THE Post & Times moved offices to the former tourist information centre in Leek's historic Market Place.
The Leek Times was founded in 1870 and the Leek Post was founded in 1893. The two newspapers merged in 1933 to form the Leek Post & Times.
The newspaper has been based at a number of properties in the Staffordshire Moorlands town including in Haywood Street, Brook Street, and then in the Smithfield Centre before moving to its current location.
HUNDREDS of people gathered for the annual Club Day in Leek.
The event, which dates back more than 200 years, took place on Saturday, July 11 and saw churchgoers and schoolchildren taking part, as well as local dignitaries, Guiding and Scouting groups, and marching bands. With the theme of 'Lost or Found?' the service included the singing of hymns: 'What A Friend We Have In Jesus' and 'Father God I Wonder', along with 'Amazing Grace' and 'Shine'. Eleven churches took part and the event was led by St Luke's and St Paul's Church with Reverend Roger Woods who, after Club Day, left the town for pastures new after 13 years.
FOUR people died after a devastating explosion and fire at a wood products factory. Fifty-one-year-old William Barks of Cheddleton, a former Post & Times print worker, was one of the four who died after the blast at the Wood Flour Mill in Bosley, between Leek and Macclesfield. The others who died were: Dorothy Bailey, aged 62 of Bosley, 62-year-old Derek Moore of Goldenhill, and Jason Shingler, aged 38, of Congleton.
THOUSANDS of people turned out for Leek's premier annual show on Saturday, July 25. The Leek & District Show took place at its regular venue of Birchall Playing Fields. The weather was hot and sunny for most of the day, although there was a brief downpour of rain at around 2pm. Families enjoyed taking a look around all the farming animal displays and competitions, as well as browsing in the two craft tents and many trade stands and marquees hosted by community groups and organisations.
PUPILS and staff at a primary school dressed up in Victorian attire as they celebrated its 125th anniversary. St Thomas' Catholic Primary School in Tean celebrated its 125th anniversary in July. To mark this occasion the school held a Victorian Day where the staff and students all dressed up in Victorian Costume. During the day the children explored what life was like back in Victorian times. The day included a Mass, a parade around the village, a Punch and Judy Show, and a Victorian themed fair. The school also buried a 'time capsule', something that was done 25 years ago when the school celebrated its 100th anniversary.
VANDALS damaged flowers and ornaments laid in memory of loved ones at a town's cemetery for a second time in a month. Yobs ripped up flowers which had been laid on graves and vandalised ornaments and pots at Cheadle Cemetery, in Park Lane, between 6pm on Wednesday, July 22, and 8am on Friday, July 24. It followed previous vandal attacks at the cemetery which were reported by the Post & Times earlier in July. Police launched an appeal for witnesses following the incidents.
A POPULAR family GP hung up his stethoscope after treating patients in Leek for more than 30 years. Dr David Hughes, aged 62, retired from Moorland Medical Centre in Regent Street in August. The dad-of-three and his wife, Julie McGowan, aged 55, who is a GP in Hanley, have seen their two sons and daughter go into the medical profession. Dr Hughes, who lives in Longsdon, said he was looking forward to spending more of his time sailing off the Welsh coast during his retirement.
THE 36th Manifold Show proved yet another record breaking year when it was held in glorious sunshine on Saturday, August 8. Thousands of people flocked to the show which is set in Castern Hall grounds, between Ilam and Alstonefield. With record-breaking amount of visitors, the large main car parks were packed to capacity and, for the first time in the show's history, acres of overspill land were called into action. Trade stands were buzzing with visitors and queues formed for ice cream and drinks all afternoon.
A GROUP of travellers took over one of Leek's main car parks prompting calls for stricter rules against illegal camps. Around half a dozen caravans along with 4x4s and a horse trailer arrived at the district council car park on the junction of Buxton Road and Earl Street, opposite Waitrose, on the evening of Thursday, August 6. They finally departed on three days later, after telling the Post & Times they only intended to stay for "a couple of days".
THOUSANDS of people turned out in Leek town centre to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. The 'Party For Peace' took place in Leek on Saturday, August 15 on the 70th anniversary of VJ (Victory in Japan) Day. The day began with a Remembrance Service at 11am at the foot of the Nicholson War Memorial in Derby Street, which was led by the Royal British Legion Leek branch chairman John Cookson with Reverend Lawrence Price leading the prayers. This was followed by a range celebrations for all the family.
A CHEADLE police officer was awarded by a county-wide retail crime scheme for taking the initiative to crackdown on shoplifting in the town. PC Dave Stubbs was surprised with the award during a meeting of the Partnership Against Business Crime In Staffordshire (PABCIS) in August. Cheadle and District Retail Crime Initiative (CRCI) launched officially on Thursday, November 20. It is part of Partnership Against Business Crime in Staffordshire (PABCIS), a strategic partnership of business crime reduction partnerships and shop and pub watch schemes.
THE Sir William Plant lodge of the Royal Antedeluvian order of Buffaloes, the Cheadle Buffs, had an evening presenting cheques of the combined value of 500 to two very deserving local causes. Firstly to Eva Tunnicliffe a one year old girl who has had her lower leg amputated because of a medical condition known as fibula hemimelia. Secondly to the family of Jason Faulkner who has suffered from seizures since he was a baby.
AN ANCIENT earthenware pot containing cremated human remains was discovered by a worker repairing a footpath at The Roaches. The urn, believed to date back about 3,500 years, was found on the nature reserve near Leek by contractor Kieran Fogarty while digging a trench to reinforce a popular footpath. The urn was set to be investigated and then deposited with the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Hanley. The 975-acre Roaches estate is owned by the Peak District National Park Authority and has been leased to the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust since 2013.
STAFFORDSHIRE Moorlands District Council's planning process was called into question after a webcast showed a committee chairman saying he had voted to approve a planning application "under instructions". Calls were made for the site allocations consultation presently being undertaken to build houses across the Staffordshire Moorlands and also the council's planning applications committee to be suspended immediately while a thorough investigation take place. Police are continuing to investigate the incident.
THE only motorcycle business in Leek celebrated half a century of repairing the two-wheeled vehicles as well as selling them. Roly Capper Motorcycles has been situated in Russell Street since it opened in 1965. Current business owner Dave Swain, who purchased the firm in 2002, also celebrated his 50th birthday in September and decided to combine the two anniversaries with a joint birthday party at The Roebuck in Derby Street, Leek, on Saturday, September 26.
THE winners of the 2015 Post & Times Baby and Toddler Competition were announced. They were Maddison Drury for the 0-nine month category; Nancy Clowes for the 10-18 months category; Scarlett Bailey in the 19-36 months category; and Willow Poyser for the three-five years category. They each won a framed photograph of themselves taken by photographer Andrea Powell, a 50 cheque and a framed certificate. The overall winner was Scarlett, who also won a 100 cheque and a large Teddy bear.
TEENS from Cheadle held a fund-rising event for the Donna Louise Children's Hospice in August. The event comprised of a bouncy castle, stalls, face painting, and refreshments and took place at The Cheadle Academy. It was organised by a group of teenagers as part of the National Citizen Scheme (NCS) Cohort Two, which is based in Cheadle and consisted of 16 Girls aged 15 to 17. The event raised 1,050.
THE market town of Cheadle was named as one of the top 10 places in the country to live. The 'Family Hotspots Report' cites well above average academic achievement, minimal crime rates and lower than average house prices as reasons for the town's success. In the report, compiled by finance firm OneFamily, Cheadle climbed from 17th place last year.
LEEK Town Mayor Ben Emery scaled down the 87 foot church tower of St Edward's Church dressed as a pirate all in aid of charity. Councillor Ben Emery was joined by fellow councillors, family members and work colleagues in the daring feat. A crowd of supporters gathered in the churchyard of St Edward's to watch the team of daredevils, which included the Mayor's consort Zoe Hill, Reverend Nigel Irons, district councillor Gail Lockett, town and district councillor Neal Podmore, the mayor's sister Bernie Emery, and Adams employees Alan Ruscoe, Louise Nixon, Janet Prince, and Angela Robinson.
IT WAS revealed that the number of summons issued to residents and businesses regarding the non-payment of council tax had increased during the last financial year. Figures showed that during the last five years Staffordshire Moorlands District Council had issued year on year more debt recovery documents warnings to people. During the last 2014/15 financial year 12,095 reminders, 2,554 final notices, 5,654 summons, 3,722 final warnings and 1,765 enforcement agents were used.
FUND-RAISING stalwart Catherine Bennett of Leek reached the milestone of 20,000 for Breast Cancer Now in October. The mother-of-four has been raising money for the charity, which she is now an ambassador for, for five years by making and selling a range of items using recycled materials. Mrs Bennett was diagnosed with breast cancer herself in 2009. She went on to have a lumpectomy operation and then a course of chemotherapy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDTzb6BZNck
DESPITE the rain, fog and dismal weather spring came early in one Staffordshire Moorlands village. Farmer Peter Hallam of Bolton Farm, Foxt, had a big surprise when he went to check on his sheep in December. As he walked down one of his fields on a rainy day he noticed that one of his ewes had delivered two lambs. Then a few days later, a second ewe delivered twins. Mr Hallam is well known in the agricultural industry as he has spent more than 30 years training sheepdogs. He also travels around the country giving displays with his dogs and ducks at agricultural shows, including the Leek and Manifold shows in the summer.
FOUR families in Leek had a special visit from Santa on Christmas Day thanks to a kind-hearted pensioner. Volunteer Leek Town Crier Bill Lomas offered to 'escort' the festive character to people's homes to give youngsters an extra special festive treat. The 69-year-old, who also 'escorted' Santa to this year's Leek Lights Switch-on Event in November, visited his first family at 8am on the big day. Bill charged 10 for the festive treat, although some families contributed more, with all proceeds going to local charity Love4Leah.
WHEN children from the Staffordshire Moorlands created a giant collage of the Royal Family to commemorate the Queen's record-breaking reign, they never imagined Her Majesty would be viewing their artwork. But after sending off a photo of the masterpiece to Buckingham Palace, pupils from The Valley Primary, in Oakamoor, were amazed to receive a reply. The official correspondence which thanked them for their creative efforts and thoughtful words made the perfect end-of-term present in December.
PUB landlords were urged in December to help launch a Pub Watch scheme across Cheadle and the district. Cheadle Police and Cheadle Town Council encouraged pub landlords in the town and surrounding villages to come together to launch the scheme following the success of the Cheadle Retail Crime Initiative. Cheadle Retail Crime Initiative, part of the Partnership Against Business Crime in Staffordshire (PABCIS) scheme, recently marked its first 12 months in operation and has been hailed as a great success.
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