[Two owls flying over Oldham town centre]([link removed])

Watch our brand new Christmas animation
 
It’s officially December and we are feeling festive, so to celebrate, we're launching our brand-new Christmas animation for 2023 which you can watch now.

Councillor Arooj Shah, Leader of Oldham Council, said: “We are sure you will love our heartfelt story showing that friends and family are what matters at Christmas.

“This year our animation stars Oldham’s mascots Ollie and Millie and tells a story of love and friendship conquering all, even in the hardest of times. Our lovely town centre is also shown at its best, hosting the best free Christmas events and offering a great Christmas shopping experience.

“Once again, our animation is created by a local business and represents the true Christmas spirit of Oldhamers. We hope you enjoy it as much as us and we wish you all the best at this special time of year.”

[Operation Christmas volunteers pose for a picture with the Leader of Oldham Council, Cllr Arooj Shah, Managing Director, Children and Young People Gerard Jones, and Chief Executive of Oldham Council Harry Catherall.]

Operation Christmas an enormous success once again
 
A massive thank you to everyone who has supported our Christmas appeal this year – your response has been absolutely phenomenal.

Thousands of donations have been flooding in over recent weeks from local residents, businesses, councillors and council staff, and we couldn’t be more grateful to you all. 

A variety of toys, gift sets and selection boxes are now being wrapped and ready to go, with your generosity set to bring huge smiles to the faces of many vulnerable children and young people across our borough this Christmas.

A huge thank you to you all once again, you are amazing!

[Brass Monkeys Festival]([link removed])

Enjoy our Brass Monkeys Festival and more

Oldham's annual winter brass festival returns for its ninth year on Saturday 9 December. 

Join us in the town centre from 11am until 3pm as the very best local and national brass bands play side by side across the town centre and provide the perfect musical backdrop for your Christmas shopping.

Find out more on [our Christmas webpage]([link removed]).

Don’t forget, we also have our Hollinwood Christmas Lights Switch-on event on Friday 8 December from 4pm at the Holy Family RC Church on 407 Roman Road.

With a fun fair, Santa’s Grotto and entertainment on throughout the evening, it’s not one to be missed.

[Oldham's school children standing in front of the newly named gritters with Cllr Shah and Cllr Goodwin.]([link removed])

After an avalanche of entries, the super six are ready to hit the road…

Oldham’s school children have done us proud and come up with some great names for our six new gritters.

And some of them will be a little familiar to many of you, thanks to their connections to the borough.

To find out who will be gritting our roads over winter, [check out our website.]([link removed])

[Two local butchers from Tommyfield Market holding sausages.]([link removed])

Support your local businesses

Tomorrow marks Small Business Saturday, and as you may have already seen on our social media, we’re reminding everyone of the great local businesses we have in our borough.

As always, they need your support and we’re encouraging everyone to shop local and to support businesses in your communities.

So if you’re out and about shopping tomorrow, make sure to tag any posts or offers with #SmallBizSatUK on social media and tag Oldham Council (@OldhamCouncil) on X (Formerly known as Twitter), and ‘Love Oldham’ on Instagram and Facebook. 

We’ll be sharing your posts throughout the day.

[Local Improvement Fund - Apply before 8 December]([link removed](LIF,100%2C000%20will%20be%20revenue%20costs.)

LIF - Deadline for Final Capital Applications

Do you have an idea on how to improve your local community? Why not submit your suggestions as part of our Local Improvement Fund (LIF)?

You may have thoughts on new ways to transform and enhance your neighbourhood, or things that could boost the local area with new jobs and investment, whatever it may be we want to hear from you.

You must hurry though as the deadline for applications relating to large projects closes on Friday 8 December.

For more information on LIF and how to apply, [please visit our website.]([link removed](LIF,100%2C000%20will%20be%20revenue%20costs.)

[Oldham Civic Centre on a sunny clear day]

Temporary changes to our Housing Options service

Please be aware our in-person Housing Options Service within Access Oldham remains temporarily unavailable.

If you have a housing-related query and would like to speak to a member of the team, please call 0161 770 4605. 

Our phonelines are open 9am – 5pm, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 9.30am-5pm on Wednesdays with phones available to use at your local library if needed.

For further housing options support, you can access information on our website at [www.oldham.gov.uk/housing]([link removed])

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

[Road closure sign placed on a road]

An update on roadworks
 
Following on from our update last week, please remember Oldham Way is closed in both directions from 8pm this evening until 5am tomorrow morning for surfacing works.

The closure will be in place between Manchester Road Roundabout and the junction of Prince Street/Oldham Way.

The bypass will be also closed overnight on Tuesday 5 December for the same duration.

Over in Delph, works on High Street are ongoing following issues involving utilities which has resulted in delays.

High Street will now reopen on Tuesday 5 December. We apologise for the delay.

[A Jack and the Benstalk promotion flyer with the actors from the panto featured in the image.]([link removed])

Get your pantomime tickets

Prepare for panto season this Christmas by buying your tickets for Jack and the Beanstalk at Oldham’s Queen Elizabeth Hall.

One of the main star’s of this year’s performance is ITV’s ‘Chaser’ Mark Labbett.

The professional quizzer, who is also known by his professional nickname The Beast, is playing the role Fleshcreep.

Other actors involved include Becky Hoyle, Jeffrey Longmore, Phil Mealey, Kate Salmon and Benny Tyas.

To get your tickets, please call the Box Office on 0161 770 4083 or [visit Ticket Source]([link removed]).

[Person looking at L S Lowry's 'Going to the Match']([link removed])

L S Lowry masterpiece coming to Oldham

L S Lowry’s ‘Going to the Match’ painting is going on public display in Gallery Oldham from tomorrow until 24 February 2024.

This hugely important and much-loved work of art had been on public display at The Lowry since it opened in 2000, courtesy of a loan by then owners the Professional Footballers Association.

For more information on this exciting display [visit our website.]([link removed])

[A zebra]([link removed])

Be amazed by our upcoming Wild Colour exhibition
 
Speaking of exciting displays, with Sir David Attenborough’s latest BBC series wowing TV audiences of all ages with its stunning wildlife footage, we have a range of images that wouldn’t look out of place on Planet Earth 3 coming to Oldham.

Gallery Oldham’s latest exhibition - Wild Colour - uses beautiful images to examine colour in the animal kingdom.

From the striking blue plumage of the hyacinth macaw to the multicoloured iridescence of a jewel beetle, it’s not to be missed.

The exhibition begins on Saturday 9 December. For more information, please [visit Gallery Oldham’s website.]([link removed])

www.oldham.gov.uk

[www.Oldham.gov.uk]([link removed])

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