This month, the Craft Community Hub at 59 Chapel Street in Cheadle celebrates its second birthday, and what better way to celebrate than with friends and cake?. Everyone is welcome and whilst this vibrant hub hosts the work of more than 25 local makers every day there is an extra special reason to visit this weekend. There will of course be birthday cake but the hub members are hosting a cake sale in aid of local charity A Child of Mine. If you've not come across their work b

A poem of encouragement from our editor, Lori Wood Williams, celebrating the colder months of life in Staffordshire. Don't Fear Autwin...

Wellspring Methodist Church Cheadle hosted their annual Macmillan Coffee Morning on the 26th of September. Never missing an opportunity to serve their community, the welcoming group added a twist. This year's event also hosted a lantern-making workshop as part of Cheadle's upcoming arts festival. Donations from thousands of Coffee Mornings, big and small across the country, help raise vital funds to support the almost 3.5 million people in the UK living with cancer, from the

Wednesday 23 September 2026, Lower Hall, Trinity Church, Derby Street, Leek, 9:30 am to 1:00 pm Free event Local agencies are collaborating to create a welcoming environment where women and girls can receive advice, support, and practical safety information to address personal safety concerns, as well as information about local services. Combined with coffee and cake in an informal setting, women and girls can meet professionals. The event is open to everyone. No booking is r

This week saw the opening of a pre-loved clothing store in a historic part of town. We met with Helen, whose passion is for pre-loved fashion, to find out more. New Shop Owner Helen with Mayor Phil Routledge You'll find Helen's new business, We Love Preloved, at the top of the market square in one of the Georgian bow-fronted shops (on the left). The first thing that hits you upon enty is the expensive boutique aesthetic. Decorated in teal and mustard gold, the colors provide

"You've been Cogged!" offers a glimpse into another person's life, allowing you to hear their stories and find out more about their work and personal experiences. Alorah, You've Been Cogged! writer, met with Julie Hassall, the Methodist Minister and enthusiastic community leader from Wellspring in Cheadle. Describe yourself in three words. Positive hard-working energetic. I have a longing for people to flourish. Are you a member of any groups? The Methodist Church, the gym in

With 80% of women in the UK reporting harassment in public spaces and 75% of harassment victims saying no one helped, the need for action is urgent. The Suzy Lamplugh Trust has partnered with L’Oréal Paris to deliver the Stand Up Against Street Harassment training programme across the UK. Developed by international NGO Right To Be, this globally approved free bystander intervention training empowers individuals to safely step in and support victims of public harassment. Suzy

Funded by Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime Ben Adams, the Space summer programme brings together public, voluntary and private sector organisations to provide enjoyable, positive activities for young people. These activities aim to increase their skills, improve their health and wellbeing and create opportunities, while also aiming to reduce levels of anti-social behaviour during the school summer holidays. Space 2026 will run from Monday 27 July

One of our reporters got chatting to a lady who's an interior designer in one of our local hostelries. Here's what she had to say about Cheadle: “I’ve just dropped my daughter and her friend at Alton Towers. I’ve had a little walk along the High Street. I called into Dougie Mac’s and bought a game. I’ve found everyone so friendly and kind. I’ve got a bit of work to do online, so I came into Wetherspoons for breakfast. It’s great, the staff are wonderful, and it’s such good va

We caught up with Sarah from Uniting Staffordshire Against Hate (USAH), part of Citizens Advice — one of the services they offer, at this year's Pride in the Moorlands and discovered more about their work. USAH supports anyone who's been a victim of a hate crime or hate incident, including people who are targeted because of their race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or transgender identity. The services that they offer are information, advice, and guidance about ne

Last month, Cheadle welcomed another lovely business to the town, this time a creative arts space on Cross Street called Studio 15. The Mayor and Mayoress popped in to see owner Kerry Broad to welcome her to the town, and COGNEWS went along too on the official opening day (20th June 2026). L-R: Cllr & Mayoress Zenobia Routledge, Store Owner Kerry Broad, Mayor Phil Routledge Kerry told us, "In 2017, I was where Holly's boutique was as Bless Your Arts Boutique, so this has been

Monday, 20th of July, saw the women of Cheadle and the surrounding areas gather at the Guild Hall to find out more about a process that happens to all women and is not generally talked about much in public. Menopause is the natural biological process for women where menstrual periods cease permanently because of a decrease in reproductive hormones. It is often misunderstood, downplayed, and the brunt of many poor jokes. It is also important that women—the gender responsible f

On the 9th of July almost 320 runners braved one of the hottest nights of the year to complete JCB’s Lakeside 5 race and fun run. And they're off! More than 420 people had registered to join the event and while the 30° heat reduced the field on the night, it failed to lower the spirits of the runners or the crowds who turned up to support them. JCB employees joined a host of club runners to complete the gruelling five-mile course around JCB’s World HQ at Rocester, including t

Pride in the Moorlands brought out all kinds of supporters and we were delighted to meet the colourful bunch from Match Foster Care. Here's what they had to say. Pictured are Jo Finn & Michelle Black from Match Foster Care Jo & Michelle told us that they are both based in Stoke town centre, as part of a satellite division of Match, with their head office in Droitwich, Worcestershire. They have quite a few foster parents living in and around Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire

We recently met with Vicky at the Craft Community Hub on Chapel Street, Cheadle, to learn more about an inspiring butterfly project they have been working on. Vicky told our reporter that they had been working with Child of Mine, who support bereaved parents, siblings, and other family members. They support people from a miscarriage all the way up to 18 through whatever kind of trauma and loss a family can experience. They are organizing a memorial day in Stafford at St Mary'

If you've ever asked the question "What's for dinner?" or if just hearing the words makes you want to hide behind the sofa, this post is for you. I've been in charge of the cooking since I was fifteen, and with a modern household of constant activity, hybrid and shift working, allergies, and health considerations, something which used to be simple and organized is complete chaos. Batch cooking is brilliant if you can make the time to do it. But here's a quick win - a crib she

Local residents have watched with interest over the past few months as a disused shop at the north end of the High Street was sympathetically brought back to life. A Wedding Gown destination store is the perfect addition to this section of the High Street, and it's clear from just viewing the window how much love has been poured into bringing this space to life. COGNEWS was on hand to find out more about this lovely addition to our town. New Store Owner Bernice Fisher with Lo

A NORTH Staffordshire mum is celebrating the 10th anniversary of her life-saving transplant surgery with a call for more donors to come forward. Janet Matthews (centre) is flanked by her daughter Jenny Lowe and grand-daughter Maisie Lowe Janet Matthews, 62, received the gift of a kidney from live donor daughter Jenny Lowe in a life-changing operation on June 14th, 2016. Now, as organ donation levels across the UK fall, Janet, a buyer at the JCB World Parts Centre in Uttoxeter

In April of this year, the Government released the Renewed Women’s Health Strategy for England, pledging to prioritise women's voices in NHS decision-making, address gynaecology waiting times, and enhance pain relief and care for conditions like endometriosis, fibroids, and menopause. The strategy recognises what many women have been saying for years: that they feel dismissed, unheard, and left waiting too long for diagnosis and treatment. These national commitments strongly

Pride in the Moorlands returns with full three day weekend programme of celebration, creativity and community to towns and villages across the district from Friday 26th to Sunday 28th June 2026. The weekend celebration, promises to be an inclusive and joyful experience for people of all ages, backgrounds, and identities. From a textile craft workshop in Cheadle to a roller disco in Biddulph, Pride oatcakes in Endon and a spectacular parade through Leek, this year's celebratio