New office helps residents unite

UNITED . . . the office is opened by Denis Lofthouse, who has lived on the estate since 1950, cutting the ribbon with Councillor Mohammed Masud to his left and chairman David Wilkinson to his right

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A NEW office will give Higginshaw residents a focal point to help unite the community and improve the area.

Higginshaw Village Residents’ Association held a day of celebrations as its office in Wimpole Street was officially opened.

It will be used as an outreach building for youth services to provide sporting, social and educational facilities, as well as hosting a club for older residents.

Councillors, Jobcentre Plus and health workers will also make use of the building and there are plans for a computer club.

A partnership with near-by St Stephen’s Church means the church can also be used for bigger events like discos.

Councillors Jackie Stanton and Mohammed Masud, police officers, army cadets, charity Revive a Life Uganda, and children’s workers all attended the event, which featured karaoke, food and games such as rounders and tug of war.

Funding for the office came from First Choice Homes, which gave £3,300 through the Respect Our Community Award, £2,000 from Oldham East Area Committee and around £500 from Guinness Northern Counties.

Association chairman David Wilkinson said: “The event went really well. Events like this are bringing more and more people off the estate who have had enough of it being run down and are making a stand.

“The office gives us a focal point where people can come. There has not been a voice on the estate for the residents for around six years.

“This gives them somewhere to come and offer their services and support and helps us push tenant participation. It’s people getting off their backsides and saying, ‘enough is enough, we are sick of vandalism and kids with nothing to do and a lack of facilities and what can we do to change it?’

“It’s starting to bring the community back together, which is the whole aim of the project. We are putting the call out to residents to see what they want.”

The estate has already been tidied up and now has a regular street cleaner.

The association, which represents council and housing association tenants as well as private residents, is also planning to look at lottery support to fund new park and play areas.

The office is currently open a few hours a day but this will soon be extended.