A council in Greater Manchester has confirmed plans to open ‘Warm Banks’, to help people keep warm this winter as energy bills skyrocket.
Oldham Council will be creating welcoming, heated, sheltered spaces for those who ‘cannot afford to put the heating on’.
The move will see places like libraries turned into Warm Banks as part of the council’s £3m plans to tackle the cost of living crisis.
In a statement, Cllr Amanda Chadderton, Leader of Oldham Council, said that schemes such as Warm Banks ‘should not be necessary in 2022’.
It’s hoped that the plans will particularly help vulnerable residents, such as the elderly and families with young children, through the colder months.
Oldham is setting up Warm Banks to help those who ‘can’t afford to put the heating on’. Credit: Unsplash
She said: “As part of our £3m commitment to tackle the cost of living, we’re setting up Warm Banks so that Oldham residents who are cold and cannot afford to put the heating on have a place where they can get warm.
“These should not be necessary in 2022, but the reality for many people is that the cost of energy is unaffordable and without support, they will be cold in their own homes. This is particularly worrisome for our vulnerable residents such as the elderly or families with young children.
“Our Warm Banks are places already open to the public, such as our libraries. We’ll be investing into these spaces over the coming weeks to make sure they’re as welcoming as they can be. We’ll also be working with our partners to identify places in the community that can be used as Warm Banks to ensure none of our residents are forced to be cold.
“As we approach the winter months and face another rise in our energy costs tomorrow with the October price cap increase, this situation is going to get worse for residents. But they’re not alone and as a council, we can help.
“Our team are on hand to help anyone who is already struggling with their energy costs. Through our Warm Homes Scheme, residents can access a range of support including claiming for Warm Homes Discount, help to switch energy suppliers or tariffs as well as ways to maximise your income to help make the basics more affordable.
“If you’re struggling, we can help. Please contact our emergency helpline on 0161 770 7777 and our staff will do everything they can to make things a little easier for you.”
Featured image: Oldham Council
Oldham
Urgent appeal after woman, 70, dies after being found unconscious with ‘serious injuries’ on a Tameside road
Emily Sergeant
An urgent appeal has been issued after a woman was found unconscious with ‘serious injuries’ on a road on the Tameside / Oldham border.
Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) Serious Collision Investigation Unit is appealing for information after the woman, aged 70, was taken to hospital upon being discovered on Waggon Road in Park Bridge, which is an area on the border of Tameside and Oldham, at around 2:30pm this past Sunday afternoon (10 August).
Police say their investigation is centred on trying to find out how the woman came to be on the road, and ultimately, uncover more about the incident as a whole.
This is why officers are now appealing to the Greater Manchester public.
#APPEAL | Our Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) is appealing for information after a woman died after being found unconscious on a road on the Oldham/Tameside border yesterday (10/08/25). pic.twitter.com/lzjANgh8Tg
Anyone who saw the incident, or who may have dashcam footage, is urged to call GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit on 0161 856 4741, quoting incident number 1858 of 10/08/25.
You can also call 101, or talk to GMP via the LiveChat function at www.gmp.police.uk.
Any reports or concerns about the incident can also be made anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – Google Maps
Oldham
More than 100 ‘unsafe’ counterfeit Labubus seized in Oldham
Daisy Jackson
More than 100 counterfeit Labubus and accessories have been seized in Oldham, the council has announced.
The Labubu dolls – a plush collectible with giant smiles and bunny ears – have been seized because they are fake, and unsafe.
The haul of 104 Labubus has been given a street value of between £800 and £1000 – but if they were the real deal, they’d be worth more than three times as much.
The poorly-made figures were being sold for a fraction of the price of a real Labubu, which are manufactured by Chinese company Pop Mart (it’s set to open its second Manchester store in the Trafford Centre next week).
Oldham Council’s Trading Standards team said it seized the counterfeit Labubus from local businesses and found that they were unsafe and poorly made.
Officers raised concerns about the safety of the dolls, which had small parts such as eyes, hands and feet broke off easily, creating a choking hazard.
What a genuine Labubu should look like. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
They were also missing legally required safety marks such as the CE or UKCA labels, and lacked the name and address of a UK supplier, which is another legal requirement.
Councillor Elaine Taylor, Oldham Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Licensing, said: “Oldham Trading Standards carries out regular checks to help keep unsafe products off the shelves. In this case, these counterfeit toys failed safety standards and have now been removed from sale.
“We know it can be tempting to buy toys that look like a bargain, but parents need to be extra careful. Fake toys like these may be cheaper, but they can put children in real danger if they’re not made to strict safety standards.
“If anyone has concerns about toys they’ve purchased, or if they see unsafe products on sale locally, we’d encourage them to get in touch with Trading Standards through the Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133.”
Daisy Jackson -
3rd October 2022 
