A weekly update on what's happening in Oldham and the latest Covid news and guidance

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Alarmingly high rates of Covid among secondary school children continue across Oldham. Getting vaccinated is the most effective way of slowing this spread and from today Covid vaccinations for 12- to 15-year-olds can be booked with a clinic rather than through their school.

If your child has missed their school appointment, if you are home-schooling your child and did not book in for half term or if you are late consenting to your child being vaccinated, you can book a vaccination through the National Booking Service ([link removed])

The benefits to young people getting vaccinated are:
• Reduces their chance of becoming seriously ill or hospitalised
• Lessens the risk of developing long Covid
• Limits time spent away from school
• Cut the time spent away from friends
• Improves mental health due to more time socialising

There's also the wider benefit to our communities in an effort to slow the spread of the virus.

Full details can be found at [link removed]
Big Oldham Conversation

We’ve launched our Big Oldham Conversation so that you can tell us what you think about plans for your new town centre.

Our new website brings together all future plans into one place so it’s easy for you to read about all the projects, share your views and have a say in the future of your town.

The plans include a new 5.7-acre town centre park, a new theatre and the redevelopment of Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre – including a new Tommyfield Market, new events space, new entrepreneur workspace, an arts and heritage archive centre and improved shopping.

We’ll also be out and about across the town centre, sharing our plans in person.

The first Big Oldham Conversation event will take place tomorrow, 23 October, between 10am and 2pm outside the former Debenhams unit in the lower mall of Spindles.

Come along, find out more, give us your views and get your questions answered!

Find out more by visiting www.oldham.gov.uk/towncentre
We Can Help!

This time of the year can be difficult for most people but remember, you’re not alone, there are lots of ways that we can help.

If you’re worried about your energy bills, our Warm Homes service can help you to reduce your bills and stay warm this winter.

Our Local Welfare Provision is available to eligible residents needing emergency support such as food vouchers, repairs and care costs

We’ve also got lots of useful advice to help with managing your finances.

For more information, visit [link removed] ([link removed] )
Is your child on free school meals?

If your child is eligible for free school meals, you should already have been contacted about meal vouchers for the October half-term.

If you're a family on a low income and worried about how you're going feed the kids while they're off school, you may be eligible. Contact our We Can Help line on 0161 770 7007 or visit www.Oldham.gov.uk/wecanhelp

Or to find out more, visit Free School Meals ([link removed])
Health experts are warning we could have a bad flu season ahead of us, alongside rising cases of Covid.

This is why, if you’re eligible, it’s important to get yourself a flu jab and a Covid booster jab to protect yourself, your friends and your loved ones.

Vaccinations are important because:
* more people are likely to get flu this winter as fewer people will have built up natural immunity to it during the COVID-19 pandemic
* if you get flu and Covid at the same time, research shows you're more likely to be seriously ill
* getting vaccinated against flu and Covid will provide protection for you and those around you for both these serious illnesses

If you've had Covid, it's safe to have the flu vaccine. It will still be effective at helping to prevent flu. If you’re offered both, it's safe to have them at the same time.

Who's eligible to get a Covid booster jab and a flu jab?
To see the full list of who’s eligible, click the links below:
• Who can have a flu jab? ([link removed])
• Who can have a COVID-19 booster jab? ([link removed])

Where to get a flu vaccine
You can have the NHS flu vaccine at your GP surgery, a pharmacy offering the service, your midwifery service if you’re pregnant or via a hospital appointment.
• Find a pharmacy that offers a flu vaccine appointment ([link removed])

Where to get a COVID-19 booster jab
Most eligible people will be invited to get their booster jab by the NHS. Some people like frontline health and social care workers can book an appointment online.
• More information on the best way to get your COVID-19 booster jab ([link removed])

More information on both the flu and COVID-19 vaccines can be found
[link removed] ([link removed])
Not long now until one of our biggest events comes back to Oldham.

Our FREE family bonfire returns with fireworks, fire-themed acts and more so come and join us.

Thursday 4 November
From 5pm
At Oldham Edge Playing Fields

And… how would your child like to switch on the fireworks?

They’ll have to be an Oldham resident, 12 years or under and free on Thursday 4 November

To enter, head to our website and register by Sunday 31 October and we'll choose a winner at random.

Visit [link removed] or the find out more about our Big Bang Bonfire, visit [link removed]
Don’t Trash Oldham – coming to Shaw and Crompton!

The latest of our Don’t Trash Oldham ward clean-ups is set to start on November 1 in Shaw and Crompton.

Our teams have already successfully tidied up Alexandra, Chadderton Central and Chadderton North.

Our additional £1.27m investment is aimed at tackling litter, fly-tipping and waste as well as creating new jobs so we have more teams out and about.

For more information about when we’ll be cleaning up your area, the Don’t Trash Oldham campaign and how you can get involved, visit www.oldham.gov.uk/donttrasholdham
Fined!

Over £2,000 of fines were handed out in September and October for fly-tipping offences in Oldham:

The investment in our Don't Trash Oldham campaign and so we want to do everything we can to discourage fly-tipping and littering in our borough.

Enforcement is a big part of the campaign and here are just some of the prosecutions brought about recently.

Corrina McDermott of Letham Street, Oldham pleaded guilty to the Duty of Care offence when waste from her property was found deposited on Adam Street. She was given a 12-month conditional discharge and a £21 victim surcharge.

Robert Kotlar of Crete Street, Oldham, pleaded not guilty to the Duty of Care offences when waste from his property was found deposited on Schofield Street in March, April and May of 2019. He was fined £400 with £300 costs.

Stefan Rapa of Copsterhill Road, Oldham pleaded guilty to the Duty of Care Offence when waste from his property was found deposited in the alley of Copsterhill Road. He was fined £700 with £531 costs and £72 victim surcharge.

You can report fly-tipping on our website

If you don't want to appear on this list, make sure you dispose of your rubbish appropriately:
* Recycle as much as you can ([link removed])
* Don't contaminate your bins ([link removed])
* Take additional refuse to the tip ([link removed])
* Arrange a bulky refuse collection ([link removed])

NHS Oldham Health Check Survey – we need your views

If you’re aged between 40-74, we need your views on how to improve how health checks are carried out in Oldham.

The NHS health check can identify people who are at a higher risk of heart problems so it can be prevented.

If you’re aged 40-74 and have not already been diagnosed with certain conditions, you’re eligible for an NHS health check every 5 years.

In Oldham, we’re looking to improve how health checks are provided in future, and we need your feedback to do this.

So, if you’ve had a NHS health check before please can you answer the short survey below. The closing date for responses is 7 November 2021.

• NHS Health Check survey ([link removed])

If you have any questions about the survey, please contact: [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Health%20check%20survey)
Black History Month

It's the last week of Black History Month, a month when we remember and celebrate people and events and acknowledge the impact of black heritage and culture.

It’s not too late to join in our celebrations. You can still book tickets to watch ‘My voice was heard but it was ignored’, a gripping performance about racial identity.

Or why not head down to Oldham Library and join Ella Otomewo as she shares some of her work and Keisha as she shares songs and poems from her book.

Find out more by visiting [link removed]

National Adoption Week

Adoption has changed, and while it can come with challenges, it is simpler, quicker, and comes with more support than before.

If you’re thinking about giving a child a home and would like more information, Adoption Now can help. They can guide you through every step of the adoption process.

Find out more, visit www.adoptionnow.org.uk
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Oldham Dads – We Need Your Views

We recently conducted a survey asking for the views of parents on the services provided for babies, children and young people in Oldham.

This survey is part of our review of the 0-19 services for children and young people (consisting of Right Start and School Nursing) as well as reviewing our parenting offer.

After reviewing the responses we found that over 90% of those who answered the survey were mums!

So, we need to hear from Oldham dads, stepdads, or male carers on how you would like to access support for your child, what kinds of health and wellbeing advice would be useful to you and anything else you think is important when it comes to supporting young people.

We'd also welcome your views on the current offer provided by Oldham's Children's centres.

The survey should only take a few minutes to complete and closes on Friday 5 November 2021 (Midnight).

Your responses will help us to provide your child with its best start in life.

Find the survey here: Services for children in Oldham ([link removed])

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