Main News

Vote for your favourite finalist in Rochdale's Got Talent

The public vote is now open for the 13 finalists in the Rochdale�s Got Talent contest � and voting closes at midnight tonight (Sunday 31 May).

Date Published 31/05/2020

Magnet fishers discover World War One victory medal

A victory medal dating to World War One has been discovered in a safe by local magnet fishers.
Scott Bryant, of Castleton, found the safe earlier this year when magnet fishing on...

Date Published 31/05/2020

Trio of teenagers clear litter during lockdown

Determined to make a difference in lockdown, three teenagers have cleared bags of litter from a patch of land near Healey Corner.

Date Published 30/05/2020

Mother and daughter create fun Science at Home experiments

A mother and daughter duo from Milnrow are making lockdown more bearable with their fun Science at Home experiments.

Date Published 30/05/2020

NHS Nightingale Hospital North West patients are helped back to health with family contact and personalised rehabilitation

Patients at the NHS Nightingale Hospital North West are being kept in touch with their loved ones thanks to a dedicated team of redeployed and returning nurses.

Date Published 30/05/2020

Warning about fake TV licensing emails issued

Fake emails claiming to be from TV Licensing are in circulation, police are warning.
The emails state that the recipients direct debit payment has failed and that they must pay...

Date Published 29/05/2020

Mental health trust and nursing homes overwhelmed by donations from the local community

Two residential homes for the elderly and the Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, which provides mental health and learning disability services across Rochdale, have been...

Date Published 29/05/2020

Extra �5m to relaunch rough sleeping scheme with new �Covid-safe� accommodation

Nearly �5 million will be spent relaunching a scheme helping Greater Manchester�s rough sleepers off the streets to provide safer accommodation during the coronavirus pandemic.

Date Published 29/05/2020

Volunteers put in thousands of hours to support Covid-19 response

Community first responders have given almost 10,000 hours of support to North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Date Published 29/05/2020

Hopwood Hall College celebrates success of first-ever virtual open day

Hopwood Hall College is celebrating the success of its first-ever virtual open event, held on Thursday 21 May.

Date Published 29/05/2020

Council and CCG putting their pooled budget arrangement on hold because of the uncertainty over Covid funding

A risk sharing agreement between Rochdale council and health bosses has been suspended due to �frightening� uncertainty over Covid-19 funding.

Date Published 29/05/2020

Middleton man jailed for biting for police officer's arm to avoid being arrested

A Middleton man who bit a police officer�s arm in an attempt to evade arrest in Rochdale has been jailed for 12 months.

Date Published 28/05/2020

Bus firms to increase services from 31 May

Local bus firms are set to increase the frequency of their services for key workers and essential travel, as the government restrictions are beginning to ease.

Date Published 28/05/2020

Optometrist helps to save sight of Rochdale man with emergency appointment

A Rochdale optometrist has helped to save the sight of a patient within their practice and without having to send them to hospital, decreasing the pressure on the NHS.

Date Published 28/05/2020

Limited-edition print by Middleton artist raises money for the NHS

Sales of a limited-edition artwork by a self-taught Middleton artist has so fair raised over �1,000 for the NHS.

Date Published 28/05/2020

Wetherspoon's social distancing measures for when pubs can reopen

JD Wetherspoon has confirmed it will reopen its pubs, including its three in the Rochdale borough, with social distancing measures when the government gives it the nod.

Date Published 28/05/2020

Covid-19's impact on Universal Credit

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of people in the Rochdale borough claiming Universal Credit has increased by more than a third, latest figures show.

Date Published 28/05/2020

Eight-year-old's marathon challenge for the Heywood Foodbank

Bella Ashton, eight, is taking on a marathon challenge to raise vital funds for the Heywood Foodbank.
Bella will walk 90 laps in a field near her house to complete the 26.2 mile...

Date Published 28/05/2020

Rochdale�s Got Talent: finalists revealed

The finalists in the Rochdale�s Got Talent contest � which is aiming to raise �10,000 for Springhill Hospice � have been revealed.

Date Published 27/05/2020

Covid-19 helpline for black and ethnic minority communities launched

A Covid-19 emotional support line for black and ethnic minority communities in Greater Manchester is now live.
The helpline, setup by the charity The Guardian Project, offers...

Date Published 27/05/2020

Council chief executive says �big questions� remain over track and trace plans

Chief executive of Rochdale Council, Steve Rumbelow,�says there are still �big questions� over how track and trace � the next big step in preventing the spread of coronavirus � is...

Date Published 27/05/2020

Competition launched to name falcon chicks

The council�s annual name the peregrine falcon chick competition has been launched after two chicks successfully hatched in the nesting area at Rochdale Town Hall 10 days ago.

Date Published 27/05/2020

Trafford Centre puts new rules in place for when non-essential shops reopen

The�Trafford Centre has released details about how it will safely support the gradual reopening of non-essential retail stores at the centre in line with Government guidelines.

Date Published 27/05/2020

Chris Clarkson MP: �Dominic Cummings was acting in best interests of his family but stretched rules to the�very limit�

The Conservative Member of Parliament for Heywood & Middleton, Chris Clarkson says he believes that Dominic Cummings was �acting in the best interests of his family, but stretched...

Date Published 27/05/2020

Women Against Groomers demand legal action against Home Secretary for failing to deport members of Rochdale grooming gang

The Women Against Groomers group is demanding legal action against the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, for failing to deport three members of the Rochdale grooming gang � despite...

Date Published 27/05/2020

Pushing cycling after Covid-19

Councils are committing millions to make commutes more cycle-friendly as people go back to work.
As lockdown eases, people who can�t work from home are being encouraged to begin...

Date Published 27/05/2020

Local doctor shares his experience of life working on the NHS frontline

A Syrian refugee doctor based at The Royal Oldham Hospital has shared his experiences of working on the NHS frontline during Covid-19 with BBC News.

Date Published 26/05/2020

Successful first step to restore Rochdale-Heywood-Bury railway line

An application for funding to investigate the restoration of the Rochdale-Heywood-Bury railway line has been successful in a first round of government funding to support rail...

Date Published 26/05/2020

Rochdale couple call for more people to join them as foster carers

Local foster carers Tammi and Peter Lumb are sharing details of their lockdown lives in the hope that others will come forward to be foster carers.

Date Published 26/05/2020

Government to publish paper into understanding grooming gangs

A paper to understand the characteristics of grooming gangs and help deliver justice for victims will be published by the government later this year.

Date Published 26/05/2020

Conservative leader says Dominic Cummings should have resigned or been sacked �for the overwhelming good of the country�

The leader of Rochdale Council�s Conservative group says Dominic Cummings should have resigned � or been sacked � for the �overwhelming good of the country�.

Date Published 26/05/2020

Greater Manchester businesses donate vital PPE to Rochdale Infirmary and care homes

In the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, tens of thousands of face masks have been donated to care homes in Rochdale, Bury and Middleton, whilst staff at Rochdale Infirmary...

Date Published 26/05/2020

Rochdale borough to receive �2.1m of �600m care home support package to help reduce coronavirus infections

The Rochdale borough is set to receive a �2.1m share of a new��600 million Infection Control Fund, introduced to tackle the spread of Covid-19 in care homes.

Date Published 26/05/2020

How to stay motivated and inspired when working from home

As we enter another week of lockdown, the novelty of working from home has started to wear off. Without the re-assuring repetitiveness of your daily commute and the friendly...

Date Published 26/05/2020

Sparthbottoms fire: two 12-year-olds arrested

Two 12-year-old children have been arrested on suspicion of arson in relation to the Sparthbottoms fire on Saturday (23 May).

Date Published 26/05/2020

New National Support Service aims to support people living with sight loss during Coronavirus outbreak

Sight loss charity British Wireless for the Blind Fund (BWBF) has announced a new service which enables them to continue to support people living with sight loss in Greater...

Date Published 25/05/2020

Four-year-old boy donates long hair to Little Princess Trust after very first haircut

A little boy from Alkrington has donated his long hair to the Little Princess Trust, after undergoing his very first haircut.

Date Published 25/05/2020

The Big NHS Lunch Box is aiming to get lunch to healthcare workers who may otherwise not stop

A group of friends who wanted to do their bit to help those on the front line have handed out more than 11,000 lunches to ensure workers can eat while they battle Covid-19.

Date Published 25/05/2020

Crimble Mill residents' digger fears

Heywood residents are concerned that development is taking place on green belt land near Crimble Mill - without a planning application - after an excavator and people in hi-vis...

Date Published 25/05/2020

Pet fraud warning issued by police

Fraudsters are posting ads online falsely claiming to be selling pets, such as puppies and kittens, asking victims who respond to the ad to put down a deposit for the pet to...

Date Published 24/05/2020

Fire crews remain on scene of scrapyard fire

Crews from Greater Manchester Fire & Rescue Service (GMFRS) remain at the scene of a fire at a scrapyard on Corporation Road in Rochdale, though the fire itself is all but out.

Date Published 24/05/2020

Eid Greetings from Rochdale Council of Mosques

After a month�s long fasting, Muslims in Rochdale and around the world will mark the end of Ramadan this weekend with the festival of Eid ul Fitr.

Date Published 24/05/2020

Breaking: Fire at scrapyard in Sparthbottoms

A massive fire has broken out at a scrapyard in Sparthbottoms, Rochdale this evening (Saturday 23 May 2020).
Fire crews are currently at the scene of the fire�on Corporation Road...

Date Published 23/05/2020

Son of artist George Mainwaring searching for �lost� paintings

The son of Rochdale artist George Mainwaring is searching for information regarding several of his father�s paintings.

Date Published 23/05/2020

Councillor Sheerin to continue as Mayor for another year

Councillor Billy Sheerin is to be the Mayor of Rochdale for another year,�after having his mayoral term cut short earlier this year due to the current pandemic.

Date Published 23/05/2020

Last chance to audition for Rochdale�s Got Talent

Be sure to get your audition videos submitted for Rochdale�s Got Talent, as the deadline for new entries is midnight on Saturday 23 May.

Date Published 22/05/2020

Know where to go for health advice over the May bank holiday

As the late May bank holiday approaches, local clinicians are ensuring Rochdale borough residents know where to go for medical help over the bank holiday weekend. Their advice is...

Date Published 22/05/2020

Local hospitals roll out pioneering Covid-19 bio security and infection prevention measures

Stringent bio security and infection control measures are being implemented at the Northern Care Alliance hospitals,�to ensure patients and staff remain safe as�services start to...

Date Published 22/05/2020

New domestic abuse programme launched to help Rochdale residents

The�Guinness Partnership�housing association is joining with�Rochdale Connections Trust�(RCT) to�offer support to victims of domestic violence and abuse in Rochdale.

Date Published 22/05/2020

Local families helped with free food packages by Dawat-e-Islami

Since the Covid-19 pandemic started, families in Rochdale have been receiving free food packages from Islamic not-for-profit group Dawat-e-Islami.

Date Published 22/05/2020

Stay safe on necessary journeys

Residents of Greater Manchester are being advised to help keep themselves, transport staff and others safe by only travelling when necessary; cycling, walking or driving as their...

Date Published 22/05/2020

Virtual service to remember Arena victims and cathedral bells to ring out over airwaves

Manchester Cathedral�s bells will ring out 22 times to remember the victims of the�Manchester Arena�attack � despite restrictions caused by the coronavirus.

Date Published 22/05/2020

Norden couple launch charity t-shirt to help raise money for NHS scrubs

A couple from Norden have launched their own charity t-shirt depicting a heart-shaped rainbow, with all profits going to North West Sew for the NHS.�

Date Published 22/05/2020

You now have to opt out of becoming an organ donor as new law comes into effect

Adults in England now have to opt out of becoming an organ donor, under the new Organ Donation (Deemed Consent) Act, which came into effect on Wednesday (20 May 2020).

Date Published 21/05/2020

KYP aims to give food parcels to over 750 people by Eid

The Kashmiri Youth Project is aiming to have distributed food parcels to over 750 people by Eid-ul-Fitr this weekend.

Date Published 21/05/2020

Brownhill Learning Community School brings a ray of sunshine across the borough

On the Tuesday 12th May 2020 the Youth Team from Brownhill Learning Community School delivered handmade, personalised hamper baskets across Rochdale, Heywood and Middleton care...

Date Published 21/05/2020

Chris Clarkson MP urges Home Secretary to deport members of Rochdale grooming gang as "matter of urgency"

Heywood and Middleton MP, Chris Clarkson, has written to the Home Secretary, urging her to seek the deportation of three members of the Rochdale grooming gang and asking for them...

Date Published 21/05/2020

Multi-million pound flood scheme in Rochdale and Littleborough given the green light

The first phase of a �46 million flood defence scheme in Rochdale and Littleborough has been given the green light by Rochdale Borough Council�s Planning Department.

Date Published 21/05/2020

Healthy boost for low income families during pandemic

A quicker, simpler application process for Healthy Start food vouchers has been welcomed by Greater Manchester health leaders amid concerns around food poverty during the...

Date Published 21/05/2020

Trams will start to run more frequently � but free travel for NHS and care staff will end

Metrolink services will begin running more frequently amid growing passenger numbers � but tram travel will no longer be free for NHS and social care workers.

Date Published 20/05/2020

Wardleworth Community Centre shares food with needy throughout Ramadan

Throughout Ramadan, Wardleworth Community Centre has distributed over 100 meals and fresh fruit to some of the community�s most vulnerable.

Date Published 20/05/2020

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