick up their dream wedding dress for less at a special wedding dress event being held at a Dougie Mac shop. The Hanley Superstore is holding its first wedding dress event where it will be offering a range of brand new and sample dresses, in a selection of sizes, from just £30, as well as bridal accessories. The new dresses, with tags, typically retail between £800 to

Festive residents in a Stoke-on-Trent street have raised nearly £30,000 for Dougie Mac. Each year, families living in Bromsberrow Way, Meir Park, dress their homes with Christmas lights and decorations to raise money for the hospice. The cul-de-sac – known locally as ‘Christmas Street’ – attracts thousands of visitors from Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire every year, with some people making it part of their Christmas tradition on Christmas Eve and even Christmas Day. Ov

Community arts programme OUTSIDE is launching a new photography project with artist Ruby Nixon to celebrate women across the Staffordshire Moorlands, marking International Women’s Day in March 2026. The project is inviting nominations for women who make a difference in their communities – in big or small ways. This could be through their work, volunteering, creativity, leadership, advocacy, or everyday acts of care and support. OUTSIDE wants to recognise women whose contribut

Sandfields Pumping Station, Chesterfield Road, Lichfield, WS14 0AA Saturday 14 March, 10am to 4pm Free The team at Sandfields Pumping Station is celebrating World Water Day on Saturday, 14 March. Find out about the history of this fascinating site, including the story of the filtration plant that used to be on site, family activities, and guided tours (please book tours on the Eventbrite page). There will be refreshments and delicious homemade cakes to enjoy! The station w

On Wednesday, 25th February, Cheadle Foodbank was presented with a cheque for £250 to help run the service by Cheadle Lions. COGNEWS was told that they sometimes run short of stock and that this money will help them restock their shelves, as they are totally reliant on donations. The food bank has been in the town for 12 years and is based at the Guild Hall. They have given out over 125 tonnes of food over that period. They are staffed entirely by volunteers and also provide

Staffordshire’s new mascot, Staffy, is getting ready to hit the county in the upcoming Staffy Art Trail – and Staffs County Council want local people to help bring him to life. There is an opportunity to put your own spin on one of three designs that will appear on three of the ten 5ft statues in the countywide trail. You don’t need to be a professional artist – just a great idea and a love for Staffordshire. They are looking for designs that capture what Staffordshire mean

Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet has agreed the authority’s first Community Safety Strategy, a new, three‑year plan designed to make a visible and measurable difference to neighbourhoods across Staffordshire. The strategy sets out how the county council and its partners will protect vulnerable people, reduce the risk of crime and anti‑social behaviour, and give communities — including rural villages, market towns and urban areas — a stronger voice in shaping the places

Friday 6th March will see a fund raising event by the friends of St Edward's Church, Cheddleton. It promises to be an evening of wonder and heartfelt laughter with many characters of Cheddleton & Wetley Rocks. Tickets include cheese and wine and at £15 per person this promises to be a lovely memorable event. A Magic Lantern Event in Cheddleton - created 22nd February 2026

Events for adults | Local Group Events | Easter Holiday events Events for adults Spring walk and cream tea at The Wolseley Centre Saturday 15 March, 1pm - 3pm Enjoy a gentle stroll and spot the signs of spring all around. You'll receive helpful identification tips as you explore. Binoculars and ID guides provided. Delicious cream tea at The Kingfisher Café included in the price. Find out more Forest School and Sustainability Conference at The Wolseley Centre Thursday 19

If you feel a little let down by a partner, husband, or boyfriend this Valentine's Day, then it is no problem for you if you live in Cheadle, because if you are a signed-up member of Clair’s Pantry, you will get free beautiful flowers with your purchases. The picture above does not do justice to the wonderful smell coming from the volunteer’s car (Vicky), who was met exiting a local supermarket. Clair’s Pantry is open Friday, Saturday, and Tuesday each week between 9 am–4 pm

STOKE-ON-TRENT charity The Hubb Foundation and Staffordshire digger giant JCB have today (February 16th) launched a unique partnership to ensure thousands of vulnerable children across the city have free half-term holiday activities throughout the year. JCB apprentice George Lowe (19) serves up a healthy meal to St Mary's Primary School children. The three-year £375,000 partnership will fund 1,000 activity places every half term in February, May and October at up to 35 Sto

This week we're thinking about love, love for your family and friends but also for your community! Below is the cover and contents so do look out for your printed copy in your favourite retail store this week or contact us to collect. If you'd rather read online you can do that here: and here's the pull-out too! Whatever you do today - we hope it's lovely for you! This Week's Pocket COG - Love Is in the Air! - created 14th February 2026

COGNEWS would like to wish everyone in Staffordshire Moorlands a very Happy Valentines Day! St. Valentine's Day originated as a Christian feast day honouring a martyr named Valentine, and through later folk traditions it has also become a significant cultural, religious and commercial celebration of romance, commitment, and love in many regions of the world until it became the celebration we have today. Whilst it's a great day to celebrate your partner it's also great day to

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 time spent with friends and relatives. In this modern world, we don’t have the social connections we once had, and certainly in Cheadle isolation can be qui

The Cheadle and District Lions Club is a local charity dedicated to serving our community by either raising funds or providing services. L to R: Local Lion Keith Godwin, District Governor Lion Ian Francis, and Cheadle Lion President Lesley Godwin. What makes them special is that they do their work within a social framework, such that one day they may be selling tickets for a plastic duck race at Tean; the next, they will be having a social meet in a pub. One example is if you

Cheadle Police Station recently played host to the 2nd Cheadle Scouts group. The youngsters were full of brilliant questions about policing and showed that they had a good understanding of how to report an emergency. After a tour of the station and a look at the Police Vehicles, two young people made their Cub's Pledge: “I promise to do my best to do my duty to God and to the King, to help other people, and to keep the Cub Scout Law”. PCSO LOWNDES and PCSO WATERS, were so imp

This week, we were informed that Moorlands Home Link will permanently close on Friday, February 6th. This decision by the board of trustees is not related to a specific service closure or a temporary issue for the Charity, but is final. You may have seen their year-long fundraising campaign aimed at bridging the gap in finances caused by a withdrawal of some grant funding. Home Link provides a much-needed lifeline to many elderly and disabled people living in South Moorlands

Outside Arts have announced that applications are now open for Creative Community Commissions of up to £1,000. If you are an artist, community group or organisation based in and delivering creative activities with communities in the Staffordshire Moorlands this could provide a welcome funding boost. They are hoping to support a range of projects through small scale commissions, up to £1,000 that help increase the range of arts and culture available for communities across t

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