A LITERARY FESTIVAL ALL YEAR ROUND
Rethink for popular cultural celebration
THE city’s annual literary festival is to be replaced with a year-round programme of events.
The Festival in a Factory has attracted thousands of guests to Hanley’s Emma Bridgewater potbank since it was launched seven years ago. But due to the coronavirus pandemic, last summer’s programme had to be cancelled.
Despite the Government’s plans to ease the current lockdown
LEGACY: Jamie Richards, of Aeddonate, and Rachel Pine, of 3B Barbers with the defibrillator installed in memory of Mr Kent. restrictions by June 21, it still leaves too little time to organise the event this year. Now the festival trustees have re-thought their approach.
They said: “Instead of focusing on a three-day festival, we’re now developing a year-round programme of guest talks, workshops and a range of other special events that we hope will appeal to longstanding festivalgoers, our community and our customers too. Just as soon as it’s safe to do so.
“Over the past seven years, we’ve made some brilliant friendships and we want to grow these further and build even stronger, long-term local partnerships for the future.
“Thank you for supporting our Festival in a Factory and for making it the tremendous success it became.” The new-look programme will celebrate ‘culture, craft and creativity’. The annual festivities attracted a host of famous writers over the years.
Back in 2019, guests include shopping guru Mary Portas, awardwinning author and illustrator Lauren Child and actress Celia Imrie. Million-selling author Mel
Sherratt has also appeared at the festival.
The annual event also provided a platform to get young people across the area interested in books, with schools encouraged to get involved as well.
The trustees added: “Bringing top-name authors, thoughtprovoking speakers and worldrenowned experts to the factor has been a terrific and memorable experience.”
Details of the year-long literary and cultural programme have yet to be announced. But people can email literaryfestival@ emmabridgewater.co.uk to ask to be kept up-to-date with the plans.
HOST: Emma Bridgewater.
ANTI-RACISM campaigners have been warned they face a £10,000 fine for lockdown breaches if they ‘take the knee’ in Hanley.
Members of North Staffordshire Campaign Against Racism and Fascism were planning to take part in a socially-distanced day of action in the city centre on March 20.
It would have seen them ‘take the knee’ outside Hanley Town Hall at 1pm in a show of solidarity against discrimination on UN International Anti-racism Day.
But members were told they risked being hit with a coronavirus penalty if the protest went ahead after Stokeon-trent City Council sent a letter advising them of an ‘intention to issue a direction’.
A scaled-down event will now take place online with participants urged to ‘take the knee’ on their doorsteps or in the garden instead.
A NORSCARF spokesman said: “We were planning to hold a small, socially distanced and risk assessed ‘Take The Knee’.
“We contacted the police about holding this gathering during lockdown and were subsequently sent a letter from Stoke-on-trent City Council, stating that if any such event took place anywhere within the city boundary and at any point within the 24 hours of March 20, they would be liable for a £10,000 fine.
“Taking this into consideration, along with the heavy-handed police response towards women protesters at Clapham Common last weekend, we have decided to contain the activities to online participation only and are asking members of the public to ‘take the knee’ in their gardens or on their doorsteps.”
Councillor Gillian Pardesi, who sits on Stafford Borough Council, is urging people to still take part.
She said: “No matter what the circumstances, we will always find ways to be united to fight against racism and racist politics.”
A city council spokesman said: “We’d like to thank NORSCARF for their support in this matter and the responsible way in which they have amended their plans in respect of this.”
A Staffordshire Police spokesman said: “We have worked closely with the event organisers, who have decided to cancel this event.
“We will always respect people’s right to peacefully protest but, as everyone is aware, we are still currently dealing with a deadly virus and remain under restrictions in what is a critical stage of the pandemic. “We are grateful that the event organisers have decided to consider alternative ways to mark International Anti-racism Day.”
TEENAGER Kevin Varley had a machete attached to his trousers during a fight outside a takeaway.
The 18-year-old argued on the phone to his girlfriend while at a fast food restaurant in Trent Vale.
A man told him to stop swearing and Varley turned abusive. The pair then ended up fighting with others having to pull them apart. But as they did they spotted Varley had a large machete attached to his trousers.
They disarmed him and the weapon was handed to the takeaway manager to hold on to until the police arrived.
Now Varley has been sentenced to 12 months’ detention in a young offenders’ institution, suspended for 18 months, at Stoke-on-trent Crown Court.
Prosecutor Sally Cairns said he had been drinking in Stoke on August 14 and went to the OMG Grill takeaway in Riverside, Trent Vale, at 6pm.
He received a call from his girlfriend and he became abusive and swore during a row with her. A man told him not to use offensive language.
Miss Cairns said: “He told him to shut up and mind his own business. Words were exchanged between the two men. The defendant pushed the other man and a fight started between them.
Both ended up fighting on the floor. They were pulled apart and a redhandled machete was seen on the defendant’s trousers.” In his police interview Varley said he had the knife for his own protection. He said he had no intention of using it.
He added that he suffered from anxiety after being assaulted.
Varley, of Greyswood Road, Trent Vale, pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article in a public place.
Kelly Cyples, mitigating, said her client did not use the knife. She said: “It became apparent during the scuffle it was seen on his person. At no time did he make any threats.”
She said Varley became a dad in December and there was a realistic prospect of him being rehabilitated.
As part of the suspended sentence Varley must complete a rehabilitation activity requirement for 25 days, a mental health treatment requirement and a four-month electronicallymonitored curfew from 10pm to 5am.
Judge Paul Glenn said: “You became involved in an altercation in close proximity to two food outlets. At least one child was present while this was taking place.
“A number of people broke it up and when they did so you were observed to have a knife in your possession. You were disarmed.
“The knife was recovered. It is a frightening implement. Yours is a worrying case.
“You have previously shown some propensity for violence. You were highly agitated before any physical altercation took place.
The assault you say you were the subject of two years ago is no excuse for you to go out tooled up and carry the weapon.
“I am going to give you a chance. It will be your first and last chance.”
Varley was ordered to pay £340 costs.