Reaching out to be entertainers

THE Outreach players have shared their talents with delighted Oldhamers for a quarter of a century

A QUARTER of a century of dramatic delights have earned a group of local thespians a Pride in Oldham award.

The Outreach Players are not your average drama group, being made up entirely of Oldhamers who have a disability.

But to anyone who has been lucky enough to see one of their shows, it is clear their talent is far bigger than any disability.

The Outreach Players were originally founded by daycare officer Sheila Salt when she was working at the Oakbank Day Centre 25 years ago.

Sheila, of Flaxman Rise, Moorside, said: “All of the other people in the daycare centre put on a nativity every year, but the visitors who had more profound disabilities seemed to be left out.

“I didn’t see why being partially sighted or deaf should be any bar on getting involved, so I set up the Outreach Players with my colleague Ann Richmond.”

The group have relocated a few times since then and are now based at St Mark’s Church Hall, Heyside, where they regularly pull in the crowds for their annual September show.

The Christmas play they put on especially for the young members of the Heyside Pre-School group is also a favourite on the festive calendar.

Sheila (62), said: “The people in the group have all sorts of disabilities, but they work so hard that most people who come to the shows don’t even notice that and that’s just the way we want it. We don’t want people to come to our shows because the members have a disability, we want them to come to have a great time.

From humble beginnings at Oakbank, the word spread and now the 11-strong group includes members from day centres across the borough, as well as people who heard about the Outreach Players and wanted to get involved.

Ranging in age from their 20s to their 50s, the members, whose talent also extends to singing and dancing, have thrilled audiences over the years with productions like the “Wizard of Oz”, “Cinderella”, “Lipstick on Your Collar” and “Grease”.

Oldham audiences have also rocked along to Sixties nights and even harked back to the 40s with the recent production, “The Old Tyme Music Hall”.

Sheila said: “The members get so much out of being in the group.

“It makes them more confident and able to stand up for themselves without being aggressive, and we always make sure different people are chosen for leads, so everybody gets a chance to be in the limelight.

“Our annual show is always a sell out and there’s even a waiting list for new members who want to join us.

“We’re thrilled to be nominated for this award an it’s great to know that we are well liked in the community, but the community of Heyside have always stuck behind us too and they play a huge part in helping us to put the plays together.”

Lilian Day, who also highlighted the work of carers Silvia Statham and Pauline Kendrick, said: “The Outreach Players deserve all the plaudits given to them. They may be an unlikely bunch to be nominated for this award but they thoroughly deserve it.

We are proud of them and Oldham should be too.”


To nominate someone for a Pride in Oldham award, tell us:

The name of the person or group nominated

A contact number for them, if known

Their job title and place of work, if relevant

Your reason for the nomination

Your name

Your contact number

Send your info by email to editorial@oldham-chronicle.co.uk, marked “Pride in Oldham Awards, 2008


Pride in Oldham is supported by:

Innovative Technology

J W Lees Brewery

Molnlycke Health Care

Northern Counties Housing Association

Oldham Council

University Centre Oldham

Warburtons