Place partners: Oldham

Place Partners is a Sport England funded programme that invests in a whole-system behaviour change approach in a place to enable sustainable change and gain valuable learnings that can be shared across the country.

From July 2018, Oldham utilised research and insight to create their initial 12-month plan, starting from April 2019; this can be viewed here.

Since 2019 Oldham’s Place Partners work has concentrated efforts on two key geographical areas: Failsworth and Glodwick.

The work has focused on issues important to the residents and looked to drive social change in those areas, including supporting residents to be able to move more. Oldham is also focusing on a whole system approach, working together to positively change conditions across the system to enable more people in Oldham to move more.

The place partner work is supported by key stakeholders who sit on the steering group, these include, Oldham Council (public health, place-based teams, libraries and environmental services), the VCSE organisation Action Together, Your Health Oldham, OAK Development and Oldham Community Leisure.

Throughout the place partner the team has adopted the test and learn approach allowing projects freedom to try new approaches and initiatives and adapt as the project develops.

One example of this approach is pharmacy walks undertaken at two pharmacies in Glodwick and Failsworth. Building on existing commissions around the national diabetes prevention programme, pharmacists were supported in providing additional 'Making Every Contact Count' advice and highlighting the importance of physical activity. Where appropriate a weekly walk starting outside of the pharmacy were promoted.

These walks have allowed pharmacists to further build relationships with the community, and feedback from participants highlighted both physical and social benefits in participating in the walks.

To add yourself as a Oldham Moving partner or find more information about the place partner work in Oldham contact: [email protected].

GM Moving Podcast

Episode eight of the GM Moving podcast was released on September 2022 and looked at the place partners work in Oldham.

In the episode host Eve Holt talk to Claire Marshall about the Place Partner work in Glodwick. 

The full transcript of the podcast can be found here.

The Episode can be listened to below or found on Spotify or Apple podcasts.