THE Mayor and Mayoress of Rochdale, Councillor Robin Parker and Ann Jones, visited the town to see some of the work being carried out by New Heart for Heywood.

The visit started at The Old Police Station, now the TOPS Business Centre, where the Mayor and Mayoress were introduced to some of New Heart for Heywood’s resident directors and then shown around the building, which was funded by New Heart for Heywood and opened in 2007.

The party of visitors was then taken by Community Transport to the At Work office, where they were introduced to staff and community members involved in both the At Work and Skills 4 U projects. The Mayor and Mayoress met some people who are currently using the service to help them back into work and At Work manager, Andy Cowburn and Skills 4 U manager Ian Smith.

A tour of some of the physical changes that New Heart for Heywood has achieved over the past few years as well as some of the projects in development came next and included a trip to Woodland Community Primary School, on Regent Street, opened in September 2006 and Derby Street Children’s Centre, opened in June 2008. The Mayor was then taken to the sites of the Phoenix Centre on Pine Street and the Sports, Culture and Leisure Village, which is to be developed on the current site on Starkey Street.

Susan Coates, chair of the New Heart for Heywood Partnership said: "The visit truly reflected some of the work currently being done as part of New Heart for Heywood’s theme of jobs, training and learning as well as showing off some of the visible and physical changes to the town. It was an ideal opportunity for us to show off some of our achievements and we have invited the Mayor and Mayoress to attend future functions."

To round off the day, the special guests were invited once again to TOPS. to meet staff from the New Heart for Heywood team, as well as a chance to see some of the work currently being undertaken by the young advisors, a project developed through Heywood’s Young Spirit.

Two young advisors, Liam Butler and Toni Kirkby, gave a presentation to the guests on current projects such as looking at commissioning pieces of work for the NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale and also the huge success of fellow Young Advisor Rory Birch in becoming an advisor to Hazel Blears, Secretary of State for Communities.

The Mayor remarked how impressed he was with what he had seen and said: "I have only had a short time to visit Heywood today but it has been very interesting to see what is going on here and how much hard work from the residents and the team is going in to make Heywood a better place. I am very impressed with the young advisors and their work. It is always encouraging to see young people making a difference to their communities. I was also really impressed by The Old Police Station and the enterprise opportunities that have been created there."