Buy Rochdale Town Hall for a tenner this Christmas

Rochdale Town Hall

Rochdale residents looking for a Christmas present with a difference can buy Rochdale Town Hall and put something back in to Greater Manchester.

Between now and 24 December all properties on Forever Manchester’s virtual community, Manchester Island, have been put on sale at just £10 a piece on a first come, first serve basis, and the Town Hall is one of the major landmarks up for grabs.

People have to choose their chosen property on Manchester Island (www.forevermanchester.com), make a £10 donation, and then furnish their place with a personalised message and weblink. Ownership is retained until 31 December, at which point it can be renewed or be sold on.

Nick Massey, chief executive of the Community Foundation, said: “We’ve all done our bit and bought a goat or adopted a donkey from one charity or another, but this is an opportunity for people who love Greater Manchester to do something locally.

"Every tenner received will be doubled by the Government’s Grass Roots Challenge, and put into endowment to provide funds to support Manchester communities forever – you don’t get a better proposition that that.”

Forever Manchester is hoping to raise £2.2million, which will be matched by the Government to create a £4.4million community fund for Greater Manchester called the Infinity Fund.

Interest from the fund will be distributed in the form of grants to small community groups and social entrepreneurs across the region to help them make a positive difference to their communities, providing financial support to help get projects off the ground.