Find out what's coming up in Oldham this week along with the latest on Covid.

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Oldham pupils set to benefit from Eton College

Yesterday Star Academies and Eton College announced a plan to bid to open three academic sixth form free schools in Oldham, Dudley and Middlesbrough.

The new post-16 colleges are being designed to help give our young people in Oldham, who have done well in their GCSEs, the opportunity to achieve the A-levels they need to go to Oxbridge and other elite universities.

Partners intend to bid in the next wave of the Department for Education’s Free School Programme, a process expected to get underway in the next few months with the colleges expected to welcome their first students as soon as 2025.

These co-educational colleges would include access to some of Eton’s best teachers, its clubs and its speaker events. Eton will also help students prepare for university applications and interviews and every year students will be invited to take part in a summer residential at Eton itself.

The colleges’ small size will allow them to target a very specific education and will ensure that they do not disrupt the post-16 education that's already in place here in Oldham.

Read the full story ([link removed])

Don’t Trash Oldham: Six months of success cleaning up the borough

It’s now just over six months since we launched our Don’t Trash Oldham clean-up campaign, doesn't time fly by? In that time our staff, councillors, residents, school pupils and organisations who want to work with us to improve the borough, have put in a great team effort.

So far we have:
* Cleared up 144 tonnes of litter, rubbish, fly-tipping and overgrown shrubs – that’s more than a Blue Whale!
* Cleaned 1,755 streets and 292 alleys.
* Our engagement team have knocked on more than 18,000 doors letting people know about the campaign.
* Given out 301 fines


We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone involved. We’ve still got a lot of work to do – that’s why we plan to continue the scheme next year too, at a cost of around a million pounds a year. It’s in our budget for 2022/23.

We know people will continue to litter, fly-tip and dump rubbish. But if you continue to look after your communities and report those who are blighting them, we can continue to make a real difference.

Find out more about Don’t Trash Oldham and get involved here ([link removed])

Join the Oldham family and spread the word

We’re hosting a Children's Social Work Recruitment Event on Wednesday 16 March 6 – 7pm, so you can learn more about why you should join the Oldham family.



Why attend?
* 
Find out about the open vacancies we have
* 

Ask our team any questions you might have
* 

Find out more about the investment we're making across our Children's Services


* Learn about the various benefits and support packages we offer staff



If you or someone you know might be interested then book your place here ([link removed])
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Register to vote in Oldham’s Local Elections

On Thursday 5 May you can have your say in Oldham’s Local Elections.

To have your say in the elections you must register to vote by Monday 14 April 2022.
It takes just five minutes to apply online here ([link removed] )

You have a range of options for casting your ballot – in person, by post or by appointing someone they trust to vote in their place, known as a proxy vote.

If you are voting in person, polling stations will be safe places to vote on 5 May.

The deadline to apply for a postal vote is 5pm on 19 April, and for a proxy vote the deadline is 5pm on 26 April.

To find out more here ([link removed])
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Free parking for market shoppers

We're making it even easier to love your local market with a new ‘free after 3pm’ parking offer.

The new offer is in place now and applies to Tommyfield Market car park – just park up and pop in, there’s no need to display a ticket after 3pm.

Tommyfield Market has more than 100 businesses selling everything from pet supplies, all kinds of clothes, shoes, bags, gifts and everyday essentials.

There are barbers, hairdressers, nail bar and eyebrow threading, as well as key cutting, shoe and clothes repairs. The fantastic fresh produce stalls include flowers, fruit and veg, meat, fish, deli goods, bread, sweets and treats.

Find out more about the offer ([link removed])
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Rapid testing is still available free of charge

Rapid testing for Covid-19 is still available and free of charge in Oldham until Thursday 31 March for people who have no symptoms.

Therefore, if you feel you need an asymptomatic test please continue to use our testing offer until then and for more information on this offer click here ([link removed]) .

Similarly, if are showing one of the three main symptoms of Coronavirus you should still go for a PCR test until this date.

PCR testing sites in Oldham for the week commencing Monday 14 March 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
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Latest Oldham Covid data

Over the last 7 days Oldham has a rate of 135 per 100,000 population, which is lower than the rate of 186 for the previous 7 days.

77.1% of Oldham residents have had their first vaccine, 71.7% have had their second vaccine and 54.4% of those eligible for a booster jab have had one.
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Design success for Oldham college student

AN Oldham College student has created a hard-hitting poster campaign to challenge street harassment on Greater Manchester’s public transport network.

Sinmi Alli-Balogun's design features on five tram stops in the town, including Freehold, Westwood, Oldham King Street, Oldham Central and Oldham Mumps. It is also being displayed in Oldham Bus Station

The campaign challenges inappropriate behaviour and encourages people to report sexual harassment and anti-social behaviour via GMP’s Livechat function.

It is part of Greater Manchester’s Safer Streets initiative, which is being delivered in partnership by Oldham Council, GMCA and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

The £500,000 investment is aimed at helping women and girls feel safer when travelling in the city-region.

More information about the campaign can be found here ([link removed])

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Café owner told he faces jail if waste fine isn’t paid

A café owner who thought it was ok to put his rubbish in other people’s bins rather than pay to have it collected – like everyone else does – has been ordered to pay £4,162.50.

David Herbert, of Arizona Café, Hollins Road, has until December 22 to pay up.

If he doesn’t a judge has said he must serve 45 days in prison.

More information here ([link removed]é_owner_told_he_faces_jail_if_waste_fine_isn_t_paid)

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Oldham Libraries will help break the digital barriers

We've been chosen to deliver a new community digital skills project - Breaking Digital Barriers. As part of the scheme, you can get eight hours of free support to help them become more digital-savvy.

Because the advice is tailored to the needs of individuals, our staff will take you through anything you might need help with, such as online shopping and how to use social media, through to applying for jobs.

The project is being delivered at Oldham, Crompton, Royton (in its temporary location), Fitton Hill, Failsworth, Limehurst and Northmoor libraries. You don’t have to be a library member to take part.

To find out more about Breaking Digital Barriers contact [email protected] or call 01617708076.

The project is run by Good Things Foundation and Greater Manchester Combined Authority and is funded through the UK Community Renewal Fund.

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Some of our vehicles are going green

We've teamed up with with local firm TRAILAR to trial new solar panel technology aimed at reducing fuel costs and making our vehicle fleet more environmentally friendly.

Over the next year we are looking to fit solar panels to 14 of our vehicles – seven bin waggons and seven other trucks used for various duties, including the delivery of new bins to residents.

It's estimated that by using solar power to top up regular engine power, each of these bin waggons will save up to 400 litres of fuel and over 1,000kg of carbon emissions each year.

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Recycle for Greater Manchester Community Fund

The Recycle for Greater Manchester Community Fund (2022-23) is a joint Recycle for Greater Manchester (R4GM) and Suez initiative to support Greater Manchester Community and Voluntary sector groups to deliver projects that help to reduce household waste in Greater Manchester.

The fund aims to support projects which prevent, reuse, or recycle household waste, and also reduce contamination, promote sustainable use of waste and resources, and generate wider social benefits for the communities of Greater Manchester.

There are two funding awards available:
* Council level award: This award is for projects that will benefit individual council areas. A total of £180,000 of funding is available, maximum amount £10,000 per project.
* Greater Manchester level award: This award is for projects that cover more than 1 council area or all 9 councils (excluding Wigan). A total of £40,000 of funding is available, a maximum amount £20,000 per project.

Who can apply?

Applications are welcome from Community and Voluntary Sector organisations such as:
* Registered Charity (charity number must be provided)
* Not-for-profit organisation (defined as a registered legal entity that does not make a private profit for directors, members, or shareholders)
* Community, Neighbourhood or Voluntary Group
* Faith group delivering community work
* School, College or University

Projects who applied for 2021-22 funding may apply again for 2022-23. Please see the full guidance notes at the GMEF website.

The Community Fund 2022-23 will be open for submission of applications from Friday 1 April until 31 May 2022.

Find out more here ([link removed])

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Oldham Council . Civic Centre . West Street . Oldham, OL1 1UT . United Kingdom