Oldham Council asking kids to name its fleet of six new gritters

It comes after the council is retiring its older gritters to deploy a set of new ones in time for the winter months.

After several years of ‘super service’ gritting almost a million miles between them, Brad Grit, Gritiana Grande, Snowbee One Kenobi, Nick Gritshaw, Leonardo de-ice-io and Basil Salty, will hang up their shovels and head for retirement.

But now, Oldham Council wants the help of local children to name their new fleet.

The naming competition is open to four to 11-year-olds and as it has had in previous years,  the local authority is hoping for an ‘avalanche of entries’.

The winning names will be added to the front of the cabs which will be seen out and about on the town’s roads as they spread salt and keep the slippery ice at bay.

With the temperature plummeting and the nights drawing in, it won’t be long before residents will be able to look out for the bright yellow vehicles, including Winston Chur-chill and fan favourite Nicole Saltslinger, who will be making welcome returns as they travel around the borough spreading grit and salt.

As the famous competition re-opens, it’s our job to give the new fleet equally-iconic names.

Councillor Chris Goodwin, Oldham Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “Oldham Council was one of the first local authorities in the country to name its gritting fleet, and since then many others have followed our lead.

“In the past, we’ve always run the competition as a bit of fun and it’s really captured the imagination of our young people, so please urge your children to get their thinking caps on and send in some names.”

The closing date for entries is 11.59pm on Friday, November 3rd. You can enter as many times as you want. To enter, or for more information and full T&Cs, click HERE.

The winning entries will be chosen by a panel of councillors and council officers and winners will be invited down to the town’s Moorhey Street depot to have their photo taken with the gritter they’ve named.