United for day of fun
COMMUNITIES and cultures came together at a family fun day.
Hundreds of parents and children visited the event in Stoneyfield Park in Deeplish which organisers dubbed ‘Unity in the Community’.
Shahid Sardar, from the King Street East Residents’ Association and chairman of the fun day organising committee, said: “We had been discussing this fun day with Greater Manchester Police and the council for some time to celebrate all our cultures, faiths and to bring existing, new and emerging communities together.
“This community event also served as a great way for communities, professionals and stakeholders to learn more about each other, begin dialogue and help to break down barriers and challenge misconceptions.”
Mayor of Rochdale Coun Ian Duckworth opened the day by welcoming everyone and thanking the organisers, residents and participants.
Coun Mohammed Zaman said: “Our ambi- tion was for the fun day to be truly inclusive – and it most certainly was. If you missed it you missed out.
“By including and involving the local and wider community we know that we have started a process of fostering better community cohesion between different communities, generations, faith and cultures.”
Activities included face painting, a fun fair, bouncy castle and bungee jumping.
The entertainment on offer involved an African and Bollywood dance troupes, with even the local PCSO Martyn Beever joining in the fun.
There were also martial arts demonstrations and police vehicles on site for the children to sit in.
The day was rounded off with a kabaddi match between teams from Lancashire and Yorkshire, with Team Rochdale winning.
The winning team captain Nisar Ahmed from Rochdale Kabaddi Club and the runner up were presented with trophies by Coun Zaman, Chief Supt Jean-Paul Ruffle and Shahid Sardar.
Chief Supt Ruffle said: “It was a brilliantly organised event bringing our diverse communities together, enjoying themselves, dancing and eating together – and to be part of that really makes me even more proud of Rochdale.”