Pride Business headline

Making Oldham safer for everyone – that has been the achievement of nightclub manager and chairman of Oldham Pub Watch scheme Terry Bruce, the humble winner of the Business Award.

In just two years as chairman, 95 per cent of all licensed premises in the town centre have become members.

Not only that but he also established a data sharing scheme with Greater Manchester Police and other authorities, which shares pictures of offenders, vulnerable young people and missing children.

His commitment to improving Oldham’s night time economy and championing high standards and safety for pub staff and customers has earned him this nomination.

Terry said: “I have never won an award like this before, it is great. Nights like tonight make you realise how many people are trying to make Oldham a great place and I’m proud to just be here. When I think about all the other candidates I think there are more deserving people than me. I’m incredibly humbled.

“The awards are so well put together and it’s nice to see people invested in the community being recognised and it makes me very proud to work and be in Oldham.”

Inpersonations businessswoman Crystal Faulkner thoroughly enjoyed being a finalists at the occasion.

She helps makes dreams come true for countless sick children across the borough and her selfless work saw her named as a finalist.

“It feels amazing. I love what I do and seeing smiles on the faces of children — it’s fantastic. To have been recognised means a lot — it’s a very humbling experience. I didn’t even expect a nomination so this is really nice.

The other finalists were George Street Chapel, where a dedicated group re-enact historical roles and give in-character guided tours of one the oldest Methodist chapels in the world.

Members of the group said: “We have only been up and running 14 months and we are absolutely delighted to have just been nominated. It is an absolute honour and we all feel so proud of ourselves and we are absolutely over the moon.

“The awards are fantastic, so many great people here and we’re delighted to be here.”

The group dedicated their achievements to Roy Lees who sadly passed away this year. He was a man heavily involved in researching the history of the chapel, played a central role in setting up Friends of George Street and making the interactors group such a success.

“This is in honour of him tonight. If it were not for him we wouldn’t be where we are.”