Corrie star guest appearance at Phoenix Centre open day

Photo: Laura Wild

Guest appearance from Corrie star at Phoenix Centre open day

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Coronation Street star, Katherine Kelly made a guest appearance at the Phoenix Centre public open day in Heywood.

The open day was for people in the area to find out what the Phoenix centre offer.

Ms Kelly, who plays Becky in the ITV soap, had a look round before signing autographs for the people of Heywood.

The Mayor and Mayoress of Rochdale had a tour of the building. Mayor of Rochdale Councillor Keith Swift said: “This is a fabulous new facility for Heywood, the fact that the health service and the council are working together under one roof means they are providing access to these services for the people of Heywood in a 21st century setting.

“The town needs to proud of this centre, it is the first in the Borough and Heywood is leading the way.”

The Phoenix Centre is a joint project between NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale, New Heart for Heywood and Rochdale Borough Council.

The Phoenix Centre provides an adult and children’s library with free internet access, bereavement services, council customer services, and a number of health services, including: dental, contraceptive, midwifery, podiatry and physiotherapy.

Liz Cobby, divisional head of services and facilities management for the Primary Care Trust, said: “We hope that today will be an eye-opener for the locals, so we can show them exactly what is on offer. This is a public open day so that they can interact with what we are doing. Locals have responded with what we are doing and we hope to keep this momentum going but utilising the space we have and delivering to Heywood.

“We need to be realistic in what we can provide to the borough, but we hope to give people exactly what they want.

"The community has and will continue to play a vital part in the future of this centre.”

Alan McCarthy, Chairman of Heywood Township, said: “This new centre will enable us to provide local people with first class health care in a fantastic new facility, in the heart of the town and easy access to lots of valuable services in one place.

“A tremendous amount of work, time and investment has gone in to get us this far, but I think you’ll agree it has been worth it.

“Heywood Township firmly believe that the Phoenix Centre will become a very popular resource for local people, and yet another catalyst for the regeneration of the area and the transformation of the town.”