August 2009 issue 83

Abbeyfield Multicultural Festival brought thousands of people to celebrate in Abbeyfield Park on a hot summer day in July. Includes galleries of photos.

Watoto Preschool are celebrating a ‘good’ Ofsted report with areas of ‘outstanding’ exceptional quality.

Alice Ingham of Fox Street died on 1st July 2009 aged 93. Alice featured in the Messenger in September 2005, when she told us about her life in Pitsmoor, where she had lived all her life.

Violent crime has featured in the Messenger too often in its 10-year history.

Heavy rainfall on 10th June caused extensive damage to the main hall at the Vestry Hall. Repairs will be carried out at the Vestry Hall over the summer holidays, the costs will be covered by the insurance.

Two years ago, the Wicker was flooded, causing extensive damage to businesses and disruption to everyone. The clean-up operation took huge resources and many businesses have still not fully recovered.

On 11th June, the Council’s Scrutiny Board met for a final post-mortem into what went wrong with the Council’s Accountable Body role with Burngreave New Deal and what could be learnt for the future.

Following months of campaigning by local resident, John Duignan, on the maintenance of Burngreave Cemetery, Bereavement Services have agreed to hold a public meeting.

Parking continues to be a daily nightmare for residents near the Northern General. The Council put in place an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order in March 2009, which means the Council can try parking restrictions to see how well they work.

Byron Wood was the first school in our area to confirm cases of swine flu. Since then it has become more widespread but the health authority tells people not to panic.

Residents are again complaining about rubbish dumped on the land at Grimesthorpe owned by developer Redwall.

The sun shone on 31st May, the annual Environment Day in Abbeyfield Park, generating the event's best turnout yet. Many of the regular stalls and activities were on display, with seedlings and hanging baskets on sale and plenty of information available about green issues such as recycling and composting. The bike doctors were kept very busy as residents brought their bikes out and made the most of the lovely weather!

The Firh Park Festival took place on 28th June, on a gloriously sunny day in the middle of the recent heat wave. Residents frok the surrounding areas took full advantage of the beauatiful weather to cokme together and celebrate in a day filled with music, activities, information and fun.

Firshill Community Primary School booked a bouncy castle, made some cakes and had a summer fair

Wood’s Family Fun Day took place. The weather was great and everyone came out to support the school and have some fun!

Parkwood School’s summer do was a funfilled and well-attended day.

A marvellous day of gathering for all the refugees and asylum seekers from all over Burngreave and Sheffield was held on 19th June in the familiar atmosphere of SADACCA.

On 15th June ESOL learners from Whiteways School received certificates for completing entry level one, two and three in English.

Dave Havard lives and works in New Roots in Burngreave. He and other staff welcome many different people in the café and help them with many things. Dave visited our class and we asked him questions about his life and work in Burngreave.

DJ Samosa (aka Farhan Ahmed) hits the keyboard to tell all you lovely readers out there that the one and only BCR radio is on the air.

Three-part harmonies wafted from the Welcome Centre as I approached Christ Church to visit the Tuesday afternoon singing group run by SAGE Greenfingers. Josephine, Lorna, Hazel, Barbara, Carol, Cynthia, Diana and tutors Helen and Kate made me welcome and invited me to join them in singing ‘Rosa Parks’ which they were rehearsing.

On the evening of Friday 3rd July, “Jazzmotic”, a local five-piece jazz collective, played the first of a series of gigs at SADACCA.

On Monday 29th June 2009 St Catherine’s School held a Heritage Week to celebrate our school getting bigger

We are a small group of people who live on Firshill estate in Sheffield.

The AGM of Firshill Tenants and Residents Association (TARA) on 16th June at St Catherine’s School was very well attended, with local residents able to question the Fire Service, Police, Sheffield Homes, and local councillors.

A summary of the various events taking place over the summer

On July 16th last year a local support group, ‘Dementia? Welcome! Cafe’ was born. The group believes that living with dementia can, and should, include joy in life and a sense of community. The group is made up of volunteers, some with dementia, and professionals with experience in coping with the disease

The new Anglican Bishop of Sheffield, Dr Steven Croft, visited Burngreave in June. Speak at Christ #Church, Pitsmoor, Bishop Steven said, ‘The Christian church is the community called into being by Jesus. And we are called to be like him, not full of ourselves and our own achievements but full of our need of God – it's a big call and a holy one’.

Carwood TARA held another of their Hanging Basket Days on 6th June. Despite the poor weather, people turned out to have their empty baskets refilled with an abundance of colourful plants, all for only £5.00.

Buckley-Greaves, recently had one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences; she went to Buckingham Palace to receive an MBE for 50 years of service for black and ethnic minority communities in Sheffield. Having been included in the New Year’s honours list, she finally got her chance to go to the palace and receive her award on the 11th June.

In July 1999 the first issue of the Burngreave Messenger was put together by volunteers, who were “determined that it would be the property of local people and reflect their views.”

Last issue we marked a hundred years of Abbeyfield Park as a public park. This issue residents share their memories of the park over the last 70 years.

Water has been pouring into the Abbeyfield House during the recent heavy rain, due to a leaking roof which the Council has failed to fix.

Staff wore fancy dress as the festivities began at Ellesmere Young Children’s Centre’s annual Multicultural Event on Friday June 26th.

June 23rd saw the fourth Annual General Meeting of South Yorkshire Women’s Development Trust. The Trust’s Women In Non-Traditional Trades and Technologies project (WINTT) is based in The Women’s Construction Centre at 21 Buckenham Street.

The latest news from Burngreave Community Action forum. Including:

• Decision Time

• Transition Burngreave

The latest news from BiG – Make it Your Business.

An update from the BNDfC Executive Manager, Ann Allen.

News from the first North East Community Assembly meeting. Including Councillors' Surgery Dates.

The Special Olympics GB National Summer Games taking place from 25th – 31st July, will host the 21 sports on the Special Olympic programme. Training hard for the Equestrian event at the High Hopes Riding for the Disabled centre, based at Rockley Abbey Farm near Barnsley, is Pitsmoor boy Ryan Martinwood, aged 14 with his horse Trigger.

The Parents and families of local football club, Earl Marshall Juniors, filled the Steel City Community Club in Shiregreen, to celebrate the season’s success at their annual Presentation Night.

The annual end of the year celebrations of the Arabic Language School took place on the 25th June and the event was hailed as the most successful ever.

A new development for Spital Hill; it’s first dedicated travel agency.

The Burngreave Messenger is looking for an Office Administrator for a maternity cover.

• Hours: 10 per week

• Salary: £16,941 pro rata

Could an Age Concern advocate help you get your voice heard, sort out your housing or finances, your treatment or any other issue that is worrying you?

Enrolment is on the 1st of September 2009

Come and try out the new climbing boulder, and take part in an afternoon of fun activities: Tuesday 28th July 2009.

Come and join Shiloh United Church of Christ in their Holy Convocation from 21 – 26 July 2009.

Various games and activities, FREE Thursday 30th July 11am-5pm.

The Sheffield Stop Smoking Service has trained stop smoking advisers ready to give you information on nicotine replacement products and other aids to stopping smoking and provide support to you after you have stopped smoking.

Carnival Activities and children's events on 1st August 2009 at Watoto Preschool.

Guide to photo galleries in the August 2009 issue.