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Whit Friday Uppermill 2012

Musik Frohsinn Oberburg from Switzerland

Dobcross Band Contest 2012

Improvements For Churchill Playing Fields Are Underway

Churchill Fields

Major works have started this week which will improve drainage at Churchill playing fields.

The work is set to be completed by October and will make the field between Greenfield and Uppermill more resilient to harsh weather conditions and more convenient for the community.

The playing fields have a history of problems, [...]

Churchill Fields Drainage Plans Passed By Council Cabinet

The council's plan for Churchill Fields. (image: Oldham Council – click to enlarge)

Oldham Council’s proposals for draining Churchill Fields and removing the site’s running track have been approved by the council’s Cabinet.

It’s the final formality in a lengthy process which has rumbled on for most of the year, with heated arguments on [...]

Campaigners Admit Defeat In Battle To Keep Churchill Fields Track

Saddleworth Runners juniors using the Churchill Fields track.

Supporters of the running track at Churchill Fields have conceded their efforts to have it retained have failed.

The admission follows last week’s decision by members of the Saddleworth and Lees District Partnership to press ahead with a £410,000 plan to drain the site and reconfigure [...]

Letter From Churchill Playing Fields Action Group

Churchill Fields

Below is an open letter from Roger Devy of the Churchill Playing Fields Action Group, which I’ve reproduced in full. It was sent to local councillors and borough council officers, with Saddleworth News copied in.

If you want to respond to the points made in the letter, you can either leave a [...]

Seven Parish Councillors Call For Churchill Fields Track To Be Kept

Saddleworth Runners youngsters using the Churchill Fields track.

Seven members of Saddleworth Parish Council have issued a joint statement calling for the running track at Churchill Fields to be retained. Meanwhile, an Oldham Council report has revealed that grants body the Football Foundation has effectively vetoed the idea of keeping the running facility.

Current [...]

Organisers Celebrate “Brilliant” Saddleworth Village Olympics

The senior long jump competition. (picture: Nick Watts/Urban Haze)

The Saddleworth Village Olympics came to an end for another year last weekend, and organisers have said it was a “brilliant” event once again.

More than 1,000 local youngsters took part in a variety of sports, ranging from athletics and swimming to football and cricket.

[...]

Developments In Churchill Fields Saga

The council's plan. (image: Oldham Council – click to enlarge)

The debate over the future of Churchill Fields has continued in recent weeks. Those in favour of the existing plans have started a petition encouraging local people to show their support, while those opposed to the removal of the running track have put forward [...]

Letter From Cllr Barbara Beeley About Churchill Fields

Cllr Barbara Beeley (picture: Liberal Democrats)

Below is a letter to the editor sent by Cllr Barbara Beeley, a Liberal Democrat who represents Saddleworth West and Lees on Oldham Council, and who has played a leading role in bringing forward plans for the drainage of Churchill Fields. It was sent to Saddleworth News on [...]

Churchill Fields Campaigners Produce Revised Plans

The revised proposal put forward by CPFAG. (click to enlarge)

The Churchill Playing Fields Action Group, which supports the drainage of Churchill Fields but opposes council plans to remove the existing running track, has produced a revised proposal which it believes can accommodate four full-size pitches for football and rugby alongside the track.

It [...]

Saddleworth Village Olympics Begin This Weekend

Athletes splashing around the Churchill Fields track last year. The track and field will be held at Saddleworth School this Saturday. (picture: Urban Haze)

It’s almost time for the annual Saddleworth Village Olympics. This year’s event begins this weekend, and organisers have promised it’ll be as good as ever with more than 1,000 local [...]

Letter From Saddleworth Rangers About Churchill Fields

The rugby pitch in the middle of the existing track at Churchill Fields.

Below is a letter to the editor written by Terry Flanagan, Chairman of Saddleworth Rangers. It follows two open letters about the proposed drainage of Churchill Fields which appeared on Saddleworth News last week.

The original open letter from Roger Devy [...]

Letter From Cllr Ken Hulme About Churchill Fields

Churchill Fields

Below is a letter to the editor written by Cllr Ken Hulme, an Independent on Saddleworth Parish Council. It’s in response to two letters about Churchill Fields which appeared on Saddleworth News last week.

The original open letter from Roger Devy of the Churchill Playing Fields Action Group can be read here, [...]

Oldham Council Rejects Alternative Churchill Fields Proposal

Saddleworth Runners juniors using the Churchill Fields track.

Oldham Council has defended plans to remove the athletics track at Churchill Fields. In a detailed response to an alternative proposal put forward by the Churchill Playing Fields Action Group, a senior council official pointed out nine separate reasons why the CPFAG plan to retain the [...]

Oldham Council’s Response To Churchill Fields Open Letter

Below is a response from Oldham Council to an open letter written by Roger Devy of the Churchill Playing Fields Action Group, which was published on Saddleworth News earlier this week. The original letter, and the subsequent comments, can be viewed here.

The council’s response is from Colette Kelly, the Assistant Executive Director for Neighbourhoods. [...]