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

Monday 1 December, 10.30 - 12pm Enjoy a festive nature tots session with Christmassy activities to get into the spirit of the season ! To book: https://www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk/events/2025-12-01-christmas-nature-tots-wolseley-centre Christmas Nature Tots at The Wolsey Centre Stafford - created 29.11.25

Saturday 6 December, 10.30 - 1pm Enjoy a festive family morning creating Christmas decorations, playing festive games and exploring Staffordshire Wildlife Trusts winter nature trail. £9 per child, £7 per additional sibling. To Book: https://www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk/events/2025-12-06-christmas-family-fun-wolseley-centre Christmas Family Fun at The Wolseley Centre, Stafford - created 29.11.25

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, The Wolseley Centre, Wolseley Bridge, Stafford, ST17 0WT Wildlings is a play group where your children (6 months to 5 years) can try new things outdoors. The sessions include getting mucky making a mud pie, bug hunting in the woods, and toasting tasty treats on the campfire (weather permitting)! Booking essential. £6.50 per child + booking fee, £3.50 per additional child + booking fee. Image by by Christine Harding Monday 8 December, 10.30am - 12

The Movement for Good Awards is an annual programme of giving that anyone can get involved in and again this year they'll be donating over £1 million to charities and good causes. Home-Start Staffordshire Moorlands is seeking nominations from individuals in the Cheadle/Leek area to help them be selected as one of the winners of this charitable fund. A simple online form that's quick to fill in and could earn HSSM £1000 this Christmas! Please follow the link below if you’d lik

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

Like many local residents, we are puzzled by the secrecy surrounding developments in our town. The most recent example is the work on the Tape Street Short Stay Car Park, which is currently undergoing a five-week development program. Local residents and businesses have neither been informed nor consulted, and it appears that, as of the full town council meeting on Monday, October 3rd, the Town Council has also not been informed of the details of the work or involved in the pl

Local Staffordshire cuisine features the humble oatcake. You'll find them in supermarkets, specialty oatcake shops, cafes and you can even make your own. This modest brown oat patty offers an excellent substitute for sliced bread, wraps, and other similar items. You can roll, fold, or even make a calzone. Best enjoyed warm, this typically savoury treat can also be served sweet and is a versatile base for nearly any filling you can think of. Traditionally, Staffordshire folk o

Safety advice for those who are planning to celebrate If you’re going trick or treating, make sure to go in a group or with a responsible adult and only visit areas that are well lit, don’t take shortcuts through gardens, alleyways or parks Only visit houses that are decorated and don’t knock if there is a sign saying ‘no trick or treat here’ If you’re wearing a mask, ensure that you can see where you’re going and are aware of your surroundings Be aware of the law surrounding

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

Friday 31st October 2025. 7pm Starting at the Red Lion in the Market Square (walk takes approx an hour) Join Home-Start for a guided ghost walk around Leek Adults £10 each (Kids are FREE) Tickets are strictly limited (it sold out last year) With the kind assistance of Bill Cawley & Leek Town Council Home-Start are again happy to announce a special funding raising ghost walk around Leek for Home-Start Staffordshire Moorlands To book your tickets contact Leek Town Council:..

Tuesday 11th November 2025 6.30pm for food at 7.00pm Spice Merchant, Cross Street Mill, Leek, ST13 6BL Join Home-Start Staffordshire Moorlands for a special fundraising meal Menu includes poppadom’s & chutney / mixed starter / selection of traditional curry dishes with rice or naan (vegetarian & vegan options available). £20 per adult / £15 per child (under 12s) - (£10 per adult & £5 per child going to Home-Start SM). Tickets MUST be pre-booked by phoning: 01538 387231 / t

During a recent visit to Cecilly Brook Nature Reserve in Cheadle, South Moorlands, unlike my many previous visits where I looked for water voles, bats, and moths or enjoyed a lovely walk through nature, this time I did something different. I took a look at a very special game they have there, called the Predator Prey Racing Labyrinth. It's an area of natural descent, but has been set up in a certain order so that people (mostly children) can race against each other. It's a ra

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

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

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Friday 31 October, 10.30am to 12.30pm £2.50 per crafter. All ages Family drop in. No booking required Vote for the History Centre's spookiest object and try your hand at some creepy crafts. Make your own eerie doll, weird toy and dreadful dragon to take home with you this Halloween. Event: Creepy Crafts at the History Centre - created 15.9.25

Older and Disabled Residents Can Travel for Free by Bus in Staffordshire

Family Hub: Half-Term in Cheadle