The annual Stoke-on-Trent

Civic Prayer Breakfast

This year we’ve marked the 100-year SOT centenary

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Saltbox

Civic Prayer Breakfast

Our annual Civic Prayer Breakfast is one of the most strategic things we do in the city. It builds on our on-going intentional relationship engagement with the public, private and voluntary sectors. Beginning in 2010 The Stoke-on-Trent Civic Prayer Breakfast became a benchmark for Cinnamon Network to roll out the format nationally.

Today, the Stoke breakfast is one of the biggest of its kind in the UK with more than 300 faith leaders and community activists coming together to pray for the city.

Testimonials

“Thank for the invite to the Prayer Breakfast on Friday. It was amazing to see so many people there.”

“What a wonderful Civic Prayer Breakfast! I was hugely impressed by the gathering of so many people and the organisation was absolutely superb.”

“I just wanted to say what an amazing gathering the Civic Prayer Breakfast was – well done to everyone involved! “

Civic Prayer Breakfast 2025

The 2025 Civic Prayer Breakfast was held at King’s Hall, Stoke on 5th June (the date was moved to coincide with the 100 year Stoke-on-Trent centenary celebrations). Attended by over 400 people and featuring guest speaker Robert Mountford (West Mids Churches’ Ecumenical Officer) and Dr. Fiona Hibberts (Deputy Chief Nurse of University Hospitals North Midlands). The event also included Paul Critchley (Presence Worship), Members of the City of Stoke-on-Trent Symphony Orchestra and St. Peter’s CofE Academy Gospel Choir.

Civic Prayer Breakfast 2024

Held on the 10th May at the King’s Hall Stoke, the 2024 Stoke-on-Trent Civic Prayer Breakfast featured guest speaker  Rt Revd Jan McFarlane (Assistant Bishop & Interim Dean of Lichfield Catherdral) and an interview with the Chair of Stoke-on-Trent Business Improvement District, Jonathan Bellamy.
 

Civic Prayer Breakfast 2023

The 2023 Stoke-on-Trent Civic Prayer Breakfast, once again, held at the King’s Hall, Stoke (Friday 31st May). The event included an interview with Sara Williams OBE (Chief Executive, Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce) and Guest Speaker Martin Tideswell (Director of Communities & Commercial Engagement, Staffordshire University).
 

Civic Prayer Breakfast 2022

After a two-year absence due to Covid-19, the Stoke-on-Trent Civic Prayer Breakfast returned on Friday 1st April. The event included Guest Speaker Matthew Parker (Bishop of Stafford), and interviews with Abi Brown (Leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council) and Helen Kirk (Chair of Chester & Stoke-on-Trent Methodist Circuit).
 

Civic Prayer Breakfast 2019

10 May 2019 marked our biggest Civic Prayer Breakfast to date. 330 people joined us at the Kings Hall, Stoke. In addition to a full English breakfast, guest speakers this year included, Lord Mayor Councillor Lilian Dodd, John Owen (Chief Inspector, Stoke-on-Trent North) and Rachel Parkinson (Chair of Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury District Methodist Church).

Full coverage, including photographs, video and audio can be found below:
 

Civic Prayer Breakfast 2018

On 20 April 2018, Saltbox held our annual Civic Prayer Breakfast at the King’s Hall, Stoke-on-Trent. Over 300 people attended, making it the largest ever CPB since its inception in 2010 and one of the largest such civic prayer gatherings in the UK.

Our special guests this year included; The Right Reverend Geoffrey Annas (Church of England Bishop of Stafford), The Most Reverend Bernard Longley (Roman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham) and Sara Williams (Chief Executive, Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce).

It was so encouraging to see senior leaders from business, politics, policing and media mixing with church leaders and congregation members. There was the usual positive buzz of conversations over a “full English” and this was followed by a very special hour-long service which included songs, interviews, prayers and a keynote address from the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Birmingham. Thank you to everyone who attended and all who took part.

Full coverage of the 2018 Civic Prayer Breakfast can be found below:

Civic Prayer Breakfast 2017

5 May 2017, saw Saltbox’s biggest and best Civic Prayer Breakfast yet. Over 250 faith, business and city leaders plus social activists from all walks of life gathered together to ‘pray for the welfare of the city’.

Special guests were Bishop Mike Royal of the Apostolic Pastoral Council and Cinnamon Network, spoke of the transformation of our creative and vibrant city enabled through supporting one another.

Deputy Council Leader Councillor Abi Brown spoke of the optimism across Stoke generated by the 2021 City of Culture bid, with prayers offered by Rev Andrew Wickens of Stoke Minster and Mo Trudel of Ministry at Work.

Martin Tideswell, editor of The Sentinel, spoke about civic pride and what it means to be from Stoke and #localandproud! Also for much-needed regeneration of once key sites in the city such as the old Victoria Ground and Royal Doulton in Burslem.

Finally, Staffordshire Ecumenical Officer and leader of City Vision Ministries, Robert Mountford, led the room in song and prayer, asking everybody to pray for ‘those on their left and on their right’ in a show of unity and love for one another.

If you’d like to see photos and videos from the day, head over to our Facebook page or find us at @SaltboxCentre.

You can also see Lloyd’s thoughts on the event in his Personally Speaking article for The Sentinel.

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