Our 5 Asks for Andy Burnham

Andy Burnham must seize the moment to build a bold, forward-looking agenda for his administration to lead the UK towards a new European future.

europeanmovement.co.uk

The 3 ways stupidity spreads throughout a society | Jonny Thomson

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Harper & Keele Vet School ranked by students as No.1 in the UK for Veterinary Medicine

The first NSS results for the School show an impressive 91.4% of students expressed satisfaction with their course. The NSS is a high-profile annual survey of nearly half a million final year undergraduate students across the UK. The survey gathers opinions from students about their time in higher education, asking them to provide honest feedback over 27 questions on what it has been like to study on their course at their university or college. Launched in 2020, the Harper & Keele Veterinary School _(HKVS)_ is a collaboration between Harper Adams University and Keele University, combining Keele’s strengths in health and life sciences with the agricultural and animal science pedigree of Harper Adams. Next week will see the inaugural HKVS graduation, with the first cohort of newly qualified vets celebrating the completion of their five-year degree. Professor Matt Jones, Head of the Harper & Keele Veterinary School, said: > “Our first NSS results are testament to the ongoing work of colleagues across the School, both Universities, and our partners to reach this point. We are immensely proud of this positive feedback from our first cohort and I am grateful to all of the students who took the time to share their experiences.” Professor Michael Lee, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Harper Adams University, said: > “This is great news as our first cohort of students prepare for their graduations – and I would like to thank them both for their feedback, and for their commitment over the past > five years. > > “The Harper & Keele Vet School is built on partnership – between and within both Harper Adams and Keele, and with partners, industry bodies, placement employers and many, many more – and they deserve our thanks, too.” Professor Mark Ormerod OBE, Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost at Keele University, said: > “I’m delighted that Harper & Keele Veterinary School has been ranked by students as No.1 in the UK for Veterinary Medicine in this year’s National Student Survey. This outstanding result sets a strong foundation for the future of the School and highlights the impact of our joint commitment to excellence in veterinary education.” #### Enjoyed this story? The Staffordshire Signal is a not-for-profit, community-funded publication. Every tip helps keep local journalism free, independent, and focused on the stories that matter across Staffordshire. Every contribution supports reporting, photography, and storytelling across the county. Explore the heart of our county Use the interactive map above to discover local landmarks, heritage sites, and community-vetted spots. Every interaction helps support **The Staffordshire Signal’s** mission to keep local news free and independent.

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The Three Counties Open Art Exhibition officially opens at Fenton Town Hall tomorrow, with 97 pieces of art on display.

A total of 300 artists entered paintings, textiles and other artwork for Keele University’s landmark Three Counties Open Art Exhibition, with 97 pieces selected for display at Fenton Town Hall, in Albion Square. The exhibition, now in its 29th year, is free to enter and is being held from 9 August until 30 August. It will be open Tuesday to Saturday each week, from 11am to 3pm. Celebrating creativity in all forms, the exhibition brings together work from college-level students, graduates, professional and amateur artists, as well as individuals who have found their artistic talent later in life. The event is organised in partnership with ArtsKeele at Keele University, Restoke, Barewall Gallery, Burslem School of Art Trust, Appetite, and ACAVA Spode Works. Kerry Jones, from ArtsKeele at Keele University, said: “The quality of submissions for this year’s exhibition has been outstanding and the six judges on the shortlisting panel had some very tough decisions to make. The 97 pieces chosen for display reflect the vibrant mix of makers and storytellers whose work speaks to place, identity, and imagination. “There’s a real mix of art on display, from paintings and photography to a motorbike installation, and just under half of the people who have work on display have never exhibited in the show before, so that’s really exciting. > “In this significant Centenary Year for Stoke-on-Trent, the exhibition is a real celebration of place, creativity, and community.” Artist Susan Carr started painting 20 years ago after joining an art group run by Keele University, to ease her grief at the sudden death of her son. Her work, called Coming Home, depicts the desperation of displaced people desperately trying to hold their lives together in horrifying circumstances. Susan, who lives in Wychwood Park, near Crewe, said: > “The inspiration for this painting came from harrowing news reports of displaced people in war torn areas throughout the world. I tried to depict the desperation and terror of losing everything yet somehow trying to survive. > “I had never painted until I was 58, when I joined an art group run by Keele University, to ease my grief at the sudden death of my son. That was twenty years ago, and I still paint at Burslem Art School and Alsager Art Association. > “Painting has been the source of great joy and has brought me so many wonderful experiences and friendships. Age is no barrier to creativity.” Alicia Walker, a textile artist from Wolstanton, said she was ‘excited’ to be part of the exhibition, having just graduated from university with a first-class honours degree in textiles. Alicia Walker She said: > “My work recently has looked at the loss of traditional craftsmanship across North Staffordshire, focusing on the pottery industry in Stoke-on-Trent, and the silk and natural dye industry in Leek. The piece I’m exhibiting, ‘Factory Worker’s Jacket’, is inspired by the idea of pottery workers working in dangerous factory conditions and having to constantly mend their worn-down uniforms. Vintage and naturally dyed fabrics have been patchworked together, distressed, and then visibly mended to tell this story. > “I’m really grateful to have been selected for the exhibition. It’s a fantastic opportunity to platform my work early in my career, and it’s exciting to exhibit in a region that constantly inspires me.” To coincide with the exhibition, a series of creative workshops will also take place for all ages, from clay sculpture and bamboo towers to yacht racing and summer drawing. Every workshop is free, with a mix of drop-ins and bookable sessions for all ages. For full details and booking information, visit https://www.keele.ac.uk/about/artskeele/whatson/workshops/ This year’s exhibition offers a variety of awards to celebrate artistic excellence. Among them is the prestigious Arthur Berry Prize, presented in honour of Berry’s centenary and valued at £1,000 - funded by the New Vic Theatre Archive Fund and generously boosted by Paul Dunkerly, last year’s Three Counties Open Art Prize winner, who gifted his prize back to support emerging artists in the region. Additional prizes will highlight outstanding contributions across artistic disciplines, including the Audience Choice Prize selected by visitors to the exhibition. #### Enjoyed this story? The Staffordshire Signal is a not-for-profit, community-funded publication. Every tip helps keep local journalism free, independent, and focused on the stories that matter across Staffordshire. Every contribution supports reporting, photography, and storytelling across the county. Support independent local journalism by selecting ****The Staffordshire Signal**** as a ‘Preferred Source’ on Google. Help us stay front-and-centre in your news feed.

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Assemblage Artist Edward Mackenzie to present Solo Exhibition at The Art Studio and Gallery in Newcastle-under-Lyme

The exhibition will be open from **19th September until 1st October 2025** , offering visitors a chance to explore his thoughtfully crafted works. Born in California, Edward Mackenzie's artistic path has been a truly international one. After undertaking a Fulbright Scholarship in the UK, he began creating his art in New York, further honing his skills in New Zealand and Maine, before finally settling in Stoke-on-Trent. This diverse background underpins his approach as a modern-day upcycler, where his response to a collection of internationally sourced everyday objects is to recreate them into three-dimensional assemblage art, allowing their components to become the art itself – a process he refers to as "alchemy." He is often described as accomplished, collectable, witty, and thoughtful. Mackenzie's work has drawn positive attention from various international commentators over the years. Philip Isaacson, in the _Portland Press Herald_ , noted, “Mackenzie is a genius at improvising. He rarely alters his material. Rather, he accepts it physically as found, then rearranges it to create new persona. To an artist like Mackenzie, a piano is a gold mine…” Similarly, Don Robbins, writing in the _Hallowell Record_ , observed, “Edward Mackenzie calls himself an ‘Assemblagist.’ His work is nothing less than the ‘alchemy of transformation.’ Just as his glue bonds the components, so do his ideas hold his art together…” His pieces have also been recognised in _America’s Graphic Design Magazine, Print_ , for their "sophistication of concept" and sculptures that "resonate with wit, charm, humor, a whiff of nostalgia and deeper, allegorical meanings." This exhibition provides an opportunity to view the full range of Edward's work in an intimate setting, to include collage, drawing and painting. **Exhibition Details:** **Edward Mackenzie: Solo Exhibition** **Dates:** 19th September – 1st October 2025 **Venue:** THE ART STUDIO and GALLERY **Address:** Barracks Workshop, Barracks Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 1LG Explore the heart of our county Use the interactive map above to discover local landmarks, heritage sites, and community-vetted spots. Every interaction helps support **The Staffordshire Signal’s** mission to keep local news free and independent. #### Enjoyed this story? The Staffordshire Signal is a not-for-profit, community-funded publication. Every tip helps keep local journalism free, independent, and focused on the stories that matter across Staffordshire. Every contribution supports reporting, photography, and storytelling across the county.

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M6toll closed this weekend as HS2 works continue over the motorway

The closures begin on Friday evening and, for northbound traffic, run until first thing on Monday morning. ## What is closing, and when **M6toll northbound** closes from 9pm on Friday 24 July until 5am on Monday 27 July. The closure runs from the point where the M6toll leaves the M6 northbound as far as Junction T1. Access from the M42 northbound will also be restricted throughout. Drivers heading north are being directed to leave the M6 at Junction 4 and follow the A446 northbound, rejoining the M6toll at Junction T1. **M6toll southbound** closes for a shorter period, from 10pm on Friday 24 July until midday on Saturday 25 July, with drivers needing to leave the road at Junction T2. The signed diversion runs along the A446 southbound to Junction 4 of the M6, then south on the M6. The southbound carriageway reopens at midday on Saturday, but that is not the end of the disruption. The M42 stays shut between Junction 7 and Junction 6 southbound for the whole weekend, so anyone heading that way will still need to follow the A446 diversion. **The M42 itself** is closed completely from 9pm on Friday until 5am on Monday, northbound between Junctions 6 and 9, and southbound between Junctions 7a and 6. ## Why it is happening The work is part of the construction of HS2, the new high speed railway between London and Birmingham. Balfour Beatty Vinci is delivering the Midlands section in partnership with HS2 Ltd, covering Solihull, Birmingham, Warwickshire and Staffordshire. Building a railway across an existing motorway network means building over it. The HS2 route crosses the M42 and the M6toll at two separate points between Junctions 7a and 9 of the M42, and three new railway structures need to be installed above the carriageways. That work cannot be done with traffic running underneath, which is why full weekend closures are being used rather than lane restrictions. ## More closures are coming This weekend is not a one off. The engineering programme runs from June through to November 2026, with further weekend closures already scheduled: * **Friday 14 August, 9pm, to Monday 17 August, 6am** * **Friday 18 September, 9pm, to Monday 21 September, 6am** Both follow a similar pattern, closing the M6toll northbound between the M6 diverge and Junction T1, and southbound at Junction T2, with diversions along the A446. Outside these weekends, the M6toll is running as normal. ## If you are travelling The advice from M6toll is straightforward. Allow more time than you think you need, follow the signed diversion routes rather than trusting a satnav that may not know about the closures, and check travel updates before you set off rather than after you have joined the queue. Full details of the closures, including maps, are on the M6toll website at m6toll.co.uk/hs2. Anyone wanting to ask HS2 directly about the works can call the freephone enquiries line on 08081 434 434, or email HS2enquiries@hs2.org.uk. * * * _We will continue to publish travel updates affecting Staffordshire as they are confirmed. If you spot something our readers should know about, get in touch._ #### Enjoyed this story? The Staffordshire Signal is a not-for-profit, community-funded publication. Every tip helps keep local journalism free, independent, and focused on the stories that matter across Staffordshire. Every contribution supports reporting, photography, and storytelling across the county. ### Join The Staffordshire Signal on WhatsApp Never miss a single breaking update, local news story, community event, or deep dive. See everything happening in Staffordshire first, straight to your phone! Get Instant Updates Support independent local journalism by selecting ****The Staffordshire Signal**** as a ‘Preferred Source’ on Google. Help us stay front-and-centre in your news feed.

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EU reintegration offers fiscal and political win-win Burnham can’t ignore - Best for Britain

Andy Burnham must prioritise the UK’s relationship with the EU to secure the growth to fund his domestic agenda, campaigners urge.

bestforbritain.org

Our 5 Asks for Andy Burnham

Andy Burnham must seize the moment to build a bold, forward-looking agenda for his administration to lead the UK towards a new European future.

europeanmovement.co.uk

Stoke-on-Trent launches bid for Bee Friendly City status

A new campaign aims to create a network of pollinator-friendly spaces across the city. It builds on work already taking place across Stoke-on-Trent, including the creation of wildflower meadows, naturalised grassland areas and wildlife-friendly planting in parks, nature reserves and other green spaces. As part of the bid, residents are being invited to share the steps they are taking to support bees and other pollinators, from planting nectar-rich flowers to creating wild areas and reducing pesticide use. The information will be added to a city-wide map of bee friendly activities to support the bid. A Bee Friendly City event will take place at Burslem Park on 1 August, giving residents the chance to find out more about the campaign and discover ways they can get involved. The Bee Friendly Awards is organised by the Bee Friendly Trust and recognises towns and cities that are taking action to support bees and other pollinating insects. Bees and other pollinators are essential for many wildflowers, plants and crops. Evidence shows many bee species are in decline, making the creation of new habitats increasingly important. The top three things residents can do to help bees are: * Create a pollinator pitstop with nectar-rich flowers where bees and other pollinating insects can stop to refuel. * Let it grow wild by leaving part of a lawn or green space unmown. * Avoid pesticides that can harm bees and other pollinators. Councillor Lyn Sharpe, Bee Friendly City champion at Stoke-on-Trent City Council, said: > “I’m buzzing for the city to get started on becoming a Bee Friendly City > “We know how much people care about where they live and this is something everyone can get involved in. > “You don’t need a large garden or lots of space to help pollinators. A few bee-friendly plants, a window box or even leaving part of your garden to grow naturally can make a real difference. > “There’s already some brilliant work happening across Stoke-on-Trent and this campaign is about bringing it all together, celebrating it and encouraging even more people to get involved.” Residents, businesses and organisations can let the council know about the steps they are taking to support pollinators by emailing Climate and Nature Officer Liz Peck at liz.peck@stoke.gov.uk. Activities will be added to the city’s Bee Friendly map. More information about the Bee Friendly City campaign, including advice and resources, is available at www.stoke.gov.uk/beefriendly ### Join The Staffordshire Signal on WhatsApp Never miss a single breaking update, local news story, community event, or deep dive. See everything happening in Staffordshire first, straight to your phone! Get Instant Updates Explore the heart of our county Use the interactive map above to discover local landmarks, heritage sites, and community-vetted spots. Every interaction helps support **The Staffordshire Signal’s** mission to keep local news free and independent. #### Enjoyed this story? The Staffordshire Signal is a not-for-profit, community-funded publication. Every tip helps keep local journalism free, independent, and focused on the stories that matter across Staffordshire. Every contribution supports reporting, photography, and storytelling across the county. Support independent local journalism by selecting ****The Staffordshire Signal**** as a ‘Preferred Source’ on Google. Help us stay front-and-centre in your news feed.

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The Staffordshire Signal Weekly - Issue 1 - Wednesday 1 July 2026

The first edition of The Staffordshire Signal Weekly is here.<br><br>Our brand new weekly digital newspaper brings together independent, not-for-profit local news from across Staffordshire, including ...

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Brexit Was SUPPOSED to Save Us | It Did the Opposite

YouTube video by Bona Fide

youtube.com

Protesters march on parliament demanding Britain rejoins the European Union

independent.co.uk

Brexit's poster town Boston was promised the Earth - now they have the bill

EXCLUSIVE: Boston voted harder for Brexit than anywhere in Britain, yet a decade on, its farmers have lost the EU subsidies and much of the migrant labour that sustained them. Now they survive on solar energy, their own Reform MP fights against

mirror.co.uk

Brexit cost 6% of UK economy, Bank of England company data suggests

Analysis showed how much the UK could have grown if it had not exited the EU.

bbc.co.uk

Highlights from the ‘UK’s Future in Europe - the Next 10 Years Reimagined'

On Wednesday, at a packed event in Westminster Chapel to mark 10 years since the 2016 Referendum, pro-Europeans, politicians and thought leaders gathered to reflect on what the next 10 years might…

europeanmovement.co.uk

Internal Email Reveals Staffordshire Libraries Were Ordered To Remove Pride Displays As Questions Mount Over Council Policy

An internal email seen by The Staffordshire Signal shows Staffordshire library staff were told to remove Pride and LGBTQ+ displays, stop Pride-related social media posts and cancel themed activities.

thestaffordshiresignal.co.uk

Russia set Britain on fire. Demand an inquiry.

The men who tried to set fire to Kier Starmer’s house were taking orders from Russia. Our research shows this was not an isolated plot. It was part of a wider Russian operation on British soil. Add yo...

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