Sporty teens were on track for TV stardom
●●10 YEARS AGO:
STARDOM beckoned for teenagers from Castleton and Kirkholt, who were filmed for a television advert fronted by athletics star Darren Campbell.
The youngsters spent the day at the City of Manchester Stadium trying different sports and being filmed for the Sky TV commercial.
Former sprinter Linford Christie also turned up to encourage the teens.
Dan Bolton, who helps out at The Academy dance centre in Royle Barn Road, said: “The academy and the youth group were asked to find some kids to take part in the advert with Darren Campbell.
“The kids had an early start at 8am and it was a long day, but they loved the sports.
“It was a great day despite the freezing cold weather.
“The idea was for Darren
Arif Aziz from sponsors Natwest presents a special award to Aadil Hashmi from Roti restaurant at the Ethnic Minority Rochdale annual business awards Campbell to lead the youngsters onto the track like the Pied Piper.
“The whole point is to get more kids involved in sports and athletics.
“Linford Christie turning up was pretty amazing too.”
Campbell and Christie are the famous faces leading the Street Athletics initiative, which aims to uncover the budding athletes in inner city areas. HIGH achievers were rewarded for their success at the fourth Ethnic Minority Rochdale annual business awards at the Town Hall.
Organised by the Rochdale ethnic minority business support team, the event was opened by MP Paul Rowen and the speakers were Phil Hawker, area director of Lloyds TSB and shadow minister for community cohesion, Baroness Sayeeda Warsi. Musical entertainment was provided by Aa’shiq al Rasul.
Malcolm Hall, of sponsors Lloyds TSB, said: “It was a very special evening with a true cross section of our community delighting in the success of rising stars from the ethnic minority business community.”
Roti on Drake Street, which is also the first alcohol-free restaurant in Rochdale, won the award for outstanding effort.
Aadil Hashmi opened the eatery in 2006 with the vision of serving traditional Asian food with Asian chefs who were taught at home. CHILDREN at Stansfield Hall Primary School were dancing to the beat of a different drum after the school’s parents’s and friends association invested in a set of 14 traditional African drums.
Teacher Helena Drumm said: “We wanted to look at different cultural instruments to enrich our music curriculum and we are delighted that the PFA decided to spend some of their budget on these drums. They are a tremendous ●●Youngsters from Castleton and Kirkholt who spent a day at the City of Manchester Stadium filming a Sky TV commercial with Darren Campbell group who do a lot of good work for the school and I would like to say a big thank you to them.” THE latest in a series of lunchtime concerts at Bamford Chapel was hailed as ‘the best ever.’
Soprano Alisa Mainwaring, accompanied by Jonathan Ellis, sang a beautiful selection of pieces, including oratorios by Handel, Mozart and Faure. The concert was enjoyed by an audience of 100 people.
The organiser Walter Brisk said: “The biggest audience we ever had was in raptures with them.
“It was probably one of the best concerts we have ever had.” A BLACK tie dinner dance was set to raise in the region of £2,500 for St Michael’s Primary School.
The event, organised by the school’s parent teacher association, attracted more than 100 people to Rochdale Golf Club on Saturday night, including headteacher Gillian Rhodes, teachers and friends.
An auction included beautiful pieces of work by Rochdale artist Mark Brierley and a picture of Manchester United legends signed by Sir Alex Ferguson.
A school spokeswoman said: “It is a really good night and it is one of our big ones to raise money for the school barbecue.
“This year somebody did caricatures of people instead of photographs being taken and it was really good fun.”
PTA chairman Alyson Diggle said: “I was thrilled by the number of people who came up to me and said what a great time they had.” CHRISTMAS decorations with a difference were made by members of the Rochdale Guild.
Forty two people were given a prepared kit and everyone made a small draw-top bag using gold material. These were decorated with embroidery or beads to use as a tree decoration or to hold a small gift.
Josephine Storey, the guild’s visitor from Wetherby, was very pleased with their progress as many finished their projects. And some purchased other kits from her range of designs and materials. Embroiderers’