Abi Brown OBE
@AbiBrown1
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Meir Park cllr @SoTCityCouncil | Dep leader @lgacons | Chair @lgacomms Improvement & Innovation Board | NED @homesengland | slow runner 🏃♀️ | fizz lover 🥂
Joined May 2009
Feeling very brave tonight to share this - 📸 left 2012 & right 2021. Not quite 10yrs apart, but about a quarter of my body weight less now and 100% more in confidence. #10yearchallenge
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Thank you for all the lovely messages and emails I’ve received over the last few days since this story appeared ⬇️ I’m excited for the challenges ahead, humbled by the faith put in me, and proud to be serving our amazing city and its residents #Stokeisontheup 🏗
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EXCITING NEWS! We've been shortlisted to be UK City of Culture 2021! It is such an exciting time! As Chair of the.
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Thank you for all the lovely messages about my now infamous purple coat. This time, we laughed. But lately, I’ve received threats & harassment as well as abuse. I don’t usually talk about it, I have a job to do for #StokeonTrent. Proud to be #relentless for our city ❤️
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What an amazing journey we’ve been on - thank you all for coming with us! Whatever happens, this is the story of #StokeonTrent & it’s people - Together We Make the City ❤️ Could not be prouder ❤️.#sot2021 .
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Today’s the big day. The #C4Stoke presentation team working the media ready for our pitch. hard work but lots of fun too prepping for this over the last few weeks! Brilliant to be working with such a fab group of people 👍
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“Teamwork makes the dream work” - brilliant to see so many of the fantastic @SoTConservative councillor team I’m so proud to lead out supporting Jack Brereton in #StokeSouth & @JEGullis in #StokeNorth today #ToryCanvass #GE2019
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Thanks to everyone who showed their support for #StokeonTrent #UKCityofCulture bid today - in person, on line, in spirit. You rock! #sot2021
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Just amazing to hear @RishiSunak confirm what we always knew - ‘the great city of #StokeonTrent’ ☺️. Investment secured;.✅ £16m The Goods Yard, Stoke.✅ £20m City Centre Regen Area.✅ £20m Tunstall/Stoke/Longton heritage regen projects. #Stokeisontheup
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Looking forward to welcoming @DCMS #UKCityofCulture panel members to #StokeonTrent tomorrow - time for some edu-clay-tion on why #sot2021
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Me & the big fella celebrating 17yrs married today. First date he took me (& his motorbike) to Maccies, wedding reception was at the pub. First anniversary was fish & chips. Tea tonight from our fave @Smoke_ryestone - we’ll be back soon 🤞
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‼️ Today, I submitted my nomination papers for @LGACons Deputy Group Leader. ✍️ I’m pleased to be backed by @CCNOffice chairman @SCCLeader & @districtcouncil chairman @CllrSamuelC_A. ➡️ I believe my experience & enthusiasm can help build stronger @Conservatives in #localgov.
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A familiar looking face in full council today at @SoTCityCouncil - doing his work experience. (And yes, he is really tall - he didn’t get it from me!)
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🌇 Some amazing news for a Monday morning. 🌟 Coming soon - The Goods Yard 🌟. Delighted to have @CapitalCentric in our brilliant city - their first move out of the North West is to small but mighty #StokeonTrent 💪. 💥 We’ve only just started #PoweringUpStokeonTrent
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What makes you proud? For me, bringing this awe-inspiring sculpture to #StokeonTrent has to be # 1. Could have looked at it all day, every day, for the 6 amazing weeks we had it. For my city, by my city. Never has making art from dirt been more poignant. #deliveringforStoke
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Celebrating 16 years married to this top bloke today. We crashed his works do for our ‘wedding reception’, went to the chip ship on our first wedding anniversary, and tonight it’s vegan stir fry for our 16th. Normal is boring!
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Seriously great news today about #StokeonTrent being shortlisted for a #Channel4 creative hub - now more than ever, #Stokeisontheup 👍. Looking forward to continuing to champion #C4Stoke 📺 🎥🎞
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Over the last nearly 10 weeks, like many others I’ve missed important stuff like .🎂 family birthdays (my dad’s 75th).🎉 my ace colleagues .💕 time with good mates who keep me going . But I bloody love #StokeonTrent so I’ll continue to #StayHomeAndSaveLives
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📸 Two photos taken exactly 12 months apart. Just a reminder for me of what a long way I’ve come - and how determined I am to keep going 🏃♀️💪 🥊 #relentless
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Proud to lead a diverse multicultural city where we all stand #StrongerTogether. Tomorrow night we’ll be turning #Hanley Town Hall purple 💜. #BlackLivesMatter
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So pleased I passed on that crazy idea, @LouMacari10 ! Only you could have made this a reality ❤️ ⤵️
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🏃♀️ What an amazing journey… From total non-runner to my first #PottersArf today 🏅. Delighted to run for @UHNMCharity & @HUBBFoundation_ but also for all the people who knew I could do it - nothing stronger than when you #believe 💪 #relentless . Off for a bath & bubbles 🛁 🥂☺️
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Very concerned atm about the acceleration of #coronavirus cases in #StokeonTrent over the last few weeks - please abide by the guidance & help to save lives in our city. My statement from last night ⤵️
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Ran my first 5km this morning 💪. Not fast & def not pretty, but further than I have ever run in my whole life! Thank you to the lovely ladies who took time to cheer me on this week, you rock ☺️. It’s amazing what you can do when you believe 👍
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🏃♀️ Last few weeks have not been great - not enough training due to being poorly. 🏅 So absolutely delighted today to totally smash my 1k, 5k & 10k PRs on the @RunThroughUK #AltonTowers10K . 💫 Just when you think you’re done, it’s amazing what you can find in yourself #believe
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🐶 Sad day in the Brown household as our naughty little dog Cookie passed away this morning. 📻 He’ll always be remembered for barking during almost all my #covid19 radio interviews. Always opinionated!. 📸 Last photo, Sunday night. Sleep tight Cooks 💗
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Well, we only went & won it. 🎉. So unbelievably proud of the amazing @NetworkSpaceltd #TunstallArrow for scooping @insiderwestmids Regen Project of the Year 🙌 #WestMidsProp . A fantastic win for #StokeonTrent ‘s #CeramicValley Enterprise Zone . #Stokeisontheup 🏗
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10yrs ago I was elected to @SoTCityCouncil .➡️ a rebel from the start, signing my declaration a day late .➡️ faced an election 12mths later, becoming leader of my group whilst heavily pregnant .➡️ in 2019, elected youngest ever City Council leader.#notyourtypicaltory #relentless
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⬇️ Confirmation yesterday from @MattHancock that #StokeonTrent *will* have a mass vaccination centre up & running in next fortnight. ✅ Location sorted.✅ Site preparation done.✅ Supplies & equipment on their way.🔜 Vaccinations underway. #acitytobeproudof
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I went for the midnight blue jacket in the end. Lovely to have the PM in #StokeonTrent today at our mass vaccination centre. Proud to explain the site story - part of #CeramicValley Enterprise Zone, formerly derelict brownfield, now business units. #PoweringUpStokeonTrent
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A tough week in my tough city. We’ll see this through because #Stokeisontheup - it’ll take more than a global pandemic to keep us down 💪
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Fantastic news today that @tradegovuk have chosen #StokeonTrent as a location to promote globally for investment. So #proud to have helped put our amazing city literally on the map 🗺 🏗🏭🏢.#Stokeisontheup
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🎉 Just delighted that the amazing @PEdmondsonJones has won Corporate Director of the Year at @TheMJAwards - #StokeonTrent is so fortunate to have such a dedicated officer. Military hero, top public health professional, #FacebookLive co-host - a very worthy winner!
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‼️ I’ve received a number of messages about this - as a champion of culture in our city, I was devastated to receive these photos yesterday. ➡️ I’ve instructed @SoTCityCouncil officers to immediately protect the sculpture & have launched an investigation into what has happened.
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So this was where the #C4Stoke magic happened this morning - so proud of our pitch team @RachelShenton @Pete_Rudge @sarahtudor12 @JerahlHall @danielgwaterman @SCCI_Sara @SpatialityJones @katiemayshan @dsfrost @David_Sidaway1 who totally smashed it #weareStoke
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Oh lovely #StokeonTrent I hope your ears were burning earlier, we were so proud to talk about you & how we would deliver an *amazing* #UKCityofCulture2021 . #sot2021
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Great to see #StokeonTrent featured in @VisitBritain ‘Made in Britain’ mag, promoting classic British style, manufacturing & hospitality, showcasing the very best the UK has to offer 🇬🇧 .Brilliant to see @Middleport_Pot & the fantastic #poppiestour highlighted #Stokeisontheup
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🦠 Coronavirus testing in #StokeonTrent. Very concerned atm about lack of testing capacity locally, so have written to @MattHancock today to highlight the impact on residents, not least on our children who are missing school as unable to get tested. Need to get this fixed!
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Another 5km done this morning, & - amazingly - faster than this wk’s training runs despite more hills!!.And yes all outside 🏃♀️ . It’s been tough getting to this point, but it feels great. Thanks to the person to complimented my newly emerging cheek bones this week ☺️ #strongwomen
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🌟 I can feel the excitement rising for this ⬇️. Born in 2017 during our city’s #sot2021 campaign, rising quietly during lockdowns & landing later this year. Small but mighty #StokeonTrent can’t wait to share our @PotteriesMuseum Spitfire extension very soon. #PoweringUpStoke
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Goodnight from #Hull where we’ve been honing our presentation tonight. Looking forward to telling the judges why #StokeonTrent should be #UKCityofCulture2021 . #believe #sot2021
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More good news for #StokeonTrent . 👍 5% GVA growth (UK av 3.8%) 📈.👍 13th fastest growing UK economy (10th outside London/SE).👍 continued increase in biz start ups 🏭.👍 4.8m day visitors in 2016, 100k more than 2015 .👍 3.1m passengers using Stoke station 🚊 . #Stokeisontheup.
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🗳️ Delighted to learn today that I’ve been returned unopposed as Deputy Leader of @LGACons . Looking forward to continuing to work with @CllrKBentley and the rest of our executive over the coming year 👏🏽 . #conservativefamily
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🎉 We’ve now delivered over 500,000 #covid19 vaccinations across #StokeonTrent & #Staffordshire 💉💉💉. ✅ 99.4% of over 80s.✅ 100% of 75-79s.✅ 96.6% of 70-74s.✅ 92.8% of 65-69s.✅ 91.8% of 60-64s.✅ 59.3% of over 55s. A fantastic job @mpftnhs !
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First time I stood for election, he was a tiny toddler in a pushchair, pushed round while I delivered routes of leaflets. Now he delivers with me (and provides feedback on my literature 👀). #CatchemsCorner route done in half the time this afternoon 💪😎
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Proud to have led from the front on #StokeonTrent bid to be #ukcityofculture2021 - talking up our city and working with amazing partners because #VisUnitaFortior . Looking forward to the next chapter. #Stokeisontheup
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‘We make art from dirt. ’. Overcome by the beauty of @PaulCumminsMBE & @tompiperdesign @1418NOW Poppies: Weeping Window at @Middleport_Pot today. The end of a remarkable journey that I have been privileged to be a small part of, to bring #PoppiesTour to my beloved #StokeonTrent
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Amazing what a difference two years makes… & so much more to come 🏃♀️ . Slimmer, faster & stronger, and much, much blonder 😂 #relentless
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‼️ Yesterday, we proved that #StokeonTrent remains the litmus test for #LevellingUp with a roundtable in No10 chaired by @michaelgove . ➡️ Discussions on progressing ambitious plans on transport, culture, skills, housing & investment for our city, because #otherspromisewedeliver
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Thank you to @stokecity for allowing use of their car park as a local #coronavirus testing centre for key workers 🙌.⛔️ please don’t just turn up.📄 if you’re eligible your organisation will tell you how to get an appointment
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I got my #Covid_19 #BoosterVaccine tonight at the very busy Norfolk at Pharmacy in #StokeonTrent ⤵️. ❗️Have you had yours yet?
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Out in the city centre this morning, the old meets the new, now with added #spitfire gallery… #Stokeisontheup
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How can anyone have seen the footage from #Afghanistan in recent weeks & not feel a need to help?. 📻 We’re 1 of the 33% (!) of LAs who are taking Afghan refugees, so I threw down an ‘impressive gutsy challenge’ to my local gov colleagues on @BBCr4today earlier #timetostepup.
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🎉 Although we couldn’t put on the event we’d wanted to welcome the #queensbatonrelay to #StokeonTrent, still great to see crowds turn out as it arrived at @PotteriesMuseum . 🏆 A brilliant opportunity to celebrate our sporting city & the profile of this amazing event!!
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Thank you #StokeonTrent for all your love 💖 so far today - delighted to see #TimBeak after our #sot2021 presentation!.Your messages & support for the #UKCityofCulture2021 bid have meant the world 🌎 to us - keep it going!! 🙌
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One of the greenest cities in the UK, great to see #StokeonTrent featured on @BBCCountryfile tonight for the fab work being done by @StaffsWildlife in our city, with various partners incl @SoTCityCouncil @StModwen & others #Stokeisontheup.
There are plans to move a stretch of the river Trent that runs through Stoke. 1500 feet will be blocked and a new channel will be created. When it’s completed it will give a new lease of life to this river, providing new habitat for a range of plants and animals. #countryfile
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✍️ I’m hugely disappointed that #StokeonTrent is being put under further pressure with another hotel being stood up for asylum dispersal. ✉️ I’ve written to @RobertJenrick today to outline my concerns for those vulnerable individuals placed here, & the impact on our city.
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📣 IT’S HERE!! 📣. The #StokeonTrent mass vaccine centre officially opens on Monday - location confirmed as Daniel Platt Business Centre, #Tunstall . I’ve visited today with @PEdmondsonJones to chat to @mpftnhs & @SoTCityCouncil teams who’ve pulled it together- brilliant work!!
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👏🏽 £227k to support Reopening #StokeonTrent 👏🏽.From brilliant #Burslem to fantastic #Fenton via stupendous #Stoke , & over to lovely #Longton & tremendous #Tunstall (& not forgetting our city centre, hurrah for #Hanley ). Definitely, very soon, we’ll be back to #Stokeisontheup
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How magnificent is this? A corner of #Trentham Church, with an alabaster memorial to Harriet, wife of the 2nd Duke of Sutherland, who stands in the corner watching over her. Then peer further over the screen to see the wonderful tiles. Just perfection 💕
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What a wonderful moment as Lord Mayor @SoTCityCouncil reopens #Longton Town Hall - a beautiful building brought back into use, driving footfall, showcasing heritage regen & delivering great value for money services for residents. This is what #acitytobeproudof looks like 💪
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Just absolutely gutted 😞 . Comment from me on the news that #StokeonTrent will be in Tier 3 ⬇️. However - this isn’t the end, and I won’t stop now we have Tier 2 in our sights. Let’s make it happen. #HandsFaceSpace
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✂️ And it’s finally open!. 🏛 Take one mothballed heritage town hall.📚 Add an amazing library in a previously neglected ball room.👶 Create a wonderful Family Hub in reconfigured space.✨ Sprinkle with passion & enthusiasm. ➡️ a #Tunstall town hall to be proud of 💗
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👀 A50 through #StokeonTrent looking cleaner today ⤵️. 🗑 15 tonnes of rubbish & debris shifted thanks to @HighwaysWMIDS & @SoTCityCouncil . 🚯 Please take your litter home with you!
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So pleased to see the importance of heritage to #StokeonTrent recognised by £2m #heritagehighstreets award for Stoke, with @NickyMorgan01 & @HE_ChiefExec here this morning to announce the great news #worthgettingupearlyfor ☀️#Stokeisontheup 🏗
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👷♀️Not sure I knew when I dug that first sod what a massive project this would be…. ✂️ Amazing to cut the ribbon this week on completion of the £43m Etruria Valley Link Road. 🛣️ A 7 span congestion-busting viaduct that shows what #StokeonTrent can do. #otherspromisewedeliver
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The @stokehighways gritter team have been out, clearing roads across #StokeonTrent this morning - & will be out for the next 12hours at least, gritting & ploughing. A big thank you to the team, who’ve been on call over #Christmas (& who have regular @SoTCityCouncil jobs too!)
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A massive £1.3m is heading to #StokeonTrent to help support eradicate rough sleeping in our city. Looking forward to working with our brilliant partners right across the city to ensure we have the support & provision needed.
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Local politicians & local journalists - a difficult pairing, drawn together over a shared love of #StokeonTrent . Couldn’t have wished for someone to hold me more sternly to account or stand by my side more fiercely. Thank you @MartinTideswell for always being #localandproud ❤️
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Have been excited about today for a while. It’s the youngest’s birthday, she wanted a theme party (more later), but even better, I get to see my mum & dad, first time since mid-March ❤️ Could cry now just thinking about it #noteasilyreducedtotears.
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Best thing about working with @LouMacari10 ? He loves crazy ideas as much as I do!! We saw ‘pods’ being used elsewhere, took the principle away and made it #StokeonTrent special 🌟 .Can’t wait to show you the new @MacariFDN very very soon. #acitytobeproudof.
SNEAK PEEK: Our teams are working behind the scenes to help create innovative new pod accommodation to support homeless people at the @MacariFDN, in response to #COVID19. Watch as @AbiBrown1 and @LouMacari10 take a look inside 👏
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Thank you to @RobertJenrick for featuring #StokeonTrent in his #cpc20 set today, giving me a platform to talk about how brilliant local government is, our mission to address homelessness, & ofc, why I believe #Stokeisontheup 💙
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‼️ First impressions count ‼️. 👍 Some great team work by @SoTCityCouncil & @HighwaysWMIDS to clean up the A500 through #StokeonTrent in recent weeks. 🚘 But ofc if motorists took their litter home, we wouldn’t need to clean it up 🤷♀️ #justsaying
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🏃♀️ First run for 10 days - & a new 5k PR. Putting it down to all the Pilates, yoga, swimming & sun over the last week (& maybe the cocktails too 😉🍹🤫). #everystepclosertosub30mins #relentless #strongerthanyouthink
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🙌 Pleased to hear Etruscan Sq has received planning permission. 🎶 In 2019, we campaigned on bringing an arena to #stokeontrent - with £20m from gov & now today’s news, we’re making it happen. ‼️ I’ve already got a major promoter wanting to bring bands here in advance…
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What an absolute pleasure to be at the unveiling of #takingflight this morning at @TrenthamEstate 🦋.Amazing tribute to #StokeonTrent biz, organisations & individuals who’ve supported this, meaning every penny raised from sales of #thebutterflies goes to the fab @DonnaLouiseUK 🦋
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Could it be because #StokeonTrent.🧳 Welcomes 5m visitors every year.🚆 12 times population of the city use Stoke station annually.📿 we’ve been home to @staffshoard for last 10 years.📈 10th fastest growing economy outside SE.🏺 The World Capital of Ceramics .#stokeisontheup 🏗.
"If a company like the Hilton is willing to put hotels into the area, there is a big reason for it."
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Brilliant news that @SoTCityCouncil bid for #Burslem town centre has received max grant of £10m!! Will go a long way to bringing new homes on stalled sites across Mother Town forward. Fantastic! 🎉.More confirmation that #Stokeisontheup 👍
Through our £866m investment in range of infrastructure projects we can unlock new homes and make a huge difference across the country #unlockinghousing
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They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:.Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning.We will remember them. An honour to lay the @SoTCityCouncil wreath at today’s Civic Remembrance in #Stoke. #WeWillRememberThem
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Very #proud last night to see dedicated officers from @SoTCityCouncil receiving accolades at #YHA2021 - Wes Weston receiving Highly Recommended for Inspiration in Education, & our amazing officers who volunteered at @UHNM_NHS as overall NHS Heroes winners 💗 #LocalandProud
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Doing my bit to champion the amazing efforts of local government, partic over the last 8 months, this morning on @SkyNews in readiness for today’s spending review. @LGAcomms @RobertJenrick.
"Stoke-on-Trent is desperately in need of investment at the moment". The city's county council leader @AbiBrown1 hopes the Chancellor's spending review will include 'big infrastructure spending' and "no reductions in spending on local govt.". #KayBurley:
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Our #StokeonTrent mass vaccination centre opened today 🎉 - & over 100,000 jabs have been delivered locally 💉. It won’t be long til we can all be back doing things we enjoy - @SoTCityCouncil gyms are waiting. but in the meantime, catch their online classes!. #PoweringUpStoke
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Happy Birthday Staffordshire Hoard! . 🎂 Seen by over 5m people. 🎉 Still the largest collection of Anglo-Saxon gold & silver ever found. 🎁 Wowing crowds for 10years at @PotteriesMuseum . Come & see #StokeonTrent ‘s own jewel in the crown 👑 #staffshoard10 #mystokestory
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⚡️Another brilliant #StokeonTrent event tonight ⤵️. 🌟For the next 6 days, @SmithfieldST1 is home to the 9 Wizarding Wands, as we all get ready for the next #FantasticBeasts film, #TheSecretsofDumbledore . 🪄 Make sure you check them out! #Stokeisontheup
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Brilliant news on continued success for #StokeonTrent with £5.6m initial slice of #TransformingCitiesFund money, reinforcing confidence in our plans to get the city moving!! Improving transportation around the city a key part of our vision to build #acitytobeproudof 🌃.
1)The Government has confirmed the levels of funding to be given to the 10 #cities selected for Transforming Cities Fund.
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Great to witness Lord Mayor @SoTCityCouncil make @JasonManford an Honorary Stokie this afternoon! #Stokeisontheup
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🥂Long week… 2 black tie dinners, 1 big site visit, a business breakfast & a roundtable, a civic reception plus several visits to see various services. So out tonight with some of my favourite people at @quarter_cafe at Spode - cheers!
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Wow - more than 65,000 people have seen @1418NOW #PoppiesTour at @Middleport_Pot incl visitors from around the UK 🇬🇧 plus Athens 🇬🇷 , Auckland 🇳🇿, and Dubai 🇦🇪 .It has been an honour to have it here, displayed in a location that could only be #StokeonTrent 💕
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🎉 Brilliant time this afternoon at @StaffsUni Catalyst building community event - throwing it’s doors open to residents, showing #StokeonTrent what a civic university looks like, in the heart of the community! #proudtobestaffs
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