At their peak, the potteries in Stoke-on-Trent employed some 70,000 people. Today, just 10,000 work in the industry.  And it is not only economic decline that has hit the area of Burslem - once at the very heart of the industry - and its residential neighbour, Middleport.

As a report by the Midland Heart housing association explains, “Middleport was part of a Housing Market Renewal Area and in the late 2000s over 400 Victorian terraced houses were demolished across the area pending redevelopment. Since the demise of the Renew programme in 2011, the area has been left blighted with rows of boarded up houses and derelict sites, with a demoralised and demotivated community remaining.”

A key aspect of the Prince’s Charities Place Programme is restoring peoples’ sense of pride about themselves and their neighbourhood, and Middleport is a place that has long been neglected and become somewhat run down, with derelict properties and fly-tipping evident.

In June 2011, the Prince’s Regeneration Trust (PRT) saved Middleport Pottery - the oldest working Victorian pottery in the country, and the home of Burleigh ware since 1889.  PRT put together a private and public funding package that allowed them to acquire the site and embark on an ambitious restoration and regeneration project.

The restoration work included a varied and extensive programme of training and educational activities to support the local community in skills provision, with an emphasis on traditional British craftsmanship.   

Alan Christian, The Prince’s Charities Place Co-ordinator, commented:

We have recently completed a sympathetic refurbishment of the old Middleport Pottery.  We see this as a hub to help promote the wider regeneration of the Middleport and Burslem area.”

As part of their commitment to community engagement and development, the Charities held two drop-in sessions, at Westport Lake Visitors’ Centre, to consult with local people asking them what improvements they would like to see, and what local provision would be beneficial to them.

Alan added:

We asked those attending to fill out questionnaires and then used them to draw up a plan to make our ideas a reality. From the feedback we received, it was clear that digital inclusion was an issue, and that some local residents could benefit enormously from enhancing their IT skills.  We linked up with unionlearn, who came well recommended and have a history of working with employees from local businesses.”

The unionlearn Midlands team worked with the Charities to develop, and facilitate, what Christian describes as “an excellent eight-session programme”.  This was hosted by Middleport Pottery and provided free learning to non-traditional learners from the local community.

Unionlearn used the knowledge and experience it gained from setting up, and helping to run, the nearby Port Vale Football Club Learning Centre - alongside the communications CWU union and the general Unite union - to promote and deliver the digital inclusion sessions to the local community in Middleport.

The programme was very well received by all participants, who believe it has been beneficial, and would help them significantly in the future.  Amongst other things, the sessions helped people to get on-line, and explained how to complete on-line forms; search for information; write letters; and shop.  

Eleven local residents, ranging in age from 40 to 80, participated in the sessions and returned to learning.  Using the Learn My Way online IT learning package, between them, the participants achieved 14 certificates by the end of the programme.

Rita Johnson, who is retired, joked:

At last I have an 'ology'!”

Whilst retired butcher, Michael Poole, commented:

The last time I got a certificate, was a first aid one, when I was 12!"

Alan concluded:

This community IT project has proved to be a great success and is a great example of how local people’s lives can be impacted positively when businesses, and the charitable sector, work together in the community”.