Happy birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: the group celebrated with a cake

A SOCIAL club for deaf people has celebrated a successful first year.

Members of Oldham Deaf Diverse Community marked its first anniversary by tucking into a birthday cake .

Staff at the group said it had been a brilliant year with an average of 50 members attending every month.

And the group hopes to continue thanks to funding from Kerching, Aim Higher and community police.

It is primarily run by deaf people and meets on the last Saturday of each month at Union Street Community Centre.

As well as having talks from lecturers across the country, the group enjoy trips out, has a trophy-winning football team and has started its own dance and drama group. It also received a Pride in Oldham nomination last year.

Chairman Anjum Raza worked with his wife Bharti Raza and Waheed Chowhan for two years to set up the group. Other staff include Jenna Dickie and Asum Mahmood.