Find out this weeks news from Oldham Council along with the latest on Covid.

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Looking to keep your children occupied over the Easter holidays?

You can now book their places onto our Holiday Activities and Food programme, with free places available to those aged 5-16 who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals.

For more information on what activities we have lined up and to book your places, visit our website ([link removed])
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Nominate a torch bearer for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

A torchlit procession and beacon lighting event will kick off Oldham’s Jubilee celebrations this June - and we're looking for people to take part.

We’re encouraging you to nominate Oldhamers who have done something extraordinary to take part in our parade of light on 2 June, as one of 70 Jubilee torch bearers.

The event will be the start of a packed weekend of events across Oldham as part of the four-day bank holiday weekend from Thursday 2 to Sunday 5 June.

More than 1,500 beacons will be lit across the country at the same time to mark the 70th anniversary of the Queen's coronation.

Here in Oldham, 70 local people will join a torchlit procession before congregating at Oldham Parish Church where the beacon will be lit.

Make your nomination
online here ([link removed]) by 5pm on Monday 11 April.

Residents must be aged 12 or over. The winning nominations will be chosen by a panel and bearers will be informed by Monday 25 April.

Find out more about the celebrations on our webpage. ([link removed])
Don't Trash Oldham to focus on Royon North and South

From April 1 Oldham Council staff will start tidying up streets, roads and alleyways in Royton North and South wards as part of the Don’t Trash Oldham campaign.

They’ll be carrying out a deep clean of the area removing all the litter, rubbish, fly-tipping and overgrown shrubbery they find.

Since we started the campaign in September 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
* Given out 301 fines for environmental crimes
* Knocked on more than 18,000 doors letting people know about the campaign

Once the clean ups have finished it’s up to you and your neighbours to keep your area clean because we can’t keep coming back to tidy up.

For more information about the campaign here. ([link removed])



** In other news, Don’t Trash Oldham has been nominated for an award...
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Yes, you heard it here first, our don’t Don’t Trash Oldham campaign has been nominated for a prestigious Local Government Chronicle (LGC) Award.

The boroughwide clean up and enforcement campaign has been shortlisted in the ‘Environmental Services’ category for 2022.

The annual awards highlight how local authorities are working to improve communities for their residents.

The results will be announced in July so wish us luck!

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Park for free from 3

We’re making it even easier for you to love Tommyfield Market with a brand new ‘free after 3pm’ parking offer.

You can now park up from 3pm at the car park behind the market every day, and there’s no need to display a ticket – just park up, pop in and shop local.

The market has more than 100 business selling everything from fresh fruit and veg, meat, fish, bread, sweet treats, pet supplies, all kinds of clothes, shoes, bags and gifts.

There’s even a hairdressers, barbers, nail bar and eyebrow threading, as well as key cutting, shoe and clothes repairs.

If you’re peckish make sure to check out the street food from all around the globe, including Thai, Indian, Portuguese and Italian – or keep it local and get some fish and chips, jacket potatoes, healthy meals and more.

Find out more about the market here (http:// www.oldham.gov.uk/markets)

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Old coal mines could be brought back into use

Oldham’s former coal mines could soon be heating buildings across the town centre thanks to an innovative scheme to tap into an unused, renewable energy source.

We’re working on the Oldham Mine Water Heat Network, which would use heat reclaimed from the from the floodwater in disused coal mines that sit underneath the town centre.

Our initial studies look promising and we’ve been awarded over £160,000 💷 from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to support the next stage of feasibility works.

Read more about our plans here ([link removed])
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Spring Covid boosters

The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) has recently advised a spring dose of the Coronavirus vaccine for adults aged 75 years and over, residents in care homes for older adults and individuals aged 12 years and over who have a weakened immune system.

This means that the NHS will contact those who are eligible to make a spring booster appointment – if you’re eligible please wait until you hear from the NHS.

The NHS will prioritise those whose clinical need is greatest, as it has throughout, starting with those who have had a bigger gap since their last dose, then working through the cohort to invite others who have waited less time.

Everyone who is eligible will be offered a top-up between three and six months over the spring and early summer.

We’re continuing to encourage those who haven’t had their vaccine to come forward for their first, second and booster dose. After all, Coronavirus is still active, and the vaccine offers the best protection against becoming seriously unwell, staying out of the hospital and passing the virus on to others.

Find your nearest centre or book an appointment here ([link removed]) or call 119 free of charge.

If you’ve recently recovered from coronavirus you should still come forward for a vaccination, as having had the virus does not give the same levels of protection. Anyone over 18 who has had Coronavirus will need to wait four weeks before having any dose of the vaccine, or 12 weeks for those aged 12 to 17.

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Final reminder for rapid tests

We're just reminding you that rapid testing for Covid-19 is still available and free of charge in Oldham until Thursday 31 March for people who have no symptoms.

That means from 1 April, we will no longer be able to provide you with a free asymptomatic Covid-19 testing offer as our testing sites at Tesco on Huddersfield Road, Spindles Town Square Shopping Centre, Oldham Leisure Centre, Failsworth Town Hall and The Link Centre will be closed.

Local home testing kit collection points, currently located at our library buildings and several pharmacies, will also end along with our PCR sites (on 30 March) for people who have symptoms.

Find out more about the testing offer here ([link removed])

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Latest Oldham Covid data - cases are back on the rise

Over the last 7 days Oldham has had a rate of 396 per 100,000 population, which is higher than the rate of 258 for the previous 7 days.

77.3% of Oldham residents have had their first vaccine, 72.2% have had their second vaccine and 54.9% of those eligible for a booster jab have had one.
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Run a business? Don't miss out…

A scheme which could pay up to 100% of your Business Rates bill is closing on 31 March - and there’s still time to apply.

The Covid-19 Additional Relief Fund (CARF) can support businesses impacted by coronavirus but who have not been eligible for previous Business Rates related support schemes.

Find out more and apply here. ([link removed])

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