Duo make campus roll of honour

Date published: 17 July 2014


OLDHAM entrepreneur David Bellis and council leader Jim McMahon will follow in the footsteps of celebrity scientist Brian Cox and actress Sarah Lancashire tomorrow.

They will become the latest high-profile figures presented with honorary fellowships from University Campus Oldham. The pair will join 90 students who are graduating in 11 subjects for the traditional town-centre procession which starts in High Street at 10.30am.

Others who have been honoured by University Campus Oldham include former “Coronation Street” actress Shobna Gulati, artist Brian Clarke and historian Sir Ian Kershaw.

David Bellis MBE is one of Oldham’s most successful entrepreneurs. Leaving school at 15, he worked as an apprentice and studied mechanical engineering at Oldham College before going on to found the multi-million pound company Coin Controls.

Councillor McMahon became one of the country’s youngest council leaders in 2011 when he was 30.

The council, once regarded as one of the worst performing in the UK, is now held up as a flagship authority and Councillor McMahon was named Council Leader of the Year in February. Last month he was elected leader of the Local Government Association’s Labour group.