SIX fantastic good causes are hoping charity begins at home as they join together for the Give Local Oldham campaign.

Action Oldham Fund, Dr Kershaw’s Hospice, Kingfisher Special School, Maggie’s Oldham, Mahdlo Youth Zone and Oldham Coliseum Theatre, are collaborating this festive season in a campaign to raise money that will help improve the lives of people across the borough.

The six charities will be fundraising with a series of bucket collections and raffles while also spreading the word in the community about the difference each organisation makes in Oldham

And, thanks to the generosity of Sir Norman Stoller, all money raised for Give Local Oldham will be doubled by The Stoller Charitable Trust and split equally between each charity.

As part of the campaign, The Oldham Times will be featuring stories from each of the six charities and detailing how they support Oldham and its communities.

Dr Kershaw’s Hospice look after people at times when the hospitals can’t. They help them physically, emotionally, spiritually, and psychologically; giving them the tools to work through emotional distress, disability, prejudice and pain.

They help husbands, wives, sons and daughters, mothers, fathers, lovers, and friends, to deal with living with, and loving someone, who has an illness that dominates all their lives.

They also help people to die in peace and with dignity and we’re there for their loved ones afterwards.

Dr Kershaw’s make no charge for this, but it comes at a cost, £2.92m. It would not be possible for the hospice to run without the help of voluntary donations.

Dr Paul Cook, CEO of Dr Kershaw’s Hospice, said: "The Give Local Oldham campaign is a great opportunity to raise awareness and funds for the six main charities in the borough.

"Between us we touch everyone in the community with the services we provide, almost from cradle to grave.

"Working collaboratively allows us to show the impact we have on the people in our community and that the community’s support is vital in supporting these services to flourish into the future.”

Dr Kershaw's Hospice proved they go the extra mile for people when they pulled out all the stops to ensure an inpatient could take part in a friends Hen Do.

Mel visited the Day Hospice for a ‘Look Good, Feel Good’ session and then came onto the ward as an inpatient.

Whilst being treated at the Hospice is became apparent she was deteriorating and both Mel and her partner Rachael were upset that they wouldn’t be able to make their best friend’s wedding celebrations and hen doo. Mel was due to be a Bridesmaid and Rachael to be Best Woman on the wedding day, but they knew Mel was too ill to leave the Hospice.

Dr Kershaw's day hospice staff and volunteers decided they wouldn’t let this happen and brought the hen do to the Hospice, allowing Mel and Rachael had a fabulous evening with a buffet, decorations and a pamper session. They all sat and watched Grease 2 on the television and drank lots of Prosecco, creating a night to remember.

Rachael said “It was a truly special night. The Hospice put on a fabulous buffet that could have fed the whole wedding! The staff and volunteers went above and beyond to make the night amazing, and were so accommodating in letting my seven- year-old niece join in the fun too. I know that Mel loved it’’.

Di Heywood, Day Hospice volunteer, added: “It was a truly wonderful evening, the best experience I have had whilst helping at the Hospice’’

As part of the evening everyone who came along to the hen doo was given a pink ribbon to write a message on the rainbow of ribbons tree. The pink ribbons can be seen from the windows at the Hospice blowing in the wind.