WEEKEND COLUMN SATURDAY 22 NOVEMBER 2025
- STEVE COOKE AATA
- 2 minutes ago
- 6 min read
previews, reviews, interviews, and recommendations with Steve Cooke
WEEKEND COLUMN SATURDAY 22 NOVEMBER 2025
Previews: A Poem a Week - My Peacefull Place; Poetry Workshop (Rochdale) with Sammy Weaver, Rochdale's first poet laureate
Changing Landscapes project; The Wizard of Oz – Heywood's Christmas Panto 2025.
Reviews: A retrospective - Elizabeth White
A Poem a Week - My Peacefull Place
By Steve CookE
My Peacefull Place, the second poem in our series, A poem a Week, is by Cate Wallwork.
Cate is a self-taught mixed media artist and writer living in Whitworth, inspired by the contrast of industrial Rochdale to the South and its surrounding countryside.
My Peaceful Place
Take me down into the Dell
To walk amongst the trees
A place as far away from Hell
To where my soul can breath
Bathe me in the Fairy falls
Where the coolest waters rush
To my heart this nature calls
As the singing of the thrush
Fly my kite on blackberry hill
Amongst the heathers sit
Listen to the blackbirds shrill
My heart belongs to this
Allow me time to see the deer
And watch the river run
Allow me always to be here
Till the setting of my sun.
Cate Wallwork ©️ April 2025
Poetry Workshop (Rochdale) with Sammy Weaver, Rochdale's first poet laureate
Preview by Steve Cooke
The latest in the series of Poetry Workshops with Sammy Weaver, Rochdale's first poet laureate will be held in Rochdale Central Library.
What makes us feel like we belong? Where have we come from and where are we going?
We are each made up of unique stories, experiences and places. Join Rochdale Poet Laureate Sammy Weaver and the Number One Writers Group for a poetry workshop exploring our sense of belonging.
In a warm and welcoming space, Sammy will lead a series of inspiring exercises to unlock our understandings of memory, place and connection. We will journey between the real and imagined, creating new poems of empowerment, reflection and resilience.
All levels including beginners welcome.
Participants will have the chance to submit their poems for an anthology celebrating Rochdale's Year of Culture.
The workshop is funded through Lottery Project grants from Arts Council England and delivered by Rochdale Borough Libraries and Rochdale Development Agency.
The project is part of Rochdale’s year as Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture 25-26 – for more information visit Town of Culture - Rochdale Creates.
Suitable For All Audiences
Free / Pay What You Want – Visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/poetry-workshop-with-sammy-weaver-tickets
Thursday 4 December 2025
Rochdale Central Library, Smith Street Rochdale, OL16 1XU
Changing Landscapes project
Preview by Steve Cooke
The Launch of the anthology will be at Hare Hill House on Friday 28 November at 10am to 12noon when the poets will read their work from the book Changing Landscapes and copies will be available.
The Changing Landscapes project was led by creative facilitator, artist and writer, Elizabeth White and Poet and writer, Seamus Kelly.
The poems in this anthology are created by local writers brought together in a series of workshops. Some are very experienced poets whilst others are just setting out on their poetic odysseys. The poets supported and inspired each other, and the result is a collection that explores a range of styles and approaches.
They have included several “concrete poems”, where the words and visual shape combine to enhance to the subject and also include a dialect poem along with an illustration created by the poet.
Some poems speak directly to the “Changing Landscapes” theme, whilst others are less direct. Some poets considered the changes observed through the seasons, as the light changes throughout a single day, or during a brief journey.
“We hope that the variety of approach adopted by the poets helps to reflect the varied nature of the changing landscapes around our homes on the edge of the Pennines.”
The Poets are:
Marilyn Aldred
Eileen Earnshaw
Angie Hamer
Yasmin Hussain
Sylvia Anne Jones
Maggie Kelly
Seamus Kelly
Alan McKean
Glenis Meeks
Michael Rothwell
Sue Smith
Ray Stearn
Deedika Menoth Ullas
Elizabeth White
The project organisers and participants wish to express their thanks to the Crook Hill Community Fund for their sponsorship which had made this publication possible.
They are also grateful to the Friends of Hare Hill House who work to restore the park and house, for welcoming them into their venue.
Changing Landscapes – a large print poetry anthology launched in the presence of the Mayor of Rochdale, CLLR. Janet Emsley.
Friday 28 November 2025
10am-12noon
Hare Hill House, Littleborough.
Refreshments will be served.
A retrospective - Elizabeth White
Review by Seamus Kelly
With the Mayor of Rochdale, Cllr. Janet Emsley in attendance a retrospective exhibition of paintings and prints by artist Elizabeth White opened on Saturday 9th November.
The exhibition features both original framed paintings and high quality Giclée prints spanning her career and recent works. Elizabeth lives and works in Littleborough and the surrounding hills and moors of the Pennines.
The exhibition features a range of beautiful pictures and prints were already being snapped up when the preview opened.
Working largely with acrylics and also a variety of surfaces and mixed media she is inspired by the colours and textures of the moors and the way the ever changing light alters to mood of the landscapes.
As well as her art, Elizabeth is well known for supporting local creativity through projects, groups and events including the monthly Poetry Café open mic evenings at Coffee on the Corner.
The exhibition at The Coach House, Littleborough, will be open from 11am to 3pm daily until 7th December.
Elizabeth’s work can also be found in Water Street Gallery in Todmorden and currently in Rochdale Town Hall.
You can find out more about her art on her website at www.lizwhiteart.com which also includes a contact form to enquire about purchasing paintings or prints.
The Wizard of Oz – Heywood's Christmas Panto 2025
Preview by Steve Cooke
This festive season at Heywood Sports Village we are off to see…a wizardly wonderful, wicked pantomime adventure, The Wizard of Oz!.
Join Dorothy Gale as she befriends a brainless Scarecrow, a loveable Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion on their quest to thwart the evil powers of the Wicked Witch of the West. With a little help from Glinda the Good Fairy and the almighty and powerful Wizard of Oz, good is sure to conquer evil.
Featuring Basil Brush as the Virtual Wizard and Coronation Street‘s Steven Arnold as Scarecrow.
This Christmas treat will be fun for all the family from ages 2 to 102! Promising great songs, brilliant dance routines and plenty of laughter!
Book now for a magical adventure to the Land of Oz - Tickets from £11.00
Duration: 2h 10m
Saturday 13 – Sunday 28 December 2025
Morning, afternoon and evening performances available.
Heywood Sports Village, West Starkey Street, Heywood, Greater Manchester OL10 4TW
RECOMMENDED
Saturday, 22 November 2025
Kids' Club - Wardle Library
Come along and get creative at our craft table.
Last Saturday of every month. These themed Kids' Club activity sessions will include crafts, activities and challenges.
For families with children aged 4 and over.
No need to book, you can just come along.
Free
10am - 12.30pm
Wardle Library, 448 Birch Road, Wardle, Rochdale OL12 9LH
Monday, 24 November 2025
Littleborough U3A Creative Writing Group 2 (Mondays) - Littleborough Library
4th Monday of every month. This group looks at a wide variety of topics and are always glad when members produce ideas and things to talk about.
You must be a U3A member to take part in U3A activities. Join Littleborough U3A on the Littleborough U3A website.
You need to have a paid annual Littleborough U3A subscription
2pm - 3pm
Littleborough Library, Hare Hill Park, Littleborough OL15 9HE
Wednesday 26 November 2025
Toad Lane Concerts - Rochdale's Weekly Music at Lunchtime
This week we have - Notability mixed voice choir - piano Lesley Cavanagh
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.
£6
Phone: Dr Joe Dawson 01706 648872
Doors open 12noon, concert starts 12.30pm - 1.30pm
St Mary in the Baum, Toad Lane/St Mary's Gate, Rochdale OL16 1DZ
celebrating creative arts and artists - an oasis of positivity supporting individual and community wellbeing.
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