Light has gone out but Queen’s spirit will shine on

the death of our longest serving monarch. I know how much Her Majesty meant to millions of people worldwide.

I was very proud to give a eulogy to Her Majesty, at a special service of Remembrance at St Leonard’s Church, Middleton, on the evening before the Queen’s funeral.

I articulated how, throughout her glorious and steadfast reign, Her Majesty was devoted to her role as the Monarch.

That sense of duty, of service, of being a comfort blanket for the nation at times of mourning, but also a shining beacon in our times of triumph, achievement and those defining moments in our history that are etched in our memories. She united the kingdom and brought people together in life and now united as a community in death.

A light has gone out, not just in our borough, but throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, the Commonwealth and the World. People have felt a deep sense of personal loss, the end of an era, in the passing of someone who has been a constant thread in our lives, spanning the generations with that natural ability to connect and resonate with people of all ages. Quite simply, Her Majesty was the best of us.

Her Majesty stood shoulder to shoulder with our Armed Forces community, something I know how much Veterans across Middleton, Heywood, Rochdale and the Pennines were grateful for.

She always offered support and perfectly judged words, at moments of reflection, remembrance and commemoration.

Let’s never forget Her Majesty’s strong connections with our borough and the Middleton community.

She visited Rochdale Town Hall in the 50s, and the opening of the M62 motorway in Milnrow.

Her Majesty also opened Touchstones Museum in 1994, or the Arts and Heritage Centre, as it was known then.

I was very proud to be with Her Majesty at the opening of the Hopwood Hall College’s Middleton campus in 1992, and will forever remember the great admiration she inspired in everyone who was there.

Moments in time capturing our borough’s proud past. Her spirit will shine brightly and live on forever.

A life full of service, of dignity, of duty and of being with us as a nation, a constant in our lives, throughout decades of change. Her Majesty was a remarkable person. It was a remarkable life. May she rest in peace.

●●I know how much the cost of living crisis is impacting residents and businesses across the borough.

That’s why the council has launched a range of measures, to help people offset cost of living pressures.

The ‘Helping Hand’ initiative includes support for households most in need and will encourage people to check what they are entitled to.

Local support available as part of the Helping Hand initiative includes advice on accessing benefits, supermarket vouchers, food discount schemes, housing energy support and targeted assistance for families and older people

In addition, we will be creating warm welcoming spaces this winter for residents to utilise local community buildings, libraries and leisure centres.

As leader of the council, I am proud of our local support package, ensuring those residents most in need know that a helping hand is in place to offset national cost of living pressures. Helping Hand will ensure local residents, businesses and community groups are fully aware of our targeted assistance - building on the support we have provided over the last twelve months.

We will be sharing the message to all parts of the borough, reassuring residents that a range of local support packages are available, giving people a helping hand to put food on the table, offset the cost of energy bills and stay warm and healthy over the coming months.

Further information on cost of living support available in the borough can be accessed at www. rochdale.gov.uk/ costofliving

Residents can also phone 01706 923685, Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm to enquire about cost of living assistance.