Young charity fundraisers run, cycle and sleep!

Young group from Middleton taking part in the Manchester to Blackpool bike ride

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Young people from around the borough have been keeping busy over the summer holidays by doing their bit for charity and their local community.

A group of 10 young people from Middleton took part in the annual Manchester to Blackpool bike ride, raising money for The Christie. The group practiced for the event by completing 30 mile bike rides around the borough, with staff from Rochdale Borough Council’s Youth Service, before getting on their saddles and completing the 60mile ride, raising over £200.

Another group, also from Middleton, took part in another organised charity event, Race for Life at Heaton Park. The seven young people from Springvale Youth Centre raised over £200 for Cancer Research UK.

Over in Heywood, members of the Youth Forum organised their own event by sleeping ‘rough’ one night as part of an ongoing project about homelessness in the borough.

The community conscious group also visited the Sanctuary project in Rochdale and interviewed clients there to find out how people become homeless and how it impacts their lives.

For this work, they raised money by selling ‘Heywood Youth Forum against Poverty’ wristbands to other young people. They also made a short DVD which they presented at the PeaceJam conference in Bradford, which was highly praised. They received a £500 prize for their work which they are now planning to use, as well as the money raised, for a winter event for homeless people locally later in the year.

In Rochdale, young people have been taking part in community clean ups and litter picks. Hare Hill Park in Littleborough has benefitted from the groups green fingers.

Councillor Donna Martin, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families at Rochdale Borough Council said, “It’s fantastic that young people are doing something positive for their communities, and getting stuck in at events such as these.

“I’m really pleased for them all and would like to congratulate all of the young people who have been doing good things this summer.”