Rochdale is a former mill town in Greater Manchester, sitting in the steep-sided Roch Valley where the River Roch runs down from the foothills of the Pennines. It grew rapidly during the Industrial Revolution with cotton mills fed by the Rochdale Canal, and is famous as the birthplace of the modern co‑operative movement after the 1844 founding of the Rochdale Pioneers.
Today Rochdale blends industrial heritage with ongoing town-centre regeneration, cultural venues such as the Touchstones arts and heritage centre, and outdoor attractions like Hollingworth Lake. The local economy has shifted away from manufacturing, the population is diverse, and community life features markets, grassroots sport including Rochdale AFC, and a strong pride in the town’s co‑operative legacy while being within easy reach of Manchester for wider jobs and services.