Oldham Council is celebrating the reopening of the borough’s high streets this week, while reminding residents to continue doing their bit to “stay safe”.
Now that ‘Stage Two’ in the government’s roadmap to lifting England’s current national lockdown has commenced and a raft of venues within the Greater Manchester borough are back open for business, Oldham Council is celebrating the past, present and future of the bustling town centre with the release of a new animation.
The animation – which has been funded by the UK government’s Reopening High Streets Safely Fund – has not only been launched to mark the reopening of businesses, but to also call on the borough’s residents to shop local and shop safe.
Local businesses are working hard to ensure they are COVID-secrure, so that visitors can enjoy the retail and outdoor hospitality opportunities on offer in a safe way.
Inspired by Tommyfield Market trader Marc Crossley of Crossley’s Fish – who has a lifelong history of trading in the town, with the family business having been in Oldham for 31 years – Oldham Council has worked with Delph-based award-winning animation production company, Periscope Studios, to create the short film.
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“It’s been a really difficult year for local businesses,” Marc admitted.
“We’ve fought incredibly hard to survive, but we feel like there’s now light at the end of the tunnel [and we can’t wait to welcome back more customers and see the town centre busy with shoppers and visitors again.
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“Please support your local high street – local businesses need your custom now more than ever”.
Speaking on the launch of the animation, Jo Perry – founder of Periscope Studios – said: “As Oldham locals, we have so many memories of the borough’s shops, bars, restaurants and markets – both as children and now as parents [so] we’re delighted to be working with Oldham Council to help local high streets reopen safely by highlighting current coronavirus protocols as told from the people it matters to most – the independent businesses”.
Co-founder, Paul Perry, added: “The animation was a real labour of love for us, and one which we hope resonates with Oldham residents”.
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“Like all Oldham residents, we’re excited to see high street businesses reopening following the forced closures during lockdown restrictions,” admitted Emma Barton, Director of Economy at Oldham Council.
“But we must remember that there is still a need to be vigilant as restrictions ease and to follow the current guidance”.
Oldham Council
She continued: “Businesses are working hard to ensure they are COVID secure so that you can be confident and reassured that it’s safe to shop throughout the borough [but] residents also have a part to play by being responsible and continuing to stick to safety measures when visiting our high streets, to help keep them trading and lower the rate of infections”.
You can find more information on the reopening of Oldham and COVID safety precautions via the Oldham Council website here.
Featured Image – Jody Hartley
Oldham
Police urgently appeal after 90-year-old woman killed by reversing car in Failsworth
Emily Sergeant
Police are urgently appealing to the public for information and witnesses after an elderly woman was killed by a reversing car last week.
At around 3pm on Wednesday 7 January, officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called out to reports of a collision between a car and pedestrian on Albert Street West in Failsworth, and when they arrived on the scene, they found that a woman, aged 90, had been struck by a reversing vehicle.
The woman was promptly taken to hospital in a ‘serious’ condition.
However, despite the best efforts of medical professionals, she sadly later died from her injuries earlier this week (13 January).
#APPEAL | Officers from our Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) are appealing for information after a woman in her 90s was struck by a car on Albert Street West, Failsworth on 07/01/26
Following the incident, a 37-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of driving offences, but he has since been released on bail.
As officers progress their investigation at pace, GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) are continuing to appeal for information and witnesses, urging the public to come forward if there’s any way they can help.
The appeal goes out to anyone who believes they saw the vehicle driving before the collision, witnessed the incident itself, or has dashcam footage or CCTV of the incident.
Can you help? You can contact police via 101 or the Live Chat service at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1936 of 07/01/26.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Featured Image – GMP
Oldham
The Boots recycling scheme where you can get £5 off every shop
Thomas Melia
UK high street retailer and healthcare shop Boots has launched an innovative recycling scheme that entitles customers to £5 off their future shopping trips.
If you’re still struggling to come up with a New Year’s resolution, why not try a spot of recycling and earn some money off your next cosmetics shop while you’re at it?
Started in 2020, the Boots Recycling Scheme allows Advantage Card holders the opportunity to get money while also being more conscious about how we recycle our used health and beauty products.
Their third-party app, Recycle at Boots, uses a ‘Scan2Recycle‘ system where users can upload items from various beauty brands by taking a picture of the empty packaging before identifying its form.
This scheme takes items that can’t usually be recycled at home, such as lotion pumps, toothpaste tubes, lipstick, mascaras, travel minis, make-up palettes and more.
Once you have five items approved, head over to your nearest participating Boots store, drop off your empties and scan the QR code on the deposit box.
After you’ve followed all these steps, a voucher will appear entitling you to 500 Advantage Points when you spend £10 in-store at your nearest location, and not only do you have £5 worth of points with your name on it, you’re also an eco-warrior.
There’s even a dedicated section of the app to recycling empty medicine and vitamin blister packs, which gives customers 100 Advantage Points when they spend £5 in-store.
Brilliant.
Credit: Publicity pictures (supplied)
Items dropped into these deposit boxes are taken to MyGroup, a recycling and waste management service which works around the clock to help divert waste from landfill.
These empties will be washed and traditionally recycled into a material called MyBoard, a construction board material most similar to plywood, with lots of different uses.
Nearest Boots locations in Manchester running the Recycle at Boots scheme:
Manchester Market Street – 32 Market Street, M1 1PL
Salford Regent Park – Regents Park, M5 3TP
Manchester Didsbury – 736-740 Wilmslow Road, M20 2DW
The Trafford Centre – 10 Peel Avenue, M17 8BD
Trafford Retail Park – Neary Way, M41 7FN
If you’re up for getting money off your next Boots splurge while also helping recycle cosmetics containers and more, you can download the Recycle at Boots app and find your nearest HERE.
The Manc -
13th April 2021 
