Pennine Prospects Annual Conference is coming to Rochdale Town Hall

Piethorne Reservoir with views of Rochdale

The rural regeneration company’s annual conference will take place in Rochdale Town Hall between 9.30am and 3.30pm this Friday, October 11. 

In the morning the keynote speaker, Dr Michael Schwarze-Rodrian, will highlight the lessons that can be learned from the regional park experience in Germany when he discusses the Emscher Park programme, which has seen the redevelopment of one of the most polluted and environmentally devastated areas in the world; the Ruhr district in Germany.

Speakers from Visit England and the Canal and River Trust, will focus on the opportunities around sustainable tourism and the waterways of the South Pennines.

Paul Osborne, Programme Manager for Sustrans, will be the final speaker of the morning and will set the scene for the Grand Depart of the Tour to France, which passes through the South Pennines in July 2014.

Following lunch delegates will be able to participate in one of four activities. On offer there is the opportunity to take part in an interactive workshop; either making the most of cycling in the South Pennines or Voluntary action and the Watershed Landscape project; or to go on a site visit; either a tour of the Grade Listed 1 Rochdale Town Hall or to join the Environment Agency team to see the work undertaken in the centre of the town to open up the River Roch.

The conference is supported by the Watershed Landscape project and the South Pennines LEADER programme, (the Rural Development Programme for England), which is jointly funded by Defra and the European Union.