A COLOURFUL calendar comparing Saddleworth scenes from days gone by with the present times has been launched in aid of the Parish Council’s Chairman’s Charities.
The ‘Then and Now’ A3-sized calendar is the brain-child of chairman Cllr Neil Allsopp to raise funds for Ballboys, Grace’s Place, Francis House Children’s Hospice and Oldham Mountain Rescue Team, as well as other local causes and groups.
Each month features a black-and-white image courtesy of ‘Saddleworth Gone By’ alongside a mirror image snapped today by Neil himself.
Scenes include the changing faces of The Square in Dobcross, Road End in Greenfield, St Chad’s Church in Uppermill and High Street in Delph.
One of Neil’s favourites is October, which boasts an image of the former Co-op, businesses and offices on Chew Valley Road in Greenfield, where Neil grew up.
Every page is sponsored by a local business to help raise funds for the charities, alongside proceeds from the calendars, which cost £4.95.
Neil said: “It’s wonderful to see how some places have changed so much while others are hardly different at all.
“On one of the pictures there is a horse and cart dropping off a delivery, while in another there’s a man using a mobile phone, which really highlights the contrasts.
“We’ve also included dates on the calendar which people want to know about such as Whit Friday, Chinese New Year, Easter and Bank Holidays.
“Minuteman Press in Ashton have been been absolutely fantastic. They lent us their graphic designer services for free and printed it in just five days,” Neil added.
The calendar costs £4.95 and is on sale at outlets across Saddleworth including The Clarence and The Railway pubs in Greenfield, Uppermill Post Office, and the Civic Hall.
Find more images from Saddleworth Gone By on their Facebook page.
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