News that Legionella bacteria has been discovered at a Stoke elder care village will result in a comprehensive review of water safety management, according to experts. Legionella has been discovered at West End Village, Stoke, and the attached offices of Staffordshire Housing Association. Elizabeth Froggatt, pictured, who runs SAS Water Ltd one of the country’s leading Legionnaire Disease consultancies, based …

A Staffordshire based charity has been called upon to help shape new Government policy on bereavement leave and pay for parents. Parents are set to be guaranteed a right to at least two weeks parental bereavement leave after an MP’s Private Member’s Bill successfully passed its Third Reading in the House of Commons on Friday. The Bill, sponsored by Kevin …

LET’S DO MENTORING CASE STUDY Stepping up to the challenge of acting Chief Executive can be daunting, but Charlie O’Dell also faced cancer treatment at the same time. However, Charlie’s determination to succeed led to her seizing the initiative and calling on Let’s Do Mentoring for support. A year down the line and Charlie has successfully come through chemotherapy and …

An imposing 19th Century city centre pub has re-opened following an extensive refit by a joint partnership of three breweries including Oxford’s own White Horse Brewery. The Royal Blenheim, St Ebbes Street, Oxford, popular with real and craft ale drinkers, had been closed for just under a month to allow refurbishment work to go ahead. “The Royal Blenheim is an …

Derbyshire businesses will be amongst the first in the UK to get the chance to experience Simply Great Britain, a members’ organisation which champions and supports outstanding independent businesses. Simply Great Britain has been launched following the success of Simply Staffordshire and the first Simply GB meet-up is set for Mackworth, Derbyshire, on May 23, from 6pm-8pm. The Simply concept …

Geens Chartered Accountants has won a hat trick of accolades for its support for the Douglas Macmillan Hospice. The Stoke-based accountants were the only business to be recognised in the three major categories in the hospice’s 2018 Corporate Awards. Staff at Geens are keen fundraisers – raising over £50,000 for various charities through a programme of sporting challenges – and …

The Gingerbread Centre is inviting local residents to join them for an oatcake to celebrate Staffordshire Day. The Stoke-on-Trent based homelessness charity is an official partner in this year’s May 1st Staffordshire Day celebrations, organised by Enjoy Staffordshire. Oatcake stalls will be set up outside the Gingerbread Centre’s two accommodation units at Rothesay Court, Normacot, between 12 noon and 2pm, …

Brothers Stephen and Simon Ward are celebrating the 25th anniversary of Graphix, their full-service design agency. The brothers began Graphix on the kitchen table at their parents’ Stoke-on-Trent home and have masterminded growth which has seen the company work with household names such as bet365 and Help for Heroes. Millions of football supporters will have seen Graphix’ work featured on …

The world is crying out for genuinely sustainable alternatives to manmade plastic packaging, so the winning of a Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation by Staffordshire company Woolcool demonstrates the very real credibility of using a natural, renewable packaging resource – sheeps wool. First conceived by founder and CEO Angela Morris in 2001, Woolcool is a superior insulated packaging solution …

Experienced lawyers Sarah Clowes and Alexandra Finney have joined forces to create a family friendly new solicitors practice in Stoke-on-Trent. The duo have founded Clowes and Co. Solicitors offering services including conveyancing and property, wills and estate planning, elderly care services and all aspects of family law. With a base in the former Britannia Building Society branch at Baddeley Green, …