Weekly Column: Mayor Billy Sheerin

Date published: 23 December 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 9 December to Sunday 15 December 2019.

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My first engagement of the week was on Monday evening (9 December) at Bridgewater Hall, as the Mayoress and I were invited to attend the Manchester & Districts Hospital’s Choir Christmas Concert.

The concert is an annual event arranged to raise funds for the CLIC Sargent charity, which not only helps and supports young people with cancer, but also their families. Currently they are working to build a ‘Home from Home’ in Manchester, very close to the Christie Hospital, where most of the lengthy treatments take place.

Together, with the High Sherriff of Greater Manchester, his wife and several of the other Mayors and Mayoresses of Greater Manchester, we listened to (and occasionally joined in with) the combined hospital choirs and two school choirs, entertaining with the Greater Manchester Police trumpeters. The conductor was Clark Rundell and the organist was Jonathan Scott, who also performed a Christmas Organ Concert at Rochdale Town Hall this month. This was a very enjoyable evening in a splendid venue for a really good cause.

 

 

Tuesday 10 December, I attended a retirement presentation at Number One Riverside. Allison Midlane has worked continually for the council for the last 42 years. She worked in number of different office positions across the council’s administration departments, and finally as PA to the director of Adult and Social Care.

Prior to becoming the Mayor, I was assistant to the portfolio holder for Adult Care and often obtained help from Allison when I required advice and direction dealing with surgery work for residents. It was nice to surprise her and thank her as the mayor on behalf of all the elected members of the council.

We all wish Allison a long and enjoyable retirement, she has certainly earned it.

 

 

Also, on Tuesday, I was in the Clock Tower Restaurant in the Town hall in between mayoral events when I noticed a special birthday party being celebrated for a 90-year-old gentleman. His name was John Hargreaves, from Whitworth, who was there with his family. One of his daughters, Dorothy Charleston, had flown over from Vancouver to be with her father on this special day.

I hope that if I am lucky enough to reach 90, I am as mobile and alert as John. Many happy returns John and many more of them.

 

 

It was a wet and windy afternoon in Norden when I arrived at Nutters restaurant to officially open Nutters first ever Christmas Markets. But never mind the weather, after one of Andrew Nutter’s special cocktails and a ribbon cutting exercise declaring the market open, we all ventured out for the setting off of two large fireworks.

The fireworks were like two big pin wheels that spun around and shot colourful displays into the sky; there was one little problem as the wind kept blowing the hot displays in our direction, but Andrew came to the rescue and all was well. However, I now think I know how he got his name! What a great character, and a great chef, and a great friend.

 

 

Tuesday evening, I attended Carols by Candlelight in Manchester Cathedral for Henshaws charity. This is a charity that supports people living with sight loss in Greater Manchester and Merseyside, helping them to build skills and develop confidence so they can look forward to a positive future.

Manchester Cathedral is a superb church in which to sing carols. Manchester Youth String band and Sale Salvation Army Band provided the music and we had guest artists Mriya (a Ukrainian choir) and Denise Leigh and Stefan Andruyshyn - a blind soprano and a pianist. They are two amazing people. I understand that Henshaws is one of the oldest charities in the country, and a very worthwhile one to.

Wednesday 11 December, I was invited to Lowerplace Primary School by Claire McGreevy, an inspirational teacher who encourages children and parents to read story books together. The school have created a special comfy area that looks just like an old-fashioned sitting room with a fire, two armchairs and a thick hearth rug.

The event was called ‘Stories in the Snug’ and I sat in one of the armchairs whilst children sat at my feet as I read three books, it was absolutely brilliant. The children listened intensely and at the end of each story we discussed the contents. I always started the stories by saying “Are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin”. I started like this because when I was young, and we didn’t have television only the radio, stories were read to us on the radio by Daphne Oxenford every weekday afternoon just before ‘Woman’s Hour’ and this is what she said.

I must applaud Lowerplace School for creating such a wonderful environment and encouraging reading. I always remember that the best part of the school day was story time.

 

 

Wednesday afternoon, the Mayoress and I were invited to the Pensioners Association Christmas Party which was held in Rochdale Town Hall. We had a great time enjoying a Christmas dinner with excellent company, a super artist singing all our favourite songs, a game of bingo and a raffle, on which I won a tin of biscuits.

The Pensioners Association are a great bunch of people who host events all through the year for likeminded people.

 

 

Thursday 12 December, I made a visit to Newlands School in Middleton which caters for children with moderate, severe or profound and multiple learning difficulties. The visit was to watch the Key Stage One Christmas Show and Nativity scene. The Mayoress and I were lucky to visit the school last year when we were deputies and to be invited back for this year’s concert was something we really wanted to see and enjoyed. The stage was full of little angels.

Thank you to the headteacher, Deborah Rodgers, and all the Newlands staff who work so hard and must be congratulated. Always know that you have our heartfelt thanks and support.

Later was the Springhill Hospice Day Care Patients Christmas Party. It was crackers and paper hats time at the hospice and, best of all, time for another Christmas dinner, which I must say was beautifully cooked. Volunteers and service users were all in attendance.

Thank you to the mayoral team who, after the entertainer had to cancel due to illness, quickly came to the rescue by asking Rochdale Music Service, who were rehearsing in Rochdale Town Hall, to help. Carols rang out in the day centre and all was right again.

 

 

Thursday (12 December) afternoon, I attended another Christmas party at St Mary’s in the Baum Church, organised by PCSO Jodie Barlow for those living around the town centre who might struggle at Christmas time.

Hot pie and peas were on offer, as well as help and advice from Abby Cooper - a community engagement worker for Thinking Ahead - for residents with money worries, work stress, difficulty sleeping, feeling low and drug and alcohol abuse. Men could also have a free haircut from Morley Haircuts barbers Humayoun Al Rashid and Ambrose Khalid. Looking at the amount of cut hair on the floor this free offer was well taken up!

There was a stall with free toys for those who find it hard to buy their children Christmas presents and I witnessed a young boy called Liam Ashton who came in and donated a toy of his own for those worse off than himself. A wonderful gesture Liam, your parents should be very proud of you.

Roch Valley Radio provided music throughout the event and a big thanks must go to Danny and Vinney for giving up their free time for this event. PCSO Jodie Barlow is a colourful caring character and she and PS John Sutcliffe from GMP must be congratulated for organising this special event for our borough.

 

 

Friday night welcomed Wardle Academy’s Christmas Musical Evening. Both I and the mayoress were treated to a wonderful concert of brass band music of a very high quality by the ‘Concert Band’ who quickly had the audience Rocking around the Christmas Tree, ‘The Development Band’ who had 100% audience participation for the 12 Days of Christmas, The ‘Percussion Ensemble’ and guitar and folk groups.

Mrs Jane Conway, Mrs Gwen Smith, Mr Cliff Woodward and Mr Brad McMullochs in charge of the groups must have been delighted with the musicians, I certainly was.

The evening rounded off with a medley of festive songs performed by Wardle's European Champion Youth Band under the baton of Mr Lee Rigg. There was a special moment during the Youth Band's medley that made the whole evening even more magical: the mayoress and I were serenaded by European Champion trombonist Adam Warburton with a rendering of ‘I just called to say I love you’. Adam left the stage and came down to our table, you can’t get more romantic than that!

 

 

I began the weekend at The High Sherriff of Greater Manchester’s Christmas Ball, held on Saturday night (14 December) at The Radisson Blu in Manchester. This is an annual dinner in aid of The Greater Manchester High Sheriff’s Police Trust, who aim to challenge all forms of discrimination and social exclusion whilst supporting projects that reduce crime and fear of crime in our communities.

After battling the Saturday night central Manchester traffic, we met up with our fellow mayors and consorts from Greater Manchester and had a very enjoyable evening. The current High Sheriff, Mark Adlestone OBE DL, and his wife Gabriella are rather special people and always make us very welcome. The evening raised a lot of much needed funds for his own charity with around 250 guests in attendance.

Just to digress – when I was installed as the Mayor of Rochdale, I asked for a box that I could take with me on ceremonial events, however the box never arrived. You may ask what does he need a box for? Well look at the picture of me (if you can find me!) with the Greater Manchester mayoral group - if I had a box to stand on, I could look a bit taller!

 

 

Sunday (15 December) was the annual Mayor's Civic Carol Service. This year, I chose to hold it at St John the Baptist RC Church. In the presence of Bishop John Arnold, the service brought together dignitaries and public of all faiths from across the borough. As well as a selection of popular carols, guest readers included Reverend Mark Coleman (Vicar of St. Chads), Mirazam Neeli (Imam of Masjid Mosque) and the High Sheriff of Greater Manchester.

The Mayoress and I wish all our Rochdale Online readers a very Happy Christmas and all the very best for the coming year. God bless you all.

 

 

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