Contents:
- Editor's welcome
- David Marshall Red Arrow engineer
- Feel Good Picnics are highlight of summer »
- Hanson Springs celebrates 60 years
- New independent vet practice opens in Milnrow
- Noise phobias in dogs
- Lemon drizzle cake
- GEM Appeal Strawberry Sparkle Lunch
- Budding photographer’s snap of Ellenroad Engine House Steam Museum wins monthly contest
- Hairdressing trend - bubble bob
- Town hall restoration: new stained glass windows for Mayor’s Dining Room
- Rochdale Classic Car & Bike Show
- A short history of Hare Hill House: The Newall Family
- Success for Hollingworth Lake Rowing Club at the European Championships
- Tour of Britain
- Health and wellbeing during Metal season
- Garlic chilli chicken with parmesan cream, gnocchi and seasonal tenderstem broccoli
- “It’s right on your doorstep and it deserves to be romanticised.”
- How late is too late to start saving for retirement?
- Rochdale scent company inspires employee to write children’s novel
- Rochdale Masonic Hall
- New specialised dementia garden launched at Springhill Hospice
- A typical week for a football lawyer
- Silver for Petrus at Tatton
- New ‘Chatty Café’ to reduce loneliness and social isolation opens in Rochdale town centre
- Local independent fashion retailers shortlisted for Drapers Awards
Autumn 2023Feel Good Picnics are highlight of summer
The annual August Feel Good Festival was this year replaced by a series of Feel Good Picnics in parks across Heywood, Middleton, Littleborough and Rochdale, due to the ongoing restoration of Rochdale Town Hall and creation of a new town square.
The new Feel Good Family Picnic welcomed almost 10,000 people to free events in Queen’s Park, Limefield Playing Fields, Hare Hill Park and Falinge Park in July.
The spaces were transformed into a busy spectacle of live theatre, puppetry, circus, dance, storytelling, music and more with over 20 free different attractions each day.
A carnival procession travelled around the parks, led by carnival arts company Global Grooves, featuring giant puppets, costumes, funky drumbeats, flags and dance.
Music was performed by Flat Cap Brass, The Ski Band and Northern Dholis, who played traditional Indian drums.
The outdoor shows were staged to packed audiences including ‘Do what your mamma told ya’ by Just More Productions, a comedy circus show and ‘FLOOD’ by Theatre Temoin which used circus, music and acrobatics to show how our coastline and communities have been affected by climate change.
The storytelling tent was very busy with performances every day including mesmerising Gav Cross who presented his hilarious ‘Twisted Tales for Terrible Children’ show.
Colour the Clouds Theatre Company presented two shows. ‘BUZZ’, the story of a young worker bee who doesn’t think what she does really matters, was performed in Middleton and Rochdale.
Families at Littleborough and Heywood saw Pip’s Garden, an interactive story about a girl who finds herself with a vegetable patch but no idea how to grow anything.
Rochdale’s M6 Theatre performed their brilliant play ‘The Street Where I Live’ and Skylight Circus Arts presented an aerial circus display featuring a host of daring acrobatics, as well as hosting workshops to give an introduction to circus skills.
Visitors got chance to try a range of popular sports and games including precision ball game boccia, rounders, tennis, dance and football with staff from Your Trust and there were workshops and taster sessions, covering a range of fun activities including yoga, and martial arts.
The Feel Good Family Picnics were staged by Rochdale Borough Council in partnership with Without Walls.
Council cabinet member for events, Councillor Janet Emsley said: “There were so many smiles, the atmosphere was lovely and feedback we have had has been superb.
“The parades were so visually stunning, the shows were excellent and there were plenty of activities to keep everyone busy. I can’t wait for next year!