Alison is given £1,000 help towards UN trip
A TEENAGER from PASSMONDS set to be the UK’s only youth delegate at a United Nations conference has received a £1,000 grant from the council to fund her trip.
Alison Greaves had been saving up her wages from her job as a bartender at the Regal Moon in the town centre to pay for the once-in-alifetime opportunity, aided by a grant and donation from her church group. And the 18-yearold now has the £1,200 she needs to completely fund her flights and accommodation, allowing her to concentrate on representing young people’s views on good health and wellbeing during the UN’s winter conference, working with other delegates on the UN’s 2030 agenda for sustainable development.
Coun Janet Emsley, who broke the news of the grant during Alison’s lunch break, said: “Alison is a very impressive young lady. She cares about the world, is prepared to act on her principles and has worked extremely hard to achieve her funding target independently, which is why we felt she deserved some help towards her goal. Our intentions are not entirely altruistic, however, as we have asked that she presents her findings from the UN to the borough’s young people once she returns from New York.”
Alison, who lives with her parents, said: “It’s been really tough saving for this trip while preparing to leave for university, so this money makes a huge difference. I’m passionate about recycling and the environment and I’ve been speaking to children and young people around Rochdale to get an understanding of how they feel. That’s what spurs me on to represent their views at the UN.”
Alison will spend three days at the UN headquarters from February 1, and will return to deliver a presentation to young people in the borough with the help of Rochdale’s youth service.