A TOWN councillor wants to organise a giant celebration to mark the end of lockdown.
Cllr Pat Mullin is keen to hold a four-day Mossley Rainbow Festival which would incorporate a walking festival.
The event, which will be run by Mossley Town Council, would be to have walks during the day, some guided, using the existing extensive network of footpaths in the town.
Then in the evenings there would be gigs at local pubs showcasing local musicians wherever possible and may be even a Mossley’s got talent contest.
Cllr Mullin said: “Many of the normal activities taking place around the area, Whit Friday Band Contest, Mossley 10K run, Party in the Park, Spring Fair at George Lawton Hall etc, which so enliven the community, have had to be cancelled or deferred.
“Lack of footfall and enforced closure arising from necessary protective measures have resulted in hardship and loss of income to businesses, charities and to the community.
“Mossley Town Council, in staging the Mossley Rainbow Festival, hopes to restore a feeling of positivity throughout the local community and into our excellent local facilities and alleviate the financial hardship that has arisen.”
Cllr Mullin’s suggestions are:
• Walking festival – a different route each day including The Mossley Round, a newly developed seven-mile circular walk.
• Live music in as many of the pubs and venues as possible, hopefully highlighting local talent.
• Mossley Food Festival – many pubs and cafes already provide excellent food. They would encourage all venues who can produce a special effort for the duration of the Rainbow festival with perhaps artisan food stalls on the Market Ground, at Seel Park or in George Lawton Hall.
• Mossley’s own brewers Millstone have been contacted enquiring about their willingness to brew Mossley Rainbow Ale for the festival.
• Party in the Park – it takes the Mossley Town Team a lot of time and effort to organise this and the festival it would like to incorporate as many elements of Party in the Park as possible.
• Mossley’s Got Talent – a fun evening highlighting local talent could provide a good festival opener on Thursday evening.
Cllr Mullin added: “The festival would offer support to local businesses, pubs, cafes and other public venues which have been shut.
“And the walks would also be great to promote exercise for people who have been stuck inside.
“People have been in self isolation and want to re-engage with one another, and this would bolster the community.
“It has a tough year with so many events, including many at the George Lawton Hall, having bitten the dust.”
Cllr Mullin added his proposal for the festivals, which he says can be delivered at little or no cost, has won support from fellow town councillors and local businesses.
And proceeds from the event would go to the likes of Emmaus and Willow Wood, two local charities whose revenue streams have been hit badly by the effects of Covid-19.
It is impossible for Cllr Mullin to say when the events would take place because of the current restrictions.
However, he is keen to hold them quickly after normal life returns, ideally within a matter of weeks.
• Cllr Mullin has made a formal application to establish the Mossley Walking Partnership.
Partnership grants of up to £15,000 are available from Greater Manchester Moving for new or existing partnerships, led by a voluntary, community or social enterprise organisation.
Three Greater Manchester Walking Partnership grants are available, and Cllr Mullin is pitching for one of them.
Mossley has an extensive network of public footpaths and the money would enable them to be incorporated into various official walks of different distances to cater for all ages and abilities.