The Staffordshire Signal Weekly: drought and fires in Staffordshire, The Upper House's 30th anniversary, and Wild Edge Arts unveiled

The Environment Agency has declared drought in the West Midlands, with reservoirs low and greenspaces increasingly at risk of fire. This is the weekly round up from The Staffordshire Signal, delivered every Wednesday.

Dear Readers,

This week we're looking at the stark reality of drought and fires across Staffordshire, a much-loved Longton arts organisation unveiling a new name, and a very happy 30th birthday for one of Staffordshire's favourite country house hotels.

Today's a big one for us. At 10am we're launching a crowdfunder for The Staffordshire Signal TV, App & Podcast, and we need Staffordshire's help to make it happen.

For the last year I've built the Signal from nothing, no investors, no big backer, just this county's own people supporting their own newsroom. Now I'm asking you to help me take it further, growing Signal TV beyond what a handful of volunteers and students can currently manage, launching a brand new Signal podcast, and finally building the app that puts Staffordshire's news in your pocket, not an algorithm's.

We're hoping to raise £15,000. Roughly a quarter goes on building and launching the app, a third goes on camera, audio and editing kit for our students and volunteers on Signal TV, and just over a third buys me and the team the time to actually get out and cover more of this county properly, on video, on the web and in print. Anything we raise beyond target goes straight back into expanding The Signal.

Every supporter from £5 gets a full year of Signal Supporter membership thrown in, worth £24, early access to everything we make, and first look at every Signal TV video before anyone else sees it. If you've ever wanted to back us properly, today's the day.

This link will be live from 10am today, any help you can give us, even a share on social media, will mean the world to me!

https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-staffordshire-signal-tv-app-podcast

Until next Wednesday.

Jenna