Enjoy Staffordshire is launching a dedicated Staffordshire Day to celebrate the county’s 1000th birthday in 2016 – and they are calling on people in Stone to help them decide the date.
The first recorded mention of Staffordshire was in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in 1016, and the county’s tourism organisation believes the initiative could boost visitor numbers by promoting Staffordshire attractions, accommodation providers, pubs and restaurants.
But they want it to take place on a date which promotes the county as a whole, rather than any specific area. Suggestions made so far include 5th July – the date the Staffordshire Hoard was discovered – and 1st May, which is the date Wedgwood was established.
It is hoped the event will outstrip the success of #LancashireDay, which takes place on 27th November to mark an historical anniversary dating back to King Edward I. The last initiative proved popular, particularly on social media, generating more than 10000 tweets as patriotic Lancastrians celebrated their history and all things good about their county.
Enjoy Staffordshire’s Tourism and Marketing Team Leader Graeme Whitehead said: “#LancashireDay generated a real buzz in November and the hashtag was trending nationwide on Twitter for the whole day. We want #StaffordshireDay to create the same excitement and pride in our county, on a date which the whole of Staffordshire can get behind.”
To cast your vote and get behind #StaffordshireDay, visit www.enjoystaffordshire.com/staffsday before 31st July. The result will be announced on Enjoy Staffordshire’s Facebook (www.facebook.com/enjoystaffs) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/enjoystaffs) pages on 3rd August.
