Local business leaders are wanted to showcase the best of Staffordshire to national and international audiences.

Public and private sector leaders are working to develop a new approach to promoting the county in the hopes of attracting investment and jobs to the area.

More than 200 businesses and organisations came together for a virtual launch via Zoom on Friday (27th November), to hear about plans to kickstart the local economy following the Coronavirus pandemic.

Ambassadors are now sought from business and organisations across Staffordshire to help spread the message of the county and attract more investment, talent and tourism to Staffordshire.

Trevor McMillan, Vice-Chancellor of Keele University, opened the launch event. He said: "Working with specialist consultants thinkingplace, we have been speaking to people across the county and the Midlands to understand what makes Staffordshire special, competitive and distinct from other places. We have brought this together in a new story that every organisation and individual across the area can tell and be part of it.

"Its real strength will come from every organisation playing their part in bringing it to life, so that we in Staffordshire and the rest of the world start to see and hear a more confident and consistent message about what makes Staffordshire so special."

Also speaking at the event, Alan White, Leader of Staffordshire County Council, said: "After the year we've had, it is more important than ever that we look to the future, raise our heads, and raise the profile of this great county.

"Beyond Covid, and post Brexit, people and business across Staffordshire need to come together and be proud of all we have to offer. By working together, we will support businesses to grow and thrive, create more jobs, and put more money in Staffordshire people's pockets."

Alun Rogers, chairman of the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Enterprise Partnership, said: "Staffordshire and the city of Stoke-on-Trent are an incredible place to do business and home to global brands, world-leading manufacturers and exciting tech start-ups.

"We are a place of knowledge, innovation and ingenuity. But also a place with an incredible work-life balance, a great place to put down roots and raise a family, where you're never far from nature and the great outdoors.

"These are just some of the things that make Staffordshire such a great location for enterprise and we want more people to know about it. We have an incredible story to tell and this new approach will help us turn up the volume."

To find out more about becoming a Staffordshire ambassador, click here.