MP hosts dinner for Mayor's charity

The Pioneer Co-op Museum Manager, Jennifer Broadbent; Mayor, Councillor Jim Gartside; Nigel Evans MP; Simon Danczuk MP, Gillian Lonergan, Head of Heritage Resources and Rochdale Online Director, John Kay

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The Member of Parliament for Rochdale, Simon Danczuk hosted a dinner in the Town Hall on Friday evening (12 April) to raise funds for the Mayor of Rochdale’s Charity Appeal, which is to support Springhill Hospice, Rochdale Branch of Parkinson’s UK and Rochdale Blind Welfare Society.

Simon Danczuk arranged for a fellow MP, Nigel Evans, who holds the position of Deputy Speaker in the House of Commons, to attend the dinner and be the main speaker.

On arriving in Rochdale Nigel Evans was greeted by the Mayor, Councillor James Gartside, at the Town Hall and then taken to The Pioneer Co-op Museum at Toad Lane where Gillian Lonergan, Head of Heritage Resources, and The Museum Manager, Jennifer Broadbent gave him a whistle stop tour of the displays in the newly refurbished Museum.

The party then visited the award winning Best Pub in England, The Baum, where the Mayor, the Deputy Speaker and Rochdale’s MP pulled pints behind the bar. 

On returning to the Town Hall they found that the Mayoress, Councillor Jane Gartside was presiding over an open house session in the Mayor’s Parlour for the 50 guests who were attending 'the MP’s Dinner' which was held in the adjoining reception room.

The Town Hall put on an excellent meal with ingredients which would have been available in 1844 when the Rochdale Equitable Pioneers Society opened their store -  now the Pioneer Museum. John Bright’s warm black pudding, roast leg of lamb,  pauper’s bread and apple pudding, followed by English tea, coffee from the colonies and after dinner mints. 

Gillian Lonergan, in addressing the gathering, referred to Rochdale’s status as the birth place of co-operatism, Simon Danczuk MP introduced the main speaker and Nigel Evans MP acknowledged how impressed he was with the Museum, with the Baum and with Rochdale’s Town Hall. He pledged to return and spend more time looking at Rochdale’s heritage and entertained the guests with a light-hearted approach to politics and his role in Parliament.

An excellent evening which should bring around £500 to the Mayor’s charitable appeal thanks to Councillor Karen Danczuk and toast master, Rochdale Online Director,  Rotarian John Kay in selling so many raffle tickets.

All present left with the thanks of the Mayor and the agreement of our MP that an 'MP’s Dinner' will be an annual event to support future Mayor’s in their charitable efforts.