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

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Oldham park to be named in honour of Queen's Platinum Jubilee

Oldham's new town centre park will be named Jubilee Park in honour of the Queen's 70 years on the throne.

The new six-acre park is being created as part of our ongoing regeneration scheme, which will also see the revamp of Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre, new housing, a new arts and performance space, new offices and a new home for Tommyfield Market.

This year, the Queen will become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, having taken the throne in February 1952.

Jubilee Park will be created on land freed up by the relocation of Tommyfield Market, as well as the former Oldham Sports Centre in Lord Street. We plan to bring these sites back to life with much-needed new homes and the park, will provide space for residents to exercise, play, or spend time with friends and family outdoors.

Read the full story ([link removed])

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Illuminate is back!

Grab your family and friends to see Oldham in a new light as our free late-night festival returns for its fifth year!

Visit Oldham town centre on Saturday 26 February, from 6 - 9pm, to take part in our parade and enjoy mesmerising illuminated installations and dazzling performances from some of the best in the business.

The event kicks off with a procession of light from Gallery Oldham to the Old Town Hall, followed by entertainment across the town centre.

If you’d like to be a part of the parade, book onto the free Family Lantern Making Sessions at Gallery Oldham here.

Find out more ([link removed])

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Covid's still here - get vaccinated

As we know, Covid restrictions in England have been relaxed, but Covid’s still here. We're reminding you that we all need to do our bit across Oldham to stay as safe as we can by getting vaccinated and getting tested.

Let’s keep everyone safe so we can keep doing the things we love most. Getting fully vaccinated remains our best defence against COVID-19 and we urge everyone to Get Boosted Now.

Please consider wearing a face covering in crowded, enclosed spaces, let fresh air in if you meet indoors and get tested and self-isolate if required.

It is now more important than ever to get vaccinated. If you haven’t already, get the protection you need against the virus.

Various clinics are available for walk-in appointments for first, second or booster doses. You can book through the NHS website ([link removed]) , or visit our website ([link removed]) to find local walk-in sites across Oldham.

For more information click here (http:// www.oldham.gov.uk/coronavirus)

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PCR test sites

You should now only go for a PCR test if you have one of the three main symptoms of Coronavirus:
* a high temperature
* a new, continuous cough
* a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste

However, if you test positive for Covid-19 at home with no symptoms and are eligible for a self-isolation payment, please come forward for a confirmatory PCR test as you will need this as part of the process to apply for a payment.

Check your eligibility here ([link removed])

PCR testing sites in Oldham for the week commencing 7 February, include:

Southgate Street car park (Next to Oldham Library)
Monday to Sunday, 8am-6pm

Honeywell Centre, Hadfield Street. Hathershaw, OL8 3BP
Monday to Sunday, 8am-6pm

Peel Street in Chadderton, OL9 9JX
Monday to Sunday, 8am-6pm

Higher Memorial Park, Failsworth, M35 9DE
Monday to Sunday, 8am-6pm

Prince Street Oldham Mumps Tram Station Car Park
Monday to Sunday, 10am-3pm

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Get tested at your local pharmacy

Testing before doing things like spending time in crowded/enclosed spaces, or visiting someone at higher risk of severe illness of Covid-19, helps prevent the virus from spreading.

If you have no symptoms, please get an onsite test at your local pharmacy today.

Find out more ([link removed])

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Oldham Covid cases

Over the last 7 days Oldham has a rate of 702 per 100,000 population, which is lower than the rate of 902 for the previous 7 days.

76.8% of Oldham residents have had their first vaccine, 70.8% have had their second vaccine and 53.2% of those eligible for a booster jab have had one.

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Resident prosecuted after rubbish found in the street

We’ve prosecuted a resident for blighting his neighbourhood with rubbish.

Gheorge Raucanu is the latest person to find himself in trouble after he thought it was ok to leave waste strewn in the street. Officers discovered the waste on Ashton Road in June last year.

It was traced to Raucanu, who lives doors away from where the rubbish was found. He was summonsed to court for a littering offence.

He failed to turn up at Tameside Magistrates Court on January 31 and the case was proved in his absence.

Raucanu was fined £220, told to pay costs of £562 and given a victim surcharge of £34.

Since we started our Don’t Trash Oldham campaign in September last year, we’ve fined 231 people for environmental crimes and also successfully prosecuted another 17 in court.

This week our Don't Trash Oldham campaign moved into Coldhurst ward. Staff will be carrying out a deep clean of the area, removing all the litter, rubbish and fly-tipping they find. The full rolling Don’t Trash Oldham programme (subject to change) is:

· March –Werneth and Chadderton South

· April – Royton North and South

· May – Failsworth East and West

· June – Saddleworth Wards x 3

· July – St Mary’s

· August – Hollinwood

For more information about the campaign including an FAQs section visit www.oldham.gov.uk/donttrasholdham
Get involved with the campaign ([link removed])

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Support our Holiday Activities and Food programme this Easter

We’re on the lookout for new providers to support us with our upcoming Holiday Activities and Food programme over the Easter holidays.

So, if you run a local community group, activity club or charity in Oldham – or you know someone who does – and would be interested in helping us to provide healthy hot food and enriching activities for our children and young people during the school holidays, we’d love to hear from you.

We’re hosting a 1-hour virtual ‘Meet the funder’ event on Thursday 10 February at 4pm via Zoom, for anyone who has questions about the programme and how to get involved.

Register here ([link removed])
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More than £1000 donated to our Working Wardrobe project

We’d like to say a huge thank you this week to JYSK UK for supporting our Working Wardrobe project.

The Oldham based furniture store has kindly donated more than £1000 of equipment including sofas, coat racks, clothes rails, hangers and an ironing board - which will be a real boost to getting the Working Wardrobe shop up and running.

The scheme is being launched by Get Oldham Working and will provide unemployed Oldhamers with an interview outfit and one-to-one support to help them feel confident and prepared for their job interviews.

If you, your workplace, or your business, can support the project by donating clothes or equipment, please get in touch.

Find out more about the project ([link removed])

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Temporary weekend car park closures at The Royal Oldham Hospital

If you're visiting the Royal Oldham Hospital on either 4–7 or 11–14 February, certain car parks will be closed due to contractors carrying out survey works.

See which car parks are affected here ([link removed])

How would you improve the pharmacy service in your area?

A survey has been put together to help understand what you want from your local pharmacy service. In collaboration between the council and the NHS, the survey will ask if you use a local pharmacy and if yes, what you want to get out of the service. The answers will be collated to help make decisions about how to best improve the overall health of your community.

The survey only takes around 10 minutes to complete and will help improve services that are important to you.

Take the survey ([link removed])

Local Listing project - have you nominated?

If you haven't already, there’s still time to nominate your favourite historic buildings, landscapes, historic sites, public art, monuments and even street furniture to join the Local Heritage List for Greater Manchester.

The Greater Manchester Local Heritage List Project is being run by the Greater Manchester Archaeological Advisory Service (GMAAS), based at the University of Salford, together with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority and local councils.

The aim of the project is to work with local communities to identify and help protect the things that make a place special and give an area its special character.

Have your say before the end of February ([link removed])
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Oldham Council . Civic Centre . West Street . Oldham, OL1 1UT . United Kingdom