Fundraisers bring the beach to Milnrow

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Councillor Keith Swift, MP Simon Danczuk, the Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Zulfiqar Ali, organiser, Michael Cunningham, Councillor Andy Kelly and guests at the Milnrow Workmen's Club charity beach party

The Milnrow Workmen’s club was transformed into a tropical paradise today (Sunday 29 August 2010) for a charity beach party – to raise money for Springhill Hospice and the children’s cancer charity Clic Sargent.

Guests to the party, including, children, mums and dads and grandparents donned colourful shirts and summer clothes.

The beach party, now in its third year, offers a range of activities for all the family to enjoy, with the downstairs being reserved for the adults and upstairs for the children.

The children enjoyed karaoke, face painting and games and both the children and the adults were able to take part in a fancy dress competition.

Amongst those in attendance was the Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Zulfiqar Ali and Rochdale’s MP Simon Danczuk.

The club’s events and entertainment co-ordinator Michael Cunningham said: “The whole purpose of today is to raise money, and to get the people of Milnrow together.

“Each year we try to raise money for one local and one national charity, we chose the Springhill Hospice because somebody always knows somebody who has been in there, it is a Rochdale charity and we want to support it.

“Clic Sargent is Tesco’s (Milnrow) charity and we decided to raise money together.”

Mr Cunningham continued: “We would hope to raise about £1000 today, with the money being split equally between the two charities.”

Of course, like any event, the beach party has taken a lot of organising, Mr Cunningham concluded: “My thanks go to all the helpers, the committee, and the community, if it wasn’t for them we wouldn’t be here raising money.”

Mayor Ali was very impressed with the theme, he said: “They have done something completely different here to have a beach party in a pub and they have done it up so well, there is a real beach atmosphere.

“It is nice to see so many families and children here and it seems like everyone is enjoying themselves and it is all for a good cause.”

Mayor Ali concluded: “A big thank you must go to the organisers of the fundraising event.”

The beach party will run until midnight tonight with 12 professional singers taking to the stage.