Saltbox
Who we are
Rooted in faith, we are a charity that supports individuals facing loneliness, homelessness, financial struggles, and those who are vulnerable, guiding them on a journey towards independence and empowerment.
A vision founded in 1983
Since our founding in 1983, we’ve been committed to supporting and encouraging local Christian groups, helping them to grow and thrive. What began as a vision to strengthen faith communities has grown into a wide-reaching mission—bringing people together through city-wide celebrations, training programmes, and united prayer events.
Over time, we saw a deeper connection between the needs of our community and the efforts of the broader voluntary, public, and private sectors. With the support of our dedicated members and trained volunteers, we became a trusted bridge between faith-based initiatives and wider community services—championing collaboration, innovation, with a shared purpose.
Our work in Stoke-on-Trent has led to the creation of vital services that respond to real, local needs, and our partnerships continue to drive meaningful change across the city.
Timeline of our History
From humble beginnings, we’ve grown into a model of effective community engagement—proving the power of faith in action.
1983
1987
1988
MISSION 88: City-wide events with Rev Colin Urquhart, Bob Gordon & the Kings Coaches
1989
CHRISTMAS UNWRAPPED with Steve Chalke
1990
CARE FOR THE FAMILY event with Rob Parsons
PRAYER CONCERT with Graham Kendrick & Eric Delve
1991
MEGA GIG2 with Phil & John, Bryn Haworth & Charlotte Hoglund
SWITCHBLADE MUSICAL at the New Victoria Theatre
1992
CHRISTIAN COUNSELLING COURSE with Geoff Bond
A CHRISTMAS CAROL week-long play at the Queen’s Theatre
1993
SCREWTAPE LETTERS play by Saltmine Theatre Company
CHRISTIAN DANCE COURSE with Angela Lawrence & Janice Chadwick
1994
PRAISE CONCERTS with Noel Richards, Chris Bowater & Ian White
1995
MONTHLY CITY PRAYER BREAKFASTS
MONTHLY UNITED CELEBRATIONS: “Wednesday Night Specials”
1996
NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH: Evangelical Alliance 150th anniversary tour
MONTHLY UNITED CELEBRATIONS: “Wednesday Night Specials”
1997
CITY PRAYER MEETING at the Victoria Hall
1999
2000
COLLECTIVE WORSHIP TRAINING COURSE: guest speakers Trevor Cooling & David Law
2001
NORTH STAFFS MONTLY PRAYER BREAKFASTS
2C7 CITY PRAYER MEETINGS begin on 31 October
2002
RIVER TRENT PRAYER WALK: S-o-T to Stone
2003
RIVER TRENT PRAYER WALK: S-o-T to Burton-on Trent & Nottingham
MEN FOR GOD regional gathering in the Black Country
2004
RIVER TRENT PRAYER WALK: S-o-T to Nottingham & Hull
TRENT & MERSEY CANAL PRAYER WALK
S-O-T FAITH ACTION AUDIT
2005
TIME FOR HEALING SERVICES with Craig Marsh
SALTBOX appoints Churches Older Persons’ Networker
2006
24-7 PRAYER MONTH
2007
24-7 UNBROKEN PRAYER MONTH (May)
CONNECTING THE CONNECTORS CONFERENCE: Swanwick Conference Centre
NORTH STAFFS COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY becomes a Saltbox service to ex-offenders
2008
CONNECTING THE CONNECTORS CONFERENCE: Swanwick Conference Centre
40 DAYS OF PRAYER & FASTING
STAFFORDSHIRE FAITH ACTION AUDIT
2C7 MONTHLY CITY PRAYER MEETINGS: conclude October
CARELINK: telephone befriending service is launched
2009
MONEY MATTERS: Saltbox’s debt advice service is launched
2010
CIVIC FEDERATION CELEBRATION: guest speaker Archbishop John Sentamu (York)
CITY CELEBRATION: guest speaker Archbishop Rowan Williams (Canterbury)
2011
2012
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER & WORSHIP: Wembley Stadium
RESTART – new name for North Staffs Community Chaplaincy
2013
HEALTHWATCH: Saltbox partners with VAST to deliver Healthwatch in S-o-T
2014
CIVIC PRAYER BREAKFAST: guest speaker Rob Flello MP
HOME SECRETARY THERESA MAY: visits Restart with PCC Matthew Ellis
2015
CHURCH LIAISON OFFICER appointed
2016
CINNAMON NETWORK: Saltbox’s model for Civic Prayer Breakfasts was used in over 50 towns and cities as a guide of good practice
2016
OPEN: launch of city-wide consultancy for members of the community aged 50+
to give statutory provision feedback
CARELINK: delivers Age Friendly City grants on behalf of CC
UPDATED FAITH ACTION AUDIT 2016
2017
STOKE NORTH BIG LOCAL: Saltbox awarded contract to consult with communities how best to spend a Big Local investment into the area
2017
MONEY MATTERS: Awarded three years’ sponsorship by Npower to continue providing local debt advice services until 2020
RESTART: appoints a Chaplain to the Restart service
CARELINK: pilots Parish Nursing as additional service
2018
VOICE OF HOPE: human trafficking awareness event
RESTART: awarded a 5-year grant from the Big Lottery Fund for a Clinical
Nurse and Client Development Officer
2018
Nurse and Client Development Officer
RESTART: commissioned by the CRC to fund the service for 88 prison leavers
per year
OPEN: led a city-wide consultation on housing for older people
2019
CIVIC PRAYER BREAKFAST: guest speaker Rev Rachel Parkinson
2020
CONNECT: Monthly Connect leaders’ meetings go online in response to Covid
2020
RESTART: appoints a Reconnect Families’ Worker funded by Charles Hayward Foundation
2021
MONEY MATTERS: partners with S-o-T Foodbank on a new Trussell Trust pathfinder project
CARELINK relaunches Chatty Cafes following Covid closure
KOKU: CareLink launches pioneering new health App
2022
(2yr Covid break)
CITY CELEBRATION: guest speaker Rev Dave Street
CARELINK: commences Reablement Service for City Council
2022
RESTART: relocates its property maintenance team to a new warehouse off the
A500
AWARDED ISO27001: information security standard
2023
SALTBOX grows to over 50 staff
HAWES STREET HOUSING: acquired as subsidiary company and becomes a new Saltbox service
2024
COMMUNITY COHESION: Saltbox hosts a special meeting with Rt Hon Angela Rayner (Deputy Prime Minister)
2024
MONEY MATTERS: partners on the Money MOT project funded with CAB, Disability Solutions and Age UK (Staffs)
Our Leadership Team
Lloyd Cooke OBE
Chief Executive Officer
About Lloyd
As CEO, Lloyd has overall responsibility for the charitable services provided by Saltbox. He is also well known as a senior networker across Stoke-on-Trent, advising civic, statutory and voluntary sector leaders, advocating for the role of faith communities and supporting marginalised members of the community. He is keen to see the “sacred and secular” parts of communities work better together to effect more meaningful change in society.
Lloyd is a Methodist Lay Preacher with a passion for serving Christ and the community. Since the charity’s formation he has been instrumental in bringing many significant worship and celebration opportunities to Stoke, starting with the 1987 Praise March and including the Millennium Stadium Celebration at Vale Park which attracted over 5,000 people. He has assisted in organising visits from senior national and international dignitaries, notably Archbishop Desmond Tutu in 2008. He chairs the organising committee for the city’s annual Civic Prayer Breakfast which welcomes over 400 city and community leaders to eat, share and pray together. He also helped to co-ordinate the national roll-out of Faith Action Audits, as well as the Saltbox Civic Prayer Breakfast model, which has been adopted in over 50 towns and cities across the UK.
Lloyd holds many advisory roles on both the civic and faith stages, including being Chair of Stoke Healthwatch, Chair of the S-o-T Voluntary Sector Leaders’ Forum, and is a member of Chapter of Lichfield Cathedral Council.
Joanne Speed
Finance Director
About JoannE
As Finance Director Joanne has a broad remit for core services within Saltbox. She manages the Finance team who work across all areas within Saltbox, managing everything from banking to utilities for the Restart properties, payroll to allocating funds to individual projects. Joanne also oversees IT auditing, data protection for the organisation and also our Money Matters service.
Joanne was a former CEO of two regional charities with expertise in governance/leadership, strategic planning, financial planning systems and control, project innovation, social enterprise development and HR management. Her prior experience includes Corporate Planning Executive with The Greenalls Group plc and as Board Director of Plus Dane (Cheshire) Ltd, a regional provider of social housing. She is also a Trustee of the national children’s charity, Bear Force.
Linda Smith
Operations Manager
Money Matters & CareLink
About Linda
As Operations Manager Linda is responsible for the oversight and smooth running of Saltbox’s Money Matters and Carelink services.
Linda has worked in this role since April 2023, having previously managed the Carelink service from 2015-2018.
Linda began her working life as a Social Worker in Adult Social Care in Nottingham, with a focus on supporting people with cancer. After a career break to care for her 3 young children, in 2007 she decided to move into the voluntary sector as she felt it provided more opportunity to be innovative and flexible. She ran a Community Centre in Stafford for 8 years, which offered a one-stop shop for other services in the middle of a deprived council estate, based within a social hub.
After working for Saltbox the first time around, she moved to a role heading up a large Social Prescribing service in Wolverhampton, based in the Voluntary Sector Council, in the early days of Social Prescribing, which gave the opportunity to develop this new model of working.
Alongside her work at Saltbox, Linda is trustee for a local charity in Stafford, providing practical community-based support to local people in need.
Sam Taylor
Operations Manager – Restart & Hawes Street Housing
About Sam
As Operations Manager, Sam has responsibility for overseeing the two services and ensuring that they continue to make a positive difference to the lives of our service users. He is also responsible for Hawes Street Housing’s compliance with the consumer standards.
Sam has been at Saltbox since 2023. Before working at Saltbox, Sam held various roles at SwanBank Church in Burslem which included working with children, young people & young adults, setting up and supporting a range of community projects and initiatives, developing the church’s media & communications and supporting the running of multiple services every Sunday. Sam uses his experience working in local churches support to Lloyd in the charity’s work with church leaders. Alongside his work at Saltbox, Sam also serves as the Chair of Trustees for local charity, Number 11.
Where does the name “Saltbox” come from?
Many people are curious about the origins of the name “Salt Box.” The story dates back to 1798, at the inception of our charity. One of the founding members, inspired by a historical tale, learned about Job Ridgway, a renowned potter and Christian philanthropist, who attended a chapel in Hot Lane, Burslem, that had become too small for its growing congregation. Eager to support his community, Ridgway acquired adjacent land known as Kiln Croft and built a new chapel, which he named Zoar Chapel. The locals affectionately referred to it as the “Salt
Box,” likely drawing from the biblical reference to being the “Salt of the Earth.” This chapel was likely located on the grounds that was occupied by the Royal
Doulton Pottery Factory complex, which ceased operations in 2005.
Over 200 years later, the spiritual legacy of the Salt Box Chapel continues to inspire our mission, reminding us of the importance of community support and compassion that should never be forgotten.
Donate to Saltbox
As a charity we rely on the kindness of people like you to help support the many vulnerable disadvantaged and vulnerable adults in our community.
Your donation no matter how small can help to change lives.