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GLASS always full ... community leader Ghulam Shazhad.
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Town is smiles better than the King’s Road
Alice McKeegan and Faye Adams6/ 9/2008
ROCHDALE is officially happier than the richest borough in Britain, according to university researchers.
In a league table of 273 districts, Rochdale is placed above Kensington and Chelsea, the only place in the country to have an annual household income of more than £100,000 – proving that money can’t buy you happiness.
The list was topped by Powys in Wales with Rochdale in 107th place. Kensington and Chelsea came 116th.
Using data from the British Household Panel Survey, where people were asked about their sense of wellbeing, the researchers, from the Universities of Sheffield and Manchester, were able to draw up a map of happiness across England, Scotland and Wales.
The findings of the survey were welcomed by local MP Paul Rowen. He said: "I am very pleased after some of the bad news stories that we have seen over the last few weeks that we are seeing a positive story about the image of Rochdale.
"This is more in tune with what’s going on, on the ground. When we look at some of the fantastic outdoor places like Hollingworth Lake and Healey Dell, it’s clear we have a lot to shout about."
Simon Danczuk, Rochdale’s Labour parliamentary candidate, said: "Rochdale has had a bit of a knocking in the press of late, but the fact that we measure up as being more cheerful than a place where you won’t find more millionaires per yard anywhere else in Britain speaks volumes for the people of this town."
Councillor Ibrar Khan added that the town owed much to its community spirit.
Dr Dimitris Ballas, a senior lecturer in geography from the University of Sheffield, said that the researchers had recognised the importance of social networks. He added: "One of the advantages of our method is that it takes into account both people and places. For instance, with unemployment we can say that people who are unemployed are on average happier in an area of high unemployment compared to being unemployed in an area where everyone else around you has a job."
Ian Jenkins, Springhill Hospice fund-raising manager, says he is a happy chap because he is surrounded by positive people. "I always like to try and have a smile on my face and remember that old saying that a smile costs nothing. Also if someone smiles at you, you’ll smile back."
Family is the light of hairdresser John Peers’ life and it keeps a spring in his step.
His five daughters range in age from one to 30 and he said: "If anybody took my house off me I’d be happy in a caravan with my wife and kids because the main thing in my life is my family."
Community leader Ghulam Shazhad maintains his glass is always half full.
"It’s up to you, if you wish to enjoy your life you need to be positive," said the granddad of three from Freehold.
"By being positive you will be respected by everybody, you learn more and this is the way you make your life enjoyable."
Dedicated volunteer Sheila Acton says helping the community is the secret to her smile. The grandmother of nine helped set up the Syke Community Base and is chairman of the Council for Voluntary Service.
She said: "I want to present a positive image about the area where I live and the work we do here."
Dave Sweetmore at Rochdale Football Club says the key to his contentment is simply ‘being the luckiest in the world’.
Most recent 2 of 2 user comments
Ask the people of Kensington and Chelsea to live here for a year and then vote. They would go from 116th to 200th.
Sorry folks. We are a depressed and deprived borough. Incomes are low, crime is rising, health is poor, investment non existent and our elected officials have let us down for decades. Anybody else see anything different?
7/09/2008 at 20:59
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9/09/2008 at 13:08