The event brought together Year 10 pupil representatives from ten local secondary schools, each nominated to attend based on their emerging leadership qualities.
The meeting was also attended by esteemed guest Cllr Rachel Massey, Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services and Education at Rochdale Borough Council.
The initiative was led by Rebecca Tarran DL, Director of Learning for Humanities at Oulder Hill and recently appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, in collaboration with fellow Rochdale-based Deputy Lieutenants Louise Scott DL and Asrar Ul-Haq OBE DL.
The objective of the project is twofold – to raise awareness of the role and responsibilities of the Lieutenancy, and to engage young people in discussions about public service, civic recognition and community values.
Pupils were introduced to the Lieutenancy of Greater Manchester – composed of individuals who have made significant contributions to public life. They learned about the role of the Lord-Lieutenant – the King’s representative in the county – and the duties undertaken by the Vice Lord-Lieutenant and Deputy Lieutenants, including organising royal visits, presenting medals and awards on behalf of the Sovereign, maintaining links between the monarchy and the local community, and supporting civic, military and voluntary sector initiatives.
A key focus of the session was to raise awareness among young people about the national honours system, including the King’s Award for Enterprise, the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, and personal honours such as MBEs, OBEs, and CBEs. Pupils were encouraged to consider how members of their communities – individuals, groups, businesses and organisations – could be nominated for such awards. It was noted that the North of England has historically received fewer honours than the South, and that young people can help to change this by identifying and celebrating those making a positive impact in their local area.
Pupils engaged fully in the discussion and offered several thoughtful suggestions, which the Deputy Lieutenants are now exploring. The intention is for pupils to take these ideas back to their schools and discuss them further through student councils and leadership groups. The group will meet again in the Autumn term, when they will have the exciting opportunity to put forward nominations for the 2026 Royal Garden Party.
Year 10 pupils from Oulder Hill Leadership Academy were extremely positive about the session, saying:
"I really enjoyed the experience! I loved how everyone shared their opinions such as who should be recognised in Rochdale. I am glad that Rochdale is being recognised for its heroes." (Veronica Asnani)
"The meeting was very informative and entertaining. We were able to make new friends from other schools and also make our voices be heard about who should be more recognised in Rochdale." (Umar Alam)
Reflecting on the success of the event, Rebecca Tarran DL said: "We were delighted to hold the inaugural Lord Lieutenant's Youth District Committee meeting at Oulder Hill Leadership Academy. It is so important to listen to the contributions of our young people as they will be the leaders of tomorrow. They need to feel their voices are heard and working on recognition of the heroes of Rochdale who deserve public praise allows us to focus on all the positives of our town.
"It was a fantastic opportunity for pupils from different secondary schools throughout Rochdale to come together and have a collective voice and this supports the work we are doing as Deputy Lieutenants of Greater Manchester."
As the first initiative of its kind, the Lord Lieutenant’s Youth District Committee could serve as a blueprint for similar programmes across Greater Manchester and beyond. Oulder Hill Leadership Academy is proud to be a part of this important work and remains committed to developing the leadership skills, civic awareness and social responsibility of its pupils.