Mayor’s column

Granville Morris

YOU may know someone who does some form of ‘voluntary work’. Caring for a loved one, shopping for a neighbour, doing someone’s cleaning for them. Helping out at school, community litter picking, gardening, and in many other ways helping out.

Over the last few weeks since becoming Mayor of Rossendale, I have seen for myself on visits and being informed, exactly how much ‘voluntary work’ is undertaken in the Valley.

They are Rossendale’s unsung heroes. I want to just say, THANKYOU to you all, for all your good work and kindness.

I have seen a lot of wonderful work from the children of Tor View Community Special School recently.

At the Mather Gallery in Rawtenstall the owner, working with the school, exhibited students’ art work at his gallery. We saw some excellent samples of pottery and paintings, sculptures of figures that students had done.

Then the annual Shine festival took place with other East Lancashire special and local schools.

The threat of poor weather didn’t stop the event being a success, with some well rehearsed colourful musical and dance events presented by all the schools.

We were also invited to the Boo Theatre in Waterfoot, to watch a very heartfelt production by the ‘Face Me Theatre Company’ and performed by Tor View School’s older students of some of the true life situations that young people with special problems unfortunately may experience throughout their lives.

Some of the young people acting out these upsetting scenes stated to the audience after the play had finished, that they had experienced some of the incidents themselves.

It is upsetting to believe that this still occurs today.

We visited St Veronica’s church hall in Helmshore for a wonderful time at the ‘Great British Tea Party’. Music was provided by the Community Band Rossendale Valley Sounds.

The event was organised by Lauren, one of the younger musicians of the band.

Lauren had set out in her last year at Haslingden High School, to raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Society.

It was a very successful and enjoyable event with good food and good company. Well done to Lauren for a worthwhile cause.

I attended a great evening at the Accrington and Rossendale College awards ceremony for construction, technology, and motor engineering.

I was asked to present achievement awards to some Rossendale students.

It’s wonderful to see the faces of the young people being given their awards and to congratulate them for all their hard work and in receiving their just reward, well done!

I attended Rosemount Community Garden in Stacksteads to officially open it. A lot of hard work had been done to raise funds to reclaim this land, now a little oasis in Stacksteads.

Rossendale witnessed and experienced The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiments ‘Freedom Parade in Haslingden’ on Thursday, July 21.

Exercising their right of the Freedom of the Borough, to march through the streets of Haslingden.

First, there was a service at 11am at St James Church, attended by the Vice Lieutenant of Lancashire, the Honorary Colonel of the Regiment, civic dignitaries, and guests.

Then with pomp and ceremony the Band of the Regiment, with the soldiers marching, gave the thousands who turned out a spectacular display of the British Army at its best.

It was an honour to be a part of the salute given at the Memorial Gardens on Manchester Road and with the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire, inspected and had a few words with some of the soldiers to thank them.

I hope the memory will live with you, as it will with me, of this historical event, here in Haslingden.