Grand opening of the Healey Dell Heritage Centre & Tea Rooms

Janice Percy, Philip Barrett and Simon Danczuk MP

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The visitor centre in the midst of Rochdale's much loved nature reserve, Healey Dell, re-opens to visitors today having been saved from ruin by local residents Janice Percy and Philip Barrett, who stepped in and transformed the building into what is now a stunning attraction in its own right.

The stone detached building, re-named the Healey Dell Heritage Centre & Tea Rooms, features a nature/industrial heritage exhibition, a vintage themed tea room where visitors can enjoy traditional cream teas and refreshments, a dedicated gallery space for use by local artistes and photographers, and a fairy grotto that children will love.

Asked about the 'vision', Janice said: "Our main aim has always been to help disadvantaged youngsters. We want to get young people involved. Some will be volunteers others may come for work experience; we have partnered with Hopwood Hall College and hope to help young people take their first step into employment.

"All the work has been done by volunteers and no one here is salaried. As well as the tea rooms, we have a community garden based on the Incredible Edible model were volunteers will be growing their own produce. We also have a sensory garden planned."

Philip has lived in the nature reserve for the past 12 years, he said: "We are trying to create a community here in Healey Dell. When the rangers left we were terrified this building would turn into another ruin like so many others in the Dell.

"We are an existing charity that help disadvantaged young people in Rochdale and this gave us an opportunity to broaden our horizons and have a much broader audience we could help and do things for."

Talking to Rochdale Online whilst visiting for a preview before today's grand opening, Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk said: "I think this is a credit to everyone that has made a contribution, they have done a fantastic job, it looks great. I understand people have come from all over to help and ASDA has donated £10,000. I suppose this is the 'big society', everyone working together to make the project work.

"I think Healey Dell is perhaps the forgotten gem of Rochdale, we talk about Hollingworth Lake and the town's parks but sometimes Healey Dell doesn't get a mention; this will put it back on the map, it is a real credit to the town."

The tea rooms serve cream teas, cakes, pastries, light bites, coffee, soft drinks and speciality loose leaf tea.