Community leaders across Stoke-on-Trent have gathered to discuss what more can be done to unite the city after violent disorder earlier this month.

Community leaders including local councillors and the police were on hand to discuss what actions could be taken to address issues and improve community cohesion.

This comes days after the Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner visited the area in the wake of the riots which took place on Saturday August 3. Groups of anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant protestors and Muslim counter-protesters clashed in the Hanley, resulting in injuries and multiple arrests.

CEO of Global Health Care, Zulfigar Khan who organised the roundtable discussion said: "The whole thing about today is positive, no negativity, no blame culture. What we want is a way forward, how we do better for Stoke and all communities to work together and community cohesion. 

GHC supports the BAME community and the most deprived and vulnerable communities by providing education, training and skills. Additionally they work with the courts to provide medical reports for the defence and crown prosecution service.

This comes only days after Angela Raynor visited the area in the wake of the riots (LDRS).

At the start of last year they were the only organisation to be invited to an event at Alton Towers with Olga Stefanishyna the Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration of Ukraine for the work they had done to support over 250 Ukrainian families.

Mr Khan continued: "There are a lot of key people around here that can support that and help bridge that message. What's happening currently in the last few weeks we all know. Unfortunately rumours can cause a lot of issues. There's no blame culture, we don't want to blame either way, who's right, who's wrong. 

"What we want, especially for our learners who are refugees, asylum seekers who've been here a year or two. They're finding it difficult with what's happening. They're from war torn countries, come here now and this has happened to them.

"So you have to understand what complications these are going through. We are here to support them. We are here to support all communities and what we want is key players to look for a solution."

The discussion focused on what more can be done to improve community cohesion across the city and some of the barriers that are in place and how to overcome them.

Councillor Majid Khan Cabinet Member for Safe and Resilient Communities at Stoke-on-Trent City Council said: "I think right across the city the police have done a fantastic job of keeping a lid on things even though at some points it was slightly getting out of hand, overheated in certain spots of the town centre.

"Since then we have been working closely with the police and the city council and all the other partner agencies, as well as cross faith communities within our city. I think we have demonstrated that as a community, as a city when we come together we can come over all things."

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