Everyone is rallying to help victims

IN our thoughts . . . a well-wisher places flowers close to the scene

THERE has been an overwhelming response from people and businesses to help victims of the Shaw blast.

Supermarkets and department stores, companies, charities and individuals have donated everything from clothes and toiletries to furniture, bedding and toys.

Oldham Council is coordinating the official response, but there has also been a huge community reaction. People have turned up at Crompton House School - centre of the relief effort - with bags of clothes. Other companies have pledged goods. Many people are also using the Facebook page Support for Shaw Gas Explosion to get involved. The page had 500 members within an hour of being set up.

Several businesses have opened their doors as drop-off points for people who want to donates clothes, toiletries, furniture and toys. In Shaw these include Brew N Chew, Linney Lane, the Cricketers’ Arms, Milnrow Rod, and Robert Glass Opticians, Market Street.

Places further afield include Oasis Dental Care in Drake Street, Rochdale and Rochdale Road, Royton, and Town Barber Too in Oldham Market Hall.

Tokyo nightclub in Roscoe Street, Oldham is having a charity collection on Friday night.

Glossop Caravans has offered to provide temporary accommodation for homeless families and Debenhams, Oldham, is collecting donations.

Training company OTC in Lees Road is another drop-off point for donations. Chief executive Kath Soliman said: “We have sent emails to over 200 companies we have apprentices in. The response has been unbelievable; one company is donating a truckload of goods. If people are driving past and would like to drop something off we will make sure its gets to the people who need it.”


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