TV Sports Champ Challenges People in Stone
 Residents and visitors to Stone are in for a treat this weekend with the chance to race against an Olympic Gold medallist.
Jamie Staff comes to Stone on the back of picking up a top television award in front of million of viewers on Sunday.
Staff was part of the three-man sprint team, alongside the newly crowned 'Sports Personality of the Year' - Chris Hoy, which struck Gold in Beijing. And the British Cycling squad were named 'Team of the Year' at the BBC Sports Personality awards.
And this Saturday (December 20) he will be in the historic Staffordshire town to take on all-comers on fixed racing bikes. And competitors can bag themselves a great early Christmas present at the Stafford Borough Council event with prizes on offer in a range of age categories from under 11 years old to the over 40's. Prizes include Great Britain Cycling jerseys.
Jamie - whose achievements include four world titles - will be on hand to sign autographs for shoppers and visitors at the 'Christmas in Stone' event to be held in the town's High Street and Market Square on Saturday. He will also be bringing his racing bike for people to have a look at. The day will include many more Christmas themed events.
Stone is fast gaining a reputation as a top area for the sport following the successful town centre road race 'Circuits de Stone' which took place earlier this year - with plans already in the pipeline to stage the event in 2009. The town was also used as a route for the Tour of Britain.
Ted Manders, Head of Regeneration at Stafford Borough Council, said: "This is a major coup for us. On Sunday Jamie is paraded in front of millions as part of the most successful team in British cycling history - and the following weekend he is challenging lucky shoppers in Stone".
"This is certain to be a tremendous event with plenty going on through the day and to race against Jamie is an opportunity not to be missed."
Starting at 10.30- the event will run until 4pm There will also be entertainment from the Stone Town Band, Churches Together and The Stone Youth Center Drum Band. The Market will also be in full swing along with charity stalls and Father Christmas.
Local Election
The results for the local elections held on Thursday the 11th December are as follows,
Overall turnout for Stone 17.6% for all three wards.
St Michael's Ward: Antony Giles Willoughby Lucas (Conservative Party)
Walton Ward: Angela Tams (Stones Independent Voice)
Stonefield & Christchurch Ward: Robert Kenney (Stones Independent Voice)
Christmas Lights
This year the Christmas lights will be switched on by the very talented local actor James Sutton who plays the character Jean-Paul in Hollyoaks on channel 4.There will be live music on stage at the top of the high street from 5.30-8pm and various festivities will take place during the evening with stands offering food and drink and rides for the children. This year Father Christmas has let us know that he will take time off from his very busy schedule to visit us here in stone. Don't miss a fantastic fun night, This Thursday November 20th, come and see Stone's brand new Christmas lights.
 Christmas Lights
What a great Christmas Atmosphere in the High Street for the Christmas Lights Switch on, There were people from all of Stones Charitable.
This year the Christmas lights will be switched on by the very talented local actor James Sutton who plays the character Jean-Paul in Hollyoaks on channel 4.There will be live music on stage at the top of the high street from 5.30-8pm and various festivities will take place during the evening with stands offering food and drink and rides for the children. This year Father Christmas has let us know that he will take time off from his very busy schedule to visit us here in stone. Don't miss a fantastic fun night, This Thursday November 20th, come and see Stone's brand new Christmas lights.
Stone Food and Drink
"This year we promised an even bigger more successful Stone Food and Drink Festival and it turned out to be just that!
Ten thousand visitors came to Stone during the weekend of October 3rd and even though the rain poured down overnight every night, the days turned out to be sunny and visitors from allover the country supported the town and it's businessses.
Traders reported record sales as many visitors did their Christmas shopping then sat and relaxed in The Titanic Marquee with a pint of real ale. If real ale wasn't to your liking, then a glass of wine or cider was in abundance to accompany your gourmet food!
 The Farmers Market was the biggest the town bas seen yet, driving crowds of visitors into the High street both on Friday and Saturday. This was an ideal opportunity for traders to entice people into their shops. We've heard several success stories including one shop which took a very large order from a resident of Gnosall who didn't realise Stone had so much to offer!
The town's restaurants and pubs joined in the fun of the festival and by all accounts had a very profitable week. The Real Ale Trail saw four mini buses taking sixteen passengers to visit outlying pubs for three consecutive nights. Some of those people will not have even heard of the country pubs and will return because they enjoyed themselves so much.
The Mange a Trois took us by surprise by selling out within two weeks of the tickets being advertised. Everyone reported a fantastic night out.
So, a big Thank You to everyone who supported the festival and put next years date in you diary October 2nd 3rd and 4th 2009. Yes we're already planning it now! "
Jill Hood (Stone Food & Drink)
Well I know it was only a short while ago but for those of you who are already missing the food and drink festival we are currently working on a photo gallery of the event for both the Into-Stone site and the Food & Drink site, so check back soon to see this years gallery, who knows maybe you will be able to spot yourself. ps keep your eye out for Richard and his chilli's.
www.stonefooddrink.org.uk
Stone In Bloom : Its Gold Again
Yet again Stone has been awarded with a Gold Award from Heart of England In Bloom under the large town category.
It was a double success for Stone as the Recycling plant received a merit award, the only Recycling plant to achieve such an award.
Keeping those fingers crossed really did pay off, not to mention all the hard work from everybody involved another step to making Stone an even better place to live.
Cardboard Cut Out of Garden Waste
Letters are going out to householders in the Borough next week with details of changes to the popular recycling service.
From September 8 cardboard will now be collected in the innovative blue bin along with the other recyclables. And shredded paper will go with newspapers and magazines in the bin's internal caddy.
The move has been prompted by advice from the Environment Agency regarding cardboard in the composting process.
Since the new waste collection service was rolled out earlier this year recycling levels in the Borough have rocketed. Household recycling has hit more than 50% and put the Borough as one of the top recycling districts in the UK.
Now residents will receive a letter explaining the change to cardboard and shredded paper as well as getting new stickers for their blue and brown bins.
The success of the new service has also meant waste contractor, Biffa, rescheduling rounds. And around 26,000 homes will be given details of a change in collection day along with a new calendar.
Previously cardboard and shredded paper were collected in the brown garden waste bin and used in the composting process. Now the brown bin will take garden waste only.
Stone Music Festival: A Great Success
From Nick Hancocks opening comments on Thursay to the last spectacular firework illuminating the crowded high street we have had four great days of live music and entertainment. The residents of Stone really got behind the bands and we applaud you for your enthusiasm culminating in a great sing a long to many of Queens greatest hits on the Sunday. The stone music festival has got a video clip of QEII's performance on the homepage
You can see the latest images and video clips from the festival at www.stonemusicfestival.com.
www.stonemusicfestival.com.
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