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Some years ago, Joan took supported the MANX Government to secure international protection and status under CITES for the basking shark. Those interested in marine ecology may like to check out the progress that has been made since.

Joan shows support for the National Lottery Commission interim decision, not to grant Camelot permission a licence to provide commercial services, including bill payments and mobile top-ups, through its national lottery terminal infrastructure, on the grounds of concerns the application raised around competition law. The Commission also said it still had to consider the many other issues that were brought before it during the consultation process.

As part of the Tunstall Celebrates the City's Centenary the Floral & Garden Produce Show will be at Tunstall Park, on Sunday 5th September 2010. 11.00am to 5.00pm.

Joan has continued her support for Stoke-on-Trent City Council's cutback on litter by pressing the new government to reaffirm the importance of reducing litter.

Joan has worked really hard to secure Lottery funding which will flow into the Chell Heath and Fegg Hayes areas of Stoke-on-Trent. The Big Lottery Fund (BIG) has announced Chell Heath and Fegg Hayes at one of the first 50 areas across England to benefit from its at least £1 million of Lottery good cause funding through its Big Local Trust programme.

This weekend (23-25 July) is London 2012 Open Weekend and there are at least 14 events taking place across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent. These cultural, sporting and artistic events will mark two years to go until the opening of the 2012 Games. The theme this year is ‘challenge yourself’, with all events involving some sort of challenge for the public to try something new or take an existing interest to the next level.

Joan highlighted concern about the long term implications of the abolition of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution and the withdrawal of funds from the Sustainable Development Commission-matters that are vital; and the need an overarching policy on green issues.

On Wednesday 14 July Stoke-on-Trent City Council invited residents to an event at the Quality Hotel in Hanley to discuss Housing Services in the City as part of an innovative consultation. The event gave residents the opportunity to speak to various officers from a range of fields in housing including housing standards, maintenance, benefits and supporting people. There was advice and information for people living in council housing and also advice for those renting privately.

Dozens of Stoke-on-Trent people celebrated taking vital steps on the road back into employment when they were awarded certificates for gaining a wide range of work related qualifications. Stoke-on-Trent North MP Joan Walley was joined by Port Vale FC mascot Boomer in congratulating the jobseekers for achieving awards in subjects such as literacy, numeracy, manual handling, food safety and forklift truck driving.

An update on Coalfields Regeneration Trust's funding programmes in the West Midlands