Shaw and Crompton deserve new leisure hub

The Shaw and Crompton Health Centre should the centrepiece of a new health and leisure hub, say local Liberal Democrats Tom Penketh and Sam Al-Hamdani, who have written to Oldham Community Leisure to engage them in the process.

The Health Centre was delivered in 2024, after years of campaigning from the Liberal Democrats, and now the group see this as an opportunity to build additional services in the area. 

Tom Penketh, group leader of the Liberal Democrats on the town council, said: “I’ve grown up here, and I know how frustrating it is for people to have to see services in Royton or Rochdale and not here.

“I was still at primary school when Labour made the decision to knock down the Shaw baths, and now that I’m in a position to do something about it, I want to put this front and centre of my work for the area.”

Combining health and leisure services is an approach taking root in the NHS, with “social prescription” models driving people to local fitness centres, which is made more possible where leisure and fitness hubs are set up with health centres at their heart. 

Councillor Al-Hamdani added: “We’ve seen this model start to take off elsewhere, and it would be a great step forward for Shaw and Crompton. 

“People want these services on their doorstep, where they already spend their time, not driving 20 minutes away to get them. Our town centres face a challenge to thrive, and it’s by creating a reason for people to want to be there – like this hub – that they will have a proper future.”