INTERNATIONAL POLICE ASSOCIATION & DISTRICT BRANCH 30th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS FRIENDSHIP WEEKEND

Dear Friends,

Rochdale’s Friendship Weekend will take place between Thursday 23rd and Tuesday 28th September, 2021.

Rochdale is a town in Greater , at the foothills of South in the dale of the River Roch, 5.3 miles (8.5km) northwest of and 9.8miles (15.8km) northeast of Manchester.

Rochdale Town Hall

Our branch of the IPA was officially formed at Durham Castle, the venue of the Regional Conference, on Saturday 5th October, 1991 and ratified at the National Conference at the beginning of May 1992. The initial membership of the branch was 25 to 30 members and to date membership stands at 166.

The celebration will be based at the 4* Copthorne Hotel, Clippers Quay, Quays, Manchester and full details will be finalised when this can be done due to the Covid restrictions. The following programme may be subject to alteration if items listed are not or no longer available on the days we have planned.

The price will be £ 398 per person if sharing a twin/double room and £ 530 per person for a single room.

The price will include 5 nights Bed and Breakfast and all evening meals. There will be three nights at the hotel when entertainment will be provided.

Thursday will be a welcome drink and evening meal at the hotel with entertainment based on a good old Lancashire welcome.

On Friday after breakfast there will be a barge cruise around the quays and following that a brewery trip before returning to the hotel for an evening meal.

On Saturday there will be a trip back in time to the East Lancashire Steam railway with an opportunity to visit a shopping centre for personal shopping. Evening meal back at the hotel with entertainment.

On Sunday we will visit the Peak District in Derbyshire with an opportunity to go to either the Tramways museum which is located at Crich, Derbyshire and contains over 60 trams built between 1873 and 1982 and is set within a recreated containing a working pub, café, old style sweet shop and tram depots,

or travel by cable car to the Heights of Abraham which is a hilltop with cavern tours, walking trails, fossil exhibitions and café.

This will be followed by a meal at a local restaurant before returning to the hotel

Monday we will visit Manchester City Centre with a visit to the Police Museum, Manchester Town Hall and free time for last minute shopping. We will then return to the hotel for a formal dinner at the hotel with exchange of gifts and entertainment provided by the GMP jazz band and singers.

Tuesday then sees us saying farewell to all our friends and guests after breakfast. There is opportunity for visitors to stay for longer or to come earlier which can be arranged if needed. Please if you wish to take advantage of this let us know at the time of booking.

If you are interested please contact either:

Frank Pearson, 29 Beechfield Road, , Rochdale , Lancs. OL16 4EU England or by email to [email protected]

Or, Neil Baldwin, 22 Sands Avenue, , Oldham, Lancs. OL9 0NU England email [email protected]

Yours in Friendship,

Frank Pearson

Frank Pearson Branch Chairman

Neil Baldwin

Neil Baldwin Organising Committee member