Weekly Column: Mayor Mohammed Zaman

Date published: 24 January 2019

The weather is very up and down at the moment. I urge everyone to make sure that you are looking after yourself and others as cold weather is due, especially the elderly. I wish all in Rochdale good health and happiness.

Week commencing Monday 14 – Sunday 20 January

Monday, Thursday and Sunday I had no engagements.

Tuesday, I led the British Citizenship Registrars presentation at the Town Hall Registrar’s Office. This is a monthly ceremony that I have now led many times, where citizens from various countries with different faiths, cultures and backgrounds are officially welcomed to Rochdale – their new home. This was the first presentation of the new year.

Receiving British citizenship is a lengthy and expensive process, so I always enjoy seeing the citizens smiles of relief once the process and ceremony is over. I’m proud to say we have such diversity in Rochdale.

Wednesday, I went to the grand opening of Chicken Shaq on Maclure Road, situated outside Rochdale Train Station and the Metrolink tram stop. I would like to thank the owners for choosing our town as a place for their business, in a bid to make Milkstone Road and the surrounding area a business hub.

Other business that have opened in the Milkstone and Deeplish area recently are Cake Box, Abaseen, The Belgian Waffle Company and Umair Travel Services. These small businesses are very important to the local area and I hope they can all succeed in our town.

Friday, I was invited to George Lawton Hall, Mossley for Circus Starr’s Greatest Showman Tour. This is a ‘circus with a purpose’ who aim to provide entertainment to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged families in the community.

The show had different acts that you would expect from a circus such as tightrope walkers, jugglers and clowns who interacted with the audience to make everyone feel like they were also a part of the show.

Thanks to Matt Hayes and Joel Hatta for inviting me to experience this. I thoroughly enjoyed the show and hope we can have a performance in Rochdale sometime soon for families and children alike.

Friday evening, I attended the Friends of Tourcoing Christmas celebration at Rochdale Rugby Union Club. Rochdale and Tourcoing in France have a friendship that goes back to the late 1950’s. We have a link as twinned towns that has developed to be even stronger over the years with regular meetings, events and exchange visits to develop further relationships.

I was really pleased to attend this celebration and hope the link will continue to grow in the future. I always appreciate those who promote a positive image of Rochdale. Thanks to Kathryn Rennie and Claire Bayman from the Friends of Tourcoing group who invited me and for their hospitality. The Christmas meal and the company were great.

Saturday, I was invited to Rochdale Ukrainian Club for their annual Christmas meal. I was joined by my daughter, Mayoress Naaira Zaman, Rochdale Borough Dean Mark Coleman and Councillor Wendy Cocks. It was good to see so many people at the event which always proves popular with the Ukrainian community in Rochdale as the room is packed.

We started the meal off with grace before the club asked attendees to support and donate to appeals back in Ukraine. I was pleased to see that they still maintain good relationships to people at home and want to help them even when they’re not there.

I really enjoyed the hymns throughout and having the chance to meet all those who attended.

Thank you to Olga Kurtianyk, Chairperson of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (Rochdale Branch), who invited me. I am honoured to receive regular invites to the centre to see all the good work you are doing for the community.

Members of the community sometimes send text messages and emails to my phone and personal email, but I urge people to please send invitations or information about events to the mayoralty team who manage all of my engagements and timetable.

Mayoral invitations

​​​​The Mayor welcomes invitations to events held by local organisations. Due to demand it may not be possible to go to every event the Mayor is invited to.

To invite the Mayor to your event please complete the Mayor attendance form and return it to the Mayor's Officer. Please give us at least 7 days notice.

Visit: www.rochdale.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/mayors/Pages/mayoral-invitations.aspx

Email: mayoral@rochdale.gov.uk

Tel: 01706 924773