You may have seen the Burngreave Sport Project activities in the Messenger each issue, it’s run by Activity Sheffield, part funded by the Area Panel, and its doing all sorts of physical activities in the area. So what sorts of things are happening?
At three of our local schools (St Catherine’s, Firshill and Whiteways) on one day a week, from 8am sports workers are ready to organise team games of kwik cricket, football or something more informal for children before school. Up to 20 children are now getting to school really early – and it seems, they are more alert and sorted when lessons start.
Working with adults, 24 people in the area have just got qualifications in sports leadership, to act as walking guides, and in child protection procedures so that they can act as either volunteers or as sessional staff.
But it’s not just sports. At Wensley estate, the Activity Sheffield worker organised a walk and picnic in the summer all round Wincobank Woods – ending up with kite making. This October, she organised 45 people to go to Twycross Zoo – all ages, no restrictions on access, parents with large and small children. And every Wednesday at Wensley Community centre, for 20p admission there’s an hour of a fitness session for ‘Fit Kids’. And after working there for six months, more parents and more children are getting to know each other – the beginnings of a rebirth of community life on the estate?
In the local traditional centre at Verdon Street, you’ll now find trampolining on a Tuesday at 6pm for £1 (age 8–16), women’s aerobics on Wednesday mornings at 10am for £1 and Somali dance classes starting on Fridays at 5pm. And twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 20p the staff run Kool Club from 4pm with arts and crafts activities or sports sessions in the main hall.
Activity Sheffield are putting together a sports directory that will include all these activities, available in March. Or look out for the green and yellow posters advertising activities near you!
If you or your organisation are putting on sports or physical activities in the area you can appear in the sports directory too. Contact Rebecca Norton, Activity Sheffield Burngreave Area Worker, on 0790 993 6244.