Keeping in Touch over Christmas and New Year

EVEN though many services and buildings will close for the festive holiday just before Christmas Eve (December 24) the Tameside Council website – www.tameside.gov.uk – remains available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for residents to access information and help.

Details of the services and buildings that will be closing are as follows:

Hattersley Library will close at 5pm on Thursday, December  21, but Open+ services will remain available until 1pm on Saturday, December 23.

Mossley Library will close at 1pm on Friday, December 22, but Open+ services will remain available until 1pm on Saturday, December 23.

Dukinfield Library will close at 1pm on Saturday, December 23.

Ashton, Denton, Droylsden, Hyde and Stalybridge libraries will close at 3pm on Saturday, December 23.

Tameside Local Studies and Archives Centre closes at 1pm on Saturday, December 23.

All libraries will reopen within their specific arrangements from Tuesday, January 2, 2024.

Open+ self-access will not be available over Christmas and New Year. Full details of opening hours are at www.tameside.gov.uk/libraries or call 0161 342 2031 before 3pm on Saturday, 23 December.

The council’s call centre and customer services will close at 4pm on Friday, December 22, and reopen at 8.30am on Tuesday, January 2.

Portland Basin Museum, Ashton, shuts at 4pm on Christmas Eve (Sunday, December 24) and reopen at 10am on Tuesday, January 2.

The Astley Cheetham Art Gallery, Stalybridge, will close at 3pm on Saturday, December 23, and reopen at 9am on Tuesday, January 2.

Even when libraries are closed, digital services such as e-books, e-audio books, e-mags and e-newspapers remain available to members via BorrowBox. To learn more about this free scheme visit https://tameside.borrowbox.com

Mental health support is available even on Christmas Day. To access a directory of 24-hour helplines visit www.tameside.gov.uk/helpinghand/mentalheath

There will also be changes to waste and recycling collections over the holiday – see www.tameside.gov.uk/recycling  and follow @tmbc_waste on Twitter. Download the Tameside app for updates and alerts, and to set reminders and report missed/lost bins.

You can recycle your real Christmas tree in aid of Willow Wood Hospice, Ashton. Register for a collection at www.just-helping.org.uk/register-tree. Alternatively, chop it up and put it in your brown bin.

Crews will also collect any additional recyclable waste left out with black or blue bins providing it’s in a clear or labelled bag.

If you feel you must contact Tameside Council over Christmas call 0161 342 2222 but please remember this number is for genuine emergencies only.

Tameside Council’s executive leader, Cllr Gerald Cooney, said: “My thanks to all the staff who provide essential services over the holiday, such as health and social care, emergency on-call, mechanics, gritting, street cleaning, waste, bereavement, homelessness and CCTV to name just a few. They stay at their post so the rest of us can enjoy our festive break.

“Hopefully, Christmas and New Year will run smoothly, but for anybody who encounters a problem, our website is always available with information and help.

“On behalf of everyone at Tameside Council I wish all residents the compliments of the season. We look forward to continuing to work with the community and all our partners in 2024.”