RECOMMENDED
●●SUMMER of M24 Presents - Chameleons and Middleton Supports (August 31)
The Chameleons return to Middleton after decades. Performing at Summer of M24 - Middleton’s Community Wealth Building Festival.
All proceeds will go towards grass roots music/venue development in Middleton, with all support acts from M24 too.
Cost: From £33. Time: 6.30pm - doors open at 6pm. Address: Middleton Arena, Lance Corporal Joel Halliwell VC Way, Middleton, Manchester M24 1AG. Visit the website.
●●WHITWORTH Rushcart (September 1)
Featuring numerous traditional morris dance troupes (including the famous Britannia Coconutters and the
Whitworth Morris Men) and will travel up the main road, led by the Rushcart itself, arriving at the Ashcroft at approximately 1.20pm.
From 1.15pm until 4.30pm, the car park of The Ashcroft will be cordoned off for stalls, entertainments, and performances from the various morris dancing troupes including the Whitworth Rushcart Men and the Britannia Coconutters, plus the Whitworth Vale and Healey Youth Band.
St Bartholomew’s Church will be providing traditional hot food as well as Bombay Brew’s Mama Chilli’s food truck, and the Ashcroft bar will be open for liquid refreshments.
There will also be an arts and craft fair, featuring a variety of artisan stalls in the Ashcroft main hall.
There will also be rides, children’s crafts and other entertainments. All are welcome.
The Whitworth Rushcart is one of only four such celebrations which still take place in the UK, the others being in Sowerby Bridge, Littleborough and Saddleworth.
Whitworth’s cart is unique in that it is the only one in the UK to be covered in beautiful local heather that is in bloom at this time of year, collected by the Whitworth Rushcart Men from the moors above Darwen before the event; Rushcarts in the other areas are covered with rushes or tatters of cloth.
Cost: Free. Time: 1-4.30pm. Phone: Whitworth Town Council Office 01706 852018. Starting at Whitworth Museum, North Street, OL12 8RA. Proceeding to The Ashcroft, Market Street, Whitworth OL12 8DP
●●POETRY Cafe (September 3)
All poetry lovers are welcome to read or listen. Running on the first Tuesday of the month. Email lizwhiteart@ gmail.com or Seamus@ onepoetvision.co.
Time: 6-8pm. Address: Coffee on the Corner, Hare Hill Road, Littleborough, OL15
9AB.
●●TOAD Lane Concerts Rochdale’s Weekly Music at Lunchtime (September 4)
This week the concert hosts Voci Voices: Elizabeth Ambrose, Margaret Ferguson sopranos, Eric Cymbir tenor, Mackenzie Paget baritone, and Jonathan Ellis piano.
The concert series has been held at St Mary’s since 2001 and was granted the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in
2020.
Running every Wednesday, Music at Lunchtime is a weekly live classical music concert series that has been going since the 1960s.
The sessions were initially run at the old Rochdale Art Gallery by the local authority, but since May 2001 have been run by volunteer-enthusiasts and artistic director, Dr Joe Dawson.
Cost: £6. Time: Doors open 12noon, concert starts
12.30-1.30pm. Phone: Dr Joe Dawson 01706 648872. Address: St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane/st Mary’s Gate, Rochdale OL16 1DZ.
●●ROCHDALE Photographic Society (September 4)
Tonight’s session - Digital KO - Judge Adrian Hendley
CPAGB. The group meets every Wednesday at Rochdale Unitarian Church, starting at
7.30pm prompt (doors open from 7.15pm).
The door is kept locked so please ring the bell on arrival.
If you would like to see the club for yourself and meet the members, you are welcome to attend as a guest for up to three weeks before committing to membership.
Annual subscription is £36 for single or £46 for joint membership.
A weekly room fee of £2.50 is also payable on arrival at the meeting. Refreshments are
50p.
Cost: £2.50 for room fee. Time: Doors open 7.15pm,
7.30pm start. Address: Rochdale Unitarian Church, Clover Street, Rochdale OL12 6TP.