People

Vote for Eileen

A member of council staff who put Oldham on the musical map has been recognised as one of the top council employees in the country.

Oldham Music Service’s Director of Music, Dr Eileen Bentley MBE, is a finalist in the Local Government Association’s Council Worker of the Year awards.

You can vote for Eileen to help her take the title by logging on to www.localgovernmentchannel.com and following the ‘awards’ link or by texting lgatv 10 EileenB from your mobile phone to 80039.

Eileen has dedicated almost 40 years to the music service and introduced several generations of local children to music, while the service and several of the choirs founded by Eileen are recognised as among the best in the country.

You can view a film about Eileen and her nomination here:

http://www.localgovernmentchannel.com/awards/c/lifetime_service_2009/v/dr_eileen_bentley/

Oldham’s first youth mayor

Mohammed Adil, 19, made history last week by becoming the borough’s first ever youth mayor.

The Coppice resident, who is studying business and finance at The Oldham College, has been a member of the Oldham Youth Council (OYC) for the past three years and previously served a two-year term as that organisation’s chairperson.

This pioneering move came about after OYC members put the suggestion to the council. In the new role, Mohammed will attend civic duties alongside the Mayor, Councillor Jim McArdle, and will also represent the borough’s youth at a variety of community events.

Mohammed said: “It is my great honour to be Oldham’s first youth mayor and I feel very excited about the next 12 months.”

“Holding this position is a great responsibility as I will be a role model to all young people in Oldham and will represent them in so many ways. I think that my main aim is to show that young people are not the anti-social yobs that we are often depicted as, but rather we are talented, committed, hard working and positive."