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.

Kingfisher Special School is the only school in Oldham for primary aged children with severe and complex learning difficulties.

The school's population of children are drawn from all wards in Oldham and have a huge range of special needs and disabilities - ranging from life limiting and threatening medical conditions, severe and complex autism, physical disabilities, communication needs, hearing and visual impairments.

Kingfisher is incredibly successful, with three Outstanding Ofsted ratings, with no areas for improvement, and is currently looking to open a new school for children with less severe learning difficulties.

Michael Unsworth, Director of Business, Kingfisher Learning Trust, said: “Kingfisher is absolutely delighted to be a part of Give Local Oldham.

"The campaign between the six charities is crucial as not only does it join up the work of the charities and their support for the cross section of community in Oldham, it also highlights the necessity of money being raised by the people of Oldham, benefitting the people of Oldham.”

Team Kingfisher are currently running a campaign to raise £500,000 to build a new hydrotherapy pool at the school as the current facility is outdated and damaged beyond repair.

The school have been bowled over by the support of the whole of Oldham and has had some incredible support from individuals and organisations who have pledged large sums of money to kick start the project. The school has also been supported by hundreds of individuals who have gone out of their way to support the project,.

People have completed sponsored events - such as parachute jumps, marathons etc, others have put on events such as a cake sale, and some people have simply come into the school to donate a few pounds, or whatever they can afford.

Kingfisher hopes that the hydrotherapy pool will be able to be used by a wider group than just the children at the school, it is important that it is seen as a resource for Oldham and people across the borough support the project to make it happen.