Mayor’s Charity Ball raises money for local charities

Mayor’s Charity Ball - Toast of the Haggis

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Mayor Peter Rush and Mayoress Monica Rush welcomed people into Rochdale Town Hall for this year's Mayor’s Charity Ball.

The ball took a Scottish theme and celebrated Burns Night. To start the evening, guests were invited to a drinks reception in the foyer of the town hall, which was accompanied by bagpipes.

Once in the Great Hall, guests sat down to a six-course meal, which included Scotch broth soup, Aberdeen Angus beef, Highland cheesecake and a cheese selection with Scottish oatcakes.

The highlight of the meal was a main course of Haggis, which was presented to the guests by Mayor Rush accompanied by a bagpipe player. A toast to the Haggis was read, Mayor rush then stabbed the Haggis and guests raised a toast to the Haggis with a wee dram of whisky.

Entertainment for the evening included a Ceilidh Band, reading of Robert Burn’s poetry by local writer Norman Warwick and the Choir with the Voice Unspoken and performances from Middleton Popstars.

Mayor Rush said: “I am very excited about this ball, which is for some very good causes.

"Everyone has worked very hard to put this event on.

"I must thank Councillor Andy Kelly who is chairman of my committee, my secretary Dorothy Jones and all of the catering staff who
have made this night what it is. It looks absolutely perfect and I am very proud of this event.”

Councillor Andy Kelly who was head of the fundraising committee said: “It was an excellent evening.”

Guests at the event included Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk, Middleton and Heywood MP Jim Dobbin, local councillors, local businesses, local charities and people of the Rochdale Borough.

Money raised from the event will be split between the Mayor’s charities, which include the Rochdale Branch of Parkinson’s UK, Springhill Hospice and the Blind Welfare Association as well as a number of other charities.