December 2011 Free to everyone in Burngreave Community …€¦ · Issue 97 December 2011 Free to...

Voice of the Burngreave CommunityIssue 97 • December 2011 • Free to everyone in Burngreave www.burngreavemessenger.org

Community devastated by shootingLocal residents were shocked bythe death of another youngperson on 30th October.Deeq Ali, who was just 18 years old, wasshot outside the Plaza on Spital Hill at2.30am. Abdi Mohammed Omar, aged24, of Lopham Street, has been chargedwith his murder.Many residents, particularly in the Somalicommunity, are devastated by the loss. Itcomes only months after the death of 18-year-old local resident, Abdulla AwilMohammed, who was killed in Darnall.Residents, young and old, speak of howmuch potential the young men had.Deeq was the youngest of four childrenand the family’s only son. He was an Agrade student, a former pupil atParkwood School and was studyingHuman Geography at Sheffield Hallamwhen he died. One young person said,“Deeq was a quiet and understandingperson, he was a role model.”Members of the local mosque and youthorganisations have responded quickly toengage with young people affected by theshooting. The Vestry Hall is currentlybeing used as a youth centre, which is asafe place to socialise with support andguidance on hand from youth workers. Akey issue that has been raised is the lackof jobs and opportunities for youngpeople.Read more about the work in the VestryHall on page 5

Police responseIt is a cause of great fear, for parents andresidents alike, that young people can stillaccess guns. The Messenger spoke toChief Superintendent Simon Torr,District Commander for Sheffield, aboutthe police response to the shooting.“It is impossible to speak about detailsbefore the trial. However, I can say thatguns are not widely available in Sheffieldand firearms offences have halved in thelast 5 years. We continue to work to

remove guns from availability.“Within 12 hours of the shooting, we metwith local Councillors and members ofthe Somali community, includingrepresentatives at the local mosque, toexplain what we were doing in response.“In the coming weeks and months, wewill continue to support youth workersin the street-based teams and local policeofficers will be involved in a section 30Dispersal Order for the Spital Hill area.”In response to concerns about the lengthof time Spital Hill was closed, he said,“We were aware of the importance ofopening Spital Hill as soon as possible.However, it was a broad crime scene, andit is important not to miss anything. Werely on forensic specialists, who comefrom all over the county. Modern forensicscience is also very detailed and much ofthis has to be done in daylight.”

Dispersal Order for Spital HillThe local police team have been grantedpermission to implement a DispersalOrder for the Spital Hill area, starting on1st December, for 6 months.

The order will allow the Police to move onpeople who are in groups of 2 or morethat are “likely to cause intimidation”after 9pm. Young people under 16 canalso be taken home. Local PoliceSergeant, Craig Charlesworth, told theMessenger,“We are responding to reports from localresidents who have told us they feelintimidated by groups around the VestryHall, Spital Hill and the Library. Whileit is not a direct response to the recentshooting, we have taken this intoaccount.“The order will be carried out by localpolice officers, who people shouldrecognise. The aim will be to engage withyoung people and residents, as well as todisperse groups. In a similar operation inPage Hall, only one arrest was made. Wehope that Spital Hill will be equallysuccessful. We will work with otherorganisations who provide positiveactivities during this operation.”The Police will be holding a publicmeeting on 28th November, at 6pm at theVestry Hall, to explain the DispersalOrder and answer any questions.

2 BURNGREAVE MESSENGER

Green City Action AGMSaturday 17th December 2011 – Abbeyfield Park House,Abbeyfield Road, Sheffield• 11.00am Refreshments• 11.30am AGM

Come along to meet the Trustees, volunteers and theteam at Green City Action and find out about the Schoolfor Vegetables project and the Community Toolbank.For further information and Trustee nominationsplease call Green City Action on 0114 244 0353

Green City ActionTelephone: (0114) 244 [email protected]

www.greencityaction.org.uk. Registered Charity 1095725

ISSUE 97 • DECEMBER 2011 3

Copy deadline: 18th JanuaryPublished: 4th FebruaryBurngreave Messenger Ltd,Abbeyfield Park House,Abbeyfield Road, Sheffield S4 7AT.Tel: (0114) 242 [email protected]

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The Burngreave Messenger is acommunity newspaper with editorialindependence, funded by the Big Lottery,the Tudor Trust, local residents and ouradvertisers. Registered Charity: 1130836

All content is copyright BurngreaveMessenger Ltd or its voluntarycontributors, not to be reproducedwithout permission.We aim to increaseand encourage communication inBurngreave. Each edition is put togetherby an editorial team who write articlesnot otherwise credited.This issue’s team: Fran Belbin,Michelle Cook, Rohan Francis,Mick Ibbotson, Saleema Imam,Douglas Johnson, Jamie Marriott,John Mellor,Tim Neal, Lisa Swift.Proofing and editing: Annie Blindell,Muneebah Waheed.

Young Writers DayThe Messenger is working withMuseums Sheffield on developingcontributions from young people.If you are aged between 8 – 19 and havesomething you would like to see in print– be it a news story, a poem or aphotograph, come along to Burngreave Library Young Writers Dayon Wednesday 21st December from 1.30pm – 4.30pm to get inspired!More on the websiteWe had too much to fit in this issue!You’ll find extra stories, longer featuresand more photos on the Messengerwebsite this month.Also new to the website:George & Brian - follow Edgar’s comicstrip each weekon the website.See page 14 forthe firstinstallment.

BCR goes off airBurngreave Community Radio(BCR) stopped broadcasting on103.1FM in September, following arequest from OFCOM to ceasetransmission over the airwaves. Burngreave Community Radio Ltd wasset up in September 2007 with supportfrom local business adverts and waslaunched in May 2008, initiallybroadcasting from Shirecliffe Lane. Thecompany relocated to Sorby House onSpital Hill, where it continuedbroadcasting from April 2009.Burngreave Community Radio Limitedwas dissolved by Companies House inJanuary 2011 for failing to submit a set ofaccounts. This meant that the radiolicense no longer existed either. WhenOFCOM discovered the radio was stillbeing transmitted, it asked the station tostop broadcasting.Matloub Husayn-Ali-Khan, one of theDJs and volunteers running the station,said, “We did not receive any further

letters so carried on, but we stoppedbroadcasting on FM once contacted byOFCOM. We are still broadcasting onlinethrough our website. Really the radiolacked proper management, there was toomuch for volunteers to do.”One local DJ Sajid Rasul, who used tohost a show on business networking, said:“It’s really sad, we’ve lost our local radiostation, which had been really good forthe community. I really enjoyed doingthe show, I’d get lots of requests, Iinterviewed some interesting people andit gave a positive image of the area. It’s ashame that mismanagement has led tothis.”Some DJs are still operating under thename Burngreave Community Radio asthe radio can be broadcast legally on theinternet. The station can be found athttp://bcr1031fm.com.A new community radio station inBurngreave could only be set up with anew licence from OFCOM, which willopen another round of applications inearly 2013.

The first tenants have movedinto Arches Housing’s newhomes scheme at Woodfold.All the houses - two 4-bedroom,seven 3 bedroom and five 2-bedroom- are to rent through the Council’sletting scheme. Future vacancies willbe available through the Council’sProperty Shop.A key and a bouquet of flowers werepresented to new tenants, MrAbdirahman Adan and Mrs FaysaAhmed, who are now enjoying theirnew home.The new houses are built to modern standards – they are highly insulated and have solar-assisted hot water systems to keep running costs low. The houses are also built to bemuch more secure and have a 'Secure by Design' certification. The police are involved inthe design from the beginning and certify the development’s compliance when completed.The Burngreave Messenger will deliver to these new houses and we welcomeyou to the area

Affordable housing at Woodfold

From left to right, Mr Ibrar Hussain, MrAbdirahman Adan and Mrs Faysa Ahmed.


Tesco openingStory & photo: Michelle CookThe Tesco Extra openedon Spital Hill. TheMessenger went downto check it out. Kel, theCheckout Managersaid she was delightedto be open and shehoped it would be apleasurableexperience for all oftheir shoppers. The Store Manager said, “despite the sad events at the weekend,the shop was busy with people enjoying the shopping experience”.He hoped the store would offer a great deal to the area, add valueand be a welcomed investment.As part of the opening there was a photo shoot for local mediaand Margot Walker from St Luke’s hospice was presented with acheque for £1000 from the Tesco Charity Trust. I spoke to somecustomers, Sharon said she was happy with the store and hoped itwould bring lots of jobs to the area and be positive for localbusiness such as Rainbow’s End. Shoppers seemed happy and some had taken advantage of thecafé facilities on site. Some other customers had been attracted bythe petrol station. Pastor John Watts from The Rock ChristianCentre was happy to welcome their new neighbours and felt thatin the long run it will be a boost for the area.

ImprovingSpital HillStory: Douglas JohnsonSheffield City Council has recentlyreceived £371,500 to improve theSpital Hill public realm, as part ofthe planning conditions on Tesco. The plan is to replace the currentpavement on the approach to the store.Street lighting will also be renewed. Anadditional £75,000 for public art will payfor sculptures at Caborn’s Corner and theVestry Hall, planters at Sorby House andseats on Ellesmere Green.None of the £371,500 will be spent on theGreen or the shops around it, despite“upgrading of Ellesmere Green” being inthe Community Assembly’s plan.Although planning officers accept thelegal agreement could include work onEllesmere Green, they refer to “the spiritof negotiations with Tesco” and say thatTesco could challenge spending onEllesmere Green if not directly related tothe store development.The original plan from 2005 aimed fortotal renewal from the Wicker to theVestry Hall. After the Wicker

refurbishment, Tesco would pay for thestretch to their store, the £371,500 wouldpay for the next stretch and the areaaround Ellesmere Green would beredesigned with £790,000 from NewDeal and a further £3 million fromYorkshire Forward. When YorkshireForward pulled out, this scheme wasabandoned.Reacting to criticism that planners havenot adapted to the current economicsituation, the Council’s line is that“Improving the Green is a priority forCouncillors and the community and weare working towards identifying newsources of funding.” Planners are lookingat the “Local Growth Fund” set up to takeadvantage of the £2 million a yearinvestment expected from the

Government’s “New Homes Bonus”scheme.It seems odd the Council has missed arare chance to improve Ellesmere Greenand make a visible difference. It’s notclear why the Council are happy to see atwo-tier district centre.Another question is how this schemerelates to the Highways PFI – theCouncil’s ambitious private financescheme for road repairs. This hugescheme promises a “step-change”improvement to roads and pavementsfrom summer 2012. If the Council usesthe money from Tesco on pavements, willthis be a wasted investment when the PFIreaches the area or is the Council going touse the fund to prop up the cost of thislarge project?The Council has not consulted the publicalthough it has “kept informed” SpitalHill shop-owners. There are to be “workshops” on the publicart in the New Year. The workshops willalso address how traders can marketthemselves better and “the potential for acommunity-led occasional market onEllesmere Green.” If consulted, the publicwould no doubt say it is a missedopportunity to improve Ellesmere Greenand the area around it.

Tesco jobsStory: Lisa SwiftThe Messenger continues to ask for confirmation ofhow many Tesco jobs went to local residents.Tesco ran recruitment processes during the summer, one ofwhich was the ‘Job Guarantee Scheme’ which was open to peoplewho had been unemployed for 6 months or more. The posts wereto be targeted at local residents, so that the store wouldcontribute to the regeneration of the area.Tesco told the Messenger it had made ‘reasonable endeavours’ tofulfil its commitment to benefit local people:“The jobs targeting has led to 75% of jobs from the RegenerationPartnership going to people whose home addresses are within S3and the adjoining postcodes of S1, S2, S4, S5, S6 and S7,the vastmajority of the 75% being from S3, S4 and S5 postcodes.”But as some parts of S3 and S5 are outside the Burngreave areaand as S1, S2, S6 and S7 are not in Burngreave at all, it wouldseem that the percentage of local residents successfully gaining ajob was lower than 75%. In documents submitted as part of the planning application byTesco, they stated that “recruitment outside the local area is notanticipated to exceed 10%.”The Messenger has now filed a Freedom of Information requestwith Jobcentre Plus to find out how many jobs actually went toresidents in the Burngreave area.


Deeq Ali's death on Spital Hill on30th October, has shocked localyoung people. With the help oflocal youth workers, the VestryHall has become a youth centrethat many of Deeq’s friends, andyoung people who knew him, areattending.The Messenger spoke to them about whathad happened:“Deeq was Abdullah’s cousin, who diedin Darnall. They were both at university,they both had a future, they both hadpotential.”“Deeq was a really good person, hehelped younger kids. We all grew uptogether.”“Deeq was a good guy. People see thisarea as bad, but it's not that dangerous.We make it what it is.”“Deeq was a quiet and understandingperson, he was a role model and used tohelp supervise activities.”One young man, Moubarak Moumouni,who is studying Biology and Sports, spokeabout how young people and the area areseen negatively, when the reality isdifferent:“We feel safe in Burngreave despite ithaving a bad name, we're not bad peopleand we're not in gangs. Having theVestry Hall open has been good, it keepsus off the street, it’s like a family. Before,we had nothing to do, now it means wecan socialise. Our parents know wherewe are and they respect us. But giving usthe Vestry Hall on a short term basis isworse than never having it in the firstplace.”

Another young man said: “This area’s got a bad history ofviolence, young groups get stereotyped.None of us are violent; we’re not introuble with the police. For those thathave been, it’s in the past.”Talking about the future, young peoplesaid there was a lack of opportunity andplaces to go.“They need to invest more money. We’renot getting any jobs. At Tesco, no-one gota job, its a broken promise.”“There is a lack of opportunities and alack of support for young people.”“It is worrying how young people’s livesare cut short over minor issues such asan argument about something minor.”“Parents need to understand where weare coming from. They all say ‘don’t goout’, but we are grown men, we can’tstay at home.”“Our parents would like to help but theydon't know what to do, more support isneeded for parents as well.”“We need to show our parents we aresafe.”“Why does it take someone to die beforesomething gets done, and how long willthis at the Vestry Hall last. We havebeen needing this and telling them thatwe needed this for ages.”“The Vestry Hall is a communitybuilding and we should be able to use it.Now we feel involved and not ignored asyoung people.”

Youth Work atthe Vestry HallThere have been concerns aboutyoung people around the VestryHall and Spital Hill area for manymonths. Local youth workers andorganisations were alreadydiscussing how they could worktogether to engage the youngmen and support them.Following the death of Deeq Ali on SpitalHill in October, local youth organisationswere able to respond quickly and provideimmediate support at the BurngreaveVestry Hall. In the first week after the shooting, theVestry Hall was open every day. Fromnow until Christmas, it will be open 3days a week - Wednesday and Friday 4-8pm and Sunday 3-7pm. Alongside beinga safe place to socialise, young people willbe able to get support from youth workersand get help to stay in education and findemployment.

Local youth worker Diane Haimeed said:“This has been a difficult time for youngpeople and having somewhere safe forthem to come and be together has beenreally important for them. It has alsohelped us to build better relationshipswith the young people and develop plansto ensure that young people's voices areheard and that they are at the forefrontof decisions bring made.”Jenny Tibbles, Project Coordinator atEllesmere Youth Project, said, “Thisprovision has been really well used byyoung people. It’s very important that itcontinues. It has been great to seeeveryone working together and we hope itcan continue into the future.”The project at the Vestry Hall is acollaboration between Sheffield Futures,the Yemeni Community Association andEllesmere Youth Project, and has beenpossible through the dedication of localyouth workers.

Young people respond to shooting


Warm Welcome atNorwoodStory: Mick IbbotsonHaving spent a pleasant hour orso with the ladies and gents ofNorwood & Bishopholme TARA Artgroup, I came away with plenty tothink about and report back on.Norwood and Bishopholme’s TARA hasrisen like a ‘phoenix’ and wants its peopleback. A collapsed roof on the centremeant the building was out of bounds fora few months but Norma and Jean wantpeople to know that it’s business as usual. The centre is now fully functioning and isoffering a wide range of activities againfor the entire community. These include:Tuesdays: 10am – 12 noon Art GroupWednesdays: 6.30pm Keep Fit.Fridays: 10am – 12 noon Local History;1pm - 3pm Ladies Craft Group; 7pm onwards BingoPeople are welcome to come and join in.For more information contact Norma on243 1779.

Burngreave TARAlaunchStory: Michelle CookBurngreave Tenants And ResidentsAssociation (TARA) was launchedon the 19th September at VerdonRec. This is the first TARA in thecentre of Burngreave for 4 years,serving the area from VerdonStreet to Ellesmere.Sheffield Homes’ David Wilkinson, thelocal housing officer, and local PCSOsSteve Shipley and Deb Parker attended.The AGM was supported by WensleyTARA, whose Secretary, Gladys Newbolt,chaired the meeting, and said:“A TARA is a team who meet togetherwith the desire to serve the community.Communication is the key. Makeeveryone feel involved and valued and atthe end of the day you will have a TARAyou can be proud of.”Sheffield Homes offered support and helpand encouraged members to takeadvantage of the free training on offer.A committee was then elected – Delia

Chadwick, Sharon Baker, ClareteZvoushe, Joyce Trotter, MargaretWilliams, Margaret Hills, Suad Ali, withLisa Swift as Chair. Mohammed Ali Basheis to be co-opted on to the committee.Lisa thanked everyone for coming andsaid how the committee would like to seethe TARA develop:“We all agreed that its about bringingthe community together. We want tomake our area a good place to live, wheretenants’ and residents’ voices are heard,and resources are spent in our area asthey should be. For the first 6 months wewill be finding our feet and listening towhat residents want us to do.”People can contact Burngreave TARA byemail – [email protected], orthrough the community engagement teamat Sheffield Homes 0114 293 0000.

Carwood TARA’sZumba classStory: Lisa Swift

In the comfort of CarwoodCommunity Centre, women fromaround the estate have beenenjoying the energy of Zumba.Zumba is a mixture of dance andaerobics. At Carwood the class is donesitting down, which makes it somethinganyone can enjoy. It’s gentle but energeticand certainly gets the blood flowing.Class instructor Barbara was full ofenthusiasm which makes it easy to joinin. And there was a very friendly andwarm atmosphere among the women ofCarwood, who were from differentbackgrounds and cultures.The class is supported by Carwood TARA,who are working to put on lots ofactivities for local residents including:Zumba for women: Tuesdays 11.30am- 12.30pmUK online: Tuesdays 4pm-6pmChristmas Fair: Saturday 3rd December, 12noon -4pmFor more info call in at the TARA office.Drop-in: Thursdays 10.30am - 1.30pm

Wensley bulbplanting

Story: David WilkinsonThanks to Wensley TARA, a widerange of age groups cametogether on the Wensley estate onTuesday, 1st November to planthundreds of spring bulbs.It was a gloriously warm, sunny day whenpupils from Owler Brook School joined upwith members of Sheffield Homes, SteveShipley PCSO and Wensley TARA - whoorganised it all.The crocus and daffodil bulbs, wereprovided free by Sheffield City Counciland will look really good next spring. Andthere was a special surprise appearance ofHomesy - Sheffield Homes’ mascot - whohelped out with the planting.

Getting involved Sheffield Homes is working to encouragemore tenants, residents and leaseholdersto get involved with their local Tenantsand Residents Associations (TARA’s). Sheffield Homes would like to hear fromyou if you are a tenant or leaseholder ofSheffield Homes. We are particularlykeen to hear from you if you live on theMargate estates as they do not haveTARAs at present or any representatives.For more info contact the CommunityEngagement Team on 273 5566 or [email protected]. Ifyou contact us before the 20th December2011 your name will be entered into a freeprize draw for a £20 shopping voucher!


Women’s Health Course atPye Bank SchoolStory: Shena Moore and Amal Ahmed | Photo: Shena MooreThis autumn, Pye Bank School hosted a 10 weekhealth course for women.The idea for this course arose from questions asked by studentsin an ESOL class, mothers of children at the school. They wantedto feel confident talking to doctors about private and personalproblems but didn’t have the words to speak.We developed the course to explain some of the common healthproblems experienced by many, and asked a doctor and severalhealth professionals to come to speak and answer questions

raised by the women.We had sessions about how the body works, the NHS system andservices, visiting a doctor, diet and healthy life-styles,thalassaemia and sickle cell disease, diabetes, cancers, mentalhealth, women’s health issues and basic first aid. One studentwrote:“I had many courses in my area but I have never been to a courselike this. This course is very important for me and the otherwomen who are attending because sometimes we find it verydifficult to explain to the doctors our health problems and thatcosts a lot for us and our children. Now after this course we feelmore confident to sort out our problems and to help out otherfriends and family. It’s a wonderful course and we gain moreexperience and better knowledge.”The professionals too were enthusiastic. The information andunderstanding given to the women will make their jobs easieralso.One health professional said;“I think this is excellent that you have come up with this, as it isimportant and there is a great need.”Another writes; “We find that there are real problems with people having verylittle basic awareness of how their bodies work which isextremely dis-empowering. This is exactly the sort of work thatis needed.”We are hoping to find more funding that will enable us to run thiscourse again in a different area of Burngreave.

Pye Bank SchoolOfsted successStory: Ruth GrangerThe whole Pye Bank school community arecelebrating great results and feedback from theirrecent Ofsted Inspection. The inspection took place at the beginning of October and lookedat all aspects of the school from lessons to pupils’ work, from howpupils relate to one another to results. Ofsted found that:“This is a good school. The Early Years Foundation Stage isoutstanding. The school is welcoming and friendly and its valuesand ethos are reflected well in the positive attitudes of pupilsand staff.”Inspectors found that ‘since the last inspection, attainment hasshown a consistent pattern of improvement’ and also rated the

school as ‘good’ in terms of its ability to improve even further.This is a fantastic achievement considering that five years ago theschool was ranked second from bottom in the national leaguetables!The inspectors also complimented pupils on their behaviour:“We saw that you all mix and co-operate very well with eachother. We noticed how polite and courteous you are to each otherat all times.”Ofsted also highlighted areas where the school can improvefurther in order to become ‘outstanding’ in all areas. Thisincluded improving the number of pupils coming to school everyday and making sure everyone arrives on time.Paul Hopkinson, Head Teacher at the school said, “Pupils,families, staff, governors and the wider community have a greatdeal to celebrate in what we have achieved as a school. We knowthat there are areas we still want to improve and together weknow we can become outstanding.”


Personal budgetsfor mental healthSelf-directed support is the namegiven to the way social careservicesn have been redesign tofocus on individuals. It isparticularly new to Mental Healthservices, people with a critical orsubstantial level of need couldnow be eligible for ‘personalbudget’ which they can use to“buy” services. SDS funding is means-tested, so even ifyou are eligible for support you may notget all the funding to pay for it. Thesechanges also affects local voluntaryorganisations. As their direct funding iscut, they increasingly have to “sell” theirservices to their users to maintain theirwork.Story: Georgina BurkoffAshton Wynter, from local charitySACHMA- the Health and Social CareCompany, said:“It’s a whole new world for us becausewe are having to sell our services and wehave never had to do that before. We arenow in an open market place along withall other adult support services inSheffield - so it is going to be difficult.”SACHMA offer help to individuals withpersonal budgets and managing theirfinances. Although wary of the new

process, he wants to remain positiveabout its long-term outcome.“It’s amazing how adaptable people canbe when they have the right support. Ifpeople access the right service, they willget all the help they need and they canpurchase more individualised supportthan they could in the past.”SAGE Greenfingers uses horticulturaltherapy to address people’s mental andphysical health problems. Althoughmanager Diana Tottle sees the potentialin empowering people, she worries thatthe new funding means they can onlyprovide a service to those with the mostsevere mental health needs:“At the moment users with differentlevels of need mix together. The newscheme is forcing us to become a moresegregated organisation and the jury isout whether that will work better.”Saeed Abdi, from the Somali MentalHealth Project, which offers help to theSomali community to access mentalhealth services, said,“SDS is particularly difficult for the BMEservice users. It is daunting for people tobe responsible for their own care whenthere are already many barriers toaccessing services, such as not speakingEnglish. With SDS, there are noguarantees that people will be able topay for the services.”If you think you will be affected by thechanges, speak to your support worker orthe local organisation who supports you.

Greenfingers cutsStory:Tim NealSAGE Greenfingers (SAGE) will belaunching a new horticulturaltherapy session from January2012. This single session willreplace the four currently running,due to reductions in funding. The project, which has been verysuccessful and popular with users andhealth professionals, has been unable tosecure the funding needed to maintaincurrent levels of support.SAGE has decided to engage with the newsystem of ‘Personal Budgets’ in order toprovide at least some service to users,who will be able to pay using theirbudgets. By the nature of this funding,the sessions will be for those with morepressing needs.Diana Tottle, the manager, admitted thatthey must see the current situation as anopportunity, however difficult:

“Up to now, we have had no success ingetting money from the health service.Though they like us in principle, theycouldn’t find the money.”SAGE has no choice but to grasp theinitiative and pare down its services, andfrom this platform develop new projectsthat might be offered freely to those whocannot afford to pay.

People matterOver the past year, through the Refugeeand Asylum Seekers project (RAS), SAGEGreenfingers has been able to supportsome of those most vulnerable within theasylum system. The Messenger spoke toWaleed Al Bashir, originally from theSudan, who has been attending theThursday session for 7 months. He said:“The project is good for people, it helpsyou get out of the house, it gets you tosee other people, digging together”. Melvyn Hollingworth has been attendingfor 3 years, having been recommended tothe project after the amputation of his leftleg in 2007, he commented:

“It's a great shame, I can't afford to payand I don't think I'll get this newpersonal budget. It's a good projectbecause people are doing somethingdifferent. I did what I could, even somedigging, taking care of seeds in thegreenhouse. All the money, it's going tothe Olympics, not to people like me”.

Building for the future SAGE envisages that they will continue tooffer a core service of one session a weekfor the next year. They hope to developother projects through separate fundingschemes, which could include singing,ceramics workshops, mosaics, cards,pressing flowers, Christmas garlands,SAGE intend to offer ever more diversity.It is also striving to link up thosemembers it can no longer support toother activities to help fill the gap. If youor someone you know will be affected bythis announcement please contact SAGEGreenfingers [email protected] or on0114 274 3651

Health Servicesat PACAThe Pakistan Advice andCommunity Association is nowoffering new services as part of itshealth and wellbeing provision.They are available for purchasewith social services personalbudgets, but are open to all:

Befriending Services:Access to social groups/social outings,visits to the library, restaurants andcinemas, accompaniment to GP/hospital,hairdresser, chiropodist, dentist, guidedhealth walks and gym buddies.

Advocacy Services:Support planning, managing personalbudgets and/or personal finances, formfilling, appointment management andgeneral advice.

Ruqyah Spiritual Healing:In Islam is the recitation of the Quranseeking refuge, remembrance andsupplications that are used for people whomay suffer from Mental Health problems,Learning and Physical disabilities.

For further details please contact:Sophia Zubair 261 9130email:[email protected]

ISSUE 97 • DECEMBER 2011

Type 2 DiabetesType 2 Diabetes is an increasing health problem inSheffield and the UK. Unfortunately, Burngreave hasone of the highest hospital admission rates for Type 2Diabetes in Sheffield, which suggests many peoplewith the condition are not managing it very well. Burngreave Healthy Communities will be working on this healthissue in the coming months. Look out for more informationlocally about how to manage and prevent Type 2 Diabetes.

What is diabetes?Type 2 Diabetes occurs when your body cannot produce enoughinsulin or because the cells in your body do not react properly toinsulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to control theamount of glucose, a type of sugar, in your blood.

Who does it affect?You have a higher chance of getting Type 2 Diabetes if you areover the age of 40, if you are overweight, if you are of South-Asian, African-Caribbean or Middle Eastern descent, or if youhave a family history of the condition. Due to poor diet and lackof physical activity, there are more and more young people beingdiagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes,

Can it be cured?Once diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes it cannot be cured, howeverif managed properly it is possible to live a relatively normal life.

How can I control my Diabetes?Everyone is different and it is important to speak to your GPbefore making any changes to your diet or activity levels. OftenType 2 Diabetes can be controlled by eating a healthy, balanceddiet and taking regular exercise.

What happens if I don’t control my Diabetes?Health complications as a result of Type 2 Diabetes includestroke, heart disease, depression, and damage to kidneys, nerves,eyes and feet.

What support is there locally?1. You can get information from your GP or Diabetes nurse

about managing your condition. They will also monitor yourprogress every few months.

2. DESMOND – this short course is delivered to small groups inGP surgeries around Sheffield. It is suitable for those newlydiagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and/or those who would likesupport to manage their condition better. Speak to yourdiabetes nurse or visit http://www.desmond-project.org.uk/index.php

3. The Healthy Communities Programme is funding 2 six weekhealthy living courses which will be starting in Burngreave inthe New Year. Sessions will focus on helping to preventand/or manage diabetes by healthy eating and exercise. Aswell as information about diabetes there will also be thechance to take part in some physical activity and learn to cooksome healthy recipes. Contact Becky Gunn, HealthDevelopment Worker on 07960 084 119 for more information.

Where can I find out more?Diabetes UK has lots of information and resources. Call their careline on 0845 120 2960 or visit http://www.diabetes.org.uk/

SSCAT Foundation Local group SSCAT Foundation (Sheffield Sickle Celland Thalassaemia Foundation) discussed their futureat their annual conference in October, which aimedto raise awareness of the most common geneticdisorder in the UK.

In the changing world of health funding, the focus was on thecontinued importance of the service. SSCATF has been around forover 20 years but many remembered when support to familieswith the genetic blood disorders was only available in London.Many sufferers and their families had to travel to get extra help.The blood disorders, Sickle Cell and Thalassaemia, are inheritedillnesses that affect half a million people in the UK and are morecommon in people from Black and Ethnic minority backgrounds.The symptoms of Sickle Cell can be very unpredictable. It is alifelong and disabling illness, which gives rise to painful crisesthat can be life-threatening. The symptoms of both disorders varyin severity, which leads to many misunderstandings about whathaving the condition means. It is further complicated by itsgenetic inheritance, which means that people can be carriers buthave no symptoms.It was clear at the conference that this complexity and even themisunderstanding of health professionals meant that the extrasupport from SSCAT Foundation was essential.Professor Simon Dyson of De Montfort University told theconference of his research about how children with Sickle Cell aresupported in school. 569 children were interviewed. Many felttheir condition was not taken seriously, with half saying they hadnot been permitted to get extra water. One third said they wereconsidered lazy and another third had been made to doinappropriate exercise.Professor Karl Atkin, of the University of York, spoke about themisconception that they are 'Black' disorders when in fact theconditions affect all communities. He said it is the most commonsingle genetic disorder, yet many doctors have a poorunderstanding of it. Screening for the gene is very low.In workshops, people spoke about how SSCAT Foundation’sapproach helped support them in coping with the condition:“It provides a social group with other people who understandwhat you are going through.”“SSCAT will advocate on your behalf.”“People are affected in different ways; SSCAT understand thisand help increase awareness.”“They are a link to services; they give information and educationand they help build confidence to ask for the right help.”SSCAT Foundation’s services include home and hospital visits,benefit entitlement, support groups, advocacy, and emotionalsupport. For more information on these culturally-sensitive, freeservices, contact 275 3209.

Sponsored by NHS Sheffield’s HealthierCommunities Programme


25 years and 500children laterStory: Tim Neal | Photo: Stephen Lang25 years ago, three young womengot together to run a playgroup atSt James' on Scott Road. 25 years- and maybe 500 children – later,one of them is still there. Twomornings a week, Isilda Lang isthe organiser and stalwart of StJames’ Parents and Toddlersgroup.On Saturday 12th Novembergrandparents, parents and children cametogether to celebrate this anniversary andto offer their thanks and continuedsupport. There were well over twentytoddlers, as well as some overgrownchildren - teenagers and adults who hadspent their mornings at the playgroupwith Isilda in the past.Isilda recalls that there was just notenough good provision for parents withsmall children at the time. The only thingto do was self-organise, with Linda Jonesand Panni Poh Yoke Loh. There was

never enough money and Isilda recalledfundraising activities supported by boxersHerol ‘Bomber’ Graham and JohnnyNelson from Brendan Ingle’s gym.Elders from the Church were present tooffer their thanks too. They feel blessedthat the building has become home tosuch a vibrant and lively community andIsilda was keen to recognise the supportthe playgroup has received.A moving display of photographs visiblydemonstrated the numbers of children

and parents who have benefited from theplaygroup. Delicious food was preparedand served by playgroup supporters - atribute to the parents who have given somuch over the years to St James'playgroup.It was a lovely event where all presentwere able to share memories and enjoythe feeling of being part of 25 years ofyouth, growth and community. A cakeand gift were presented to thank Isilda.As she said, “Here’s to the next 25 years”.

Future LightStory: Philip IresonA group called Future Light meets once a month atthe Vicarage, 257 Pitsmoor Road. The aim of thegroup is to give a voice to members of Christ Churchfor whom English is a second language. We begin with breakfast together followed by confidence buildingactivities and a chance to hear about each others' cultures. Thereis also a chance to join the church walking group which meets onthe same day. At the moment, members of Future Light (thename was picked by one of our Karen ladies) come from acrossthe globe - at the last meeting we had representatives fromNigeria, Iran, Indonesia, Ukraine and Burma.We are very friendly and there is a lot of laughter. It is a greatplace to improve English and to have fun.Phone 07882 027 473 for more details of our special Christmasmeeting.

Launch Welcome Centretoddler group Story & photo: Hendrik KlaverOn Wednesday 9thNovember, an OpeningEvent was held at theWelcome Centre onNottingham St to tellpeople about a newtoddler group in the area. Fifteen parents and carers andeighteen babies and toddlerscame to the event to share ideas. Many people showed interest inbeing involved.The toddler group runs on Wednesday mornings, from 9.30 to11.30, with the help of volunteers from Christ Church Pitsmoorand other local residents. It offers a safe space in Pitsmoor forparents, carers and young children of all backgrounds to meet,play and learn together.Alex, A father of two children, who lives locally, said,“I have never been to a group like this. This is really good! I amenjoying this and my children are enjoying this.”To cover the cost of snacks and drinks, there is a charge of £1 forthe first child and 50p for others. Everyone with children underthe age of 5 years, just come along! Contact Frances on 272 7756 or Hendrik on 07771 590 034Email: [email protected]


Blast Off successfor BurngreaveteamsThe NE Blast Off finals were a hugesuccess, with 34 teams attending theevent at Concord Sports Centre.There was an attendance ofapproximately 10-12 teams from in-and-around the Burngreave area.The event was an opportunity for peoplefrom different backgrounds to cometogether through football. Burngreavewas represented in both finals withTusaale United being runners up in the11-13 age group, Yemeni All Stars wonthe 14-16 age group with RelegationBattlers as runners up.

Tusaale Unitedtakes on theleague

New football club, Tusaale United,have begun their first season inSheffield’s amateur leagues. Started by a group of young Somali men,the club already has three age rangescompeting across the city. Their under15s team are second from the top and theunder 18s are holding their own in thepremier division. The club also has an 18-21 team and holds sessions for 12–16years old on Saturdays at Petre Street.The Messenger spoke to Mustafa Juma,coach for the over 18s team, “The club is run by volunteers, we allused to play together for a team. Wewanted to get the younger kids togetherfrom different areas, to help them get onwith each other. The players come fromacross the city, areas like Darnall,Broomhall, Upperthorpe, Sharrow aswell as Burngreave, and from differentethnic backgrounds. The team gives themthe chance to play together and this isgood for our community.”The great need for the project wasdemonstrated when they held their trialsin the summer, Mustafa said, “300 young people turned up to try outfor the teams! All three teams are full,but we are looking to set up under 11sand 12s next season.”The teams rely entirely on donations andvolunteer time. One of the big costs is thekit, and the teams are looking forsponsors, “Our under 15s team got their kit from aYemeni team, the High Flyers, who hadstopped playing. A new kit costs morethan £300, we are hoping to getsponsorship from local businesses ororganisations.”If you would like to sponsor the team, orto find out more, contact Mustafa Jamaon 07412 606 471.

Languages count in Burngreave!Story: Caroline NormanDuring October half-term, over 20 childrenattended classes intheir home language,including Somali andArabic. Most of theseyoung people werefrom Burngreave, withthirteen of them fromthe ArabicCommunityLanguage School. They attended King Edward VII School every day and sat an Asset Intermediate exam atthe end of the week. This exam is equivalent to higher grade GCSE and is especiallyimportant to Somali speakers as there is no GCSE Somali.A special mention should be made to Asha Noor Ali, a pupil from Byron Wood. At just 10years old she took the exam along with much older children! Studying your home language greatly improves English and other subjects, and can resultin an extra qualification.Anyone interested in taking a similar course in the future should contact LanguagesSheffield by e-mail: [email protected].

Pupils from the Community Language AccreditationProject Somali class with tutor Zahra Abdullahi


Parkwood SpringsBeacon EventStory: Lydia FlanaganPhotos: Lydia Flanagan & Catherine BrownOn the evening of Saturday 22ndOctober, off the city roads in thewide wooded open spaces ofParkwood springs, magic starts asfamilies come together for the 5thAnnual Beacon Festival of firedisplays and storytelling. Hot beverage in hand, we journeythrough the decorated woods ofParkwood Springs, as story-tellerShonaleigh begins her magical stories togathered families as part of the AnnualBeacon Festival.We are led from the entrance and into thewoods by Lord Fox and co, their flamingbeacons in hand, passing quirkyornaments hanging in trees that set themood for the evening. We reach the edgeof the hill that overlooks Sheffield, on acrisp autumn evening, providing a perfectearthy atmosphere to bring to life thesoulful story of Lord Fox, told sofabulously by storyteller Shonaleigh. Alsojoining the stone stage were local schoolsSacred Heart and Watercliffe Meadow

who sang cheery songs and told poems oftheir love and appreciation forgrandparents. Stories told, we’re escorted by Lord Foxback through the woods and stop at aclearing delicately lit by fairy lights,where a cockney fellow plays a mouthorgan (harmonica) then captivates hisyoung listeners with his lively magicalstories, followed by riddles and humour. Sun now set, we head for another clearingtowards the edge of the wood, Lord Foxand friends begin dancing with their fierybatons to old traditional musicaccompanied by accordion and drums.Families and friends watch, their faces litwith fire.In all it was a beautiful evening with apowerful atmosphere that brought backthe wonders of old fashionedentertainment. I recommend the eventfor next year!

Apple DayStory: Saleema Imam | Photos: Chris Sissons50 people enjoyed the sunshine inBurngreave Cemetery on Sunday17th October as apples from localallotments and gardens were juicedand quickly quaffed.

Soup and apple crumble soondisappeared at lunchtime and Ruth’srecipe for apple chutney found eagertakers.Everyone is invited to the chapel’s freeCrafty Christmas wreath-making sessionon December 11th at 12 noon. Naturalmaterials provided, but bring your ownspecial items.Friends of Burngreave Cemetery & Chapel:friendsofburngreavecemetery.btck.co.ukApple Day was also World Food Day –see Chris Sissons’ blog entry atchrississons.typepad.co.uk/so_what/

After Darkwith PACAStory: Farah Shafique & Kashif NazirThe Pakistan Advice and CommunityAssociation took a group of 30 youngpeople to the After Dark event at DonValley Bowl. The police-funded trip was agreat opportunity to gain new experiencesand allowed the young people, aged 11-16,to build friendships with other peoplefrom Slovak and Pakistani backgrounds.The evening consisted of a fabulousfirework display and live entertainment.


Rainbows End celebrationStory: Michelle Cook | Photos: Richard HansonWhen Charity shop Rainbow’s End was visited byChannel 4’s “Secret Millionaire” Simi Choudhrie, shegave £100,000 to help their work. Part of that money wasfor a celebration to reward all the people involved in theproject.The result was a glitteringOscar-style awards ceremonyat the Cutlers' Hall onThursday 22nd September.The Right Honourable DavidBlunkett MP presentedcertificates to every singlevolunteer and said:“Your reputation is spreadingfar and wide. We are veryproud of what you haveachieved, the time energy,commitment. The secretmillionaire money is amassive accolade to you andwill allow you to develop the work you do. I’ve told Tesco theymust work and support you!”Yvonne Hayes praised the work of the Trustees and volunteersand the “generosity of people in Burngreave who give us goodsto sell and come in and buy things”. Jokingly she said, “I thinkit’s Tesco who should be worried about us!”Lyn Snow, Chair of the Trustees said,“It is great to see such a beautiful place. It is fantastic forRainbow’s End to be honoured here”She spoke a little about the origins of Rainbow’s End. Why thename?“People say there is a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow and Ihope people will find it in the relationships formed on our setteein our shop sharing tea and their stories. Both in the Bible andthe Koran, after the Flood, God sent a rainbow as a sign of hope.The shop is the people and we are celebrating all your hardwork!”Yvonne was presented with a bouquet. Mark Russell, ChiefExecutive of the Church Army, who employ Yvonne, said howproud he was of Yvonne and the project. He also presentedMargaret Morland, Rainbow’s End longest serving volunteer, witha special certificate and told her:“The whole project owes you a huge thanks.”Rainbow’s End is open at Sorby House on Spital Hill:Monday – Saturday 10.30am - 5pm


Burngreave’sYoung cartoonistStory: Lydia Flanagan14 year old cartoonist, EdgarLowman, started his cartoonstowards the beginning of his timeat secondary school. Now in year10 he is still creating hisimaginative adventures and islooking to share them witheveryone else! Coming from a very creative family, it’shardly surprising these funny minicartoon strips just flow from Edgar’shand. A hint of inspiration comes fromcomics he has read himself: the classicBeano and comic duo Wallace andGromit. His cartoon adventures followfriends George and Brian, two calamitymagnets, in a slap-stick style of their day

to day life. There are holiday themedstrips too; a Halloween strip sees Georgetrying to trick Brian but they findthemselves faced with a real monster!Edgar has written more comic stripscalled ‘MADventures’ about the evenmore adventurous Michael and NibblesMcGlee whose shenanigans have includeda trip to the moon! These charactersEdgar featured in a magazine he createdfor a competition at school called The BigChallenge.

As part of this he was given £25 to start abusiness and develop it over 3 months,and at the end of it the most profit wins.Edgar did his own little competition forone of the Michael and Nibblesadventures where readers thought uptheir own ending and the best was chosenand the writers were featured ascharacters. Edgar is currently doing his GCSEs, andafter already gaining an A* in PerformingArts for his first year, he’s now doingFrench alongside other compulsorysubjects for the rest of his GCSEs. On topof this, he somehow gets in 20 hours ofballet dancing with the Northern Balletand has recently been in a production ofthe Nutcracker in Bradford. Other hobbies are reading books andindeed writing them - he is writing ashort story at the moment about two menin London. Keep an eye out on theMessenger website for the George andBrian adventures.

Film night at thechapelPhoto: Janet CurrieCheap Thrills was a zero-budget FilmFestival at the Burngreave CemeteryChapel, organised by Martin Currie. Thepacked house was treated to a fullprogramme of short films, along withpopcorn, drinks, sweets, voting forfavourite films and the chance to catch upwith friends and neighbours.

EYP celebrate10 yearsStory: Michelle CookSunny September 24th was a dayto celebrate ten years of anexcellent project for our localyoung people.Ellesmere Youth Project (EYP) organiseda fantastic celebration for youngpeople,who enjoyed the bouncy castle,dressing up in Sumo Wrestler suits, thebike workshop and graffiti wall. SouthYorkshire Fire Service brought one oftheir engines too!We all shared the delicious food: chicken,fish and lamb, with rice and peas, andthen took part in EYPs Annual GeneralMeeting. Chair Chris Bristow said, “Young people are an investment. It isimportant to build lasting relationshipsas sometimes young people have a lackof faith in the system and in adults.”Certificates were awarded to the year’sachievers, including Katie for effort andSamier for teamwork at the 5-day

residential visit in April. Josh won bestmechanic at the Bike Club, whichcontinues to go from strength to strength.EYP is keen to encourage volunteering,offering training and lots ofopportunities. More Trustees are neededtoo. Anyone interested in EllesmereYouth Project can contact them on:Telephone: 0114 213 3120Mobile: 07886 777068Email: [email protected]


Quality educationand play, for eachindividual child

Sheffield Parent Carer Forum is anindependent group of parents andcarers of children aged 0-19, withdisabilities and/or special educationalneeds, including children withautism, dyslexia, Down Syndrome,speech and language impairments,behaviour or emotional difficulties,hearing or sight impairment, learningdifficulties, physical disabilities,cerebral palsy and many others.

parents with children aged 6 monthsto 5 years, with exclusive use of aplay centre and trips out ofSheffield. There will also be a bigevent at SADACCA over the Easterholidays, with activities for children,pampering for mums (and dads!),health checks and information.

If you would like to know more,contact Eva at the Forum [email protected]: 0114 252 1913Visitwww.sheffieldparentcarerforum.org.ukor find us on Facebook. You can alsofollow the Forum on Twitter@ShefParentForum.

Want to know more?

The Sheffield Parent Carer Forumwant to make sure the needs of ourchildren are met, from allbackgrounds and cultures and partsof the city. The Forum has over 500members and wants to keep ongrowing, so it can have a strongervoice to improve education, healthand social services for our children.

The Forum are working with WatotoPre-school, Tinsley Children’sCentre and SADACCA to put ondifferent activities for parents tohave some time out, get to knoweach other, support each other andfind out what services and breaks areavailable. The first events will be days out atthe end of January, February andMarch, during school hours, for

Time Out!Supporting Parents:Including Our Children


Sheaf TrainingreopensStory & photos: Georgina BurkoffSheaf Training, based on NorwoodDrive, has re-opened after a £3 million refurbishment.Students now have the opportunity togain vocational skills in a new state-of-the-art Health and Wellbeing Centre, withcourses in childcare, hospitality, cateringand health and social care. The Centre isalso continuing to offer horticulture andconstruction course. It currently has 160students enrolled, but has the capacity tohold 300. Student Matthew Dickinson, 19, iscompleting his training in Children and

Young People’s Development at thecentre. He said, “Sheaf training has beena really good place for me. The staff thereare very supportive. You get a lot of oneto one help from all the assessors.”Councillor Jackie Drayton, Sheffield CityCouncil’s Cabinet Member for Children,Young People and Families said, “The new facilities at the Health andWellbeing Centre, and close links withemployers, give students the chance totrain in real-life situations.”

Interfaithtree plantingStory: Holly Barnes, Community ForestryDevelopment OfficerOn Saturday the 12th Novembermembers of the Interfaithpartnership met local businessowners, the Community Forestryteam and the Lord Mayor inEllesmere Park on grass next to StPeter's Church, as part of theirjoint environmental initiative.Thanks to funding from the Big TreePlant and Tinsley Tree Project, volunteersplanted an extra heavy standard oak andtwo birch trees outside the Lyon’s

Convenience Store, providing a focus forthe unused area at the top entrance to theEllesmere Park site.Both species have an esteemed history inBritain and strong folk law; the oakknown as a symbol of strength and thesilver birch as ‘the lady of the wood’.Native daffodil bulbs were added beneaththe trees to give bright spring colour.The three trees will partially replace thosethat have been removed from the park inrecent years.Thanks to everyone involved.Community Forestry will also be plantingtrees on Burngreave Rec. in the comingweeks. Details of the event will be on theMessenger website, and publicisedlocally.

AccessingRoe Woods Story: Lisa SwiftLast year local residentsexpressed their anger at the lackof consultation about the SheafTraining planning application –see the October 2010 Messenger.The main concern was traffic onthe Firs Hill estate and its affect onaccess to the woodland.Following the completion of the Centre’srefurbishment, the Messenger visited RoeWoods to see what impact it has had.The track from Firshill Rise, now in goodcondition, is still the only access to theconstruction course compound and skip,so though narrowed it is unlikely toreturn to strictly pedestrian use and willneed maintaining. As part of completion, contractors plan todig up the vast majority of the field andreplace it with wild flowers. This plan willbe news to residents and has causedconcern about how it will be maintained.Local resident Peter Mappin said: “It looks good as it is; local people reallyenjoy this view. This will restrictresidents’ use of the area which wasgifted to the people of Sheffield by theDuke of Norfolk.”The Council is organising a meeting withlocal residents to discuss the completionof the Sheaf Training refurbishment.

Improving the woodsSheaf Training students have beenworking to make the area around the oldplayground a safer and more pleasantplace. They have planted wetland plantsin areas which were once ponds, clearedbrambles and planted new trees. Futureplans include more undergrowth thinningand improving the boundary withSheffield United Academy.The Council’s Parks and Woodlands arealso starting tree work in the woods whichwill use horses to remove felled trees.Woodlands officer Adam Goodall said:“Woodlands require thinning - removingthe smaller, weaker trees - to give thebetter trees room to grow properly and tobenefit native tree species. At the sametime allowing more light into the woods,encouraging wild plants and wildlife ingeneral and making them more attractivefor recreation.”For more information on the tree work,contact Adam Goodall on 250 0500.


A mythical beingappears atParkwood SpringsStory: Catherine Brown | Photo: Jon DallowMany of you will be familiar withthe ‘Bird and Boy’ sculpture at theRutland Road entrance toParkwood Springs, but have youseen our latest work of art at theCooks Wood / Shirecliffe Roadentrance, installed on 5thNovember?The sculpture was created by Sheffieldartist Jason Thomson, inspired by thehistory, geology, and wildlife of the site. It is to be officially unveiled by the Leaderof the Council on Friday December 9th at12.30pm.We hope that next year’s Beacons eventwill be able to incorporate this new

mythical being into its storytelling. Whatname should we give it? Do you have anyideas? Please visit our website atwww.parkwood-springs.org.uk or [email protected] The next event at Parkwood Springs willbe a wreath-making event on Tuesday 6thDecember, 4pm - 6pm.

LandfillrestorationStory: Catherine BrownPlanning permission allows tippingat the Landfill Site at ParkwoodSprings to continue until 2018, sopeople could be forgiven forthinking that it's far too early to betalking about what happens to thesite after that. But meetings at theend of September about Viridor'srestoration plans for the site soondisillusioned them.Phil Baker, responsible at Viridor for theplans, informed the Landfill LiaisonGroup and the Friends of ParkwoodSprings what will be needed to make thesite safe.Computer simulations showed how thesite would look under Viridor proposals;with areas of trees, open spaces, footpathsand wetland. He stressed that Viridorwant the plans to fit in with the rest ofParkwood Springs, including Councilowned land already well used by thepublic. Foot and cyclepaths on therestored landfill site would need toconnect to the rest of Parkwood Springs.Plans are drawn up in co-operation withbodies such as the Forestry Commissionand the RSPB, but the City Council has toapprove them. Most of the landfill site isowned by Viridor and is expected to stayso after the restoration. They willcontinue to be legally responsible for the

site’s management and have set asidemoney in their accounts for this. TheEnvironment Agency will oversee Viridoand the site for as long as it judges thatthere is any risk to the environment. Thismay be around 60 years. The public won'tbe allowed on the site until it is safe.40% of the site is already tipped to itslimit and, as areas are filled, they arebeing restored in line with the plans; andthere are areas of the site – near theboundary with the Standish estate –which are already planted in line with theproposals, even seven years beforetipping will stop. Due to settlement over anumber of years, the current height of thelandfill may be reduced by as much as30% - about 10 metres. Neill Schofield, Chair of the Friends ofParkwood Springs, hoped that Viridorwould keep the Friends and the localcommunity closely in touch with theplanning. It was also important for theCouncil to take the plans seriously, andgive Viridor their reactions. “Theymustn't wait until 2018 before thinkingabout it,“ he said. The Friends wantpublic access to as much as possible assoon as it was safe. “Even if it’s a longtime before we can think of the whole ofParkwood Springs as a country park, weshouldn't have to wait until years after2018 before we get some progress.”If you support the Friends’ aims ofprotecting the wildlife and naturalenvironment of Parkwood Springs,please join the Friends Group, atwww.parkwood-springs.org.uk or [email protected]

Energy Saving inMelrose RoadStory: Rick WatsonA large array of solar panels onfive adjoining terrace roofs hasbeen attracting attention inMelrose Road.

Fireside Housing Co-op at Nos.55-61 hasadded 32 photovoltaic (PV) panels to thesolar thermal (hot water) panel installedlast year. Each household makes savingson the electricity used as it is generatedand finds it very satisfying watching theirelectricity meter going backwards!

Saving energy is more important andinsulation is being installed whereverpossible under floors and on north-facingwalls.For more details, visit our website

AllotmentsmeetingLocal allotment holders were leftout of a series of consultationmeetings, without a single eventbeing held in the entire North Eastof the city.Thanks to the Messenger, the Councilagreed to hold an extra meeting at FirthLibrary on Tuesday 22nd November.The discussion will include proposals forsignificant allotment rents increases.


Saleh’smini marketLast issue the Messenger’sSpital Hill shop survey missedout one of the area’s longstanding local shops.Messenger reporter BrentMoya went to find out moreabout the business:Story & photo: Brent MoyaSaleh’s Mini Marketopened in the year 2000and has been a main-stay of Spital Hill’sshopping district ever since.The owner, Saleh Abdullah (pictured right) first came to Burngreave in 1996and rented a corner shop on Ellesmere Road before buying his own business.He says the area has under gone a lot of change. “I came to Burngreave during a transition period, the area was empty when Ifirst arrived but is now a thriving suburb, with lots of people and lots ofshops.”Saleh’s Mini market opens 7 days a week and sells a wide variety of groceries aswell as Eastern European food and general confectionary. I spoke to one of Saleh’s customers and friend, who was kind enough to offerme a drink and show me round the shop. He told me that the newly openedTesco supermarket has put pressure on local businesses who were alreadystruggling. “Unfortunately with it being such a big outlet they can cater for pretty muchanything which makes it harder for smaller businesses to compete; all futureplans for this business are currently on hold.”

Bus changes againStory: Mick IbbotsonAt the end of October, First Buses withdrewthe 10-minute 73 service between the CityCentre and Ecclesfield and replaced itwith an hourly daytime 72, running fromthe City, via Shirecliffe, only to the newAsda store at Parson Cross. Most people we consulted expressed concern thatthe change had left part of lower Shirecliffe with noservice at all and a large part of the area withoutevening or Sunday buses. There is now no directlink between Shirecliffe and neighbour SoutheyGreen. However the new 72 route includes LongleyAvenue West, along with the school, so althoughsome people miss out, others are getting a newservice. Paul Howard, from Parkwood Academy, welcomedthe new service, saying many pupils from theschool would struggle to get in safely without it, butthat extending the 72 to later in the evening wouldallow wider participation in extended curriculumand other activities.Tracy Browes said, “many people are grumblingabout the new service. I’m concerned about thefares, having been charged £1.95 to go two stops”Pat Hague added, “this has cut Shirecliffe in half.How are disabled or old people expected to getabout?”The SYPTE confirmed “it was First’s decision.” Asthis is a trial, will the service be maintained andimproved as time goes on or has the service beencut too far to be viable?

New range at Fir Vale POStory & photos:Tahira KhanLocal Resident, Asif, the owner ofthe Post Office in Fir Vale recallshow 4 years ago business wasdoing well but now people seemto be moving to online services;by his estimation sales havehalved. To get the Post Officeback in business he is introducinga range of brand new products.

These include ‘Ikhlas’ religious lifestyleproducts such as books, children’sclothing and prayer mats and a variety ofother items including handbags, gifts,jewellery, scarves and even sewingequipment. Asif desires to bring these goods to localconsumers at the cheapest possible pricesand says he has already received feedbackfrom customers claiming they have seensimilar products elsewhere at higherprices. An example of the incredible valuefor money that has already gained a lot ofinterest is the four scarves for £10 offerintroduced two weeks ago. He also plansto keep the store open longer onweekends.The Post Office plays a vital role in thecommunity; many people use it to collectpensions, welfare payments or pay thebills as well as the hugely importantpostal service. People come in to ask foradvice and, contrary to what some peoplemay think, there are still customersasking for stamps and the Moneygramservice allows local residents to sendmoney to their families abroad.

The Post Office is vital for businesses inFir Vale bringing customers to storesnearby and it was under the ownership ofAsif that the Post Office introduced “freecash machine services at a time whenthere were none in the area,”, showinghow it has always been one step ahead,providing customers with services theyneed.

As owner for nearly 7 years Asif isfamiliar with many customers and hasinevitably gained a lot of expertise in therunning of the store. It is clear that itwould be a loss for the community if hehad no other option but to step down andpass on the Post Office.


St Catherine’s School awardStory: Linda KeaneSt Catherine’s Primary School has been awarded theInternational Schools Award from the British Council.

The school carried out several activities to win the award,including a celebration of Black History Month, linked to historycurriculum work. St Catherine's also has an international linkwith a school in Zambia. Both Y3 teachers visited Zambia lastyear, which helped them develop a robust, creative curriculumthat teaches children to question assumptions, learn fromdifferences and identify similarities.Teacher Miriam Cocker, one of the global co-ordinators in theschool, together with fellow teacher Lynne Biggs, said:“The ISA award recognises the hard work that the children,parents and staff have contributed towards these aims.”Rebecca Picton, of the British Council International SchoolAward, told the school:“This is a great achievement and one that deserves celebratingand sharing widely. I hope that the scope of your excellentinternational activities will continue to develop and benefit theschool community; your support, commitment, creativity andinnovative international work is greatly appreciated.”

Learning aboutIT at ParkwoodAs part of a national campaign,Parkwood Academy has beensupporting parents, students andlocal residents to get moreconfident in using the Internet.

Young teachers Parkwood Academy launched a projectusing its young people as teachers andtheir family members as the students.This is what Michail’s mother, Jelenathought of the class taught by her son:“I really enjoyed going to the computerclass at Parkwood Academy. I havelearnt many new things. I have beenworking on Microsoft Power Point,Word and Publisher. Coming into TheAcademy to use the computers has beengood because our computer at home doesnot have as many programs. “I also learned how to use Google Mapsand find places. If I need to findsomewhere and am not quite sure whereit is, I can look it up and print it off. This course has also helped me improve myEnglish. “I wish there were more classes where children can help parents and learn together.”

Digital Champions & UK OnlineStory: Destiny ShawMyself and my friend, Courtney, trained as Digital Champions as part of the UkOnline Programme. We found it really interesting. Our first session was to teachmembers of the community.Mr Richard Wildgoose, the chairperson of Longley TARA, came along to ourworkshop. He could use a computer but he couldn’t do his emails and internetbrowsing. He really enjoyed the workshop and was able to send an email himself afterthe session. I am now attending sessions each week.

Courtney Wall and Destiny Shaw

Jelena Pletniova, parent of MichailPletniov

Impact of EMA cuts Story: Muneebah WaheedTensions are still running high amongstudents as the cost of living andtuition fees are all continually rising. Many students are still feeling frustrated andangry as more cuts are being made. TheEducation Maintenance Allowance schemeclosed down for all applicants applying afterthe 1st January 2011. EMA providedfinancial support for students from ordinarybackgrounds and allowed them to carry onwith their education. As this has now beencut, students are angry and desperate, andmany are considering quitting furthereducation and opting for apprenticeshipsinstead.A new scheme replacing EMA is now inplace but this scheme is only helping alimited group of students. Maria Iqbal,student, commented on the impact of thecuts saying, “It is really frustrating howmany young people are not getting financialsupport. I know many people who are reallystruggling to stay in college as they are notfinancially stable.”Another student commented on thereplacement of EMA saying “It is better thannot receiving anything at all, but it is notenough, as you need the payment to providefood, transport, college equipment, andmuch more. Getting a job is proving difficulttoo, as many employers are looking forpeople with experience, something thatmany students don’t yet have.”The Burngreave Messenger spoke to DonaldMcClean, Vice Principal at Longley ParkSixth Form, who commented, “Longley Parkwill continue to support all of its students inevery way it can. We shall administer thebursary fund and ensure all students entitledto the fund will receive it.”

This page is produced by the Community Assembly Team • [email protected].

Community Assembly

20

Councillor Surgery DatesYour local councillors sharesurgeries on a rota basis.10th December: Ibrar Hussain,11am–12pm Burngreave Library,12.15pm–1pm Firshill TARA

15th December: Talib Hussain,2pm –3pm Pakistan Advice Centre

20th December: Jackie Drayton,11am–12pm Shirecliffe CommunityCentre, 12.15pm–1pm Norwood andBishopholme TARA

14th January: Jackie Drayton,11am–12pm Burngreave Library,12.15pm–1pm Firshill TARA

17th January: Ibrar Hussain,11am–12pm Shirecliffe CommunityCentre, 12.15pm–1pm Norwood andBishopholme TARA

19th January: Talib Hussain,2pm –3pm Pakistan Advice Centre

28th January: Talib Hussain,11am–12pm Burngreave Library

[email protected]@[email protected]

Contact us on 203 7562, email [email protected],or write to: Firth Park Library, 443 Firth Park Road, Sheffield, S5 6QQ.Blog - www.sheffield.gov.uk/northeastnewsWebsite – www.sheffield.gov.uk/northeast

Contact: 0114 203 7562www.sheffield.gov.uk/northeast

Report from the Octoberpublic business meetingLocal Councillors agreed theCommunity Plan, reallocation offunding and investment to improvelocal open spaces in the area. InBurngreave Ward, an underspend of£14,000 is to be reallocated to theQuick Wins/Rapid Response pot.Funding from recent planningdevelopment sites is to be invested inthe following areas • Over £8000 to Roe Woods • Over £17,000 to Parkwood Springs • Over £6000 to Burngreave

Recreation Ground.10 nominations were received forinclusion on a local list of buildings ofarchitectural and historic merit and 4of these in Burngreave Ward wereagreed to be included:• Pakistan Community Association –

127 Page Hall Road • Mosque at 24 Burngreave Road • Grimesthorpe Weslyan Reform

Chapel, Upwell Lane • Sunday School, Upwell Street

Jackie Drayton Ibrar Hussain Talib Hussain

Firth Park ChristmasLights Switch on andFirework Spectacular

Thursday 1st December,3 – 7pm, in the park near to theshops – admission FREE

• Live music and dance• Food and drink stalls• Fireworks to be set off by Rt

Hon David Blunkett MP at5.30pm

• Fairground rides• Crafts, Santa’s grotto• Wreath making with the

Rangers• Community information

100 people filled the hall at ShirecliffeCommunity Centre to meet the eightSheffield City Council Cabinetmembers. Half of the hour longmeeting was taken up answeringquestions that had been submittedpreviously and the remainder of thetime the Cabinet took questions fromthe floor. Local questions included:• The increase in charges

for bowling• Grass verges in Shiregreen• Loss of housing stock in the city• Wincobank Community Centre

• Sale of Council owned propertiesin Page Hall and the reallocationof money to other regenerationareas in the city.

Next public business meetingThe meeting will be held on:Wednesday 25th January, 6pm – 8pmat Shirecliffe Community Centre,349 Shirecliffe Road, S5 8XJ

You are invited to share a sandwichwith your Councillors from 5.30pm.Full minutes and the agenda for thismeeting will be published atwww.sheffield.gov.uk/northeast from18th January.

Farewell VickyIn October the Community Assemblybid a sad farewell to Vicky Williams,whose post has been made redundant.Vicky has worked for the Council for29 years. Councillor Jackie Draytonsaid, “Vicky has been very dedicatedand she will be missed by councillorsand local residents. She has given agreat deal to the community, and hasalways been committed to this area.”Councillor Peter Price presented Vickywith a signed Sheffield United shirt.

Cabinet in the Community


The Teachers’OrphanageStory: Elizabeth and Gordon ShawIn 1877 the National Union ofTeachers founded a Teachers’Benevolent Fund. A year later, aseparate Orphanage and OrphanFund was established, in order to‘aid as liberally as possible all whohad fallen upon evil times’. Twoorphanages were eventually set up,one for boys in Peckham Rye,London and another for girls,situated at Firshill (pictured above).Where a family had been makingcontributions, it was possible to apply fora place at the orphanage when the fatherdied. It was not necessary for the motherto have died as well.

From Firshill to Page HallIn 1887 the premises at Firshill came intouse as ‘The Teachers’ Orphanage forGirls’. Orphanage Road, at the side of FirsHill School, was possibly the entrance tothe property. In 1894 the June issue of‘The Schoolmaster’ informed its readersof the purchase of new premises toreplace Firshill, the lease of which wasnearly expired. The move was to PageHall, a ‘well built substantial mansionwith 4 acres of freehold land’. Purchasemoney entailed an outlay of between£4,000 and £5,000. Accommodation wasavailable for between 40 –50 girls.

AdmissionsThe admissions book is held in SheffieldArchives and provides a wealth ofinformation about the families whobenefited from the fund. The first entry isfor Letitia Mary Burke who was born in1878. She was admitted to theorphanage on 11 June 1887. Her father,John Burke, having trained atHammersmith College, was last employedat Fowler Street, Seven Dials Bds in1885. Unfortunately, he was drowned offthe Isle of Wight, aged only 36.Letitia had three sisters; Helena aged 14,Alice 12 and Catherine 2, noted as beingdependent on their mother. However, themother, Letitia Burke, a maidservant, isalso shown as having died aged 38.Neither the cause of death nor the yearis recorded. Letitia is noted as havingsuffered measles and whooping cough.She left the Orphanage on 17 June 1893to commence duties as a Pupil Teacher.The last entry is for Hilda ErnestineLuffman who was born on 13 April 1914.Her circumstances were quite different inthat her father, who was not a teacher,had deserted the family. Her mother haddied and the family had been makingcontributions to the Fund, so she waseligible for a place. She had four brothersaged 16, 15, 13 and 9 years. The twoeldest were sent to work on a farm andthe younger two were adopted.The book contains details ofapproximately 150 girls, 7 of whom haveSheffield addresses. The others camefrom Plymouth, Wales, Ipswich, Liverpooland Durham to name but a few. Longdistances to travel to live away fromone’s family and at quite a young age!Not surprising then to read the MedicalOfficer’s comments in the case of one ofthe girls – ‘sleepwalking – nervouscondition. Condition has improved onbecoming used to the orphanage.’

FatherThe age of the father at death wasmostly between 36 and 45 years. The

cause of death is often given in a singleword - consumption, bronchitis, nephritis,leukaemia, typhoid and tuberculosis.Cases of heart disease and cancer alsoappear. The most detailed entry was in1907 for the 45 year old who, ‘rupturedblood vessel owing to weakness causedby cancer’. One died of alcoholicpoisoning and another is recorded ashaving fallen into a quarry.

The GirlsMost of the girls were between 10 and 12years old at the time of admission. If agirl had had illness, this was entered inher details. Most had been throughmeasles and whooping cough. Smallpox,fever and scarlatina are also mentioned.One girl born in 1899 is shown as havingbeen vaccinated in infancy. It’s noted thatvaccination becomes more frequent,though one girl was vaccinatedunsuccessfully!The space left for Medical Officer’sremarks gives further insight to thecondition of the girls. Sometimes there isa simple ‘satisfactory’ or ‘appears soundand healthy’. Other entries are moredetailed such as this one: ‘Small but fairlyrobust health. Lungs healthy, also heart.TB in family history – special care infeeding. Encourage open air as much aspossible. Cod liver oil is advised forwinter months.’

Time to LeaveThe girls could stay at the orphanageuntil they reached the age of fifteen.Many did so and this was given as thereason for leaving. Some, like Letitia, thefirst girl, went on to be a pupil teacher.Some girls left ‘at mother’s request’ orbecause they were ‘needed at home’.Though most of the girls seem to havelived uneventfully at the orphanage,there were at least two who were clearlynot suited to that way of life. One girl‘absconded without reason and wassubsequently expelled’. Another girl was‘removed by resolution of the council forbad behaviour’.

Home Fire Girls90th anniversaryStory: Maureen CarrPitsmoor Home Fire Girls had theircelebration 90th Anniversary TeaParty on Saturday 22nd October,where over forty past and presentmembers, friends and supporterscame together for an afternoon ofreminiscence, memorabilia andfriendship.

The Home Fire Girls started out at theDenholme Street Mission off Spital Hill.They still meet every Wednesday 6pm -7.30pm within Pitsmoor Methodist Churchand also hold regular Coffee Mornings.Please come and join us at 10.30am onThursday December 8th for our Christmasspecial. All made welcome.Contact:Wendy Whitehead 0114 240 3577 orMaureen Carr 0114 220 4657. Email: [email protected]

Picture courtesy of Sheffield Local Studies Library

Ripples in the pond updateAt the Friends of Firth Park AGM, with representatives of the

council present, and after the disappointment of having to cancel

the launch in August, it was agreed that the launch should take

place in the Spring, as this will give the planting time to establish

itself. Date to be fixed and publicised as soon as possible.

If you have passed the ‘Ripples’ area recently you may have

noticed that the planting of trees, shrubs and plants for the

wetland area has now been completed. It has made a tremendous

difference and it is good to see it looking so much more

welcoming. The successful artist for the totem poles project will

hopefully be in place by December and will be working with

young people and adults, with the installation being the end of

March. The other addition will be the giant Hand and Foot, which

were created as part of the ‘Journey to Hidden Places’ – a creative

arts project, based in Firth Park and Wincobank. An informative

booklet has also been produced with details of where all the other

art works are.

On Saturday 12th November some of the Friends joined up with

North Sheffield Conservation Group on a beautiful morning to

plant a number of bulbs in the ‘Ripples’ area. Hopefully they will

be emerging in the new year. It was a good turn out and everyone

enjoyed the activity – we had to give up when the bulbs ran out!

A big thank you to everyone who came along, especially members

of NSCG, who have always been so supportive in this area.

Please look out for the date of the launch in the Spring and hope

to see you there. In the meantime we hope you will drop in and

enjoy the new addition to the Clock Tower.

Friends of Firth Park.


Page HallI read an article in the Burngreave Messenger that dismayed me,

stating that money raised from the Page Hall area - a projected

total of £1.7 million - is not going to be invested in the area.

The money raised from Page Hall should be reinvested in Page

Hall. To be told there are no projects needing funding in the area

is ridiculous. The talk is all about housing but regeneration should

be about community regeneration, not just bricks and mortar, and

this is what was originally promised.

To make a profit on an area like Page Hall, that is very poor. Then

to use the money to fund projects in wealthier areas is yet another

example of a policy of taking from the poor to benefit the

wealthy. This was introduced by the Lib-Dems but surely the

current Labour administration can now overturn this ruling?

Harry Harpham is incorrect if he believes there are no local

projects on which to spend the money generated in the area.

Several projects were identified as far back as 2005/6 that could

have a dramatic impact on the area, for example:

• Back-to-Front campaign, where retaining walls to properties

were strengthened and reinforced and rear gardens improved.

• Redevelopment of Bagley Road and Skinnerthorpe Road plus

the three houses, now boarded up and derelict, on Barnsley

Road.

• “Pocket Park” areas for children to play, such as the site at the

bottom of Wade Street and close to Owler Brook School.

• Walking link from Page Hall to Wincobank Hill, with sign

markers and information points about the Iron Age fort.

• Improvements to the condition of the streets and footpaths

• Funding for youth group facilities and improvements in general

to Wensley Community Centre.

• Provision of local support services for the elderly, disabled and

vulnerable, including help with maintenance, DIY and the

garden.

These are just a few projects needed in the area, and I am sure

there are many more besides.

Most worrying of all, the article states that the council are keen to

attract landlords to the area. One of the key points that Page Hall

Community Association (PHCA) was fighting for was to stop buy-

to-let landlords acquiring all the property in the area. Surely the

council and the government should be backing the sale of these

houses as affordable housing to first time buyers and key workers?

After all, the area is less than 1 mile from the Northern General

Hospital. By re-investing the money in Page Hall as originally

intended and promoting affordable housing, it will bring about a

better community.

All in all, I am dismayed and angered to read about these recent

policy changes and what they mean for an area that has had so

many people fighting to save it.

Is there anything that can be done to secure the investment for

the area before it is taken away by greed and ill-thought-through

policies?

Nikki Hibberd

Former committee member of Page Hall Community Association

The Messenger raised this issue with Councillor Harry Harpham,

Cabinet Member for Homes and Regeneration on 26th October. He

said cuts in funding from government had left some streets in the

city blighted by half finished projects and boarded up houses, and

these were the priority for remaining funding. He said he would meet

with Page Hall residents to discuss the issues they had raised. The

Messenger will report back on this in the next issue

Write to: Abbeyfield Park House, Abbeyfield Road, Sheffield S4 7AT

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