Katy is originally from Wolverhampton. Whilst studying at University in Birmingham she began a work experience placement in Stoke-on-Trent City Council and would commute to Stoke from Wolverhampton. The team she was in suggested going on a date with a man who worked in the community; “So I went on a blind date and I met my future husband. I moved in with him three months later, so that’s how I came to be in Stoke permanently.”

After various jobs in the council Katy now works for the Care Quality Commission (CQC), “I get to speak to the service users. They love a good chat. Everybody in Stoke-on-Trent, be them service users or members of the public that I meet, are just so friendly and that’s one of the plus points of the area. And there’s a lot of caring people out there as well. There are some not so caring, but mostly people are really, really caring.”

When she first moved to the area Katy was quite confused about the different towns, “I just didn’t understand the six towns at first. I just didn’t get how they connected. I didn’t know how to get from one to the other. It took me at least a year to get my head around it. I know them all now and I think it’s fantastic because it gives Stoke another element. They can each have a different identity. They give people different places to visit.”

Hanley’s got its place, it’s the commercial centre, but then every city has a commercial centre - that’s the most boring bit. Everywhere has a Primark, everywhere has a Nationwide bank, everywhere has a Debenhams. It’s boring, you can get that anywhere. Whereas Stoke’s got Spode, so that’s completely different, it’s got the museum, a small hotel, cafes and an arts hub. Go to Burslem, the mother town and it’s got the beautiful town hall that’s been converted into the sixth form centre. It’s got loads of independent pubs, really old, proper pubs. It’s got really good curry houses. There’s something different in each one. I think it’s partially because Stokies are very self deprecating I think and they don’t realise that they’ve got a lot of good.”

She adds, “Without a doubt it feels like my home. When I go back to Wolverhampton, the areas I grew up in, that still feels like home as well. But now, here, I can’t imagine leaving the area because I’m just settled here, I’ve got friends here, my husbands’ family’s here. I’m close enough to go and see my mum and dad whenever I want and it’s really easy to get out of the area. I know that’s a really bad way of describing it but the transport’s really good.”

When thinking of Stoke’s future Katy says, “It feels like it’s had a bit of a revival recently. I think the city of culture bid, (really sad that we didn’t win) was fantastic for the city. I think it really brought the city together and highlighted that there is loads of stuff to do in Stoke-on- Trent. I still feel that the momentum has continued this year, despite us not winning it.”