Critical care staff at Royal Oldham Hospital are striking for 12 hours on March 12, 2026, over a dispute about overtime pay. The strike involves nurses, support workers, and housekeepers represented by UNISON. Staff members say they are 'burnt out' and morale is at an all-time low due to reduced pay and increased workload. The union argues that proper overtime payments and pension contributions are needed to relieve pressure on the hospitals. The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust, which runs the hospital, says patient safety remains their absolute priority.
Critical care staff at Royal Oldham Hospital will strike for 12 hours on Thursday, March 12, alongside colleagues from Fairfield Hospital in Bury and Salford Royal. UNISON members, including nurses, support workers, and housekeepers, will walk out from 7.30am in a dispute over overtime pay. The union says critical care units are heavily reliant on overtime due to staff shortages and wants proper overtime payments and pension contributions for additional shifts. Talks between UNISON and the Northern Care Alliance Foundation Trust collapsed on Tuesday. Kevin Dolan, UNISON North West regional organiser, said staff are highly trained professionals who keep people alive and should be rewarded properly for overtime work.
The Shree Swaminarayan Mandir in Oldham hosted a vibrant outdoor Holi celebration on March 4, 2026, marking the Hindu Festival of Colours. Families from across the borough gathered at the temple, transforming surrounding streets with colourful festivities. Dozens of community members participated in the event, which saw people from Oldham's diverse population come together to celebrate. The celebration filled the area with colour as part of the traditional Hindu festival observance.
Royal Oldham Hospital staff will wear body cameras to improve safety following a stabbing attack on a nurse. The Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust implemented the cameras after a successful trial at Fairfield Hospital in Bury. The cameras will be worn by designated clinical staff and only activate when staff feel threatened, recording both video and audio. The trust hopes the cameras will create a safer environment and provide evidence for criminal or civil court action. The cameras have been introduced across all four trust hospitals in Bury, Rochdale, Salford, and Oldham.
Police Constable Alison Armitage was killed in Oldham on March 5, 2001, while observing a stolen Vauxhall Vectra in plain clothes. She was 29 years old and became the first female officer in Greater Manchester Police to die in the line of duty. The Police Memorial Trust laid a floral wreath today at a memorial on Robert Street, near where she sustained fatal injuries. The memorial was unveiled in July 2002. The driver deliberately reversed and drove over her twice before fleeing, causing injuries that led to her death at Royal Oldham Hospital.
A specialist school for children with special educational needs is set to open in Oldham this spring in a Grade-II listed building on Wellington Road. Horizon Care and Education Group is refurbishing the former Hulme Grammar School kindergarten to create Thornycroft School, which will educate up to 70 pupils aged 5-19 with autism, ADHD and social, emotional and mental health needs. The three-storey building will feature eight classrooms, breakout areas for therapeutic support, and outdoor facilities. The refurbishment is expected to be completed by late spring, subject to Department for Education approval. The building previously served as Oldham Hulme Grammar School's Nursery and Infant School before becoming Thornycroft Prep School, which was sold off last year when the kindergarten was deemed 'no longer financially viable'.
Greater Manchester Police responded to reports of an aggressive man on Huddersfield Road in Oldham on March 3, 2026, at approximately 12.45pm. Officers attended the scene and established that a male had made verbal threats before leaving the area. No arrests have been made, and investigations are ongoing. The incident occurred on a major road in Oldham town centre.
Armed police were deployed to Littlemoor Lane in Oldham on Tuesday 3 March 2026 following reports of an aggressive male making threats near Asda. The incident began around 12.45pm when police received calls about a man allegedly making verbal threats and possibly carrying a knife. Officers established that the male had made threats before leaving the area. No arrests have been made and no weapons have been seized. Police vehicles and both armed and unarmed officers were seen concentrating on one address in the road.
Park Cake Limited has received permission to demolish the former Honeywell Arms pub at 491 Ashton Road in Oldham to expand its bakery grounds. The pub, which stood boarded-up since September 2024 after being purchased by the bakery, was a former Robinsons Brewery establishment that struggled to remain open. Council planners approved the demolition, citing the building's long-term decline and lack of investment since 2008. The demolition will take place over two weeks with restricted work hours to minimize impact on nearby residents.
Parents and businesses in Oldham celebrated World Breastfeeding in Public Day at Alexandra Park's new Environment Centre. The event, organised by Home-Start HOST's Infant Feeding Peer Support Team with Oldham Council support, followed last year's successful inaugural celebration in Rochdale. The gathering aimed to boost parents' confidence when breastfeeding and counter stigma surrounding public breastfeeding. Families met local organisations and healthcare professionals, participated in craft activities, and had breastfeeding portraits taken. Breastfeeding rates in Oldham reached a record high of 52% for six-to-eight-week-old babies in 2025.
Planning application submitted to convert eight-bedroom home on Greenacres Road into respite care facility for children with additional needs. The facility would provide eight overnight and ten daytime places, operating 24/7 with 13 full-time staff. NW Care Property Limited is the applicant, with no internal or external changes planned. The property currently has 12 parking spaces and staff rotas are staggered to avoid peak clustering. The application seeks change of use permission as the property is currently a dwelling.
Planning application submitted to convert eight-bedroom home on Greenacres Road into respite care facility for children with additional needs. The facility would provide eight overnight places and ten daytime places, operating 24/7 with 13 full-time staff. NW Care Property Limited is the applicant, with no internal or external changes planned to the property. The site currently has 12 parking spaces that will remain unchanged. The facility would be accessed via Lynwood Drive, with staggered staff rotas to avoid peak clustering.
A man was found dead at Snipe Clough Nature Reserve in Oldham on Monday, February 23, after police responded to a concern for welfare report at around 9.15am. Officers from Greater Manchester Police and paramedics attended the scene near Thatcher Street, where the area was sealed off. The man was sadly pronounced deceased at the scene. Police stated there are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident.
The Marlborough Centre in Glodwick, formerly the Pakistani Community Centre, has reopened after significant refurbishment by Oldham Council. The building had closed due to health and safety concerns from disrepair. NxtGen Boxing, founded by Asam Fiaz and Ryan Lawson, was selected through a competitive process to operate the centre as a boxing club and community hub. The organisation outgrew its previous location at Honeywell Centre due to growing membership. Council Leader Cllr Arooj Shah attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, praising the regeneration effort and NxtGen Boxing's work with young people in Oldham.
Mavis Clegg, a former headteacher at Eustace Street School and Glodwick Infants School in Oldham, has died aged 92. She was headteacher in the 1970s and 1980s, earning admiration from pupils, staff, and the community. Clegg, who described herself as 'Oldham through and through,' never considered working outside the area. She began her teaching career at Alt Primary School, Alexandra Infants School, and Fitton Hill Infants School after training in Scarborough. Many of her staff became headteachers and deputy heads themselves. Beyond teaching, she ran the Christ Church Glodwick youth club with her husband Brian, served as Chair of Governors at Hey with Zion and Littlemoor School, and volunteered at Royal Oldham Hospital. She was an avid Oldham Athletic supporter who travelled to Wembley twice to watch matches.
Royal Oldham Hospital plans to relocate its Victoria Breast Unit to North Manchester General Hospital as part of a £1.4 million overhaul to address severe A&E overcrowding. The emergency department recorded over 73,000 visits between June and December 2025, making it Greater Manchester's busiest. The move aims to create space for an expanded urgent treatment centre. The Care Quality Commission ordered rapid improvements last year after inspections revealed systemic problems. Details on relocation timeline and patient disruption remain unclear. The proposal will be debated at an upcoming Oldham health scrutiny meeting.
Councillor Dr Zahid Chauhan OBE has been appointed as an Honorary Freeman of the Borough of Oldham, the highest civic honour the council can bestow. The ceremony took place on Saturday at 11am in the Council Chamber, attended by Mayor of Oldham Councillor Eddie Moores, Deputy Mayor Councillor Brian Hobin, Chief Executive Shelley Kipling, and Monitoring Officer Alex Bougatef. Dr Chauhan, who has served as a councillor for Alexandra ward since 2013 and was Mayor from 2023 to 2025, becomes the 28th person and first Asian person to receive this honour in Oldham's history. The appointment recognises his exceptional service to the borough, including his work as a practising GP, leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic, and founding Homeless Friendly in 2017 to support people experiencing homelessness.