Dementia Awareness Event recently held in Shaw and Crompton

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Liberal Democrat Councillor for Crompton ward and Chair of Shaw and Crompton District Executive Diane Williamson has hailed the Dementia Awareness Event at the Lifelong Learning Centre a tremendous success after over 50 people attended the sessions. The event which in addition to the Dementia Awareness sessions offered legal advice from Brearleys Solicitors (Manchester) and was attended by partners Caremark Oldham, Oldham Millercare  Healthwatch Oldham together with pupils and staff from The Radclyffe School.

“The event proved so popular that we had to put on an additional session.  It was fantastic to see so many people keen to learn about Dementia.  Every single person that I spoke to knew someone who was affected by this disorder” Cllr Williamson added “I would like to thank everybody who made this event possible and hopefully we can do another in the not too distant future”

The event funded by local Councillors is all part of trying to get Shaw and Crompton a more Dementia Friendly community – Shaw ward Councillor Howard Sykes MBE who took part in a session said “Whilst I have taken part in a full day’s training session previously, I was keen to have a bit of a refresher.  When this crippling disorder affects people’s loved ones, it is good to hear of other people’s experiences and how they cope with it.”

Time to Talk Day – 4 Feb 16

Time to Talk Day Is On The 4th Feb 2016The next Time to Talk Day will be on Thursday 4th February 2016.

Join us and let’s get the nation talking about mental health to help end the misconceptions around it.

Mental health problems affect 1 in 4 people every year, yet too often people are afraid to talk about their experiences because they fear it will affect their jobs or relationships. That’s not right and it’s why we need your help to break the silence and end the stigma.

Talking about mental health doesn’t need to be difficult, order your Time to Talk Day pack for everything you need to take part on the day.

http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/timetotalkday

Buckstones Rd/Ripponden Rd/Grains Rd – temporary traffic lights for one week starting 21 January 16

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New traffic island works have started on A627 Oldham Road junction of A627 Ripponden Road, B6197 Buckstones Road and B6197 Grains Road (Delph).

The works are programmed to start on Thursday 21st January 2016, the scheme is expected to last one week.

To enable the Council to safely carry out the works 4 way traffic lights will be used.  All works will be carried out on restricted Hours 09:30-15:30 to keep disruption to a minimum.

Shaw and Crompton dementia awarness drop in event 23 January 10am – 2pm

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Dementia Awareness event
There are over 820,000 people living with dementia in the UK & estimated to be 670,000 family and friends acting as carers. Quality of life remains extremely varied. Through us coming together, we can create dementia friendly communities where there is a greater awareness and understanding of dementia.Those living with dementia and their carers can feel better supported to remain independent and have choice and control over their lives.Together, we can make a difference.

• There will be free dementia friends sessions at 11am and 1pm.
• Stall holders with partner agencies
• Free parking • Everyone welcome

Dementia Awareness Event, Lifelong Learning Centre, 6 High St, Shaw, OL2 8RQ.

Keep your home healthy this winter: free advice pack launched

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Click on this link for more information: Winter Wise A4 Poster 2

North West water company United Utilities, has produced a free advice pack to help people keep their homes ‘healthy’ this winter.

‘Fight the freeze: a guide to winter warmth’ features advice on how to avoid frozen pipes, what to do if a pipe should burst, and a range of additional tips and hints to help homeowners keep the heat in, and cold out, as temperatures start to drop.

According to the guide, one of the simplest things people can do to protect their homes from the cold is to lag their pipes, especially those located in the garage or loft as these are most likely to freeze and burst during periods of colder weather.

As well as potentially leaving homeowners without water for hot baths and showers – a disaster during winter months – burst pipes can also be expensive to fix. In the North West the average cost for an emergency plumber is £120.

Homeowners are also encouraged to locate and label their stop tap – the tap which controls water supply to a house – so that in the event of a burst, water can turned off immediately to avoid water damage that may leave properties cold and damp.

In addition to home health tips, the new guide from United Utilities also includes broader advice to help with winter wellbeing, such as where to access financial support with heating bills, where to look for warming nutritious recipes, and who to turn to with concerns for loved ones or neighbours who might be vulnerable to colder conditions.

‘Fight the freeze: a guide to winter warmth’ is available to download for free from www.unitedutilities.com/winterwise

Poowatch – New Technology solution to an Old Oldham Problem, says Sykes

Poowatch Logo

The Leader of the Opposition and of the Liberal Democrat Group on Oldham Council, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, was impressed to read recently of a new mobile phone app developed for Worcester City Council.

Cllr Sykes said: “Poowatch, which is a new free web app for smartphones, tablets and personal computers, was launched a couple of months ago in Worcester to help clean up the city’s streets and to shame irresponsible dog-owners to clear up after their pets.  I think this technology could be of great use in helping Oldham Council tackle this blight in our borough.”

Through the Poowatch app, residents can record any dog litter they spot in the city. The information they provide will help identify dog litter hotspots so action can be targeted in areas of greatest need.

Cllr Sykes added: “The good thing with Poowatch is that the public can be the Council’s eyes and ears in the community, and they are reporting real incidents in real time to enable prompt action to be taken.  This app gives residents the ability to help change the behaviour of irresponsible dog owners and to contribute to both a more co-operative and a cleaner borough.”

The new web app has been jointly developed by the Safer Worcester Partnership, the Duckworth Worcestershire Trust (DWT) and Worcester City Council with funding from West Mercia’s Police and Crime Commissioner.

The web app – which is free to access – uses GPS locaters to provide a simple and easy way for people to report dog mess and will help create an interactive map of the city showing the worst affected areas.  It also shows the nearest bin to the location of the person accessing the app.

Cllr Sykes added: “As this is free there is no deterrent to residents who are tech savvy from accessing it and using it.  Councillors are constantly approached by constituents, many who are responsible dog owners, who are enraged by seeing dog poo on our pavements and who demand some real action.  Poowatch allows them to be part of that action and make a difference rather than simply registering a complaint.”

Cllr Sykes has written to Helen Lockwood, Executive Director of Co-operatives and Neighbourhoods, and Carol Brown, Director of Environmental Services, asking them to investigate the merits and costs of bringing Poowatch to Oldham Borough.

The Big Moss Map Sphagnum Survey Training on Crompton Moor Saturday 30th January 2016

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The Big Moss Map Sphagnum Survey Training on Crompton Moor Saturday 30th January 2016 10:30 to 14:30 Shore Edge Methodist Church, Buckstones Road, Shaw, OL2 8LS.

Scientists from The Moors for the Future Partnership have asked Friends of Crompton Moor to help them log an important lifesaving moorland plant, and help create The Big Moss Map.

Sphagnum is seen as a vital weapon in the war against climate change, and walkers on the moors can now take part in a unique project to make a map of where sphagnum moss is found.

The Big Moss Map will help scientists and conservationists in their efforts to save the region’s blanket bog habitat.

Healthy peat bogs are important wildlife habitats, a vital store of carbon, help provide high quality drinking water, and slow down surface run-off which helps to reduce flooding.

Creating The Big Moss Map gives us all an opportunity to get out and about and build a picture of how the moors are changing, whilst raising awareness of the importance of sphagnum.

The training session will begin with an indoor presentation at Shore Edge Church, followed by an outdoor session on Crompton Moor for practical identification and instructions on how to survey.

To confirm a booking, or for further information, please contact:
Marian Herod
Secretary – Friends of Crompton Moor
Tel: 07792 156295
www.cromptonmoor.co.uk
email: cromptonmoor@gmail.com