Weekly Column: Mayor Mohammed Zaman

Date published: 10 September 2018

I hope all young people have settled in to their new schools and colleges this week. This is an opportunity for them to make a new start, complete a new mission and produce a clear vision on what they want to be and do in life.

Nothing comes easy and hard work always pays.

Week commencing Monday 27 August – Sunday 2 September

Monday and Tuesday I had no engagements.

Wednesday, I travelled to Gorton Monastery in Manchester for the Queen’s Award Ceremony for Voluntary Services. Greater Manchester had another successful year in terms of the number of awards achieved, and the amount of volunteer groups who were recognised.

 

 

Unfortunately, the number of awardees from Rochdale this year was zero, however many have the potential of being awarded in 2019. I want to encourage organisations and individuals to apply for these awards next year, and for councillors to nominate groups within their ward. The community can also nominate those who they think provide much needed services and deserve the recognition.

I enjoyed seeing all the work that goes into communities to make a real difference. I hope that next year Rochdale can have this success.

Thursday, I went to the Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre for an event organised by Voices for All entitled ‘Promoting Community Organisations’. Voices for All were joined by Healthwatch Rochdale, Rochdale Mind and other mental health services to promote activities that help with mental health and provided information on wellbeing.

 

 

Voices for All is a Rochdale based charity who believe that ‘all voices should be heard’ and provides support to those with mental health issues through a wide range of activity groups. These groups include LGBT coffee mornings, art and craft groups, health walks and creative writing.

It was nice to learn more on their work and I thank Liz Anderson from Voices for All and the volunteers for inviting me.

After this I went to Deeplish Community Centre’s Summer Playscheme, a traditional event that has been running for many years throughout the Easter and Summer school holidays. This playscheme is always successful with around 100 children taking part each time.

 

 

The scheme is ran by volunteers and this year, the centre gained even more volunteer recruits who take pride in their local area. I met with these volunteers to hand them certificates and recognise the work they have put in for their community.

Thank you to Deeplish Community Centre manager, Sohail Ahmed, and all the volunteers for making this a successful scheme for the children during their holidays.

I went to Hopwood Hall Estate for a guided tour with Tony Lloyd MP, council leader Allen Brett, Liz McInnes MP and deputy mayor councillor Billy Sheerin.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/121738/local-dignitaries-treated-to-guided-tour-around-historic-hopwood-hall-estate

This is the first time I had been to the building and as soon as I walked in, it opened my eyes to the estates historical background. I felt like I was in the 12th century seeing the original features.

Hopwood Hall has huge potential and can make a great venue when it is finished. I am proud to have such a building in Rochdale with so much heritage.

 

 

Friday, I had another tour with Tony Lloyd MP around Jones & Brooks Printers at Smallbridge Business Park. We were invited by the editor of Real Rochdale magazine, Claire Flett, to see the next edition being printed.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/1/business-news/121839/mp-and-mayor-tour-140yearold-printing-firm

 

 

Next door to the printers is a business called Sunshine Snacks. Since I know the owner, me and Tony also ventured there to see their new machines that pack sweets to be sent around the whole country. Thank you to Shahid, the managing director, and his colleagues for showing us around. Hopefully, we will go back in the future.

 

 

I went to Apna Ghar Day Centre for a Kashmiri Lives Exhibition. This exhibition focused on people who had travelled from Kashmir to Rochdale from the 1930s onwards, to seek a better life through more well-paid jobs. The Kashmiri community in Rochdale is now in its fourth generation.

 

 

Attendees learnt what life was like back in Kashmir compared to life in Rochdale and speakers told how they settled into Britain’s living style after the partition in 1947, that created Pakistan.

I met a 101-year-old man who spoke on his childhood in Pakistan and how his family left everything they knew behind for better opportunities. I was honoured to have spoken with him.

This was a very cultural evening with over 100 attendees enjoying traditional Kashmiri folk music and refreshments. Thank you to Parveen from Crescent Radio, Councillor Daalat Ali and Shamas Rahman who worked on the exhibition to make it possible.

I then went to Castlemere Community Centre for an event to raise mental health awareness within Asian communities. This was organised by AMPSO (Asian Medical Professionals Support Organisation) as the second of four seminars, demonstrating how mental health issues are perceived in the Asian community.

Professionals gave brief presentations on mental health issues and how we can tackle them and give advice to those who are suffering, in order for them to get help. It is vital that you do not just go to your faith leader but also go to doctors and seek medical advice also.

Thank you to Dr Shezad, Dr Hamyon, Dr Saheed, Dr Ahmed and their colleagues for bringing this awareness to light and for contributing to their community.

 

 

Saturday, I went to The Coach House in Littleborough for the opening of Rochdale Photographic Society’s annual exhibition. Local councillors joined me as well as members of the society, who provided these high-resolution photographs.

 

 

The society is very talented and capture all the nice locations and areas within the borough, presenting Rochdale in a positive light. All the displays told their own unique story and we all had different perceptions of what was being portrayed, showing the beauty of photography.

Thank you to Linda Redfern, on behalf of the society, for inviting me to this exhibition.

I then went to Hollingworth Lake to see Hollingworth Lake’s Rowing Club take part in the North of England Sprint Rowing Championships along with rowers from Liverpool, Wigan, Derby and many more places.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/4/sport-news/121912/rowing-north-of-england-sprint-rowing-championships-at-hollingworth-lake

There were 320 teams in total, made up of of different age ranges from children to seniors. I spoke to many groups who take part in this competition every year and handed out awards. There was a huge turn out as we were lucky to have a nice day.

 

 

Thank you to Mike Smith from Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club for organising the event and inviting me. The club really does have great history, established in 1872.

Jessica Leyden is one athlete from the club who has gained international recognition. She was the first British women’s single scull World Junior Champion in 2013, having trained since she was 13-years-old. She is now a regular with the GB squad and the club hope to attract new athletes like Jessica through their new Learn 2 Row course, which I hope is a success.

I really enjoyed watching this along with other spectators, including a 100-year-old man who has watched the championship every year.

Sunday, I went to the Heywood Charities Fete which started on Sefton Street and ended in Queen’s Park. I think over 3,000 people attended this, providing a great opportunity for local groups to raise funds in the park.

This was another good day as the nice weather continued, allowing the preparations to come together nicely.

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/138/community-news/121754/thousands-enjoy-sunny-heywood-charities-fete-and-parade

Thank you to my fellow councillors who joined me, as well as Liz McInnes MP, members of the fete committee, friends of Queen’s Park, the volunteers who came to help, Steve Brown from Heywood Lions and his colleagues. You all worked hard to make the fete better than ever.