2014 Diversity Award winners

Breaking Barriers Award - Lower Falinge Junior Wardens

12 More Image(s) In Gallery

The Rochdale Diversity Awards, held on Thursday 19 June and hosted by KYP in the magnificent setting of Rochdale Town Hall, brought people together from a variety of backgrounds and work places to celebrate community cohesion.

Mayor Councillor Carol Wardle officially opened the ceremony and said: “I am delighted to be here this evening. This is the second time in a few months that I have been stood on this stage and the last time I was here, I was telling people to promote the best that Rochdale has to offer and this evening is something that certainly expresses that. These awards show off many aspects that Rochdale has to offer.”

During the ceremony, twelve awards were handed out including a lifetime achievement award and a special award.

Nominations for the awards began in May with each category being judged by a panel of experts.

List of winners:

• Cohesion award – Safina Arif 
• Workforce Diversity award – Great Places Housing Group 
• Diversity in Apprenticeships – RMBC Apprenticeships Programme 
• Diversity in Education Award – Wajid Mahmood 
• Diversity in Health Award – The Lesbian and Gay Foundation 
• Diversity in Housing Award – Energywise North CIC and Great Places Housing Group 
• Diversity in Leisure Award – Rochdale Youth Service 
• Diversity in Retail – CommuniTea Room 
• Breaking Barriers Award – Lower Falinge Junior Wardens 
• Voluntary and Faith Sector Award – Rochdale Council of Mosques 
• Special award – Cohesion Hub 
• Lifetime Achievement – Chief Inspector Nadeem Mir 

Rochdale MP Simon Danczuk said: “As part of my duties of representing the borough, I would like to stand here and say thank you to everyone here and all of the work done to help community cohesion. We should be proud of the work you have done surrounding community cohesion and it is something we should continue to shout about.”

This was the third year of the Diversity Awards and as well as promoting diversity within the community, money was being raised for Rochdale Foodbank and Springhill Hospice.