Rochdale Ambassadors launched to help sell the borough

David Bottomley, chairman of the new Rochdale Ambassadors board

The launch of a new private-sector board, The Rochdale Ambassadors, which is aiming to promote Rochdale as a destination for businesses, took place at the headquarters of Zen Internet at Sandbrook Park on Friday (24 March).

The aim of the Ambassadors is to use their collective passion for Rochdale to help sell the borough to investors and persuade companies that they should be locating their businesses here.

The new board is chaired by David Bottomley, a director of Rochdale AFC and owner of national toy business, Asobi.

Mr Bottomley said at the launch event: “In recent years lots of people have commented that our [Rochdale] voice isn’t getting heard, that we don’t sell ourselves very well, that we don’t seem to have a simple story explaining what we’re all about and what we’re trying to achieve as a place; that there’s no shared sense of ambition for Rochdale.

"What we do know is that we need more visitors, more jobs, better jobs and especially jobs for young people and to have any chance of achieving that we need a stronger, more compelling story as to why people and organisations should consider Rochdale as a place to be – especially businesses, investors and visitors who will be considering many different places."

Other members of the board include Richard Tang, the founder of Zen Internet, Julian Appleyard, the principal of Rochdale Sixth Form College, and Steve Rumbelow, Rochdale Borough Council CEO. Companies represented include Tetrosyl, Nomical, Rochdale Hornets, Hanson Springs and others.

Mr Tang said: “The new board is about bringing the people and businesses of Rochdale together so that collectively we can achieve more for Rochdale.

"Challenges such as the recession and the banking crisis have changed the world for ever and just like any organisation, places like Rochdale know that they have to compete hard if they are going to prosper in the future.

"Standing still in business is never an option and it’s the same for towns, cities and boroughs like Rochdale. Our future has got to be based on the whole borough progressing together, improving, getting better at doing things, working harder and smarter – and everyone has a role to play in helping it do that.”