Stephen sets benchmark for awards

MYSTERY repairman at work: Stephen Rimmer, who saved Oldham Council up to £3,000 by fixing 16 benches, using reclaimed and recycled wood

OLDHAM’S mystery repairman, Stephen Rimmer, has been nominated for a Pride in Oldham award.

Stephen shot to national fame when his overnight repairs to patch broken benches, fences and footpaths, caught the attention of Oldham’s parks boss, Steve Smith.

An appeal through the Chronicle to find out who was carrying out the work revealed it was the Chadderton ex-serviceman.

News spread of the 37-year-old’s cloak-and-dagger operations, which saved the borough thousands of pounds, and the story went nationwide.

A full-time student on a degree course at Manchester Metropolitan University at the time, he loaded up his cycle with wood and tools and pedalled the streets to his next project when most people were in bed.

The result was a colourful array of repairs springing up everywhere from Daisy Nook to the towpaths of Huddersfield and Rochdale canals.

His efforts, heralded by parks bosses as “clever, inventive, innovative and eye-catching,” brought 16 benches back into use — all with reclaimed and recycled wood, saving Oldham taxpayers up to £3,000 in repair costs.

Stephen received several nominations for a Pride in Oldham award, and said: “It’s a great response from people, and a great honour for me. It’s good that people understand and appreciate what I was trying to do, it’s confirmation I did the right thing.”

Reader Les Coleman was one of Stephen’s nominators, and said: “What a good bloke.

“He didn’t talk about it, he didn’t complain about it, he got out and did it.

“If the town was full of this kind of fellow it would be a better place. Brilliant.”

Another reader, John Flanagan said in his nomination: “A great gesture.”