Pride of Oldham on show

Photo: Picture: DARREN ROBINSON

The visiting mayors line up outside the Civic Centre with the Oldham Mayor and Mayoress, Councillors Jim McArdle and Kay Knox (front, right).

Visiting mayors given grand tour

MAYORS from across Greater Manchester were impressed by Oldham’s assets during a civic tour.

The Mayor of Oldham, Councillor Jim McArdle, and the Mayoress, Councillor Kay Knox, showed off the best the borough has to offer to their counterparts.

The event is not an annual occurrence — it’s up to individual mayors whether to organise it — but Councillor McArdle said it was a great way of promoting Oldham.

After a breakfast in the Mayor’s Parlour, the visiting dignitaries toured Oldham’s pioneering Christie Cancer Centre and were shown exhibitions telling the life story of Sebastian Ziani de Ferranti, the Oldham engineer who pioneered Britain’s modern electricity system, and Oldham treasures at Gallery Oldham.

Following lunch at Denshaw’s Clough Manor, they enjoyed a tour of Saddleworth villages.

Taking part were the High Sheriff of Greater Manchester, Christian Wewer and his wife, Dian Wewer; the Lord Mayor and Consort of Manchester, Councillor Alison Firth and Andrew Fox; Bolton Mayor and Mayoress, Councillor Norman Critchley and Delyse Critchley; Bury Mayor and Consort, Councillor Sheila Magnall and Elizabeth Pepper; Stockport Deputy Mayor Councillor Stuart Corris; Tameside Mayor and Mayoress, Councillor John Sullivan and Francoise Sullivan; Trafford Mayor and Mayoress, Councillor David Higgins and Wendy Higgins and Wigan Mayor and Mayoress, Councillor Mark Aldred and Councillor Karen Aldred. Councillor McArdle said: “It was a wonderful day. They were very impressed with Christie’s and Gallery Oldham but what they were most impressed with was the tour of Saddleworth. The weather was fine after lunch, beautiful sunshine and Saddleworth at its best.

“Tour guide Keith Begley gave us some very interesting information and kept us informed and entertained. We have been trying to sell Oldham for a long time and get people to visit and Saddleworth is the jewel. They were very impressed and did not know how beautiful and big it is.

“Promoting Oldham is always worthwhile. We are proud of Oldham and what we have got. You don’t always realise what you have got until someone from outside says I never knew that was here.”