🧢 The Queen’s Shoulders
In 1964, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth Il sat for Staffordshire artist Arnold Machin, as he modelled a clay cameo for British coins and stamps. However, Machin only sculpted the Queen's head, and the Palace decided it needed something extra…The Queen’s Shoulders! On the 70th Jubilee weekend on 4 and 5 June, The Phoenix Singers and Claybody Theatre will bring the true story behind those famous shoulders to life in words and music at Trinity Church in Leek and All Saints Church in Soke - respectively…
🧢 Grape expectations as Derby venue hosts an Urban Wine Festival
The Urban Wine Festival in the stunning urban garden of Electric Daisy in Derby will celebrate wine, nature and culture in equal measures - with an extraordinary selection of wines from winemakers and suppliers available throughout the afternoon. Set within a biodiverse oasis within the city centre, the event will feature live music, great company, charcuterie boards, ice cream, unforgettable vibes and - of course – some incredible wine. Set to run from midday to 5pm on Saturday 10 May, tickets cost £11.25 per head.
🧢 €40m scheme to create a high-end tourist complex near Charleville-Mezières
By 2027, almost 180 top-of-the-range tourist accommodations will have been built on the remarkable Ardennes site of the Sept Fontaines Abbey, near Charleville-Mezières, in Eastern France. Launched in early 2023, different accommodation configurations will be offered, ranging from two-person units to 24-person gites. At the same time, another project led by local players aims to renovate the abbey to create a restaurant, seminar rooms and a wellness area. Formerly the property of General de Gaulle’s in-laws in Fagnon, this magical site was home to a restaurant, hotel and golf course before being abandoned in recent years. Supported by leading Dutch vacation village developer Landal, this project has been backed by a group committed partners, including Invest Eastern France, Ardennes Développement and the Agence de Développement Touristique des Ardennes.
🧢 This week’s ‘Top Pick’ @WeightmanPR: Blue plaque for forgotten hero
Saturday, 10 May, will mark five years of hard work by Ros Unwin - the author of Unsung Heroes of Wartime Stoke - to publicise a book which first brought the long-overlooked story of John Grocott to the public’s attention. The book tells the wider story of how the North Staffs Royal Infirmary became one of the world’s leading centres for plastic surgery, prior to the Second World War - when it was needed like never before. But it also reaches into the shadows to introduce us all to a remarkable lad from Heron Street in Fenton, who excelled at school, won a scholarship to Guy’s Hospital medical school while he was at Longton High School, and went on to become one of the earliest and best plastic and reconstructive surgeons in the country. The “official unveiling” of a memorial blue plaque celebrating the life and achievements of John Grocott FRCS (1910-1992) outside Fenton Town Hall on Saturday 10 May at 11am.
