September 2005 Issue 54

Spital Hill is to close for traffic flowing into the city centre from 4th September 2005 for twelve months.

Free entry! The Baghdaddies, Celloman and many, many more.

Are you missing out? Following the successful pilot project on Spital Hill, the security grant scheme has been extended to cover the whole of the BNDfC area.

Rethink are looking for open-minded and motivated volunteers to spend three hours per week doing social activities with people who have a mental illness, either one-to-one or in a group.

Stalls from local groups, games and rides, music, dance, food, and information.

Needing out of school childcare? Then try us… We’re based at Firshill Primary School, but take children from the whole of the Burngreave area and beyond.

Come and help us celebrate the opening of our brand new children's centre at 19 Spital Street.

The Sheffield Federation for School Sports’ Raynor Trophy was won by Firs Hill Community School on 21st July 2005, playing against Parson Cross Primary. A resounding win of 88 runs to 15.

A £1.3 million environment project has been rejected by New Deal after months of negotiation between Sheffield Wildlife Trust, Sheffield City Council and local group Green City Action.

The year long £4 million New Deal project to refurbish Sorby House, due to start in September 2005 has been delayed until October 2005. Delays are in part due to failed negotiations with Ladbrokes who want to stay in the building and are unwilling to leave during the renovations, which will add costs to the project.

Local politics can be challenging and rewarding, but it can be hard. Two of our local councillors sit on the Planning Board which will soon have to decide whether to give Viridor the go ahead to dump more ‘active waste’ into Parkwood.

Ahmed Hussain was once better known as DJ Billy. He was signed to a record label; he was even offered a chance to record in India. Yet he gave it all up to devote his life to Islam. He now runs the Iqra Book and Gift centre on Owler Lane. The shop and his role model status have prompted young people to question their faith and idols, promoting a deeper understanding of Islam.

Local residents have been meeting to discuss what people in Burngreave can do in response to the tragic events in London.

After residents raised concerns about possible negative effects of the London bombings on local Muslims, the Messenger spoke to Imam Ali Amed of the At-Taqwa Somali Mosque and Community Centre.

In the fast and hectic pace of the 21st century, most of us will move house, change neighbourhoods, jobs and even schools several times during our lifetimes. Alice Ingham, a Pitsmoor resident for almost ninety years, has a very different story to tell.

Not of the expensive variety but things you value because they bring back memories or have special meaning for you? It could be an old photograph, something a loved one gave you or even an object you found.

Spital Hill and Woodside were again under discussion at a community conference on 28th July 2005 at Shiloh Church.

Fir Vale residents met with councillors on 26th July 2005 to initiate the project groups that will help shape the future of the area. There were notably less people than at previous meetings.

Iraqi Kurds in Sheffield are facing renewed fears of deportation. Stories of sudden arrest and removal have been spreading through the Kurdish community as the Government has started to round up and detain ‘failed’ asylum seekers at Heathrow.

Friday 29th July 2005, the Friends of Burngreave Cemetery and Chapel held a fundraising Blues Night at the Companions Club on Barnsley Road.

Plans to tip more active waste at Parkwood landfill are worth an estimated £34 million to site operators Viridor. They have now submitted the long-awaited planning application and local residents are intensifying their campaign against it.

As we reported in our August 2005 issue, survey results showed some people in Burngreave were having difficulties getting to see their GP. We spoke to the local surgeries and some recognised the problem and have been spending time re-organising their systems and introducing new services. This article includes contact details and opening hours for local surgeries.

Over 80 women attended El- Nisah women’s group Health Day in June 2005.

Firshill Neighbourhood Watch ran a ‘Firshill in bloom’ gardening competition and judging was completed last week. The two judges, Martyn Parker from the horticultural department of Sheaf Training, and Christopher Bull from SUFC Academy groundstaff, were impressed by the effort local gardeners had made.

Abbeyfield Park finally has the shelter that it’s being trying to get put up for over a year.

The Cactus Club hosted three nights of urban music, rap and break dancing in August 2005. The events were organised by Urban Music, who started out of a desire for all types of street music to have a positive influence on youngsters.

Triggered by the recent discovery of an ancient well shaft, the art of well dressing has arrived in Burngreave. The Friends of Burngreave Cemetery, helped by Firshill Afterschool Arts Club, created a display from petals and flower heads on a puddled clay board, which celebrated water, the source of life.

Local residents on Grimesthorpe Road express concern over plans to build two blocks of five-storey flats at the top of Smithies Field.

Latest news from the Area Co-ordinator for the Burngreave Area Panel, including:

• What's happening to Burngreave Children?

• Gullies

• Parking

• Councillors' Surgery Dates

• Details of the next Area Panel meeting

Football for ladies and girls

BSN under 18, 16 and under 14 football tournaments got off to a great start with teams from all over the city especially Burngreave. Altogether there were ten teams out there competing against each other.

BSN thought it was time that local young people developed their talent, and All Saints’ Soccer School is still running.

The Burngreave Sports Project is putting on two workshops run by Sports Coach UK that are vital for all sports coaches and assistants or anyone working with young people

September 2005 news from Burngreave New Deal for Communities including:

• Burngreave Grant Panel Members Needed!

• Partnership Board Meeting – Wednesday, 27 July 2005

• Calling all women…

• Sure Start Event

• Spreading the WWWord…

Readers of the Messenger share their views and have their say.

The rain might have been bouncing down, but nobody cared about being forced into the SUFC Academy’s indoor facilities. The BNDfC bus was pumping a blend of dance, hip hop, reggae, and eastern beats into the arena and the event kicked off into its familiar festival flavour.