Petrus Community Day

Mayor of Rochdale Councillor Keith Swift and Mayoress Sue Etchells met with the Petrus service users at Castlemere Community Centre for a day of fun and games.

The event was put together using the ideas which the service users had suggested, they included a fashion show, cooking demonstrations and a drum workshop before ending on a ‘play your cards right’ style quiz.

As well as a variety of activities to take part in there were also information stands from local agencies such as Hopwood Hall College and the Adelaide Street Addiction Centre to provide information for the Petrus service users.

Mayor Keith Swift, said: “I am pleased to see so many people here, thank you to everybody who has helped in this project.

“It is great to see people making this borough a better place for all of us.”

The deputy co ordination of the day, Phil Foster, said: “We are glad to be able to welcome everyone to the day. It is pleasing to see such a wide range of activities available including the drumming and the fashion show.

“It is a big event as it doesn’t occur very often for the Petrus community and it is something everybody can take part in.

“We hope to be able to do something like this again, although it isn’t an annual event.”

Wayne Taylor, who has used Petrus in the past, said: “Up to now it has been a really good day, it’s a one off and something different with so much going on.”

Joanne Duffy, a care worker took Lousie Jackson to the event, she said: “it’s a great way to bring everybody together and it’s nice for Louise to see people she hasn’t seen for a while.”

Lynda Robinson, Chair of Petrus, said: “It is 7 years since we last held an event like this, a lot of hard work goes into the organisation. I would like to say a huge thank you to everybody who has made it happen.

“As part of the day we have a diary room in the style of big brother so service users can tell us what they like about what we do and what we could do better.”

Petrus is a voluntary organisation which provides housing for the homeless.