OPAL Advocacy

21/08/2026

OPAL Crew loved the handmade Oldham Wakes!installation by Sophie Tyrrell at Gallery Oldham.

30/07/2026

🎉 Win big and support OPAL at the same time! 🌴☀️

The Oldham Community Lottery Super Draw is back, and this month you could win a £2,000 luxury holiday or take the cash alternative instead! ✈️💷

Whether you’re dreaming of relaxing by the pool, exploring a new city, or chasing the Northern Lights, your next adventure could be just around the corner.

Enter before Friday 29th August for your chance to win.

Tickets cost just £1 a week, with weekly prizes of up to £25,000.

Every ticket you buy and choose OPAL as your cause helps support the work we do with people with learning disabilities and autistic people across Oldham.

👉 Visit: www.oldhamcommunitylottery.co.uk and choose OPAL as your cause, or scan the QR code in the second image.

Good luck! 🤞

30/07/2026

From Ghana to Oldham!

Kwabena, a student social worker currently on placement at OPAL, recently led a brilliant session with the OPAL Crew. He shared the culture and traditions of his home country, Ghana.

The Crew learned about traditional clothing from Ghana and across West Africa, including Kente cloth, the Ghanaian smock known as a Batakari, and the flowing Boubou. These beautiful clothes are often worn for special occasions such as weddings and christenings, and everyone enjoyed the chance to try them on.

Kwabena also shared an interesting connection between Ghana and Oldham. Kente cloth and Ghanaian smocks are made using cotton yarn, and some of that yarn may once have come from the UK, possibly even Oldham, when the town was a major centre of the cotton industry.

It was a lovely opportunity to learn about another culture and for Kwabena to share a piece of his heritage with the OPAL Crew. A huge thank you to him for such a fun and fascinating session!

If you’d like to support or donate, find out more about what we do, or know someone who could benefit from our services, visit www.opal-advocacy.org.uk. We also welcome enquiries from anyone interested in volunteering or completing a student placement with OPAL.

30/07/2026

The OPAL Crew had a brilliant day out at the People’s History Museum in Manchester. We explored the museum’s collections and the RE/ASSEMBLE exhibition.

RE/ASSEMBLE looks back at LGBT+ activism in Britain. It tells the stories of people who stood together against prejudice and unfair treatment. We also learned about the history of disability rights. This made the visit especially meaningful during Disability Pride Month.

The visit showed us how ordinary people have spoken up, worked together, and helped change society for the better. Everyone had a fantastic time exploring the museum and talking about what they discovered.

The People’s History Museum is well worth a visit, with lots of interesting things to see and learn about.

People's History Museum (PHM)🧡

If you’d like to support or donate, find out more about what we do, or know someone who could benefit from our services, visit www.opal-advocacy.org.uk.

03/07/2026

Research at the heart of the community. Great work and so important! 💙

The University of Salford

Our Heart of the Community exhibition showcases seven powerful port...

03/07/2026

Amazing! 💙

Michelle Anderson first walked through the doors at Oldham Personal...

03/07/2026

23/06/2026

BEAT THE HEAT! ☀️

It’s a hot one, so here are some simple ways to stay safe in the warm weather:

💧 Drink plenty of water throughout the day
🌳 Stay out of direct sunlight where possible, especially between 11am and 3pm
👕 Wear light, loose-fitting clothes
🧴 Use sun cream and wear a hat when outdoors
🏠 Keep your home cool by closing curtains and blinds during the hottest part of the day
👋 Check in on older relatives, neighbours and people who may be more affected by the heat
🚗 Never leave children, vulnerable adults or pets in a parked vehicle, even for a short time
🌳 Move into the shade or somewhere cool if you start to feel unwell
🏊 Avoid swimming in open water such as rivers, lakes and reservoirs. Even in hot weather, the water can be very cold and dangerous

For more easy-read heat safety advice visit:
https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/689330fcf97cd7adaa2be02b/Beat_the_heat_staying_safe_in_hot_weather_EASY_READ_-_Updated.pdf

I Love Oldham

22/06/2026

We’ve been out in the community raising awareness of the Learning Disability GP Register. Through sessions at local venues, we’ve been having conversations about:

* What the register is
* Why it’s important
* How to join

As part of this work, our students created easy-read handouts (like the ones in the photo) to help explain things in a clear and accessible way.

Sometimes it’s just about having the right information, in the right format.
Being on the register can help people get better support at their GP, including annual health checks and reasonable adjustments.

We’ll keep sharing this information at events and in our day-to-day work so more people understand the supoprt available. If you support someone with a learning disability, it’s worth checking they are on the register.

20/06/2026

As part of Learning Disability Week, we’re celebrating the talents, voices, and personalities of people with learning disabilities.

Learning Disability Week is a chance to challenge stereotypes and remember that people are more than a label. Every person has their own interests, talents, personality, and story to tell.

We’ve been rolling up our sleeves and getting to work in the OPAL garden, helping to w**d, plant, water, and care for our outdoor space.

From spotting new buds and flowers beginning to bloom to getting our hands dirty in the soil, there has been plenty of hard work, laughter, and teamwork along the way.

Just like a garden, people thrive when they are given the right support, encouragement, and opportunities to grow. At OPAL, we’re proud to see our members building confidence, learning new skills, making friendships, and achieving things they can be proud of.

The garden is looking better every week, and so are the people helping it grow.

Watch this space for more from OPAL soon!

To learn more about OPAL, support the work we do, make a donation, or help us create more opportunities for our members, visit www.opal-advocacy.org.uk