Jim Bruce

Jim is well recognised around Pitsmoor. He’s one of the Street Force lengthsmen that patrols Scott Rd, Abbeyfield Rd, Barnsley Rd, Grimesthorpe Rd and the roads off. Not just his beard, but also his yellow jacket, his stick, his barrow…..and his character. Jim hasn’t always been a lengthsmen, so called because they were originally given a ‘length’ to look after…. Since living in Sheffield, Jim’s been a student in a variety of guises at the university and latterly, worked for the Wildlife Trust as one of their investigators for the Burngreave Green Audit which looked at all our wild and precious pieces of open land, formal parks and bits of woodland.

What does the work entail? Sweeping streets, picking up rubbish and putting it in black bags at various collection points; reporting any big problems to Street Force; being an agent for environmental improvement. The proposer says that he’s known Jim for about two years – since he took over his role, “the area in which Jim now works had a very bad litter problem…since Jim took over his present role, there has been a dramatic and very noticeable improvement in the cleanliness and environmental condition of the neighbourhood”.

It’s not only Jim’s conscientious and thorough attitude towards his work – it’s the way he is so widely known and respected by all local residents. And the fact that Jim characterises so well the awareness of what a “clean and well kept environment means for the morale and sense of well being for the wider community” as his proposer said.

We have been told:

“I think particularly of Scott Road – a busy bus route with several local shops and a well-used route to local schools. Previously, this was a most untidy and run down road with excessive amounts of litter. Jim’s work in the area has resulted in a dramatic and consistent improvement in the appearance of the streets he is responsible for. His diligence and loyalty deserves recognition”.

Lastly, two other aspects of Jim’s local involvement and knowledge. First, his role as a local resident ion drawing attention to the despoiling of the land at the side of Grimesthorpe Road by ‘developer’ including their vandalism of the trees and the site. Secondly, when the diggers moved onto Grimesthorpe Rd for the new surface and footpath, who was it that alerted South Yorkshire Archaeological Service to the fact that this work – so close to our Roman Ridge – might unearth some evidence about the beginnings of this ancient monument? Jim Bruce! So in addition to the honour, here is a copy of the archaeological report on the Grimesthorpe Road evacuations.