Middleport Matters Community Trust

16/06/2026

🌟 Middleport Matters Community Open Day 🌟

We're holding a community open morning on Thursday 25th June - pop in, find out more about what we do, meet other local organisations, and find out what support is available in Middleport and beyond.

🕙 10am – 12pm
📍 St Paul’s Church, Church Square, Dalehall, ST6 4BY

We’ll be joined by: Alzheimer's Society , Potteries Moneywise PMW , Saltbox,
Dimensions Leisure Centre, Middleport Pottery and NHS teams.

Free refreshments are also available!

14/06/2026

Here’s everything happening this week so you can easily find what suits you. Come along, get involved, and say hello! All sessions are at our Community Hub at St Paul's Church, Dalehall unless otherwise stated.

🧶 Monday
10.30am - 12.30pm – Crafty Catch Up (18yrs+)
A relaxed space to get creative, chat, and unwind.

5.30pm - 7pm – Burslem Youth Connect with Barnardo's (The Block, Middleport Park) (10-16yrs)

🌱 Tuesday
9.30am - 1pm – Root ’n’ Fruit Community Garden (Mott Place, Trubshaw Cross) (18yrs+)
Drop in, get stuck into the garden, and enjoy some fresh air and friendly faces.

10am - 12pm - Elevate (Harper House)
Wellbeing and confidence building sessions, booking is essential.

🌿 Wednesday
10am - 11.30am – Little Roots (at Root 'n' Fruit Community Allotment) (walkers to 5yrs)
Fun, friendly toddler sessions for little ones and their grown‑ups.

1pm - 2.30pm – Men’s Group (18yrs+)
A welcoming space for conversation, connection, and support.

5.30pm - 7pm – Burslem Youth Connect with Barnardo's (The Block, Middleport Park) (10-16yrs)

10.00 - 11.30 - New Mums Together (birth to walking)
A warm, supportive space for new mums to connect.

☕ Friday
9.30am - 11.30am – Tea & Toast & Drop‑In Support (18yrs+)
A friendly cuppa plus practical support if you need it.

If you need urgent help, emergency food support is also available.

📞 Call 01782 817590
📧 Email us - [email protected]
💬 Or send us a DM

There’s always something happening at Middleport Matters - we’d love to see you!

14/06/2026

🌟 Celebration of Culture 🌟

What an incredible Celebration of Culture we had last weekend! A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, shared a smile, took part in activities and helped make the day so special.

We’re so grateful to our brilliant partners at Burslem Jubilee for planning and delivering this event with us, our amazing volunteers who provided invaluable support, and everyone who contributed to our beautiful Community Quilt — a true reflection of the creativity and diversity in Middleport.

Huge thanks as well to our delivery partners on the day: Muddy Publishing Ltd
BrickhousEvents and Catering and for bringing energy, flavour and creativity to the event.

We received some wonderful feedback: 'Our family really enjoyed trying different foods, making bookmarks and doing the printing - we loved the activities, and hope you do this event next year. Everyone was very patient and kind. Thank you for all your hard work'.

This event was kindly funded by a grant from the One Stoke fund, through the Community Foundation for Staffordshire

13/06/2026

💙 Volunteer Week Celebration 💙

We were joined this week by some of our brilliant volunteers for a special celebration of everything they do for Middleport. From gardening and litter picking to supporting sessions and keeping our spaces welcoming, their time and kindness make a real difference every single week.

A huge thank you to each and every one of you — we appreciate everything you do.

Lunch was kindly delivered in partnership with Co-op as part of The Big Lunch project, helping us bring people together around good food and good company. Thank you to Suzanne and the team for their ongoing support of our work!



Here’s to our volunteers — the heart of our community.

12/06/2026

🌿 Free Family Nature‑Based Workshops This Weekend! 🌿

As part of the Middleport Canal Festival, local artists Chloe, Clare and Aneta will be hosting Explore Your Senses — a gentle, creative invitation to slow down, play, and discover the world of nature around you.

Move through exploration stations and tune into what you can see, feel and hear in the space around you. It’s all about curiosity, connection and enjoying the moment together.

📍 The Block, Middleport Park
📅 Saturday & Sunday
⏰ 11am – 3pm
💛 Free entry
👧 All children must be accompanied by an adult

A lovely drop‑in activity for families, neighbours and anyone who enjoys creativity and the outdoors.

11/06/2026

🌱 Root ’n’ Fruit & Middleport Matters in the News!

We were delighted to welcome Liana from Stoke Nub News recently to Root ’n’ Fruit to chat about the work we do — not just in the garden, but across all of Middleport Matters’ community services.

From social groups and wellbeing activities, to environmental projects, school holiday programmes, 1‑to‑1 support and volunteering opportunities, it was brilliant to share how our team and volunteers help make Middleport a safer, friendlier and more connected place.

Take a look at the finished article and see what Liana discovered during her visit 👇

Root 'n' Fruit Community Garden is a Middleport Matters project which provides a space to connect with nature and members of the community.

10/06/2026

💜Are you a resident local to Middleport, or the surrounding areas?

⭐️Would you like to learn more about what we do and how you can get involved?

💜Why not come along and meet us and see what we do?

⭐️Come and join us for our open morning where you can meet our team, find out more about our work and other local services!

📆Thursday 25th June 10.00-12.00 (drop in)

📍St Paul’s Church
Middleport
ST6 4BY

10/06/2026

🚲 LEARN TO RIDE – LAST FEW SPACES!

We’ve still got a handful of spots left on our upcoming Learn to Ride sessions.
Perfect for beginners who want to build confidence, balance and bike skills in a relaxed, welcoming setting.

📅 15th & 29th June
📍 The Block, Middleport Park

Learn at your own pace in a supportive environment - please book via the below links:
📅 Beginners session 1 - 15th June 11am- 12pm: https://bikeright.co.uk/.../92c8d848-a04a-466e-981a.../
📅 Beginners session 2 - 15th June 1pm- 1pm: https://bikeright.co.uk/.../ee177c2c-f547-4f5f-9d8c.../
📅 Intermediate session 1 - 29th June 11am- 12pm:https://bikeright.co.uk/.../e9c2cbb8-ae56-44ee-a5ba.../...
📅 Intermediate session 2 - 29th June 1pm- 2pm: https://bikeright.co.uk/.../3ccba4d2-a844-4cc9-ab4c.../...
Spaces for all

09/06/2026

💜Come along and join us for our next Community Clean up morning 💜

🗓️Thursday 11th June 10am-1pm

🧹Help us make Middleport a cleaner and safer place to be whilst also meeting new people and of course enjoying a hot drink (and maybe even a biscuit 😁)

📍Meet at The Block, Middleport Park, ST6 3NT

08/06/2026

After more than 10 years with Middleport Matters, our Founder and Executive Director, Amelia Bilson, will be leaving her role at the end of June.

What started in 2015 as a small Facebook group has grown into a trusted community charity supporting people across Middleport, Longport and Dalehall through practical support, wellbeing activities, youth provision, social activities and community-led projects.

Over the past decade, Middleport Matters has helped bring more than £2.3 million of funding and investment into the area and supported the development of community spaces including the Community Hub at St Paul’s Church, Harper House, Root ’n’ Fruit Community Allotment and The Block youth hub in Middleport Park. This has only been possible thanks to the commitment and support of residents, volunteers, staff, trustees, partners and funders who have been part of the journey over the years.

Amelia said:
“When my family first moved to Middleport, I simply wanted to create a safer place for my children to grow up. I never could have imagined what that small Facebook group would eventually become.

I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported, encouraged and believed in Middleport Matters over the years. Everything that has been achieved has only been possible because people cared about this community and wanted to make a difference together.”

Following Amelia’s departure, Mel Smith will become Acting Executive Director from July, supported by the wider staff team and Board of Trustees.

We will miss Amelia, but she leaves behind a strong legacy that will remain at the heart of our work. Middleport Matters will continue working alongside the community to create a safe, welcoming and thriving neighbourhood, supporting local people and creating opportunities for people to connect and take part. With a dedicated staff team, committed volunteers and trustees, and strong local partnerships, we look forward to working alongside the community for many years to come.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of the journey so far ❤️

These photos capture just a small snapshot of the people, places, projects and memories that have helped shape Middleport Matters over the last 10 years.