With May here, and the good weather properly upon us, it is good to see so many constituents getting out and enjoying our gorgeous North Staffordshire countryside.  On a sunny day, there is nowhere more beautiful. 

I have been working over the years to try and improve the sports amenities and facilities which have in the local area, and I am pleased to be invited to a couple of events this month to celebrate these local achievements. 

Next Saturday, I will be visiting Stanley Sailing Club to see first hand its new facilities and provisions at Stanley Pool.   After forty five years, I am delighted to hear that the sailing club is growing from strength to strength, with so many different groups making good use of this resource. With North Staffordshire being so far from the coast, this club makes sailing a lot more accessible for many local people. 

And then on the Whitsun Bank Holiday weekend, I will be joining all of those at Stoke-on-Trent Boat Club in Endon who will be gathering for a rally to celebrate their fiftieth anniversary. I know that all those involved do sterling work in opening up the great outdoors for people in our local area.  Often with very little funding, they run an impressive programme of events.  I know that students at St Luke’s Primary school in Endon are enjoying the preparations and competitions which are leading up to the event.

There are obviously some big challenges facing our waterways.  Even after years of decent investment, the cut to British Waterways funding will be felt in North Staffordshire.  I am doing what I can to press for ongoing funding which will make continued investment in our canals and waterways possible.  They are a huge resource in the region.  Not only are they a big part of our heritage, but they I would like to see them play a big part in our future as well. 

Regeneration proposals are making good use of these historic features, and I am pleased to see that more and more people are using the canals for leisure.  It’s great to see that eyes across the country will be on North Staffordshire canals when the Antique’s Roadshow sets up shop at the Middleport Pottery, Burgess Dorling and Leigh, just by the canal in Middleport on 27 May - the same weekend as the rally in Endon.  

But you don’t need an expensive boat or a valuable antique to enjoy the canal; I hope that the rally on the bank holiday weekend will encourage you to simply enjoy a walk along the towpath to see what is happening.

If you live in Stoke-on-Trent North and would like to know more, then please be in touch.