Welcome

The Friends of the Guildhall, Newcastle under Lyme is a group determined to ensure the long term future of this iconic building dating from 1713 and to maintain it as a public building. It is Grade Two listed and one of the last historic buildings in the town. The voluntary organisation, Support Staffordshire, have the lease on the building but the Friends need to be prepared to take over at any time (with sufficient personnel and finance). FOTG has now obtained Charitable Incorporated Status.

The Friends have use of the Reception area and provide the reception service for users of the building and for members of the public seeking advice and information. They are also responsible for letting out the area for use in the evenings and at weekends; it is a totally flexible space. It is also a Place of Welcome and Warm Welcome Space.

The remainder of the building is let out by Support Staffordshire. This includes two offices on the ground floor available for some of the week plus the open area upstairs. See the Room Hire page for further details.

Reception Services offered

• Council food waste bags and caddies and blue recycling bags

• Computer access for services e.g. bus passes, blue badges, garden waste bin renewals etc, bus services, rail travel, Age UK etc.

• Leaflets and other information about support organisations including provision of Lions’ medical cannisters

• Leaflets for events and societies

• Some tourist information including notelets/postcards of the Guildhall

• Wall display of historical information

• Printing and photocopying service

• Information about hiring the premises, joining the Friends and volunteering

Get involved

Are you interested in the Guildhall being maintained as a public building? If so, then consider becoming a Friend and/or volunteer. The Friends were founded for this purpose and we need your help.

Become a friend

To become a Friend there’s a minimum annual fee of £10 or £15 for a couple. Any additional donations welcome. To join please click the link below and complete our membership form and send it back to the Guildhall (Guildhall, High Street, ST5 1PW), pop in and hand it in at our reception desk or pop it through the letter box at the southern end of the building.

Membership form

If you would like to gift aid your donation then please click the link below and complete the form.

Gift Aid form

N.B. If you would like to take out a standing order for your membership please click the link below and complete the form.

Standing order mandate

Volunteer with us

Staffing reception and back-room help

Friends of the Guildhall volunteers staff the reception area each weekday between 10am and 4pm. Reception is also open on Saturday mornings for general enquiries

The role description can be found here:

Volunteer role reception

There are also back-room duties such as finance, fund-raising, maintenance of Friends’ list, web-authoring, social media etc.

Anyone interested should download the application form below, complete it and return via email to: fotguildhall@gmail.com or pop it through the letter box at the southern end of the building or send it to the address given above.

Volunteer application form

Contact details:

E-mail: fotguildhall@gmail.com

Tel: Weekdays (between 10 &4) 07888 373274

Out of hours: 07983983840

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