The level 3 BTEC National Diploma and pre-degree students have created a series of bright and eye catching photos and collages that will be displayed on the centre’s walls to create a bright and welcoming atmosphere for patients.

The group of 12 students was tasked with taking photographs of the local area, which will be turned into A1 prints.  Scenes include Werneth Park, St Thomas’ Church and other local buildings and landmarks with interesting architectural features.

Following this, the students worked with children from St Thomas C of E Primary School in Werneth to create six large and colourful collages.  These are themed around healthy eating, the outdoors and interesting shapes.

Amanda Walker, Arts Manager at The Oldham College said:  “This project has offered a great opportunity for students at the college.  Not only have they developed their own skills, but also those of local children.

“The finished products really are fabulous and I hope they brighten the day of people visiting Werneth Primary Care Centre.”

Shauna Dixon, NHS Oldham’s locality director, commented:  “I would like to thank the students from The Oldham College and St Thomas Primary School for producing such fantastic and eye catching pieces of work.  They really will brighten up the centre and help to create a welcoming atmosphere for our patients.”

The pieces of art will go on display around Werneth Primary Care Centre in the next few weeks.

Oldham Community Leisure (OCL) is leading on the initiative, known as the Energize project, working alongside Oldham Athletic Community Trust, Community 1st Oldham and The Oldham College, to deliver a comprehensive programme offering a host of sporting activities, as well as volunteering opportunities and training. Community 1st Oldham and Sport England’s SportMatch are providing funding for the project.

The project has an ambitious target of 10,000 new attendances at new sport sessions between January and July 2012.

Alan Keane, Health and Outdoor Development Officer, OCL, said: “This is a great example of Oldham organisations working together to make taking part in sport and physical activity easy, enjoyable, and affordable. Increasing participation in sport is just one element – we are aiming to improve the health and wellbeing of the people taking part, as well as offering them volunteering and training opportunities, which could lead to paid employment. Whilst our main target group is young people from 16 to25 who are often less likely to participate in sport, we are also offering activities for families and older people.”

The programme will offer a number of popular sports including football, boxing, cricket, basketball, swimming and rugby for a nominal charge of around 50 pence per session. Three month gym memberships will be available for just £10. There will also be a number of outdoor activities including walking, climbing, running and cycling, which links to Oldham Council’s objectives to make Oldham’s countryside and outdoor offering more accessible.

As part of Energize’s health-improvement remit, it will fund places on a new GP exercise referral programme for people with chronic medical conditions who are on a low income.

Neil Charlesworth, General Manager of Community 1st Oldham, said: “Community 1st Oldham is proud to support the Energize project and our local partners to deliver activities which will bring young people and communities together to have fun and get fit and healthy. We believe the GP exercise referral programme will make a great local health improvement impact.”

Young people themselves were instrumental in the project planning with a survey of more than 600 young people attending The Oldham College helping the team decide on what activities to offer, and where, as well as how to promote them. Jenny Bates, Student Participation Co-ordinator, The Oldham College, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for students to be able to access new activities without cost being a barrier. The Energize project supports the College’s ethos to enrich and enhance the student experience through different opportunities for young people and will link to our already well-established enrichment programme.”

The project is using social media and digital technology to engage young people, with a designated Facebook page as well as an interactive website where participants can monitor their progress, access individualised nutritional plans, and have health and fitness questions answered by a ‘virtual coach’.

The activities will be delivered in existing facilities as well as new venues in the community such as community centres, schools, parks and the countryside.

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Dr Janet Day, from Kapur Family Care GP practice said “We aim to provide our patients with high quality care and a positive experience overall.  This new building will provide us with the facilities we need to achieve this and to continue developing and improving our services into the future.”

Community services, including health visitors, district nurses, services for children with additional needs, podiatry, contraception and sexual health services, counselling services and health promotion benefitting the practice patients will commence providing services from late January onwards. 

Guided tours familiarised patients with the centre’s layout, and there was also the opportunity to ask any questions and enjoy some refreshments.

The GP practices will commence surgeries in the new centre with effect from 6 December and 13 December. Community services, including health visitors, district nurses, services for children with additional needs, podiatry, contraception and sexual health services, counselling services and health promotion benefitting the practice patients will commence providing services from late January onwards. 

The new centre means around 20,000 people can visit their doctor, nurse or other health professional in a high quality, purpose-built facility. 

Dr Janet Day, from Kapur Family Care GP practice said:  “I’m very much looking forward to moving into the new centre and being able to care for my patients in high quality and modern surroundings. We aim to provide our patients with high quality care and a positive experience overall.  This new building will provide us with the facilities we need to achieve this and to continue developing and improving our services into the future.”

Shauna Dixon, from NHS Oldham, said: “People in Werneth experience some of the poorest health in Oldham and this new facility provides an opportunity for them to access a wide range of health and wellbeing facilities in one place, in significantly improved facilities.

“Over the last six years we have delivered major improvements to primary care facilities as part of the Local Improvement Finance Trust development programme with our private and public sector partners. We are sure that this centre, along with our other newly built or refurbished facilities, will support Oldham GPs and community staff to deliver high quality care into the future.

“Through these improvements we believe we are leaving a lasting legacy to improve health for people in Oldham.”

Community 1st Oldham is the local company that has led this development and all other health developments on behalf of NHS Oldham.  The Werneth development is the last one that NHS Oldham will lead; however Community 1st will continue to work on various health and community based projects across Oldham.

Neil Charlesworth, General Manager of Community 1st Oldham, said: “We are so proud of what our partnership with NHS Oldham has achieved over the last few years and the impact it has made to transform communities across Oldham. The new primary care centre is a fantastic facility for the GPs, local health teams and communities in Werneth and we look forward to the centre opening.”

The new centre will provide a library, youth centre and community facilities in a brand new, purpose-built facility on Fircroft Road.

The centre, due to open to the public in early 2012, will be an excellent addition to the community facilities in Fitton Hill and demonstrates Oldham Council’s ongoing investment in community facilities for the people of Oldham, and New Deal for Communities’ ongoing work with the Fitton Hill community.

Phase Two of the development, comprising a new purpose-built medical facility, will follow soon.