More than a dozen leading major employers and local businesses spanning the worlds of manufacturing, education, innovation and leisure have been selected to represent the county at a House of Commons event celebrating Staffordshire Day.
The firms will showcase the county’s innovation, creativity and economic strengths on Tuesday, 28 April before the 10th Staffordshire Day is marked on 1 May.
Companies chosen following a county-wide ballot are manufacturers including JCB, Valentine Clays, 1882Ltd, Woolcool, while the education sector will be represented by Newcastle & Staffordshire Colleges Group and Keele University.
From the world of leisure, there will be representatives from St George’s Park, Trentham Estate, Titanic Brewery, Chocolate Treasures, Chillington Hall/Hockerhill PlayBarn, New Vic Theatre, The Tawny Hotel, The Apiarist (gin) and Wyldes Sweet Shop.
Other businesses attending are TMT First, Ornua Foods, Premier Foods, Lucideon, GE Vernova and The Staffordshire Signal.
There will also be wider displays from Staffordshire’s makers, creators and innovators plus local food and drink producers sharing samples of their products.
The event has been organised by We Are Staffordshire, the county’s place marketing delivery organisation, is a sponsored by Stoke-on-Trent Central MP Gareth Snell and Leigh Ingham, MP for Stafford, Eccleshall and the villages.
Gareth said: “Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire are home to so many iconic and ambitious businesses ranging from ceramics and other manufacturers to independent retailers and tourist attractions and everything in between.
“This showcase in Parliament is a fantastic opportunity to highlight the innovative industries and rich tourism offer we’re proud to have here. It’s a chance to celebrate what makes our area unique and ensure Ministers see the strength, creativity, and potential of our local economy.”
Alastair Budd, director of the Trentham Estate, said: “We’re delighted to be joining We Are Staffordshire at this event and to have the opportunity to represent the county as one of its leading visitor attractions. Trentham has a proud tradition of welcoming visitors from across the region and beyond, and we’re looking forward to showcasing our offer in Parliament.”
We Are Staffordshire will host three roundtables with national and regional leaders to discuss opportunities for Staffordshire’s economic growth, innovation, and place shaping. The sessions will focus on the county’s heritage and cultural vibrancy, skills and education, and a national ambition, led by Staffordshire County Council, to encourage businesses of a certain size across the UK to guarantee interviews for care-experienced young people.
