Raising Our Game in 2024 - Say Hello to our new BID team members

As the new year unfolds, the Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID has announced the addition of three dynamic individuals to the team. With fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, these new staff members are poised to elevate the city's business landscape and foster growth and prosperity in 2024.

The Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID has long been dedicated to enhancing the economic vitality of the city centre, supporting local businesses, and creating a welcoming environment for residents and visitors.  As the demands and challenges facing businesses continue to evolve, the Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID recognises the importance of adapting and innovating to meet the needs of its stakeholders effectively. With this vision in mind, the BID has expanded its team with the addition of three key positions aimed at bolstering its capacity to deliver impactful programs and initiatives.

Environmental Ambassador - Alex Dick



Al joined the BID team in February 2024 in the brand new role of Environmental Ambassador to provide an enhanced street hygiene and cleansing service. After our successful application to the UKSPF funding to fully realise this crucial new position, Al’s new role has seen him make a huge impact on cleaning up streets, signs and more in a short space of time.
“This role is pivotal to the environmental and visual vitality of the city centre, so it’s great to be making positive improvements in respect of litter, graffiti, gardening and maintenance of the public realm. I’m passionate about all things outdoors and wildlife photography, so I’m excited to transfer my skills to the Ambassador team at the BID.”


Marketing Assistant - Charlotte Perry



Charlotte joined us at the start of March 2024 in another brand new role of Marketing Assistant, to enhance and raise the profile of our city centre through positive promotion and engaging projects. We worked in partnership with Staffordshire University’s Graduate team, and have employed Charlotte initially on a part-time basis through the Accelerator Graduate programme, which is a 70% funded programme through Staffordshire University.
“After graduating from Staffordshire University in Events Management, I’m incredibly excited to dive into the world of marketing at Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID. My main responsibilities of the role will include capturing and creating quality content for the BID digital channels and newsletter to showcase the vibrant developments of the city centre.”

Business Support Officer - Emily Whitehead



Emily joins the BID to provide invaluable support to businesses of Stoke-on-Trent city centre, empowering them to share their stories and achievements. With a specific focus on the BID’s sponsorship of the Staffordshire University Business Awards ‘High Street Impact Award’ category, Emily will be encouraging and supporting businesses to raise their game too:
“Hi, I’m Emily, a business coach, consultant, facilitator and trainer with 20 years of experience working with businesses of all sizes across the UK. A Staffordshire girl who started her career in Stoke on Trent, I am also an Entrepreneur in Residence at Staffordshire University with a real passion for helping businesses and their owners tell their stories and share their magic. Although I work in all areas of business support, I guess my 'go to' expertise around marketing, creating brands with purpose & sustainability. 

I won’t give you my full history here, but I'm really looking forward to working in the city again to understand the stories that matter most now and help businesses get those stories out. I will be in Hanley a couple of days a week, to work with city centre businesses to offer business support & ideas; help dig out great stories; encourage businesses to enter business awards; support the writing of great applications and gather businesses together to learn from each other. 

If you have any questions for me or want to know more, please feel free to email me at: emily@simplygreatbritain.co.uk.”
 

For BID Chairman Jonathan Bellamy, the future of Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID is all about working together:
“In the first year of a second term Stoke-on-Trent City Centre BID is sharply focussed on raising our game and pushing strongly forward on behalf of our city centre businesses. You can see that in the fresh, new appointments we have made: Alex is already making a significant contribution towards the cleanliness and quality of our city centre environment (the number one top priority of our businesses); Charlotte is enabling us to multiply the impact of our marketing and communications; and Emily will be an incredible asset to many of our businesses who use her skills to help them identify their amazing stories and so raise their profile and the profile of our wonderful city centre. The Future Is…Together, Raising Our Game. And through these new appointments we think it is clear that the BID, in partnership with brilliant city centre businesses, is positioned to do just that.”