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September 2026 Page 3 AD SALES 01204 478812 No part of this publication may be used or reproduced without the express permission of the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure that the articles and advertisements that are carried are authentic, however the publisher accepts no responsibility for claims made. © Investors in Publishing Ltd 2026. This newspaper is published monthly by Investors in Publishing, Publishing House, 3 Bridgebank Industrial Estate, Taylor Street, Horwich, Bolton BL6 7PD. Tel. 01204 478812 EDITOR: Ged Henderson ged@hendersonnewsandmedia.com ADVERTISING : JayneMeadowcroft 01204 478812 or 07703 045189 jayne@independentnewspapers.co.uk CLASSIFIEDS : Teresa Bond 01204 478812 teresa@independentnewspapers.co.uk CONTACT US MORE children in Rochdale will have access to a free break- fast before school from the beginning of September. It follows seven suc- cessful applications from schools in the borough to join the national break- fast club programme. The initiative provides primary-aged pupils with a healthy and nutritious meal before school to help them get off to the best possible start before a full day of learning. It also helps parents and carers with extra childcare at the start of the school day, with children arriving at school up to 30 minutes earlier at no extra cost. Schools joining the programme include Shawclough Community Primary School, Sand- brook Community Pri- mary School, St John’s Roman Catholic Primary School and Heybrook Pri- mary School. Deeplish Primary Academy, Holy Family Roman Catho- lic Primary School and Moorhouse Academy are also involved. NEWmayor of Greater Man- chester Bev Craig chose Middleton to unveil plans to breathe life into local high streets and restore commu- nity pride with a landmark £20million fund. The Good Growth High Streets Fund will be made available to local businesses, business groups, and voluntary and community organisations across Greater Manchester to take forward ideas for improving their high street. It will open for applications later this year and will back ideas that can make a real dif- ference to good economic growth and restore local pride. During her visit to Middle- ton, the new mayor heard the thoughts of local people on the future of its town centre She also called on businesses and groups to join a new High Streets Taskforce, which will help design plans and put them into practice across the city region. She said: “Our high streets are the beating hearts of our communities, and people want to feel pride about where they live. “They are rightly worried and frustrated when they see dere- lict pubs, boarded-up shops and dodgy operators, and independ- ent traders moving away. “They want to see practical support for local businesses now. And that’s why I’m tak- ing action. “Our new £20mGood Growth High Streets Fund is all about restoring pride in a vibrant high street – backing our neighbourhoods and spreading the rewards of good economic growth everywhere.” Plans for a Mayoral Development Corporation for Middleton are progressing, co-chaired by Steve Coogan and Rose Marley. It aims to bring forward the development of around 1,500 new homes and accelerate regen- eration of the town centre. SPRINGHILL Hospice’s annual summer garden celebration has raised a record-breaking £14,021. A spokesperson for the Rochdale charity said: “We’re beyond thrilled. This money will go directly towards fund- ing our care, to ensure that Springhill is here for everyone whomay need us. “Thank you again to every local business, visitor, vol- unteer, stallholder and staff member who made the Summer Garden Celebration such a success.” PHOTOCREDIT: SPRINGHILL HOSPICE ROCHDALE said farewell to one of its adopted sons as friends, fellow per- formers and fans came together for the funeral of Irish comic Jimmy Cricket. Jimmy, 80, real name James Joseph Mulgrew, was from Cookstown in County Tyrone but made Rochdale his home. He became a house- hold name in the 1980s with his catchphrase ‘And there’s more’ and was a supporter of local good causes. The funeral of Jimmy, who died after a short illness, was held at Sal- ford Cathedral. Mourn- ers, who included fellow comedians Roy Walker and Syd Little, were encouraged to wear bow ties which, along with his Wellington boots, became his trademark. His daughter Katie, who is also a stand-up comic, said: “We are heartbroken but he was pure joy and we just wanted to tip our bow ties to him.” The day before the service people in Roch- dale were able to pay their respects at St Patrick’s RC Church on Watts Street. The requiem Mass was led by his son Father Frankiel Mulgrew, who is based at the cathedral. MUSIC TO OUR EARS! ● Cont frompage one Georgina Jacques, assis- tant cabinet member for communities and co-op- eration at Rochdale Council, said: “Follow- ing the OMD Summer of Hits concert on Fri- day night Rochdale Feel Good Festival brought a day of superb live music to town. We had visitors from right across the UK, some visiting Roch- dale for the first time, and feedback has been very positive.” The festival’s food and drink village was busy throughout the day and the town’s indoor ven- ues were also packed with more than 20 live performances. The bi-annual festi- val, celebrating its 15th edition in 2026, was also organised by RDA. Adopted son: Jimmy Cricket made Rochdale his home (Photo credit: jimmycricket.co.uk) The comedian was awarded a Papal Knight- hood in 2016. Tributes continued to pour in for Jimmy. Roch- dale MP Paul Waugh said: “He had a wonder- ful gift for making people laugh without ever losing his warmth or kindness. “Jimmy was immensely proud of his Rochdale roots and brought joy to audiences across the country for decades. “I also know he was a man of deep faith, whose commitment to help- ing others was evident throughout his life. His appointment as a Papal Knight was a fitting rec- ognition of his marvel- lous charitable work and the difference he made to so many people.” Smiles are a fitting farewell for Jimmy Making summertime special AMBITIOUS plans to cre- ate a new Football and Community Wellbeing Hub at Bowlee Playing Fields in Middleton are mov- ing forward. Rochdale Football Club and Community Trust have confirmed that a planning application has been submit- ted to Rochdale Council for the development. The submission follows a positive pre-application con- sultation process, with more than 80 per cent of respondents expressing support for the pro- posals overall. The project team says feedback received during the consultation process has helped shape the proposals, with a number of the concerns and comments raised now addressed within the planning application. If approved, Rochdale AFC has private investment identi- fied to bring forward phase one of the development. This would include a first- team training pitch, a Roch- dale AFC Community Trust 3G pitch, a community grass pitch and an ancillary facilities build- ing, occupying approximately half of the site. The second phase would be delivered at a later date. Football club’s hub plan kicks on Breathing life into the high street Listening: Mayor Bev Craig during her visit to Middleton (Photo credit: GMCA) Breakfast club programme is extended across borough