Extra two for One show!

UNIVERSITY Campus Oldham and Unity Partnership have joined the growing ranks of sponsors supporting the second One Oldham Business Awards.

The two organisations have taken the total number of sponsors for the awards to 29 — a remarkable number which demonstrates the inherent strength of the borough’s economic base.

Debbie Bridge, head of centre at University Campus Oldham in Cromwell Street, said: “These awards have captured the imagination of the business community in Oldham and the university is keen to be a part of the process.

“We have many partnerships with businesses and organisations in Oldham and hope and expect to grow this number. Everyone connected with the campus here in Oldham and the University of Huddersfield is keen to get involved and we are looking forward to an ongoing relationship with the awards.”

John Howard, the managing director of Unity Partnership, said: “The One Oldham Business Awards are a fantastic opportunity to commend the achievements of the local economy here in Oldham.

“It is important that we support the business community and their contributions to creating jobs and wealth for local residents.

“Here at Unity we continue to work to provide excellent public services to make Oldham a place of choice for new business and be a place where existing businesses can thrive.”

UCO is sponsoring a new award — the Knowledge Exchange Partnership and from a long list of partners the One Oldham Business Awards Steering Group has created a shortlist of three from which a winner will be chosen.

The winner will be announced at the gala presentation dinner on Monday, March 22, which already has more than 400 people attending.


Three in the running for the new Knowledge Exchange award

IN the frame for the award on the night of Monday March 22 at the Queen Elizabeth Hall are:

Matt Howarth has pulled out all the stops to create a dynamic partnership with the Digital Journalism team at University Campus Oldham. He has made an outstanding contribution to enriching the teaching and learning of multi-platform journalism and has provided work placements, internships and practical help and advice about creating content for websites.

Working with a team of talented university students, Matt’s web design company, Virtual Construction, in Failsworth, is constantly challenged by new thinking. This is a true Knowledge Exchange Partnership in action.

Nick McGilvray, when asked about how students from University Campus Oldham could gain an insight into his profession, responded by opening up his workplace to a group of architectural technology and interior designs students.

Nick’s team at the Hollinwood Business Centre, worked with the students to give them a feel for the projects they were working on, and their own career paths, and the session ended with a buffet lunch and networking opportunities. Such was the success of the event that this will now become an annual feature of the course.

TWB Architects is sponsoring an annual award in the form of a one-year paid placement as a trainee architectural technologist.

Jacquie Wood has worked closely with the University of Huddersfield to make available to the NHS a well-established programme of professional development through the School of Human and Health Sciences. The partnership between the University Campus and NHS Oldham requires a lot of dedication from both partners, and Jacquie has demonstrated a high level of professionalism and commitment and a series of pilot courses and workshops for health professionals is now under way.