Page 21 - Real Rochdale Issue 21 Spring 2024

MAN (AND DOG) OF ROCHDALE: “If they go to school and other children find
out they’re being supported by you, they bully
them because you’re a charity kid. You can’t
Wesley Dowd and Finley allow that; children can be cruel to other
children.

“I was that kid who rips on you, who’d go ‘state
of them trainers, man, I wouldn’t put them on
my feet.’ I was that kid because I was spoilt, and
Hundreds of children have been I didn’t realise.”
helped over the years by the latest
Man of Rochdale, Wesley Dowd – Wes isn’t shy about his past. An only child who
and his faithful Jack Russell, Finley attended St Cuthbert’s, he says his teachers
– but they won’t know about it as he said he “wouldn’t amount to much” as he spent

doesn’t take credit for anything. 18 months in juvenile detention following an
incident when he was 15.
Michelle Kight went to meet the 2023
Man of Rochdale and Finley. “Even though I went because of a bad thing, I
didn’t go in with a bad attitude,” he said. “I had
Over the last nine years, Wes and Finley have good people around me, and I let a lot of people Last year’s winner Dave Richardson with Wes
raised over £100,000 for the borough’s down; that’s why I never went back.”
children with their long-distance fundraisers “I wish I could explain my dad, Finley, the
and mountain climbs, such as the Cumbria Way, Finley came into Wes’ live by chance when he Moorland Home, the other children I help, but I
Dales Way, Pennine Way. was three after his former owner had a double can’t. It was like some mad movement and
heart bypass. Wes admits he didn’t want a dog people got behind me. A lot of people help and
The primary beneficiary has been Wes’ baby, – “I was working 12-hour days and I wasn’t that I’m so lucky for that.
the Rochdale Children’s Moorland Home at kind of guy” – but the little Jack Russell is now
Nab Farm, which provides holidays to around his best friend. He retired from distance “I go round and make sure children have
1,300 disadvantaged children each year. fundraisers in 2023 after needing an eye uniforms and go to school, make sure they’re
removed. not getting looked down on for having dirty
Wes said: “I did community service there when clothes and ripped trainers… My dad went to
I was a young lad. First time I’d ever seen the With Finley’s retirement, Wes adopted his school like that and got ripped to death. He
place, I cut the grass with a lawnmower and Wes and Finley at Rochdale Children’s Moorland Home second dog, Butch, from Pennine Pen Animal always said if he’d had a bit of help, he wouldn’t
thought what a brilliant place that it was. I Rescue. have gone into care – and that’s what drove me
wanted to give them something back.” on.”
In addition to the tens of thousands raised Wes thinks for a moment: “Without that little
for the Moorland Home, electrician Wes also dog coming into my life, this wouldn’t have
When he was named Man of Rochdale in He added: “When you get in trouble when
November, Wes promptly presented his dad, raises funds to send children with cancer or happened. you’re young, don’t think you can’t do anything
disabilities on holidays, Christmas present
the inspiration behind all that he does, with the collections for needy children, and provides about that or change your life. Because you
trophy. can: focus on what you want to do and don’t let
furniture, clothes and food for local families in anyone get in your way. It’s nice when people
need. He’s also worked with Parents Against
“My father was fostered everywhere, brought see what you’ve gone and done, ‘cause no-one’s
up in care and children’s homes. That’s 100% Grooming UK on fundraising fun days and bike perfect.
rides.
why I do what I do. It was an awful time. I’ve sat
there when he told me the stories. That’s why “If I can inspire another lad in this town to
I passed him my trophy when I got it. I said to “The children don’t know anything about me; I possibly do what I’ve done, to do stuff for
want to be a ghost,” he explained. “They don’t
him, ‘there you go, dad, that’s for you.’ children, that would be it for me.”
see me. My job is to give them some school
uniform, nice trainers and a console, because
“The Dowd name, my name, was the mud name, that blends you in with the other children. I Wes’ 2024 fundraisers will include the West
basically, and I turned it around and now it’s the Highland Way and the 500-mile Camino de
biggest name for helping children.” want them to think their mum and dad have The Mayor of Rochdale, Mike Holly with Santiago pilgrimage to the Cathedral of San-
done it. Dave Richardson, Wesley Dowd and Kieren McDonnell,
chair of the Man of Rochdale committee tiago de Compostela through France and Spain.
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