Stoke-on-Trent Centenary Black History Month
Black History Month: Seeds of Hope Event
This year, we had the privilege of hosting a One Stoke Black History Month event – Seeds of Hope – welcoming the community for an evening of music, food, crafts and art.
The Dudson Centre opened its doors for an evening celebrating with Stokie creatives and community leads, exploring collaborative solutions for the ever-changing needs of our city.
Conceived through the One Stoke partnership, celebrants came together to recognise the role of Black volunteers and community action throughout Stoke-on-Trent‘s 100-year history as a recognised city!
We invited VCSE members from across the city, One Stoke partners, and local community organisations to shape the evening – to celebrate the community, with the community.
Our goal was to create a space for local VCSE leaders to talk candidly about the challenges they face, while offering an enjoyable evening for families and volunteers.
By bringing groups together in one place, we were able to strengthen local connections and give the sector a space to share ideas and celebrate the work happening across the city.
The get-together offered plenty for people to get involved in!
Asha‘s Tam Tam Group set the pace as soon as they arrived, leading live drumming sessions that quickly became one of the busiest parts of the event.
They performed uplifting stories, while teaching and leading performances all throughout the evening. Visitors were shown how to hold the drums, how to follow the rhythms and how to build a beat together, turning the Dudson Cafe into a lively drumming circle!
The Community Cast screened their short film, focusing on Black history in Stoke-on-Trent and the ongoing impact of local volunteering action. The film showcased community leaders and voluntary organisations, their projects, and shared challenges.
The film gave attendees a small look at the enormous scale and value of current and historical contributions made across our city.
Brickhouse Events served up and showed up for the community in a big way, infusing Black history passion, providing incredible, tailored catering from inside the iconic Dudson bottle oven, creating pause for reflection and an enjoyable culinary experience for everyone.
Meanwhile, Kate’s craft room offered something more hands-on and reflective. Families and volunteers painted their own planters and prepared ‘seeds of hope’ to take home, turning community growth into a planter people could continue to grow and care for.
Black History month brought different parts of the local voluntary sector together in one shared space to celebrate and inspire. Everyone involved were welcome to join in with the creative activities, watch a film premiere, and learn more about the work being done across the city.
Celebrating together with the community, the event emphasised the important contributions of Black-led community action and created a sense of shared purpose beyond the evening itself.
Seeds of Hope was never just intended as a one-night celebration, it was a part of a longer conversation about the role of volunteering and community action in Stoke-on-Trent.
Our Vision for Volunteering provides a framework that helps volunteer-involving organisations across Stoke-on-Trent to work together, make volunteering more accessible, and highlight the positive impact of volunteer’s time and skills. By bringing together families, volunteers, charity leaders, and community members, we were able to see first-hand how these opportunities for connection and shared celebration can help elevate crucial voices from within our sector.
Seeds of Hope left a real sense of connection across the community. Families painted planters, drummers shared their knowledge and rhythms, and the important local stories came to life on screen, all coming together in shared celebration.
Beyond the activities, the evening created a showcase for the local talent, energy, and dedication that already exists across Stoke-on-Trent.
The connections made are guaranteed to continue growing our community, long after our drumbeats fade.
Does this sound like something you want to get involved in?
