Civic Pride nominee – Isla Telford
Civic Pride nominee – Isla Telford
The co-founder of a Stoke-on-Trent based CIC that works with and for local communities has been nominated for a Civic Pride Award in the Your Heroes Awards for “going above and beyond to make the city proud of itself.”
Isla Telford is the co-founder and co-director of Urban Wilderness CIC and a freelance creative consultant who has a passion for community-led cultural and social regeneration, changing people’s perceptions and the re-imagination of public spaces.
She has been nominated by Susan Clarke, Executive Director of Stoke Creates, who said: “Isla has gone above and beyond this year to make the city proud of itself. Not only has she been one of the three directors of Urban Wilderness who have brought heritage to life in Longton with the Pig Parade, animating the centre of Longton with humour, colour and joy, music and carnival, but she has also brought her generous and wise expertise to support the fantastic SABLE to deliver the cultural marvel that is Six Towns Carnival.
“To top it off in 2025 she led the design and delivery of The People’s Parade, the centrepiece of the city’s centenary event calendar. The People’s Parade saw 1,200 paraders and 100 volunteers takeover the streets of Hanley on a very wet Saturday in June.
“Isla’s vision for a parade that genuinely included all of the citizens of the city, where everyone was welcome, made by the artists and the communities of the city was realised. Everyone involved and all the 5,000 plus people who saw the parade said it was an unforgettable moment of joy and pride.
“Isla worked so hard to make this dream a reality, and to make it safe for everyone. She did so much of the un-glamorous work and gave the city a positive, inclusive, joyful snapshot of itself in this centenary year.
“Isla is a modest person, she doesn’t think she’s a hero and that is exactly what makes her one. We would love Isla to know how much her quiet strength, skill and creative vision is appreciated. Thank you Isla!”
Now in its eighth year, Urban Wilderness works with the local community to regenerate through personal creativity, public artworks and community events.
Isla said: “I am hugely positive about Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire. There are some great things happening here, and I want to help and support that by building local identities and looking to change people’s expectations and how they view where they live.
“Good things aren’t just possible – they really are happening here. At Urban Wilderness we are really excited with our plans for the future and are looking to take on a building in Longton which will give us a great base from which to work from and hopefully will be a real community hub of creativity and positivity.”