Big Rochdale welcome for Little Amal

Rochdale town centre was brought to a standstill on Tuesday 2nd November as thousands of people lined the streets to welcome Little Amal – a nine-year-old refugee girl in the form of a 3.5 metre puppet.

Rochdale was her penultimate stop on an 8,000 mile journey that has taken her from the Syrian border across Turkey, Greece, Italy, France, Switzerland, Germany and Belgium in search of her mother, stopping at just 65 places on the way. It’s a journey that represents those taken by millions who have been displaced by war or persecution, especially children and her urgent message to the world is ‘don’t forget about us’.

Little Amal was met by excited school children at The Pioneers Museum on Toad Lane and presented with 'You are home here' welcome banners before making her way towards the crowds on Yorkshire Street where she was also greeted by community groups who provide help and support to local asylum seekers and refugees at the 'Better Together' building - home of ‘Caring and Sharing.’ There she was presented with a handmade quilt, before being greeted by Littleborough folk group Oakenhoof who led her and the crowds towards The Esplanade and into Rochdale Memorial Gardens.

In the gardens she was welcomed by the Mayor, Councillor Aasim Rashid, who presented her with a copy of the heartfelt poem 'Why Rochdale?' written by Middleton resident Ann Robinson. Little Amal then spent over half an hour in the gardens meeting visitors, along with famous Rochdale singer Lisa Stansfield, pupils from nearby primary and secondary schools, students from Rochdale Sixth Form College and Hopwood Hall College.

There was music performed by Wardle Academy Junior Brass Band and a group from Petrus joined Skylight Circus Arts entertaining Little Amal with circus skills. The visit concluded with a choir from Little Heaton C of E Primary School singing a traditional lullaby as Little Amal waved goodbye and moved to the next step of her journey, a community event at Kingsway Park High School.

Councillor Rachel Massey, cabinet member for children’s services and education at Rochdale Borough Council said she was very proud: "This was a day we’ll never forget. To welcome Little Amal to my home town has been a heart-warming experience and to see so many people come out to see her says a lot about how welcoming our wonderful communities are. This epic walk has an important role to play in changing the conversation about asylum seekers and refugees and bringing us all together, teaching us about kindness and empathy and showing that we care very much. Most of us can’t begin to imagine what it must be like to flee your home country with nothing more than the clothes on your back and we should continue to do everything we can to support families and children who put themselves at risk to escape war and persecution."

The Walk is produced by Good Chance, Stephen Daldry, David Lan and Tracey Seaward in association with Handspring Puppet Company and is produced and presented in Rochdale by Rochdale Borough Council and Your Trust in partnership with Manchester International Festival.