We need your votes in our competition to celebrate Staffordshire Day!

The Staffordshire public are being invited to vote for their favourite Staffordshire-themed plate, designed by school pupils as part of our celebrations for Staffordshire Day on 1 May.

Twenty primary schools from across the county have taken part in our competition and following the first round of judging, the public are now being asked to cast their vote and crown their winners.

We asked pupils to design their plates based on what Staffordshire means to them.  Nine winning designs – one from each area of the county including Stoke-on-Trent will be produced as plates, which will then be displayed at locations across Staffordshire from May onwards.

We’re delivering this year’s project following our work with local artists across several schools in Staffordshire last year, where a range of workshops were undertaken.

Louisa Shaw, our Head of Place Marketing said: “We wanted to open the project up to more pupils for our 2025 Staffordshire Day activity and were thrilled with the response from schools who wanted to participate.

“The project aims to raise civic pride and awareness amongst young people, of the amazing things our county has to offer, in addition to sharing information about Staffordshire Day.  Pupils have come up with some fantastic designs for plates and we can’t wait to find out who our winners are.”

Plates are being produced in the home of ceramics by Stoke-on-Trent based Duchess 1888, manufacturers of fine bone china.  Winners will also have the opportunity to visit Gladstone Pottery, see their final designs and try out an activity

Jason Simms, Director at Duchess China, said: “We’re delighted to be able to support this project, raising young people’s awareness of what we have in Staffordshire.

“It ties in perfectly with Stoke-on-Trent’s Centenary year too, that winners will have the opportunity to visit the home of television’s Great Pottery Throw Down – Gladstone Pottery, to find out more about the city’s renowned ceramics industry.”

Pupils taking part in the competition enjoyed the chance to take part and learn more about the county, with one pupil commenting: “I drew this to show the amazing things about Staffordshire.  Drawing was fun to do and I enjoyed creating a design for a plate to show the beauty of Staffordshire.”

The first official Staffordshire Day took place in 2016, the year the county turned 1,000 years old.  1 May was chosen as the date through a public poll, as it is the anniversary of Josiah Wedgwood setting up his pottery company in 1759.

People can vote in the Staffordshire Day plate competition by choosing a plate from each area.  Voters will also be able to choose one overall winner as well.  Voting closes on 14th April at 12noon.

Vote at: Plate Competition – We Are Staffordshire

To get involved in this year’s Staffordshire Day, download the Staffordshire Day Toolkit: Ambassador Toolkit – We Are Staffordshire