Christmas fair and toy sale, graduations and lots of mince pies
●●10 Years ago: MORE than 300 people attended the Bamford Chapel Christmas fair, which raised £1,600 for the chapel.
Visitors enjoyed mulled wine, mince pies and music from the Bamford Primary School choir.
Pictured are Megan Davies, Zoe Davies, Santa Claus and Beth Hopkins.
OVER 50s enjoyed their Christmas meal at the Meadowfields community centre.
Forty people were treated to a full meal and Christmas themed-karaoke at the luncheon club’s party.
Pictured are June Marsh, the mayor and mayoress, Councillor Peter Evans and Mrs Helen Evans, Joan Boulton and Sheila Moronelli.
NEARLY £150 was raised at a Christmas toy sale at Milnrow pre-school.
The tombola had a wide selection of prizes including candles, jewellery boxes, homemade Christmas cards and bottles of wine.
The money raised was to be used to buy a new whiteboard for the children to use with the computers.
ALL the world was a stage at Hopwood Hall College as students put on five performances of the pantomime Babes in the Wood.
First-year performing arts students trod the boards in their first public show of the year.
Tutor Steve Roberts directed the pantomime and adapted the traditional script to give it a modern twist.
Choreographer Amanda Miltom worked with the 27-strong cast to compose energetic dance routines to a soundtrack of pop music.
And make-up tutor Gillian Mellor ensured the actors’ make-up was as eye-catching as possible. Students designed the make-up carefully for each character, going to town with glitter and false eyelashes and even creating prosthetic chins and noses for the evil witches.
Mr Roberts said: “The students have put this production together in only four weeks and worked hard to do a fantastic job.
“On the opening night, the main hall at the Rochdale campus was packed to capacity with around 250 spectators.
“The make-up students have yet again impressed us with their skilful work which has definitely added to the impact of the show.”
SUCCESSFUL students donned their caps and gowns for a special ceremony at the Town Hall.
The group were the latest to graduate from Hopwood Hall College’s higher education courses, obtaining certificates for topics as wide-ranging as new media and electrical engineering.
The class of 2007 included sisters Mehreen and Saira Rafiq, 22 and 20, who picked up foundation degrees in early years education, and Athens born Ioannis Nitzoglou, a business graduate, who moved to England after meeting his wife on a holiday in Greece.
He became a Hopwood student and later a tutor at the college.
Higher education courses had been run successfully at the college for the last 15 years, allowing more than 1,000 people to obtain qualifications by studying either full-time or part-time.
Principal Derek O’Toole said: “At Hopwood Hall College we are passionate about life-long learning providing opportunities for people in the borough to ‘up-skill’ themselves throughout their working lives and access improved career prospects.
“For many students choosing higher education at Hopwood significantly lowers the cost of studying, as students are able to study locally which enables them to live at home and fit family and work around their college courses.”
PEOPLE of all ages helped to raise £85 through a fundraiser at Smithy Bridge Library.
The cash was raised through a tombola for The Christie Hospital during a mince pie and coffee afternoon.
The library was decorated by staff and saw more than 150 people of all ages come through the doors.
Generous library users also took part in the Operation Christmas Child appeal, which saw more than 40 shoeboxes filled with items for less well-off people abroad.
Jennifer Harris, a senior library assistant, said: “We would like to thank all the borrowers for all their help and support this year.” ●●From left are June Marsh, the Mayor and Mayoress, Joan Boulton and Sheila Maranelli at Meadowfields Community Centre luncheon club’s Christmas meal