WEEKEND COLUMN SATURDAY 26 JULY 2025
- STEVE COOKE AATA
- Jul 26
- 6 min read
previews, reviews, interviews, and recommendations with Steve Cooke
WEEKEND COLUMN SATURDAY 26 JULY 2025
Culture Quest – encouraging and supporting families to explore their town of culture.
Preview by Steve Cooke
A call out to families to explore their town of culture by engaging with Culture Quest.
The new Culture Quest web page https://www.rochdalecreates.co.uk/whats-on/culture-quest provides families with a digital map of 25 cultural locations in central Rochdale, a list of family friendly events across the borough and information about local transport.
An exciting digital Culture Quest Challenge will take place over the summer holidays, aimed at children aged 7 – 11 and their families. Parents and carers can register for free, then use their phones to ‘check in’ to locations on the Culture Quest map and collect points. The more places they visit, the more points they collect which means more opportunities to win prizes including free family cinema tickets, art materials and an Instax camera!
Families who visit all twenty five locations on foot will have walked at least 4 miles and visited local green spaces – keeping active and supporting their wellbeing. The map includes information about each location and prompts to spark conversation and sustain learning over the summer holidays. The challenge also encourages children to share their own creativity by submitting a photo of a piece of artwork or a poem they’ve written in response to the places they’ve visited on their Culture Quest. Watch this video to see how it works https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DB7lRF8FFg
For families who don’t have regular access to the internet or want more time away from screens, there are printed Culture Quest guides available to pick up in local libraries and family hubs across the Borough.
The excellent and highly recommended campaign has been developed by Rochdale’s Cultural Education Partnership (Create Rochdale) and funded by the Arts Council Place Partnership Programme with support from Your Trust, Rochdale Development Agency and Rochdale Borough Council. The campaign is being launched as part Rochdale’s Town of Culture programme.
Create Rochdale are also encouraging and supporting HAF (Holiday Activities and Food) providers and community organisations to bring groups of young people and families into Rochdale for their own Culture Quests – specific to their interests and needs.
Culture Quest starts this summer but aims to inspire a lifetime of exploration, curiosity and creativity! To register to take part in the digital Culture Quest Challenge visit play.proxi.co and enter the code: RGU PUU
Side-by-Side: Four Rochdalians
Preview by Steve Cooke
Produced and written by the Side-by-Side Drama Group and loosely inspired by Monty Python’s iconic Four Yorkshiremen sketch, Four Rochdalians brings together four characters from Rochdale’s past and present — a plague-stricken villager from the 1300s, a hard-working mill hand from the 1850s, a resilient housewife from the post-World War 2 era, and a tech-savvy teenager from today.
Each insists their life was the hardest, sparking a humorous battle of one-upmanship across the centuries. Their stories unfold through lively discussion and vivid flashback scenes, brought to life by a supporting cast. Expect laughter, a dash of local history, and a playful reminder that every generation has its own struggles.
The Side-by-Side Drama Group, formed through the Side-by-Side project in April 2024, is a community-led creative group based at Higher Blackley Community Centre in partnership with Bolton at Home Regional Team and Touchstones. Made up of tenants and the wider surrounding area of South Middleton the group supports local residents through regular creative-based sessions. Building confidence, friendships, and pride, the group has co-produced performances, written original music, and created a welcoming space for collective wellbeing and local action. The group is facilitated by ‘Creative Activators’ Jacqui Carrol and Terry Egan who also run REELMCR.
The Writer, Kat Burke was born in Blackley, Manchester in 1974, and has been involved in various creative endeavours from a young age – from playing musical instruments, conducting ensembles, teaching and composing music, to writing poems and plays and in recent years acting. Although her life changed dramatically in September 2021 due to a disabling illness, she has recently joined the prestigious Hallé Choir and continues to enjoy being a creative soul.
All bookable events are Pay What You Can.
Free tickets are there for those who need them, or you can choose to pay £2.50, £5 or £7.50 per ticket. Any income generated from these tickets will go towards further community-led work with Touchstones.
Tickets from £2.50
Tue 26 Aug
1:00pm and 3:00pm
Temporary Touchstones (Rochdale Town Hall Square)
CORONATION STREET STAR JOINS CAST AT THE OCTAGON
Preview by Steve Cooke
Having recently left her role as Eileen Grimshaw in Coronation Street Sue Cleaver makes her return to the stage at Bolton Octagon in of Alan Ayckbourn's Snake in the Grass.
A gripping psychological thriller from one of Britain’s most prolific playwrights, Snake in the Grass delves into buried secrets, sibling rivalry, and the haunting weight of the past. Ayckbourn’s masterful dark comedy lays bare the toxic truths we hide, and the price of keeping them.
This powerful revival will feature a stellar all-female ensemble. Sue Cleaver is most recognisable for Coronation Street where she’s played Eileen Grimshaw since 1994 as well as appearing on Loose Women and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and in the UK Tour of Sister Act.
She is joined by Nicola Stephenson whose stage credits include Our Country’s Good (Lyric Hammersmith), Mumsie (Hull Truck) and The Empress (RSC) and who has been seen on television in Maternal (ITV), Father Brown (BBC) and The Long Shadow (ITV).
Completing the cast is Lisa Zahra, stage credits include Odyssey 84 (Sherman Theatre), Baba Joon (The Other Room/GrandAmbition) and Grenfell (National Theatre).
Octagon’s Artistic Director, Lotte Wakeham commented: “We’re incredibly excited to present this brand-new production of Snake in the Grass with such a formidable cast of performers. Acclaimed director Francesca Goodridge brings a bold and fresh vision to Alan Ayckbourn’s haunting and compelling play. This talented all-female cast will bring an electric energy to a story which explores family, power, and buried secrets. Audiences can expect a suspenseful and thought-provoking night at the theatre.”
Snake in the Grass plays at the Octagon Theatre Bolton Thu 9 – Sat 25 Oct.
Tickets start from £15 and are on-sale now.
Octagon Box Office on 01204 520661 or at octagonbolton.co.uk
Your Summer Holiday Club from Your Trust
Preview by Steve Cooke
If you are looking for something for the young ones to do during the long summer holidays I can recommend Your trust’s Summer Holiday Club.
A holiday club for children aged 5 – 12 years with activities including multi-sports, soft-play arts, crafts & much more!
Things to bring: Packed Lunch, Snacks & Drinks £25 per day.
For further enquiries contact Middleton Arena Reception Team on 0161 6624000 or email middleton.arena@yourtrustrochdale.co.uk
8am – 5pm each day.
28th Jul to 29th Aug
Middleton Arena, LCpl Joel Halliwell VC Way, Middleton, Greater Manchester M24 1AG
RECOMMENDED
Saturday, 26 July 2025
Reading Group - Middleton Library
Last Saturday of every month. Discover new authors and discuss books with other readers in this friendly and relaxed reading group.
For Adults no booking required – you can just turn up.
Books are provided and loaned through the library. Refreshments will be provided
Free
1.30pm - 2.30pm
Middleton Library, Long Street, Middleton M24 6DU
Sunday, 27 July 2025
The Dinosaur That Pooped A Rock Show!
Brand new for 2025!
When Danny and Dino’s favourite rock band are playing their last ever concert, they go on a quest to get the last two tickets. But with a villainous band manager lurking, nothing goes to plan. Will the band perform? Will Danny rock out? Or will Dino’s rumbling tummy save the day?
Adapted from the number 1 best-selling books by Tom Fletcher and Dougie Poynter, the whole family will have a poopy good time enjoying a brand new story for the stage. Featuring new songs by Tom and Dougie, a lot of laughs and a whole lot of poo!
Watch the trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCsybGHArDs
Tickets from £15.50
Visit: https://www.yourtrustrochdale.co.uk/whats-on/events/the-dinosaur-that-pooped-a-rock-show/book/
12.30pm and 3.30pm
Middleton Arena, LCpl Joel Halliwell VC Way, Middleton, Greater Manchester M24 1AG
Monday, 28 July 2025
Littleborough U3A Creative Writing Group - 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.
For adults, booking required
You must be a U3A member to take part in U3A activities. Join Littleborough U3A
Join this group on the Littleborough U3A website: https://littleborough.u3asite.uk/welcome/
2pm - 3pm
Littleborough Library, Hare Hill Park, Littleborough OL15 9HE
Wednesday 30 July 2025
Toad Lane Concerts - Rochdale's Weekly Music at Lunchtime
This week we have - Voci Voices Elizabeth Ambrose, Margaret Ferguson, Eric Cymbir, Mackenzie Paget and Jonathan Ellis
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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