INSPIREDLIVING making your area a great place to live
| Decemeber 2013
Christmas
opening hours During the festive season you can contact us by: Phone: 0300 123 2003 Email: oldhampfi@ greatplaces.org.uk Text: 07797 870 731
We’re open on:
Christmas Eve: 8am-12pm 27 December: 9am-4pm 28 December: 9am-4pm New Year’s Eve: 9am-1pm
MORE NEW HOMES ON THE HORIZON The neighhourhood in Fitton Hill will be thriving this time next year, thanks to the latest PFI housing project at Keswick Avenue. Construction is already taking place on this old, unused site that once housed the local primary school. Residents are scheduled to move into the new 78 homes (made up of 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses) in April 2014. The development marks another significant milestone in the regeneration of the neighbourhood, with a new community centre, doctor’s surgery and primary school all being built in recent years. This follows the arrival of over 50 new homes at Primrose Bank, as well as over 60 existing homes refurbished as part of the £113 Gateways to Oldham project which will see a total of over 700 homes
being built or refurbished over the next three years. To date over 330 homes have been refurbished in Primrose Bank and Crossley, Chadderton. Ryan Smith, Oldham PFI manager, said: “This latest development will provide much-need family homes in the south of the town. We’re also creating a public space that the whole community can enjoy.” All the properties will be allocated through the Council’s Choice Based Lettings Scheme, managed by FCHO. Please contact the one point team on 0161 770 6699 (option 2) or email onepoint@fcho.co.uk for further information.
Fitton Hill and its film crew Local people were stars of the show as a film crew descended on the new Keswick Avenue site to make a DVD about them working on construction projects in the Borough. Designed to encourage job-seekers to go for a career in the construction sector, the short film was shown at a jobs fair in the town centre to highlight the range of employment opportunities available. The DVD will now be distributed among local schools and colleges to inspire school leavers and graduates to consider construction as a viable career path. www.positive-steps.org.uk.
We’re closed on:
Christmas day, Boxing day & New Year’s day In 2014 you can look forward to a new-look quarterly magazine with more pages, more information…and more importantly, more stories about you and your neighbourhood! You’ll also be able to find us on Facebook where you can view more up-to-theminute information on how we’re transforming your area and what fantastic events and opportunities are on offer.
What is the Oldham PFI Inspired Giving Fund? We’ve just launched our Inspired Giving Fund which gives you the money for projects that make a difference to your lives and the areas in which you live. We’ve got £5,000 to give out to you, our residents!
Who can apply?
You can apply if you’re a PFI resident, a voluntary or community group or a charitable organisation.
How to apply Email jan.wade@greatplaces.org.uk for an application form. Miss Burns from Lansdowne Court has received £150 from Great Places’ Voice fund (a charity run by Great Places’ staff) to help her continue to make and send cards to sick children at the children’s unit at Royal Oldham Hospital and the Royal Manchester Hospital.
The fund has three main aims:
1
To support employment, eg college fees, self employment support
2
To promote health & well-being, eg cooking classes, football coaching
3
To build sustainable neighbourhoods, eg youth clubs community fun days £524 has already been awarded to Mr Taylor from Stockfield Mount to enable him to complete his Level 2 in 2D CAD (Computer Aided Design).
Children deserve the best start in life and early education allows them to develop through exploration, play and social interaction while giving them the knowledge they need to start school. Early education also gives you the opportunity to spend more time with the older children in your family, allows you to return to work, volunteer, study for a qualification or just have some ‘you’ time. Is your child getting his/her 15 hours a week free early education?
Two, three and four year-old early education Your child could be eligible for 15 hours of free early education at any Ofsted registered childcare provider that is eligible to receive funding. To check if you’re eligible and to claim your child’s free education entitlement, please contact your
C
Education’s what you need…
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local children’s centre, or visit www.oldham.gov. uk/2yearolds. You may be asked for proof of eligibility. Visit www.oldham.gov.uk/free_early_ education for more information about free education for three and four year-olds.
High quality day care Oldham Council runs three, high quality day car centres for 2-5 year olds: • Beever Daycare (based at Beever Children’s Centre) • First Steps at Richmond (based at Coldhurst Children’s Centre) • Spring Meadows Daycare (based at Spring Meadow’s Children’s Centre). For more information please contact the Daycare manager: Spring Meadows and Beever Daycare 0161 770 8809. First Steps at Richmond Daycare 0161 770 8435. Visit www.oldham.gov.uk/childrens_daycare
Congratulations and celebrations…
Well done to Keswick Avenue resident Chris Ferris on passing the CPCS tele-handler course. He’ll continue to work at the Keswick Avenue site.
What’s happening in your area It’s off to work we go… The job market is undoubtedly tough at the moment so Oldham Council’s Employability team have been working hard to support residents into careers in construction. Using money made available through ‘The Inspiral Training Grant’ they have assisted local people in gaining the UKATA Asbestos Awareness Certificate and also offered advice, guidance and funding for the Construction Skills Certificate Scheme cards.
Work, rest and play
Macmillan coffee morning It was cakes galore as residents from Primrose Bank went all Great British Bake Off to make tasty treats to sell at their Macmillan coffee morning. A big ‘thank you’ goes to everyone that took part either baking, buying or enjoying the cakes, and helped to raise £91 for such a worthwhile cause.
Hopskotch, skipping, hula hooping…just some of the good old-fashioned street games enjoyed by the residents of Mallow Close thanks to ‘Play Street’, organised by Great Places and Oldham Play Action Group (OPAG). The aim of a Play Street is to get children and adults out together to enjoy some of the games you may remember from when you were a child (if you’re old enough)!
Roll out the welcome mat
Some great work...in Community Week! Staff from Wates Living Space along with local contractor, Dave Luck Ltd transformed a number of rooms within the Positive Steps building in Oldham. Wates’ Production Trainee, Avtar Dhillon, who led the work throughout Community Week, said: “We spent a number of days re-decorating four rooms, creating a careers in construction room and installing a low level work top for the younger children in their kitchen. “This enhanced the working areas of young carers in the community. For me, it made the hard work that little bit more worthwhile, knowing that the work we carried out was benefiting the children that dedicate their lives to caring for a loved one.”
New residents from Primrose Bank were officially welcomed into the neighbourhood at a welcome event on Foxglove Avenue. Food and drink were served while people were given the opportunity to chat to Great Places’ staff. Children also enjoyed face-painting, a bouncy castle and pumpkin lantern making. A number of residents said they’d like to get involved in having a say about the services provided by Great Places.
A fond farewell PETRA Residents’ Group hosted its last event in the Primrose Bank Tenants Hall on Bonfire night with a pie and curry supper, followed by a trip to the Oldham fireworks display on Oldham Edge. After eating, Great Places booked mini-buses to ferry residents up to the Big Bang fireworks display, which was attended by over 15,000 people.
What’s on in December? Monday 9th December, 11am Dew Way Forum and walkabout, look for the gazebo on Mallow Close
Wednesday 18th December, 4–7pm Crossley Christmas party, Chadderton Reform Club
Call in and join us for some festive food, followed by the local forums
Thursday 12th December, 10am Primrose Bank walkabout – meet outside the Primrose Bank Tenants Hall
BASIC FIRST AID This is a half-day course organised through the Red Cross. It will be held at Stockfield Mount Communal Room, Crossley.
Wednesday 11th December, 4pm Crossley Community Centre Steering Group, Stockfield Mount Communal Room Look out for the flyer through your door.
There is a dedicated section here which contains news and events in your area.
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ENGLISH CLASSES The Westwood & Coldhurst Women’s Association can organise English classes for ladies at the OBA Millennium Centre. If you’d like to book a place or want further details, please ring Jan Wade on 0161 484 3271 / 07736 693120 or e-mail jan.wade@greatplaces.org.uk.
For walkabout and forum information, please visit www.greatplaces.org.uk and search for Oldham PFI.
call 0300 123 2003 text 07797 870 731 oldhampfi@greatplaces.org.uk
Great Places is planning to organise the following short courses in the new year: JEWELLERY MAKING This is a taster session and will be held at Stockfield Mount Communal Room, Crossley. If it’s successful we’ll look at organising an advanced course.
Tuesday 10th December, 10am Crossley walkabout – meet outside Stockfield Mount
Thursday 12th December, 5pm Primrose Bank Community Centre Steering Group, Great Places Office, 119 Union Street
Upcoming courses
8am to 6pm Mon-Fri
CAN YOU CUT IT? The new hairdressers in Crossley, Chadderton, is looking for a new shop name. If you have a suggestion, call in or email jan.wade@greatplaces.org.uk, you may win a prize!