October 2007 Issue 72

The Reverend Jesse Jackson – America’s foremost black Civil Rights leader – stopped in Burngreave on 26th August 2007.

I heard about this meeting late in the day as the word got round and, with some uncertainty, I headed up towards the Cactus Club on Spital Hill. Approaching the club, I was called upon to sign a petition about its recent closure.

The council’s plan to sell off housing land at Woodside for redevelopment was dealt a set back recently. The council has put out its offer to a panel of five different developers, but council workers told members of the Burngreave New Housing Group in September that only one developer had decided to bid. Even this was less than the minimum the council demanded.

News and comment by the Messenger.

• Vestry Hall opens at last

• Special thanks to Camille Daughma

• Next Messenger meeting and dealines

• This month's contributors

“Leaving is like having my hand chopped off”, Mrs Janet Keen started off, trying to hold back the tears with a smile. Janet has worked at Firs Hill school as a dinner lady for 27 years and is now taking her well-earned retirement.

Granddad Freddy breathed his last on this earthly plain at 10:15 pm at the Northern General Hospital with his grandson David and granddaughter in law, Merclyn by his side.

A selection of poems written by Sylvia Reaney.

• Website exclusive: Two extra poems

Ten years on, the regeneration of the Burngreave Vestry Hall is nearing its conclusion. A small group of local invitees gathered on the 11th of September to view the transformation.

From April 2nd 2007 immigration rules changed, but there are fears that some local residents may not be aware of how difficult it now is to apply for settlement, in many cases requiring months of tuition and planning.

Those applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain have found they must pay twice as much to apply, following changes in April this year.

I spoke to Yemeni residents who had been affected by immigration changes. They did not wish to be named.

Contact details for agencies offering advice on immigration and other issues.

Despite a hard fought campaign to save English teaching for speakers of other languages, two of Burngreave’s main providers face massive cuts this term.

Singer and lyricist Sa,rinity Powell has become a familiar face at Burngreave music events this summer, from the Burngreave Talent Competition to the Abbeyfield and Fir Vale festivals and even Jesse Jackson’s exclusive visit to Ellesmere Green. Is she destined to become the new face of the Sheffield Rap Scene? I went and asked her myself accompanied by my colleague, Zanumb Bibi.

Metz ’N’ Trix, the famous Bhangra group, performed at the Fir Vale and Abbeyfield Park Festivals, where they drew great crowds and big expectations.

On the afternoon of Saturday 1st September Burngreave streets came to a standstill as 80 uniformed Pathfinder youngsters, 6-16 years of age, led by drummers, marched down to Ellesmere Green to display drilling and marching skills and present gospel music to the community.

Burngreave Study Support Projects are enrolling students for the Autumn term. GCSE results from last year’s study support students show some excellent results.

I opened the curtains with my fingers crossed, the sight of the sunshine made me smile. It looked like we’d chosen a good day for the Burngreave Bowls Tournament

During a rare hot week in the summer holidays, Ellesmere Youth Project and Green City Action joined forces with young people of Ella Road and spray can artists Shaun and Casper to transform the new kick-about area.

Reach High 2 study support helped young people to get funding and lead an educational visit to Spain to discover the rich Muslim and Christian heritage of the region. On the 28th July, eight young people and four adults left Burngreave for 6 days stay in Granada, Spain. Here the young people talk about their experience…

Deferred to autumn this year instead of high summer, high winds caused initial concern but the weather held for our annual multicultural festival which filled the park with punters from near and far.

Fir Vale Festival took place on 9th of September at Fir Vale School. This event seemed well organised and the presence of people was good. I noticed lots of happy faces. A lot of those present were young people, and they created a wonderful atmosphere, especially the young people from Slovakia who were dancing spontaneously, and running and laughing as they enjoyed the event.

Second Step Caribbean Women’s Group Agewell has been in existence since

1. We are well known for

the many activities and events we have held over the years.

September marked the end of an era at Pitsmoor Adventure Playground as the ‘Big Slide’ was finally taken down after more than ten years of service

Abbeyfield Park were a hive of activity on 30th August as local people came to view plans for the new cricket facility and meet Yorkshire and England Cricketer, Craig White.

As the England Cricket team head off to Sri Lanka, we can remember Crabtree’s own George Ulyett. I bet the Australians do, even 130 years after he played in the first ever Test Match in Melbourne in 1876/77.

"I've been here since the classes started. Kickboxing is an excellent way to keep fit.” Sarah, one of the attendees at Al-Nisa, hesitated, then continued, “Cheryl’s a very good teacher. She is very precise, making sure that we can execute each move properly, which is great for grading. If I got attacked now, I’d be able to defend myself straight away.”

An area panel/education department meeting on 18th September provoked lively debate over the planned expansion of Saint Catherine’s Roman Catholic Primary. 45 parents met panel Chair Cllr Jackie Drayton and Cllr Ibrar Hussain. They were joined by Education Deputy Director, Paul Makin and John Wade from the Roman Catholic Diocese, to defend the proposals.

News from Burngreave New Deal for Communities including:

• A final farewell from Rose Ardron

• Welcome to our two new Neighbourhood Enterprise Champions

• Residents wanted to become members of the Children and Young People's strategy group

• Burngreave's 4th Annual Bonfire celebrations

• Crimestoppers

• Update on Burngreave Police team

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

• Residents take on the traffic on Firs Hill Road

• Bring out your rubbish

• Councillors’ Surgery Dates

• Next Area Panel Public Meeting

At this time of year trees are ready to take a rest, so now’s the time get out your spades and wellies, and get ready to get planting. Last year’s tree planting season was a great success, and we hope to see plenty of new faces throughout this year’s program of tree-related activity.

Local recycling banks that we've been asking for over the last five years have finally appeared on the Roe Lane Community Centre car park, (on Firshill Crescent).

• Apple Press for hire

• Apprentices sign on

with growing GCA team

• Deliver it Green project progress

Letters from our readers.

The Urban Theology Unit is a small independent charity providing higher education courses in Theology & Ministry.

• Course pllaces still available.

• Job: Cleaner wanted – 8 hours per week, £6.40 per hour. Deadline for applications: Monday 15th October.

• Newly refurbished rooms to rent.

Swamp Circus and The Open Performance Centre are offering FREE evening classes in Community Leadership and Circus Skills for the people of Burngreave.

Firshill, Pitsmoor, Burngreave and Darnall areas, Wednesday 7th November 2007 at Vestry Hall, Burngreave. Find out more about the council housing improvements in your area.

Times, dates and locations for local collection points for the Pitsmoor branch of the Sheffield Credit Union.

A fun day for all the family at Firth Park Community Arts College, Saturday 13th October.

Middle-Eastern cuisine using fresh, affordable ingredients with Laila Wragg. Fun, easy to make tasty recipies.

• Drop-in Saturday taster workshops

• Classes

The Burngreave Mend programme gets kids healthy and fit in only 10 weeks and helps them stay that way!

As part of Women Celebrating National Construction Week, the Women's Construction Centre is holding an open day with buffet lunch on Monday 15th October 2007.

Autumn Programme: Issues in Burngreave.

Jobs: BWRC are seeking to appoint three enthusiastic and dynamic people in the following positions:

• 1 Full-time Qualified Senior Early Years Practitioner. Salary £15,595.

• 2 Full-time Qualified Early Years Practitioners. Salary £12,300

Closing date: 24th October 2007

Every Action Counts help to run fun sessions for clubs or societies to do things to make the world greener, cleaner and safer.

Norah Brown, community development worker for the PCT, reminisces about her work in Burngreave as she moves on to a new job in Cleethorpes.

A calendar of events running in Sheffield during Black History Month, October 2007.

Police are currently appealing for witnesses to a shooting that took place at The Plaza on Spital Hill in the early hours of Saturday morning, 29th September 2007.

Burngreave Community Action Forum celebrated its tenth birthday on Saturday 6th October 2007 at its Quarterly Forum Meeting held at the Vestry Hall.

On 4th October 2007 the Burngreave Vestry Hall was opened to the public, over four hundred people visited to have a tour and check out the facilities. The majority of people were very impressed by the renovation – read their comments here.

Job: SSCAT (Sheffield Sickle Cell & Thalassaemia) Foundation wishes to appoint:

• 1 Part-time (18.5hrs) Temporary Administrative Worker

• Salary: £10,582 to 14,178.24 pro rata

• Closing Date: 26 October 2007

The SSCAT Foundation/Dorothy Dixon-Barrow 5th Annual Health Conference takes place on 25 October 2007.

A young man has been shot dead at Nottingham Cliff Park.

Burngreave residents talk about their concerns following the Murder of Jonathan Matondo.

Three men have been arrested in connection with the murder of Jonathan Matondo.

A series of public meetings are taking place in the aftermath of recent shooting and the murder of Jonathan Matondo.

Sheffield Stop The War Coalition are to hold a World Peace Conference at the Vestry Hall.

Listing of just the articles found in the printed (and PDF) October 2007 edition of the Burngreave Messenger.

List of articles exclusive to the website in October 2007, not to be found in the print or PDF edition.

Job opportunities: South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue is pleased to announce that the recruitment process for Firefighters is now open. Awareness sessions to provide more information about the role of a Firefighter, the recruitment process and the standards required are being held.

• Salary: You could earn over £27,000 per annum once qualified.

• Closing date: 7th December 2007

• Awareness session: 22nd November 2007

Three day march – Sheffield to Lindholme Detention Centre, Friday 26th – Sunday 28th October 2007. Join the march from the Home Office in Sheffield to the Detention Centre at Lindholme near Doncaster to protest against the treatment of asylum seekers in this country.

• Starts 1:45pm from Ellesmere Green.

The Burngreave Messenger is holding its 7th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Saturday 10th November at the Vestry Hall.

An exciting new training programme aimed at people from across the Burngreave ward who have an active interest in the regeneration of Burngreave either as local activists or as paid workers and who want to become more involved and make more of an impact.

• Closing date for bookings: Friday 9th November 2007.

Two workers with a wealth of experience about childcare opportunities in Sheffield have been recruited as part of a major expansion of the way information services are provided within the city – aiming to ensure that everyone in Sheffield can gain better access to the information they need about services for 0 – 19 years.

A public meeting has been called by Sheffield Defend Council Housing and is to be attended by three local MPs.

Climate change is a global issue but its impact will be felt at a very local level. Instances of extreme weather will become more frequent as a result.