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NEWS WOODHOUSES PARK BOOST TO VILLAGE

Above: The former CAB building on Ashton Road West with the team of volunteers from local groups, the Citizens Advice Bureau and Oldham Cancer Support

20/03/07

Villagers young and old are celebrating the completion of Woodhouses Park, off Stamford Drive.

The park was the final project in the area which benefited from the Transforming your Space fund from the lottery.

The bid was put together by former councillor, and community activist Judith Heyes who worked with the local community and council bosses to design a winning park.

The official opening was marked by children from Woodhouses Voluntary Primary School and representatives from the parks department.

Councillor Barbara Dawson, who attended the opening says "it was fitting that Judith returned to open the park, not only was she responsible for securing the funded needed, but even after retiring as a councillor showed her commitment to the area by working with local people to get a fantastic park for Woodhouses.

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NEWS NEW VOLUNTEER CENTRE TO OPEN IN FAILSWORTH

Above: The former CAB building on Ashton Road West with the team of volunteers from local groups, the Citizens Advice Bureau and Oldham Cancer Support

11/03/07

A disused building in Failsworth will be transformed into a valuable community facility following intervention from local councillors and community groups.

The former Citizens Advice Bureau building on the corner of Ashton Road West has been vacant for over two years after a series of break-ins and vandalism left the CAB with no option but to close the facility.

With the land lease coming to an end in June the building was faced with demolition – until the intervention of local councillor Jim McMahon.

Jim has been leading the project since June 2006 and with the help of local community groups has set up a management committee and secured the building, which has been gifted to the community by the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Renovation work is needed to bring the building back up to a usable standard and volunteers have worked hard to secure over £11,000 in funding to transform the building into a community hub.

Once renovated, the building will become a centre for volunteering programmes in the area with organised activities being provided for local people to use their skills to improve the district. Community groups will also be able to use meeting rooms and office accommodation so they can become more active in the community.

Community Hub

The centre will also be used by local community groups and will become the permanent base of Oldham Cancer Support, the Failsworth Community Alliance and Failsworth Historical Society. In a huge boost for Failsworth the Citizens Advice Bureau will return to hold weekly advice sessions, bringing a much needed service back into the area. Councillor Jim McMahon, Chair of the new Volunteer Centre said “we couldn’t stand by and lose this facility from our community. With the support of the CAB and local community groups we have the chance not only to return the building into use, but to have an even better facility, open to the wider community. The real boost is that the Citizens Advice Bureau will return to the area offering a much needed advice surgery”.

Above: Jim McMahon, councillor and community campaigner

Oldham CAB Area Manager, Jonathan Yates said “the decision to move services from Failsworth was not an easy one, but we have to make a judgment on whether our resources are best used providing advice services, or repairing a building after scores of break-ins and vandalism. When Jim contacted us with his plans to bring the building back into use for the wider community we thought it was an excellent project and we have shown our support by gifting the building. We are looking forward to returning our advice services to Failsworth once the renovation is complete”.

The volunteer centre has also launched a website at www.volunteer.failsworth.info where you can find out more about volunteering in Failsworth and keep up to date on the building renovation project.