New mayor takes office
THE new Mayor of Rossendale has been invested and his predecessor’s charity committee has announced its final fundraising figure.
Coun Colin Crawforth, who has had 10 years’ service as a Hareholme ward councillor, will have his wife Denise at his side and offering support in the role of Mayoress.
Elected at the council’s AGM, he takes over the chains from Coun Granville Morris.
The new Mayor has been church warden at St Paul’s Constablee and lived in Rawtenstall for 27 years. He was also a secondary school science teacher.
Coun Crawforth is a trustee at the International Aid Trust which supports people in places such as Eastern Europe, Africa, Cuba, Mexico, Philippines and the UK. He also organises Relay for Life for the Labour group to raise money for Cancer Research. The main charities to be supported during his mayoral term will be Rubicon, White Horse Project and Vision, in addition to concentrating on supporting young people’s charities in Rossendale. The deputy mayor is Coun Ann Kenyon, who will be accompanied by consort Mr Haydon Kenyon.
Another year of busy fundraising came good after outgoing Mayor Coun Morris’ charity committee raised more than £15,000.
A wide range of events which included coffee mornings, afternoon teas, meal evenings, a fashion show, musical concerts and a Grand Prize Draw, raised £15,450 during the 2016/17 civic year.
The main recipients of the fund were the North West Air Ambulance, Haslingden Veterans in Communities and the Rossendale and Pendle Mountain Rescue Team. Other deserving causes included the Community Defibs for Rossendale, The Cotton Shed Theatre Company, Rossendale Division Girl Guiding, Christians Against Poverty, 1969 Squadron ATC, Haslingden Army Cadets, Rossendale Hospice, Rubicon, Gemma Nuttall and the Rossendale Memory Choir. Recipients were invited to a presentation evening.
Coun Morris said: “It has been a fantastic year of fundraising and I am pleased to be able to divide the money we have raised between so many deserving Rossendale causes.”
For your charity to be considered for a donation in this Mayoral year, email stephaniecarroll@rossendalebc.gov.uk.