Disabled people’s lifeline closed

DISABILITY Action Oldham, a service which has helped thousands of disabled people claim benefits, has closed down.

The organisation, previously called Oldham DIAL, helped gain millions for local disabled people during its 17-year history.

Most of its work, which was offered free of charge, was carried out from its base at the Disability Resource Centre in Honeywell Lane.

The service also sent advisers out to see elderly and disabled people in their own homes.

Much of its work involved helping people unravel the benefits maze, and to fill in complicated claim forms.

And it was hailed as a godsend by many of the people it helped to get benefits or services which made a huge difference to their lives.

The service closed its doors for good last week.

The council’s executive director for strategy and resources, Liz Terry, told the Chronicle in March that it was among a number of voluntary organisations which were facing financial difficulties.

She said then that Disability Action Oldham was one of the organisations which was promised funding for only six months while a needs assessment was considered.

It received £37,500 from the council’s priority programme fund between April and September this year.

Bruce Penhale, Oldham Council’s assistant director for communities added: “Significant new investment in services for disabled people in Oldham continues to be made, and as a result the quality and range of services for vulnerable and disabled people is of a high standard and comparable with the best in the country.”




Pennine Pen Animal Rescue has put in a planning application to turn Disability Action Oldham’s former offices at the Disability Resource Centre, Honeywell Lane, into an animal rescue centre.