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Autumn 2018Interview with Mayoress Naaira Zaman

Mayoress Naaira Zaman is the daughter of the Mayor of Rochdale, Mohammed Zaman.

A former student of Balderstone Technology College, Naaira was born in Rochdale and has lived in the Milkstone and Deeplish area all her life until recently moving to Oldham. Naaira was first asked to be Deputy Mayoress by her father in March 2017. She said: “I was delighted, it was a nice surprise.

”I believe my role as the Mayoress is to support the Mayor at engagements and events; bringing added value when we attend things together. I help the Mayor by speaking to those that he doesn’t get the chance to speak to.

“I’m really enjoying the opportunity of finding out more about the borough and meeting residents that I wouldn’t have had the chance to meet before.

“I’m also passionate about the services available to children and young people in the town, so the opportunity to speak to them is something I feel strongly about.”

Speaking on balancing her life as a mother, working and being Mayoress, she said: “I’m finding it challenging, it takes a lot of organising. I tend to do a lot more evening and weekend events, but the key is just to make sure I’m super organised.

“I am humbled and feel proud to be Mayoress. I never thought one day I would have this position.

“I would like to think I am a role model and can be an inspiration. To go back to Milkstone and Deeplish as Mayoress, and for young people to see that there is someone from their community in this role, I think that is incredible. I’m hoping I can help to break down the perceptions of what young Muslim women are like.

“I have a positive persona and I hope I am bringing that positivity with me on this journey. I want to do the best that I can do.”