Hey everyone, it's Dwain here. Here is a quick update for you all.
Good morning, afternoon or evening.
We are a global community, and we have recently been receiving requests for T-shirts from as far away as Perth in Western Australia. We have a growing diaspora that has found itself all over the globe. If you have a fascinating story about yourself or a relative who has achieved success, and you think their story would be interesting to our ever-growing band of supporters, please let us know.
With a significant number of Stokies in London, we were thrilled to host the 'Showcase Made in Stoke' event last week. The event was a great success, and we had a fantastic time with everyone at Jones Day—a special thanks to John Phillips, Partner in Charge for hosting.
Closer to home, we have been busy with our Speakers in Schools Programme. We are now all set, and are reaching out to colleges and schools in the area to showcase our impressive network of speakers. No charge, even for a fighter Pilot or a CEO to come and share some of their inspirational stories.
This week I am so pleased to say that we have launched our next significant initiative. It's our Future Ready Pledge and all the details are below in this newsletter. Could you share this with your network, as we have an aspiration to help at least 100 disadvantaged young people starting from June 1st?
Finally, the Big Centenary Tea Party is off the scale with new sign-ups. What started small is going to be enormous; already, 8,000 have signed up. I don't think much work is being done in Stoke on the 8th July. We will all be enjoying tea (served in delicate china cups) and scones with jam and cream at 11:00 a.m. Please put it in your diary now, you wouldn't want to miss out on a part of a world record.
Also, well done to The Vale for promotion and to Stoke City FC for staying up. We can all consign ourselves to dreaming of August and a new campaign next year.
Up the Stokies!
Dwain
Let’s Celebrate Centenary Pot
We were delighted to work with a member of the Made in Stoke network to launch the Let’s Celebrate Centenary Pot.
£20,000 philanthropic funding leveraged an additional £50,000 investment from Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Staffordshire Community Foundation and Stoke Creates.
The funding has supported 26 local projects across the city including the Social Agency who are running a puppet making project for adults with autism:
“The Let’s Celebrate funding has made a real difference to the Social Agency because it has allowed us to run a series of eight puppet making workshops with autistic adults, focusing on the strengths and possible futures of the city.”
Big Centenary Tea Party
We now have nearly 8,000 people signed up to host a party for the Big Centenary Tea Party, if you would like to host an event and join us on the day - wherever you are in the world, then register here: https://forms.gle/wQWxQkqXg3QDg9tp9
And we are still looking for sponsors for the day so if you would like to find out how you can get involved then contact nicky@madeinstoke.com
Celebrate 100 Years of City Pride at The People’s Parade!
The People’s Parade will take place on 7th June marking Stoke-on-Trent’s first 100 years since being granted city status.
On foot, community groups, businesses and individuals will make up the 800 strong parade that will feature large scale puppets, costumes, dancers, and live music. Starting at Stoke-on-Trent College, winding through Hanley city centre and finishing at Hanley Park for a party to which everyone in the City is invited, this event will be a celebration of what makes our city so special – the people.
The Parade is being delivered by Stoke-on-Trent City Council in partnership with Stoke Creates and supported by Arts Council England.
Are you visiting Stoke-on-Trent during the centenary year? Please contact Kaye or Deb if you would like a chat and a cuppa to discuss the City’s wider ambitions during and beyond this exciting lineup of celebrations!
Contact: kaye@madeinstoke.com or deb@madeinstoke.com
View the centenary events calendar here: https://sot100.org.uk/events
Leadership, Innovation and a Bold New Pledge: Highlights from the Patrons Spring Lunch
The Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce’s Patrons Spring lunch brought energy and inspiration to the Moat House, Acton Trussell on 20th May. The event welcomed a standout speaker—Dwain McDonald, Executive Lead of Made in Stoke and former CEO of DPD UK.
With nearly two decades at the helm of DPD and current strategic roles with DHL eCommerce and Team Global Express, Dwain shared powerful insights into leadership, innovation, and driving meaningful transformation in business. His message was clear: success demands bold thinking, concise mission and values, constant evolution and innovation, and a deep commitment to people and community.
The lunch was also a launchpad for action. Dwain introduced the Future Ready Pledge, a pioneering initiative backed by Stoke-on-Trent City Council, Staffordshire Chambers, YMCA, and Made in Stoke. The pledge aims to rally local businesses around a shared mission: to radically improve opportunities for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and help them connect with the world of work, with pride in their city at the heart of it.
A compelling afternoon that left leaders motivated and ready to make a difference. To find out more and sign up to the Future Ready Pledge click here: https://staffordshirechambers.co.uk/the-future-ready-pledge/
Josie Morris MBE DL Managing Director, Woolcool, said:
"I am really excited to see this project coming to fruition. I am passionate about the important and nurturing role businesses can play in our wider communities and the positive, tangible impacts they can have. This group has brought together the council, private sector and charities, working closely to deliver on an initiative that will be life-changing for the young people involved. The Future Ready Pledge engages businesses of all sizes with local young people to offer an array of opportunities to support their career aspirations and development. The Pledge is designed to match whatever each business is able to offer, from support in CV writing, to work experience & apprenticeships, no contribution is too small. Collaboration across all community stakeholders is the best way to truly make change within our communities, our responsibility is shared. By supporting and investing in our young people, we are ensuring there is a very bright future for this area."
Made in Stoke Shines in London for the City’s Centenary Celebration
We brought a little Stoke-on-Trent spirit to the heart of London on the evening of 14th May as Made in Stoke hosted its third networking event – this time with an extra reason to celebrate: the City's centenary year!
Held at the prestigious law firm Jones Day and generously hosted by Partner in Charge, and Made in Stoke diaspora John Phillips, the evening was a memorable mix of reconnection, celebration, and hope for the City’s future.
Over 40 of Stoke-on-Trent’s finest alumni gathered to hear exclusive insights from our very own Stoke-on-Trent MPs, who shared the challenges the City faces, our centenary ambitions and the vision for a vibrant and thriving City. Nicky Twemlow, Chair of Made in Stoke concluded the evening with a summary of exciting opportunities and projects on the horizon for Made in Stoke and how everyone could get involved.
The evening, emotional at times, was a true celebration of our roots, our people, and the incredible potential of Stoke-on-Trent.
Gareth Snell MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central summed it up perfectly, he said:
“It was so inspiring and refreshing having everyone together with a shared purpose for the future of Stoke-on-Trent - and most importantly a commitment to do something about it in our Centenary year”.
Here’s to the next 100 years and to creating new opportunities for our City!
If you are London based and would like to attend future events please contact kaye@madeinstoke.com
Speakers in Schools Programme
Can you spare some time to ignite young minds?
We’re calling on the Stoke diaspora to sign up for our Speakers in Schools Programme where we connect inspirational role models from all career paths and backgrounds to schools across Staffordshire by sharing their fascinating journeys - the highs and hurdles!
You can find out more by following the link below or please contact kaye@madeinstoke.com
https://www.madeinstoke.com/speakers-in-schools
Big love,
