Your Local Independent 213

November 2026 Page 3 AD SALES 01204 478812 SPRINGHILL Hospice’s second Starlight Ball has raised £55,763 for the Rochdale charity. The glittering evening of entertain- ment and fundraising took place in October at Rochdale Town Hall. A hospice spokesperson said: “As we celebrate this amazing total, we would like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who made the evening possible. “To our guests, donors, volunteers, prize donors and supporters, thank you for your generosity and commit- ment to helping us continue provid- ing vital care and support to local patients and their families. “Your support helped create a memorable evening while raising vital funds for hospice care across our community. “We would also like to thank every- one who donated prizes, supported our auction and raffle, and contrib- uted to the event’s success in so many ways. Every contribution, big or small, played a part in helping us reach this fantastic total. “Together, you have helped raise funds that will make a real difference to the lives of our patients and those closest to them. Thank you for helping make our second Starlight Ball such a tremendous success.” A SCHEME to deliver 81 new homes in Roch- dale is already deliv- ering ‘huge’ social value across the bor- ough, according to project chiefs. The development on a brownfield site next to Rochdale’s Central Retail Park is due for comple- tion in December 2027, but has already created bumper benefits for the wider community. Contractor Willmott Dixon, working on behalf of Rochdale council, has already spent £3.3million with civil engineering firm Hovington – which is based less than a mile from the site and carried out all the groundwork on the scheme. Willmott Dixon is also finalising contracts with two other businesses in the area which will take the local spend to £5m. The builder has also supported a total of 95 weeks of apprenticeship and T-Level training, including 3 T-Level place- ments from Hopwood Hall College, who have honed their skills dur- ing placements on site. Specific projects are also taking place with local schools, including Newhouse Academy. Seven local people are also employed on the project, including two who who were previ- ously unemployed, with the council’s work and skills team supporting the recruitment. The Willmott Dixon team has also taken part in fundraising drives for Building some momentum d local charities, includ- ing Springhill Hospice, which has been given £1,800. Tommy Patter- son, 22, from Middleton, is one of the local peo- ple working on the new homes. He said: “I had been out of work for six months when the job cen- tre arranged for me to get my CSCS card and that led to me securing a scaf- folding apprenticeship here on site. “I have always worked and had been let go, so getting this job was a life- line. I live on my own and was struggling to pay my bills. It’s great to work here. Everyone is lovely; it’s a smashing team.” The development, known as John Rennie Place, in honour of the late Scottish Civil engi- neer who masterminded the Rochdale Canal, got under way in November last year, and is due for completion in Decem- ber 2027. The project is being led by Rochdale Development Agency (RDA) on behalf of the local authority. Mike Lane, director of operations at Willmott Dixon, said: “We are committed to creating a lasting legacy beyond the project.” HOSPICE’S STARLIGHT GATHERING SHINES THE Early Doors Club, known for staging successful early evening live music events in Bolton andWigan, has launched in Rochdale. The historic St Chad’s Church in the town centre is the venue for a series of shows following the installa- tion of a stage along with professional sound and lighting equipment. Nigel Clark, frontman of Britpop favourites Dodgy, is among the art- ists booked to appear at the church, thanks to funding from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Culture Fund. The venue hosted an introductory show featuring Liam Fender sup- ported by Rebecca Spooner. The Early Doors Club is a grass- roots live music initiative delivered by The Snug Coffee House, based in Atherton. Event manager Ben Morgan from The Early Doors Club said: “Roch- dale is a key area for our expansion, building on the work of the local cul- tural team to bring more events and opportunities into areas where people live and work. “Rochdale Development Agency’s commitment to improving access to culture is why we want to be there and we’re excited to help build some- thing for the town.” Since its 2023 debut, The Early Doors Club has stagedmore than 160 events, attracted over 13,500 people and supportedmore than 250 artists. Nearly half of the audiences have travelled from outside the host area, highlighting its role in boosting town centres and support- ing local economies. The project is designed to break down barriers to live music, with performances in cafés, churches, com- munity halls and heritage spaces on the high street. Events start early and finish by 9pm, making them accessible for those using public transport and anyone who prefers earlier evenings. Tickets are offered on a ‘pay what you can basis’, so price doesn’t prevent anyone from attending. IN BRIEF TANDOORI Flames in Littleborough lifted the North West Takeaway of the Year award at the Asian Restaurant and Takeaway Awards at London’s Park Lane Hilton Hotel. HOPWOOD Hall College held its Higher Education Graduation and Awards Ceremony at Rochdale Town Hall. Kelly Simpson – a Foundation Degree Early Years student -married to husband Daniel the same day and wore her wedding dress as she collected her degree certificate! GREATER Manchester Police’s Economic and Cyber Crime Unit held an awareness event at Spotland Library in Rochdale, offering people advice on fraud and how to protect themselves online. PASSENGERS travelling on Greater Manchester’s tram network received a welcome surprise as 6,000 free books were given away by Read Manchester to mark World Mental Health Day. Music on offer Early Doors Gig: Nigel Clark, frontman of Britpop favourites Dodgy (Photo credit: Rochdale Council) ROCHDALE AFC Community Trust’s big ‘Sleep Out’ has raised £10,000 to help the homeless. The event at the CrownOil Arena, wel- comed a large group of Dale supporters, local businesses and communities to bring their sleeping bags and spend the night in the stadium. A club spokesperson said: “In part- nership with Petrus Community, the funds have helped the campaign Changing Lives, a partnership that is supporting people experiencing home- lessness and those living in supported accommodation through football, wellbeing, education and employabil- ity opportunities. “A huge thank you to everyone who took part and those who have donated to a great cause.” Dale’s ‘Sleep Out’ has a winning goal Fundraisers: Dale’s fundraising initiative will change lives (Photo credit: RAFC)