Rochdale's Mayor discusses his charity efforts and experiences

Mayoress, Jane Gartside; President of the Rochdale Rotary Club, David Smithard; Mayor, Jim Gartside

At the invitation of the Rochdale Rotary Club Rochdale's Mayor 'Gentleman Jim ' Gartside with Mayoress Jane Gartside attended a meeting at the Masonic Hall to give an up to date account of his experiences so far in his Mayoral Year.

The Mayor started by giving a warm thank you to all the Rotary members and club for their support through the year, attending and helping with his charity events particularly the opera night at the Bella Vista restaurant and a charity meal at Nutter's restaurant.

Three local Rochdale charities are the Mayor's choice this year- Springhill Hospice, the Rochdale branch of Parkinson's Disease UK and Rochdale and District Blind Welfare Society.

Around 50 Rotarians and friends were given the inside story of a very busy year, starting in spectacular fashion with the Olympic torch event at the town hall when Jim enjoyed a unique moment holding the torch and meeting people going on to the Olympic event.

Further memories of the singer Martha Reeves in September were of Martha being very pleased to come to the Mayor's Parlour (even asked to use the full length mirror normally reserved for the Mayor in his finery). She sang a song to a delighted couple married at the wedding area in the Town Hall and was keen to watch a real English wedding. She insisted on keeping in touch and Mayor Jim exchanged Christmas cards later in the year.

The decorative roof panels in the Great hall are obscured with heavy varnish and the Mayor's ambition is to clean at least three of the panels back to their former glory with the help of donations during his year of office.

The re-opening of the Pioneer's Museum has been a boost for tourism in Rochdale and alongside the town hall has made Rochdale Internationally famous.

Jim has met many visitors and mentioned a Singapore commemorative postage stamp was recently issued for the International Year of Cooperatives with the original photo of the Rochdale Pioneers on it.

Opening of Kingsway's Asda distribution centre and the building of the new tramway system has made the Mayor's year quite an eventful and satisfying one.

President of the Rochdale Rotary Club, David Smithard, thanked the Mayor for his interesting review of his year so far.