Weekly Column: Mayor Billy Sheerin

Date published: 01 August 2019

This weekly column from the Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Billy Sheerin, is about the places he has been and the people he has met during the week commencing Monday 22 to Sunday 28 July 2019.

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On Monday, Rochdale welcomed two judges from the Royal Horticultural Society who were given a tour of the town as part of regional judging for the North West in Bloom competition.

I greeted the judges as councillor and a Rochdale in Bloom member at Castleton Railway Station; I’ve volunteered with the group for many years and am passionate about the developments in Castleton, such as the Castleton War Memorial stone, and regularly tend to the hanging baskets.

Paul Ellison, vice chair of Rochdale In Bloom, joined me on the canal bridge the evening before the judges arrived, tending to the hanging baskets after the warm spell. I decided to drop a bucket with some rope into the canal to get water - sometimes you've got to improvise!

The judges received a warm welcome to Rochdale town centre as, dressed now as the Mayor, I joined them at Rochdale Memorial Gardens, before welcoming them onto the town hall balcony, where they caught an aerial view of the town centre in bloom.

What an absolutely terrific day we all had. I hope it was an enjoyable experience for the judges like it was for me. With our fingers crossed, we’re hoping to take our third gold medal in a row this year.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/129327/regional-judging-day-for-rochdale-in-bloom

 

 

Also on Monday, I cut the ribbon at the official opening of John Priestley’s portrait exhibition in the Wheatsheaf Shopping Centre.

John is a former homeless man who has opened his first art gallery in the Wheatsheaf, where he hopes to change the public perception of being homeless. He is an extremely talented person who mostly produces 3D artwork, it’s very impressive.

The exhibition shows a journey through his life; how he was in a state of homelessness, got rescued by Limes Housing and then started to build himself back up. You can see in his artwork how he was lonely and isolated in a vulnerable situation, but then changes his life around whilst on the road to recovery. It was a privilege for me to open the event and I encourage everyone to go and meet John and see the exhibition. His story is inspirational.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/129405/john-priestley-opens-popup-art-gallery-in-wheatsheaf-shopping-centre

 

 

I attended the regular British Citizenship Registrar's presentation at Rochdale Town Hall, where people receive their British citizenship from the government and are welcomed on behalf of the borough to their official new home – Rochdale.

What was funny at this ceremony was that a gentleman from Australia was receiving his British citizenship, and I thought I’d test him by quietly asking who he is supporting in The Ashes cricket series, England or Australia? He looked at me with a gleam in his eye and said, ‘Hmm I’ve not quite decided yet!’ and we both laughed.

Thursday, I had my second official Mayor’s Charity meeting with the Mayor’s Charity committee. We are still working on several ideas to fundraise for the Mayor’s Charity Appeal this year, which includes M6 Theatre, Springhill Hospice, Parkinson’s UK, Leukaemia UK, Hydro Pool and Shopmobility. The committee carry out such important work, helping many groups and charities within Rochdale, and I’m looking forward to the year of fundraising events ahead.

A Community Volunteer Festival was held on The Butts in Rochdale town centre on Friday (26 July). The event showcased volunteer opportunities within the borough as local experts guided attendees through what Rochdale has to offer them.

Local organisations and groups in attendance included Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, Royal British Legion, Link4Life, The Volunteer Hub, National Lottery Community Fund, Women’s Housing Action Group, Rochdale Connections Trust, Nigeria Community Association, Petrus, Action Together, Living Well and Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Circle, as well as karate demonstrations given to those interested.

I visited every stall chatting to every stall holder, it was a lovely day before the big storm broke out. The voluntary sector is vital; the amount of work, and the variety of work, volunteers do is quite amazing, and it is so important to always support them as they fill in the gaps that council funding can’t always fulfil. I hope volunteers can continue their good work for years to come, even though funding is difficult, there is always some help out there.

 

 

 

 

Saturday, I was invited to Robinson’s Common in Newbold for a community fun day. It was quite sad as the weather was horrible, so the children couldn’t go on the bouncy castles as they were full of water and the football tournament arranged was cancelled. Nevertheless, we enjoyed the day and took the fun inside where there was play doh creations, Skylight Circus Arts demonstrations and face painting.

I wanted to join in and have my face painted but was told you had to be under 16, so I was a few years out of the age limit…

 

 

 

To finish the week, I attended a formal occasion on Saturday evening at Success to the Plough as the Rochdale Fusilier Association hosted Minden celebrations.

This event was to commemorate the Battle of Minden in North Germany in 1759 during The Seven Years’ war. The battle saw the British, including the Lancashire Fusiliers, and Germans fight the French and Anglo Saxons and is also known as the Battle of Roses, as British Regiments advanced to the fight with roses in their hats, plucked from the fields.

At the celebration, I was introduced to the tradition of the youngest recruit, oldest recruit and newest recruit of the regiment eating/drinking the ‘Minden Rose’, which is a rose dipped in red wine. Reverend Margaret Smith, Rochdale’s town centre chaplain, was the newest recruit so had to take part, it was so interesting to learn of the history of the war and this tradition.

Thank you to the fusiliers for inviting me to their commemoration.

 

 

 

Mayoral Invitations

​​​​The Mayor welcomes invitations to events held by local organisations and individuals. Due to demand, it may not be possible for the Mayor to attend every event he is invited to.

To invite the Mayor to your event please complete the Mayor attendance form and return it to the Mayor's Officer.

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

Email: mayoral@rochdale.gov.uk

Tel: 01706 924773