Outgoing Whitworth Mayor makes charity fund donations

The outgoing Mayor of Whitworth – Councillor Maureen Jones – has distributed funds raised during her year of office, which ended on 19 May 2022.

A total of £2,577.74 was raised throughout the year through various events including family swim party, a concert featuring Sean Ruane and friends and an awards evening to celebrate Whitworth’s Unsung Covid Stars.

Wanting to support local organisations who work with children, Ms Jones has made donations to 15 separate organisations including £250 each to all four primary schools in Whitworth to support the development of their forest school areas.

Other beneficiaries include Whitworth Playgroup, Valley Youth Vibe, Whitworth Valley Football Club, Shawforth Methodist Playgroup, local scouts, guides and brownies groups, Whitworth Youth Band, the Ashcroft coffee morning and Rochdale Children’s Moorland Home.

The Mayor also made a donation to Neuroblastoma UK in memory of the town clerk’s nephew, Zachary Ingham, who lost his fight with the disease during the pandemic.

The charity celebrates its 40th anniversary this year to improve awareness, diagnosis and treatment of this childhood cancer and they are pushing to raise £40,000.

Ms Jones said: “Thank you to everyone that came and supported me in all my events.

“I am overwhelmed with the kindness of local people and businesses and glad to have been in a position to support our local young people in this way.”

 

Ms Jones handed over the mayoral chains of Whitworth to Councillor Janet Whitehead at a meeting of Whitworth Town Council on Thursday 19 May.

Councillor Whitehead is going to be accompanied by her consort, Derek Whitehead. The Mayor and Consort will attend functions and events within Whitworth and outside of the town’s boundary, and the Mayor will chair full council meetings of the town council.

During her year in office, Mrs Whitehead’s primary focus will be on trying to make Whitworth an even better place to live, by focusing on improving the environment, working with the police to improve the safety on the streets, working with Lancashire County Council to improve footpaths and roadways and working to improve accessible and inclusive facilities for children and young people.

The Mayor confirmed that she was “very much looking forward to the year ahead” and would be raising funds for some “wonderful local groups and charities who do so much to make Whitworth the wonderful place it is.”