Spring is the perfect time of year to get outdoors and enjoy the countryside, and with many plants already coming back into bud, why not revisit our wonderful winter walks and enjoy the beauty of springtime? Download your copy here: Put a Spring in Your Step - Take a Walk with COG- created 28th February 2026

Tamworth Castle has operated as a museum since 1899 and has amassed a heritage collection of over 42,000 objects and archive items. Tamworth Borough Council has distributed items from the castle archive, which are destined for new locations and public exhibition within the local community. As part of a nationally approved rationalisation process, the castle is now transferring selected items to venues where they can be more accessible and meaningful to the community. In partn

There’s lots happening across Staffordshire this month! Whether you'd like to get creative, enjoy the great outdoors or try something new, here are some great events to enjoy: Relaxed Rambles – Ilam Park Enjoy a gentle countryside walk with tea or coffee afterwards. Free parking included. Painting Party – Verso Lounge, Stafford A relaxed evening of creativity with The Paint Club. All materials included—perfect for a fun night out. Harry Potter Cupcake Class – Eccleshall Lear

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

For years, local residents have expressed concerns that the pool at South Moorlands Leisure Centre has been too cold for a comfortable swim. As there is no local alternative, when several residents informed us about improvements in the temperature, we decided to investigate. Steve, the leisure centre manager, told COGNEWS that the swimming pool is being kept at 27–28°C, with the temperature moving a little higher when catering for their disabled visitors at the weekend. Steve

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

Just over a year since their re-development, Leek’s Butter and Trestle Markets have achieved national recognition by being voted the Best Small Indoor Market in the Great British Market Awards 2026 organised by NABMA, the National Association of British Market Authorities.   The annual awards, where peers in the industry are invited to vote for their favourite market across 11 categories, celebrate excellence, innovation and commitment across the UK markets sector.   The judg

What's On: Local Wildlife Talk - created 21st January 2026

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

Why Walking? Path Blockers Where to Begin Walking Q & A Cheadle Walks Many of us use the start of a new year to review things we'd like to change, and taking a little time to reflect on the last year and how we might improve our lives can be greatly beneficial. We might want to lose weight, increase exercise, reduce spending, or spend less time doomscrolling. Whatever our plans, something as simple as taking a brisk walk outside can help support our resolutions.

16th December 2025 1.30 - 5.00 pm Thorley Drive Recreation Centre, Thorley Drive, Cheadle ST10 1SA A festive pop-up event is to take place for Cheadle families with something for toddlers right through to teens. Activities and games will offer fun for all ages, see the poster below for details. Festive Family Hub Roadshow - created 8.12.25

World of Wedgwood is delighted to announce that the V&A Wedgwood Collection will appear in the upcoming Antiques Roadshow episode “Unseen Treasures 1,” part of Series 48. The episode airs on Sunday, 30th November 2025 and celebrates remarkable finds from filming across the UK, including a special tribute to the city of Stoke-on-Trent in its centenary year.  During the episode, presenter Fiona Bruce visits the V&A Wedgwood Collection, located at World of Wedgwood, to explore m

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

Saturday 6 December, Sunday 7 December. Morning & afternoon sessions. Booking essential, over 16s, £40 per person Image by by Christine Harding Learn how to make a beautiful, festive, winter wreath. All the materials are supplied for you to get creative and make a wonderful natural wreath for you or a loved one. To book: https://staffs-wildlife.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=84b7450e97fafe87262e4c5ce&id=9724e4fe43&e=433dd18acb Make a Festive Wreath with Staffordshire Wildl

Saturday 17 January, from 10am until 12.30pm Cost £25 pp Adults Only Wood whittling tools image by Aimee Burrows, Join the Forest School Lead, Shaun for an introduction to knife whittling skills. You will be provided with all the training and resources needed to create lovely items in wood. Your ticket includes a panini in the Kingfisher Cafe, which you can visit after your morning of learning this new skill. The Learning Hub is situated at the bottom of the hill in front of

Two Puddings for 2 people for 2 days Ingredients 120g self raising flour 75g natural yoghurt 30g caster sugar half a tsp of vanilla extract 2 eggs 50g low fat spread 1tbsp runny honey or to taste Assorted frozen or foraged fruit of your choice Method Place the frozen fruit in a pudding basin with the honey and microwave for 2 minutes Add all other ingredients to the blender and blend until mixed. Stir the mix with a metal spoon and blend again. Add half the mix to the top of

Cheadle Discovery Group has launched their exciting new project entitled WW2 Spirit and the “Hope of Cheadle.” Ivan Wozniak, trustee of Cheadle Discovery Group, said, "It has taken over a year to develop our project and includes many distinct elements and several community partners, including Cheadle Historical Society and the Cheadle Methodist Church." The recent launch event at Wellspring Methodist Church "The project focuses on researching and presenting life in Cheadle du

Get Walking this Autumn with Footsteps & Friendships

Masses more Fruit and Nuts Have you noticed that there seems to be so much more fruit on the trees this year - beautiful isn’t it? 2025 is a mast year for fruit and nuts in the UK. This means trees like oaks are producing a significantly larger crop of acorns and other fruits and nuts, leading to an abundance of them across the country. This phenomenon is cyclical, happening approximately every three to five years, and is considered a survival strategy for the trees. The surp

Improving Staffordshire's Transport Systems