DELPH HAS been named in a national survey as the fifth best place in Britain to start a family.
Here, some of the locals tell us what makes their village so special…
Gilbert Symes – musician, compere, comedian and local folklore expert – has grown up and raised a family in the village.
He says: “It has that genuine feel – and the villagers have lost none of their open-handed friendliness and charm.”
Impresario Phil Beckwith, father of two, helps to stage the popular annual Party in the Park spectacular, which celebrated its tenth anniversary this year.
He declared: “Delph has a wonderful position in the heart of the pennine hills, the beautiful Castleshaw valley and the River Tame runs through.
“It offers a compact, old-world, unique village centre – a great meeting place for all the family.”
Phil added: “But by far the best reason to start a family here is it’s beautiful, safe and gives a village-friendly life.”
Former Saddleworth Parish Council chair Keith Begley and his wife Jennifer, a former head of PE education, have two children and have lived in Delph for 12 years.
Jennifer said: “We have pre-school and a good graded primary school.
“Young families are made very welcome with beavers, cubs and churches all making young people very welcome.”
Keith added: “Saddleworth is undoubtedly a most desirable place to live and Delph achieves the highest score by my reckoning.
“We have our brass band and lots of regular activities and family orientated events including our Whit Friday Parade, Rushcart Day, Party in the Park and our Christmas Lights Spectacular.”
Phillida Shipp, chair of Delph Community Association, said proudly: “Delph has its own library, which is a warm, welcoming place where anyone can go and have a sit and a chat. Borrowing a book of course is a bonus.”
Professional gardener Jo Green, mother of three, who serves on the DCA, is married to a television journalist and moved to the village two years ago.
“We feel as if we’ve always lived here,” she confided. “We’ve been made to feel so welcome and people accept us for what we are.
“Everybody knows each other’s children and looks out for them – even giving them tea if we’re kept late at work.
“But above all, people in Saddleworth like to have fun, and they devote plenty of time and effort to it.”
Cllr Nicola Kirkham, who serves on Oldham and Saddleworth Parish Council, summed up: “We have a great community spirit and great people here.
“Everyone feels welcome if they choose to live in our close knit village.”
Delph claimed the accolade in a report by PropertyDetective.com, an information website for house buyers assessing the quality and availability of schools, nurseries, child care providers, NCT groups crime rates and population density.
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