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 (until 2025) but the Friends need to be prepared to take over at any time (with sufficient personnel and finance).

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.

The refurbishment work has now been completed and there are now two new offices in addition to the two existing ones and the reception area is now a more flexible space. The building has now re-opened to the public.

FOTG has now obtained Charitable Incorporated Status (from Sept 2019).

Reception Services offered

  • Signposting the general public to local services by providing information and assistance with internet access where required, e.g. council services (bus passes, blue badges, garden waste bin renewals etc), bus services, rail travel, services provided by Age UK etc.
  • Hosting promotional initiatives by the Council and visiting voluntary organisations e.g. Dementia Awareness Day and the Lions charity (medical cannisters).
  • Providing information about societies and events – there’s an events notice-board and the windows are also used to display flyers.
  • Providing Council food waste bags and caddies and blue recycling bags.
  • Membership forms, information about the Friends and volunteering and hiring the premises are also available.
  • Providing some historical and tourist information. There is a small display and associated leaflets.

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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Upper Floor Hire

The upper floor of the Guildhall will become available for hire from the end of March/beginning of April. The hire rates have not yet been determined but the full day rate is likely to be in the region of £50. If you are at all interested please contact Jill Norman of Support Staffordshire, the leaseholder: …

Continue reading “Upper Floor Hire”

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Aspire Housing

Officers are based at the Guildhall on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10-1 mainly for housing and money advice. If you can’t get through to Aspire on their landline, you can ring our reception mobile during the times given above (07888373274).