Oldham eco-visitors centre to open in summer 2026
The visitors centre will include a café, shop, production kitchen, performance and exhibition space, plus classrooms and meeting rooms. The nearby forestry skills centre will focus on technical and land-based training, helping residents gain qualifications in sustainable industries.Dominique Ferriere, 76, a volunteer who has been helping to build six commercial-grade polytunnels at Northern Roots in Oldham, said: "I lost my wife two years ago and I was totally lost, so I became a volunteer and it's given me a new lease of life."I feel young again."
It is hoped the next phase of Northern Roots will boost skills, jobs, tourism, biodiversity and the local economy.Kimo Morrison, from the Northern Roots charity, said the main inspiration behind the project was to bring "hope and pride to Oldham".She said: "Why should Oldham not have something which is really special?"
Over the last two years, the Northern Roots charity has established the first phase of the Urban Farm, where volunteers grow fruit and vegetables.Different wildlife habitats have also been created, with over 2,000 new trees, six ponds, a community garden and a wildflower meadow.Louise Gibbs, 39, who lives in nearby Fitton Hill and works at Northern Roots, said: "At my children's school, a lot of the teachers are really eager to bring classes down and people are excited at the job prospects which are going to be available."
The Northern Roots project is being delivered with support from the government's Town Deal Fund and Levelling Up Fund.The visitors centre at Northern Roots is expected to open in summer 2026.
Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Auto Express
6 minutes ago
- Auto Express
Incoming Congestion Charge change is a £75 million 'cash grab'
Proposed changes to the London Congestion Charge are set to raise tens of millions of pounds per year, with electric car drivers set to bear the biggest burden. An Auto Express Freedom of Information request submitted to Transport for London uncovered that the removal of the EV exemption to the Congestion Charge is expected to generate as much as £75 million per year – or even more if the proposed changes to the Cleaner Vehicle Discount are not implemented. Advertisement - Article continues below Such changes mean that while EVs will, from 2 January 2026, be subject to the Congestion Charge, they will be able to receive a 25 per cent discount (50 per cent for vans and other LCVs) if registered through the TfL Auto Pay system. Nevertheless, if such changes to the CVD aren't implemented as planned, EV drivers would be forced to fork out the full amount, increasing the total amount paid by everyone to TfL to a startling £83 million. It doesn't end there, however, as TfL also plans to increase the daily Congestion Charge rate from £15 to £18 from the beginning of 2026; this, covering both electric and ICE cars, is forecast to rake in at least an additional £40 million over five years, rising to as much as £55million. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Combined, and taking into account overlaps with the aforementioned inclusion of EVs, TfL says it expects Congestion Charge revenue to grow from £240 million in the financial year 2024/25, to £320 million in 2026/27, essentially stuffing an extra £80 million into Sadiq Khan's pockets per year. Talking to Auto Express, a spokesperson for the AA said the association is 'bitterly disappointed that TfL is now picking on EV drivers,' pointing out how the 'incentive to get more people into zero emissions vehicles has now been swallowed up in a general cash grab.' 'London has done next to nothing to provide a park-and-ride facility on the outskirts of the city, but is happy to implement a Congestion Charge that makes people think twice about driving in,' the AA explained. This comes soon after TfL implemented tolls for the Blackwall and Silvertown tunnels — something, figures suggest, has reduced traffic by roughly 5,000 drivers per day. The Department for Transport has also decided to increase the Dart Charge Dartford Crossing toll by £1 in September; Transport Secretary, Lillian Greenwood, said current traffic levels at the crossing 'are well in excess of [its] design capacity, causing delays, congestion and journey disruption to drivers on the M25 and a range of knock-on impacts for local communities'. Did you know you can sell your car through Auto Express ? We'll help you get a great price and find a great deal on a new car, too . Find a car with the experts MG4 and MGS5 EV prices slashed in reply to Government Electric Car Grant MG4 and MGS5 EV prices slashed in reply to Government Electric Car Grant In order to boost sales, MG is announcing its own a £1,500 grant for some of its EVs Roll over diesel: EVs are now doing the big mileage in the UK Roll over diesel: EVs are now doing the big mileage in the UK The average UK electric car now covers more than 10,000 miles per year, a similar amount to the average diesel. Dacia's baby EV due in 12 months with a tiny £15k price tag Dacia's baby EV due in 12 months with a tiny £15k price tag Dacia's new model will be developed in double-quick time, and it'll be built in Europe to avoid China tariffs
Daily Mail
7 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Ultimate guide to the M&S sale, by top fashion editor DINAH VAN TULLEKEN. The cyber hack meant the best pieces didn't sell out - these are the 21 picks every woman needs
M&S 's recent cyber-attack resulted in the retail part of their website being unusable for a full six weeks. Not only was it commercially catastrophic for the company, but it was a disaster for millions of shoppers who rely on being able to click and collect everything, from multipack knickers and school uniform to the store's increasingly fashion forward designs.
BBC News
7 minutes ago
- BBC News
New Ipswich youth hub shows young people are valued, says charity
A charity boss said a new youth hub being set up in an unused building would show young people they were "valued".4YP, which works with people aged between seven and 25, will eventually move from Lower Brook Street to the Regatta Quay building on the waterfront in Ipswich, comes after Ipswich Borough Council was able to purchase one of the building's units, which had been empty for over two years, through a £1.14m grant through the government's Towns Warnock, the chief executive of 4YP, said she hoped the new hub would be open by this time next year. "It'll be a place where young people can drop in and get support from youth workers and counsellors and other services," Ms Warnock said."It'll be a place where they can meet and have their counselling sessions in private rooms. Where they can do other activities - it could be sporting activities, it could be craft and creative activities."It'll be a one-stop shop for anything a young person might need, and obviously in a great location on the waterfront." Ms Warnock said the waterfront was a "prominent" location, with it also being close to the University of Suffolk, which would improve accessibility to the added the new hub would show young people that their "voice and opinion is important". "They can be part of decision-making, changing processes, and being part of their community," she said."The fact that us and Ipswich Borough Council and others are prioritising that hopefully sends that message to them."The Labour leader of the council, Neil MacDonald, said the project was a "great example" of how the funding could "breathe new life" into Ipswich."This investment from the Towns Fund demonstrates the council's commitment to regenerating Ipswich and bringing buildings back into use in a way that benefits the town," he added. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
