Mayor’s Column: Councillor Aasim Rashid

Date published: 30 November 2021

Councillor Aasim Rashid was sworn in as the Mayor of Rochdale on Wednesday 19 May 2021.

This column is about the places he has been and the people he has met from the week commencing Monday 15 November to Sunday 21 November.

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Tuesday 16 November, I received an invitation from Ros Hopkins, Road Safety Development Officer at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS), to attend a VIP performance of ‘Safe Drive Stay Alive’ at Middleton Arena.

Now in its 7th year, Safe Drive Stay Alive is a road safety initiative that aims to empower young drivers to make safer driving choices. It is the first of its kind in Greater Manchester and uses real people, including emergency service staff and family members of those lost in collisions, to tell their own personal stories of tragedy and loss.

Short videos were shown, stories were told by victims about the impact of dangerous driving, and speakers were invited to talk from each of the emergency services to get their point across to the school and college groups present.

It was a very emotional and heart wrenching session; it only takes a few seconds for someone’s life to be taken away or seriously damaged.

I learnt that becoming a casualty in a road traffic collision continues to be one of the biggest risks for young people, with evidence to suggest that those aged between 17 and 25 years of age are more likely to die or suffer serious injury from a road traffic collision.

Thank you to all on the Safe Drive Stay Alive Greater Manchester Project Team for educating and therefore reducing the number of young people killed or injured each year on our roads.

 

Read more: Young people learn harrowing consequences of unsafe driving at Safe Drive Stay Alive 2021Published: 27 November 2021

 

 

I visited the headquarters of Greater Manchester Police on Wednesday (17 November) to meet Chief Constable Stephen Watson. I initially met Chief Constable Watson at Her Majesty’s (HM) Judges Service at Manchester Cathedral in October, where we planned to meet up again.

Stephen officially took up his new role earlier this year in May, and after only a few months into the job outlined his plans for the future improvement of GMP; unveiling a series of promises to the public that set out what communities in Greater Manchester can expect from the force.

 

Read more: New Chief Constable of Greater Manchester Police sworn inPublished: 25 May 2021

 

I wish him the best of luck in these plans and hope the public will also support him in his initiatives. To find out more about his ‘promises to the public’ visit the dedicated page on the GMP website.

 

 

The blue, pink and white transgender flag was raised at Number One Riverside on Saturday 20 November for the official Transgender Day of Remembrance, and to mark the start of Rochdale’s pride celebrations - Rochdale in Rainbows.

Transgender Day of Remembrance is an annual observation that was founded in 1999 and honours the memory of trans people whose lives have been lost in acts of anti-transgender violence.

Members of the LGBTQ+ community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other non-binary or gender non-conforming identities) attended the event on Saturday morning where local young people shared their reflections and a minute’s silence was held to remember those whose lives have been lost.

We stand in solidarity.

 

Read more: Flag raising for Transgender Day of RemembrancePublished: 19 November 2021

 

 

A Christmas fair in aid of a small cat rescue, Little Tinkers, was held in the Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre on Saturday (20 November). Around 30 small independent businesses attended the event organised by Karen Jenkins who runs a small independent business herself - Crafty Cards & Invites.

Karen decided to host the event as there will be no council-organised Christmas market again this year due to Covid-19. Thank you to Karen for helping local businesses gain support, I hope sufficient funds were raised in aid of your good cause.

 

Read more: Christmas fair in Rochdale ExchangePublished: 09 November 2021

 

It was time to officially welcome the festive season on Saturday afternoon as Rochdale’s Christmas lights were switched on at Rochdale Riverside. The build up to the switch on began at 3.30pm with a series of very special light displays and live street theatre for all the family, which the Mayoress and I thoroughly enjoyed. We also enjoyed meeting all the public who attended.

You can read more about Rochdale’s Christmas Lights Switch On via the link below.

 

Read more: Rochdale’s Christmas lights switch on – everything you need to knowPublished: 14 November 2021

 

 

Organised by Heywood Business Group on behalf of Heywood Township, it was also time for Heywood to start the countdown to Christmas on Saturday (20 November) with their Christmas Lights Switch On. Unlike previous years, there was unfortunately no parade or charity stalls this year due to Covid-19, but nevertheless everyone had festive fun.

Entertainment was provided by the cast of this year’s Christmas pantomime in Heywood - Cinderella – on the stage outside St Luke's Church before the official lights switch on which included an amazing fireworks display. Thank you to Heywood Business Group for putting the magical family event together and for inviting me to officially switch the lights on.

 

 

The next Christmas lights switch on was in Middleton on Sunday (21 November). Organised by Middleton Township, residents started the countdown to Christmas in Middleton Gardens as the town was once again lit up for 2021.

Entertainment began on the stage in the gardens from 1pm which included live performances from local groups before the lights were officially switched on by me and a very special guest, Father Christmas, at 5pm.

I hope all the Christmas light switch on events this year brought much needed Christmas cheer to those who attended throughout the borough. After such a tough time last year it is important that we come together, and events like these are a special way to remind us that we are all still connected and better times are ahead.

 

 

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The Mayor’s Charity Appeal for 2021/22 is raising funds for Springhill Hospice, Parkinson’s UK, Petrus Rochdale, Jolly Josh, and Rochdale Shopmobility. All donations are gratefully received and will go to these fantastic local causes.

You can donate to the Mayor’s Charity Appeal (registered charity number 1043910) by:

BACS or bank transfer:
Barclays Bank Rochdale Branch
Account Name: Mayor of Rochdale's Charity Appeal
Account Number: 53356159
Sort code: 20-72-67

Cheque: make cheques payable to The Mayor's Charity. You can drop them off at the front desk at Number One Riverside or post them to:

​​The Mayor's Office
Number One Riverside
Smith Street
Rochdale
OL16 1XU​​​​

Phone (one-off text giving): Text ROCHDALE to 70085 to donate £5. Texts costs £5 plus one standard rate message.

 

 

Mayoral Invitations

The mayor welcomes invitations to events held by local organisations and individuals. Due to demand, it may not be possible for the mayor to attend every event he is invited to.

To invite the mayor to your event, please complete the mayor attendance form and return it to the Mayor’s Officer.

• Visit: www.rochdale.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/mayors/Pages/mayoral-invitations.aspx
• Email: mayoral@rochdale.gov.uk
• Tel: 01706 924890