The loved ones of a Royton mum, who died last year following a short battle with cancer, are celebrating after a successful fundraising event in her name. Friends and family of 36-year-old Rebecca Shaw gathered in Saddleworth last weekend to complete an all-day fitness challenge to raise money for her husband and her children. Rebecca was diagnosed with stage four cervical cancer in March 2025, just months before she was due to get married . She passed away the following October , leaving behind her husband Graham and four children Archie, Heidi, Alfie, and Lottie. Organised by local fundraiser Matthew Lees through his annual Leg it for Leesy campaign, the challenge saw dozens of people work
The BBC is recruiting children from Oldham aged five to eight who struggle with making friends for a new six-part TV series called 'Will You Be My Friend?'. Produced by Five Mile Films for BBC One and iPlayer, the documentary will follow participants as they work with psychologists at the Friendship Centre to develop social skills and form connections. The series, which comes from the team behind Channel 4's The Dog House and First Dates, will track children's progress over six weeks and show how their experiences impact their lives at school. Applications are open via bemyfriend.tv.
A community litter pick has cleared 40 bags of rubbish from public spaces. The clean-up took place in Sholver as part of the Great British Spring Clean, with funding support from First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO). Around 20 volunteers from the Sholver Millennium Green Trust, Life for a Life Memorial Forests, and the wider community took part in the event. Targeting woodland areas along Sholver Lane and Silverhey Lane, including land around the Sholver and Moorside Community Centre. Amy Thwaites, a volunteer from Moorside who helped out alongside her three children, said: "I believe it's vital to support and protect our environment. That's why I got involved with my children at Sholver Communi
This has included experiencing being called racist words, insults, being left out, threatening behaviour or sometimes even violence. Although this is a national issue, in Greater Manchester we have decided to make a stand and take action. The Greater Manchester Integrated Care Partnership-bringing together the NHS, councils, and community organisations-has just launched the 'No Space for Racism. Make it clear that racism is never acceptable Explain what racism is and why it hurts people Encourage everyone to treat staff with respect Tell people how to report racism if they see it Sometimes racism is obvious. Reporting racism helps organisations take action, supports staff and prevents it fro
Pupils and staff across an Oldham education trust carried out more than 13,000 acts of kindness as part of a campaign that raised over £10,000 for charity. The acts were recorded as part of The Big Serve , an initiative organised by the Epworth Education Trust in Oldham. It saw pupils and staff from Hey with Zion CofE/Methodist Primary School and Rosehill Methodist Primary Academy take part. Together, the trust's 10 schools raised £10,889.42 for charity. Schools supported charities in various ways, from assembling care packages to running sponsored events and collecting donations. Julie-ann Hewitt, CEO of Epworth Education Trust, said: "Kindness sits at the heart of everything we stand for a
The Holy Rosary Church in Fitton Hill, which closed its doors in 2017, is home to a unique mosaic created by Hungarian émigré artist George Mayer-Marton. This month, the charity announced that a new board of trustees has been set up to transform the abandoned building into a community arts and cultural heritage centre. Henrietta Billings (right) and MP Jim McMahon (second left) visit Holy Rosary Church (Image: SAVE Britain's Heritage) Commenting on what the new community centre will mean for the community, Kim said: "The building has so much potential. I have worked on the estate for over 15 years and seen the need for an amazing space like this for the community, especially the young people
Mike Sharples, known professionally as 'Mick the Trick' and 'Magic Mike', has stepped down as secretary of The Order of the Magi in Manchester after nearly 20 years in the role. He formally resigned at the society's annual general meeting on March 24. Sharples, from Royton, will remain with the society as treasurer. He was presented with an engraved magician's wand and holder to recognise his long-standing service. The Order of the Magi, established in 1909, is Manchester's oldest magic society and the third oldest in England. Matt Price, a Saddleworth science teacher and performer, was re-elected for a second term as president. Mr Cassels from Rochdale has taken over as secretary, while Jonathan Royle from Rochdale has been named entertainments secretary and public relations officer.
With Mother's Day right around the corner, the question of where is the best place to go in Oldham for a special treat to show your mum just how much she means to you is on many minds. There are plenty of options locally to cater to all tastes but we would argue the time-honoured tradition of an afternoon tea is hard to beat. In the borough, there are plenty of cafes offering the service, with finger sandwiches, home-baked sweet treats, and some even including a glass of bubbly. To make life a tiny bit easier, The Oldham Times has searched through menus, pictures and reviews and rounded up three of the best spots. Grains Bar Hotel, on Ripponden Road, is a firm favourite for afternoon tea. Th
Kerry Keenan switched from call centre work to childminding 12 years ago when her youngest daughter was born. She runs Kerry Keenan Childminding Service with friend Michelle Dixon, caring for children aged 4 months to 11 years. The service offers wraparound care before and after school. One child has been with Ms Keenan since four months old and is now starting high school. Councillor Shaid Mushtaq praised early years workers for changing children's lives.