Leek Life May/June 2014 | Page 5

EDITOR’S LETTER So much to enjoy in ‘Leek Life’ and so little time to do it all Deborah Boden Contents Editor [email protected] Sophie Cotton Tracey Wardle Design & Production Thomas Brian Advertising Manager [email protected] Mobile: 07855 242693 Jane Walters Advertising Sales [email protected] Times, Echo & Life Publications 18 Tape Street, Cheadle, Stoke-on-Trent ST10 1BD Tel: 01538 752214 www.timesechoandlife.co.uk [email protected] 14,250 copies of every issue delivered to households and businesses in Leek and the surrounding areas Front cover photograph courtesy of Brett Trafford. www.bretttrafford.com he months of May and June make for a glorious time of year in this county, particularly if the weather is kind. There is nothing better than experiencing the transition from spring to summer, enjoying longer days, lighter nights, and witnessing the blooms of spring making way for a what we hope will be a bright and warm summer ahead. And what an end to spring and beginning to summer there is to be had right here in little old Leek! With the town’s amazing Arts Festival in full swing, organisers should be incredibly proud of their hard work in creating such a varied programme of acts, exhibitions and events being staged throughout May in the town! It truly is in a class of its own and really displays to anyone visiting what talent we have right here on our doorstep and what a haven of culture Leek is. Continuing in that vein I have been overwhelmed these past few months by the response we’ve been getting here at Leek Life from people keen to let us know what community events they are involved in or have going on here in the Moorlands. As well as the emerging talent of the town’s arts scene, we have features on the achievements of a number of local youngsters showing us how their hard work and commitment has been paying off, as well as news from the long established Leek Show Committee which is celebrating a happy partnership with new main sponsor Leek United. We cross the border over to Cheddleton to have a look at the forthcoming Open Gardens weekend set to take place in July, now in its 20th year; and get our motors running in anticipation of the invasion of the Mods with this year’s Scooter Fest. Organised by North Staffs Jesters Scooter Club, this event always gets the town buzzing with excitement and also celebrates a landmark 10 year anniversary in 2014. And finally, when it looked like the town couldn’t top its events calendar comes the announcement of Leek’s first ever Country and Western Weekend this June. Billed as one of the biggest events of its kind to be staged, possibly in the country, the Country and Western Weekend marks the legacy left by former mayor and councillor Steve Povey. For more on this story see pages 16 through to 19. So get out there and enjoy all there is to offer in ‘Life’ as spring turns into summer here in Leek. T Deborah x Did you know that you can view Leek Life online? Visit www.timesechoandlife.co.uk Find us on Facebook search for Leek Life Magazine Leek Life May/June 2014 5