The Town Hall’s reception room was full of Burngreave’s finest on 25th January, as local Councillors, MPs Richard Caborn and David Blunkett and the Lord Mayor presented the Area Panel’s New Year’s Honours.

The community is sick and tired of the rise in drugs and gun crime, and the negativity surrounding its community and young people.

On January 23rd, the Sheffield Star published allegations concerning Burngreave New Deal and reported a call from the local Liberal Democrat leader for New Deal’s Chief Executive to be suspended, and for governance arrangements at Burngreave New Deal to be investigated.

Tesco’s plan for a 10,000m2 store at Spital Hill was approved by Sheffield City Council on 14th January. The store will include 871 parking spaces, a petrol station, car wash, recycling unit and offices. 395 jobs will be created in the Tesco store and a further 175 elsewhere in the development.

The Messenger faces a challenging year. We need to secure additional grant funding to continue the project as it is, but whatever happens we hope to be able to produce six issues this year

Last issue the Messenger highlighted the case of Aman Ali, a refused asylum seeker, who was badly injured and received a massive bill from the Northern General Hospital. This bill has now been written off thanks to the support from his friends.

Sheffield City Council has issued Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) against over 140 Fir Vale homes. Some home owners on Skinnerthorpe Road, Owler Lane, Bagley Road and Barnsley Road will be forced to sell their homes, so that the houses can be knocked down, as part of the Burngreave and Fir Vale Masterplan.

Some local people have criticised the new crossings recently installed on Burngreave Road and Spital Hill as part of the Better Buses scheme.

A new ‘Boy and Bird’ sculpture can be seen waving at you as you travel down Rutland Road, prompting some phone calls to find out what it all means.

Two Sheffield residents’ groups joined Cookswood residents in expressing anger at the Council, who sold the land under their homes at auction.

Report on the Streetworx Youth Conference held on Saturday 8th December 2007 at the Vestry Hall in Burngreave.

The new MEND project (Mind, Exercise, Nutrition, Do It) is designed to help children improve their fitness and lose weight.

Two meetings to consult the public about the proposals to transfer Parkwood School to an Academy were well attended

Parkwood’s recent OFSTED report is full of praise: a letter to the students from the lead inspector says that their positive attitude and enthusiastic learning go to make it a good school.

16 year old Kadie-Anne of the Burngreave Youth Council was invited to No.10 Downing Street by MP Richard Caborn and Prime Minister Gordon Brown to attend a reception on 16th January.

The Messenger went to visit Burngreave residents Andrew Martin and Nahid Aziz, in order to find out more about their work at Community Action Halfway, a voluntary sector provider of mental health services.

On Monday 21st January at Christ Church Pitsmoor, the Martin Luther King Junior Planning Group organised an event, reminding us how wonderful Martin Luther King was and how his war for freedom, justice and equality began.

Burngreave residents Suria Saleh, Sagr Abdullafeheh Ali Al-Afif and Farana Akhtar have graduated from Sheffield Hallam University. They set the agenda by encouraging students from all ages and backgrounds to consider higher education as an option.

Six young people will have the opportunity to train as youth workers over the next three months, through a new project by Streetworx called Hope.

Local student, Salim Omar has recently been recognised for his outstanding academic achievements at a special awards ceremony held by the European Social Fund.

On the 6th December at Firs Hill Primary School, Jonathan Crossley-Holland, Director of Children’s and Young Peoples Directorate opened his very first lavatory!

Page Hall Community Association was formed in 2005 when a group of residents came together to fight the Council’s plan to knock down their homes. Since then they have seized the opportunity to do positive things for the area.

It was a spectacular evening of celebration, inspiration, remembrance and charity at the Magna Centre on Sunday 13th January. Over 1000 people attended the largest gathering of Muslims in South Yorkshire, organised by Iqra Promotions on Owler Lane.

“Hope” is a national Christian event to celebrate New Year. It involves seven days of constant prayer, with people attending as much or as little as they like during that time. Each city in the UK has a Church acting as a focal point and, this year, the Rock Christian Centre on Carlisle Street hosted Hope 08 for Sheffield.

An attack of vandalism that led to an explosion on Grimesthorpe allotments has caused outrage amongst its members and staff.

John Gilpin, Woodlands Project Officer, responds to comments made in our November 2007 issue regarding Roe Woods and Crabtree Pond.

Latest news from Green City Action, including:

• Harleston Street big spring clean

• FREE Gardening services available now

• Compost Bin Sale

News from Burngreave New Deal for Communities including:

Latest news from the Area Co-ordinator for the Burngreave Area Panel.

The Burngreave Community Action Forum was established in 1997, to be the voice of influence for the community and communities in Burngreave. The Forum has had a difficult time in recent years. Its managing organisation, Burngreave Community Action Trust, collapsed in 2006 with the loss of it’s funding and the staff team. Now with their new Development Manager, Steve Gayle, and administrator Daniel Stanley there is a possibility of new life for our community forum.

Burngreave has come to be known as one of the most diverse and tolerant districts within Sheffield. In the recent book, “Burngreave Voices”, it is quoted as being “alive, friendly and welcoming”. Its diverse and multicultural background is unique to Sheffield.

Mid season football review of Burngreave Saints, Earl marshall and Burngreave and Canklow football clubs in Burngreave

From February, Activity Sheffield’s Pitsmoor Adventure Playground will be holding a FREE special event once a month, including: Under 5s area launch party, Easter party.

News from the Community Forestry team, with details of upcoming events.

Sheffield Funding Fair, Thursday 13th March 2008. Meet funders and get advice from support organisations.The event is free and there is no need to book in advance.

The aim of the Community Warden Service is to improve the quality of life in your area.

Landlords… Have you heard how Sheffield City Council (SCC) can help you? FREE Hallam University Landlords for Excellence course – new course starts April 08.

The Health Education Employment Training event, aimed at young people locally and city wide on Saturday 1st March 2008.

Looking for work? Working but want a change? Want to start a course? Want to start your own business? 2008 is your year for change – open day Tuesday 13th February.

A local resident's view of the former Prime-Minister of Pakistan: Benazir Bhutto after the recent assasination on 27th December 2007.

Listing of just the articles found in the printed (and PDF) February 2008 edition of the Burngreave Messenger.

List of articles exclusive to the website in February 2008, not to be found in the print or PDF edition.

Local resident, Maureen Griffiths, urges residents to join the march against gun crime and negativity towards young people, on 15th March 2008.

The Seventh Day Adventist Church on Andover Street celebrates its Christmas with people facing or experiencing homelessness.

The nationally-tested Young Advisors scheme is to be introduced into Burngreave by the Streetworx youth project. Young Advisors are young people who are trained to advise key organisations on how to make their policies ‘young people friendly.’

Activities for young people during the half term holidays with Streetworx.

One to one training for cyclists began this month to encourage and enable more people to cycle more safely.

Burngreave Community Action Forum hold their Annual General Meeting, and quarterly forum meeting – Saturday 2nd February 2008. New Deal's John Clark is questioned about what New Deal is up to.

Residents remain concerned after a shots were fired at a house on Firshill Road late on Monday 21st January, 2008. No one was injured and no arrests have been made.

Art, football and basketball activites over the half-term programme, plus fun activities looking at how to solve arguments followed by a free trip to Xscape, and aerial assault course and bowling.

Burngreave seminars due to take place at New Roots Shop on Spital Hill in February and March.

An event entitled, “World Against War” will take place on 16th February 2008.

Burngreave New Deal's management was effectively slated at the full meeting of Sheffield City Council on Wednesday 6th February, as all parties called for an investigation into its activities.

A letter about the Tesco development from Tim Woolliscroft, exclusive to the website.

• £26,900 – £29,600 per annum

• Closing date: 03/03/08

• Salary: £12,100 – £13,500 per annum

• Closing date: 10/03/08

Salary: £13,900 – £15,500 per annum Closing date: 10/03/08

Salary: £15,100 – £17,100 per annum

• Closing date: 10/03/08

Six people, including two women from Pitsmoor, have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder.

The newly-refurbished Vestry Hall hosted an intimate performance of the newly reworked “A Handful of Henna”, on Tuesday 5th February. Evocative and enchanting, the players presented a story of homecoming, reunion, adventure and identity.

Salary: £18,907 – £22,845

• Closing date Thursday 28th February

Forum House, located at the bottom of Spital Hill close to the junction with The Wicker, provides employment and training resources for people who live in the Burngreave area.

Building on the success of previous events organised by the Black and minority Ethnic Business Forum, we would like to invite you to our annual showcase evening. The BME Forum has grown significantly over the last two and a half years and provides the ideal opportunity to network with other members of the and meet with the Forum to discover how it can help you and your business.

The Messenger has changed its email address. You can now contact us on mail@burngreavemessenger.org. Please update your contacts lists/address books.