August 2012 Issue 101

Hucklow Primary School smashed their way to victory at the Sheffield ASDA Kwik Cricket City Final on Tuesday 26th June 2012. This all-day event managed to beat the weather and was a great day for the schools that took part.

New football club, Tusaale United have just completed a fantastic season in Sheffield’s amateur leagues, securing several cup victories.

Campaigning mental health group, Maat Probe Group, were recognised by Downing Street in March, with an invitation to London to meet Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

Work on new housing in Ellesmere came to a halt in April after the contractors ceased trading.

The recently-introduced number 72 bus run by First may be withdrawn. The service runs once an hour from the City Centre to Shirecliffe and onto the ASDA store at Parson Cross. The bus is mostly used by students travelling to and from Parkwood Academy and shoppers accessing the supermarket by public transport.

Two recent road incidents on Barnsley Road show it remains a dangerous place.

Big changes to bin collections in Burngreave will take place on Monday 13th August. Black bins will only be emptied once a fortnight instead of weekly. Blue bins and boxes will be emptied on the same day in the alternate weeks.

Cooks Wood Road residents have complained to the Council after land on the street has been turned into a scrap yard for cars.

On Monday 25th June the Olympic torch came to Sheffield. Local resident Abtisam Mohamed was chosen to be one of 8,000 torchbearers in the UK.

Messenger editorial

Head teacher of local school, Firs Hill, has been awarded with an OBE for services to education, as part of the Queen's Birthday Honours.

Dr Patricia Edney left Pitsmoor Surgery on 30th June, after 30 years working in this community. Over the years she has cared for generations of many families and seen countless changes in both the place and its people.

Sheffield City Council has proposed plans to improve Ellesmere Green which are expected to begin in summer 2013.

While Ellesmere Green is being revamped, work will also be carried out by the Council to improve paving and lighting on Spital Hill. Artworks have also been commissioned for the area. These are being funding by the money Tesco must pay to the Council as part of the planning agreement

Ellesmere Green is currently in the news due to the plans for improvement. There will be many people living in, or passing through the area, who are unaware that this was the site of the Wicker Congregational Church.

Parkwood Academy has been praised for its leadership, which OFSTED rated as ‘good’, while overall the school was rated as ‘satisfactory’

On Tuesday 10th July a group of people aged 16 – 25 from the InterAct project launched a DVD they had been working on since February.

Youth work has undergone substantial changes in a move away from universal provision, for anyone, to a targeted approach.

An exciting new cycle track for mountain bikes will open at Parkwood Springs this summer.

Al-Taqwa Mosque on Andover Street is organising an Eid party in Abbeyfield Park on the 18th and 19th of August.

The Shirecliffe Jubilee took place at Busk Meadow Park on Saturday 9th June.

A community family tea party was held at St Peter's Ellesmere to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, with flags, bunting and balloons decorating the building inside and out.

At the Jubilee party at the Methodist Hall, British flags decorated everywhere: ceiling, walls, tables, cups, plates and even faces .

On the Saturday of the Jubilee weekend, the Eden Project in Firvale organised a community litter-pick in Page Hall

The party which took place at Christchurch Vicarage on Monday the 4th of June brought together families, friends and members of the Church on Nottingham Street. The sun shone on the vicarage garden where people celebrated the jubilee.

Abbeyfield park was full of peopleon Sunday 8th July 2012 who came to meet up, to unite with old friends and families and created an harmonious atmosphere.

Ellesmere Children's Centre held their annual multicultural event on 8th June. Manager Sharon Curtis smiles as she tells me about the different national dishes families brought to share: “We had Asian, Caribbean, Spanish, Chinese … so many!”

On 8th July, Reach High 2, the study support project, celebrated another successful end of the year. We were fearful of another monsoon; luckily it was dry all day.

On Wednesday 30th May there was a big celebration for the Queen’s Jubilee at Pye Bank School.

Parents and children went to the Y2 diamond carnival which inspired the children to organise one of their own.

An article about Reema and her football team who began the pye bank girls football club.

The olymipic torch visited sheffield were it was enjoyed and celebrated by the people of sheffield this is only one of those stories.

My great-grandmother is a unique and different person. We don’t speak the same language but her love and smile makes me feel like I understand what she wants to say.

ESOL learners were presented with awards at a ceremony at the Town Hall on 15th May 2012, in recognition of their hard work.

Since September 2011, 25 volunteers have given up their time for a school reading project.

After many years of teaching at Byron wood, Mr. Elgy, Y6 teacher is retiring. He has been a great asset to the school and has taught an outstanding amount of people in every generation.

Byron Wood, Pye Bank and Firs Hill took part in a local Cricket league in July.

A few children were picked to play chess on behalf of each school on Monday 9th July at the very first chess competition which was held at St Catherine’s school.

Story: Nick Edmondson Pexton Grange Care Home have been working with local organistions to help their residents have more contact with the local community.

Story:Andrew Birtwhistle Burngreave ‘Food Bank’ opened on 18th June 2012. It is run by volunteers at the Rock Christian Centre, Carlisle Street and linked to a UK-wide network of over 200 food banks.

Story: Liz Searle Verdon Street Recreation Centre has been transformed by a refurbishment which makes it brighter and better.

Story: Isbah Aslam & Zaina Iqbal On Wednesday 27th June St Catherine’s Primary School held their annual Summer Fair.

Story: Samsam Dhoble | Photos: Lucy Dean & Laura Burn Byron Wood Primary School had a Family Fun Day on 14th June.

Crescent Jubilee Street Party gets patriotic!

Firs Hill School had a Diamond Jubilee Party on Friday 1st June. Children had a picnic lunch and wore clothes in the theme of red white and blue.

George & Brian: Fun & Games – the latest cartoon by Edgar Lowman

News from North East Community Assembly in Burngreave

Summer activities for families, young people and children in Burngreave.

Over 50,000 men from Sheffield took part in the Great War of 1914-18. Those who enrolled (many of them under 18 years of age) saw the war as a great adventure compared to their routine lives which revolved around work during the week and chapel on Sundays. Most had never left the city boundaries, let alone travelled to a foreign country.

Carwood TARA put up the bunting to host their Jubilee party on Saturday 2nd June.

Two coaches of residents enjoyed a trip to Mablethorpe in June, organised by Burngreave Tenants and Residents Association.

BCAF held its AGM on Saturday 23rd June 2012 at Pitsmoor Methodist Church.

Two years ago, local resident Sharon’s back garden wall collapsed. Since then, she has reported the problem to Sheffield Homes and Kier numerous times but the wall is still not fixed. Emily Haimeed met Sharon to talk about the problem…

Valerie Brightman writes to us in reference to our article about Tom Gould, “In the February obituary you stated that Tom had no living relatives. In fact he was my Father's cousin and myself and my Mother were in contact with Tom right up until his death.”

Burngreave Local History Group launched their first book, “Pitsmoor: a Peek into the Past,” in June at Burngreave Library.

Thankfully the sun came out for the annual well-dressing in Burngreave cemetery on Sunday 15th July.

Receptionist required for approximately 12 hours per week afternoons/evenings.

• Salary: negotiable around minumum wage depending on experience (£6.08 per hour)

• Closing date for applications: 3rd August 2012.

Governors of St. Catherine’s are seeking views about conversion to Voluntary Catholic Academy Status.

By popular request the Sheffield Indoor Cricket Centre are starting junior cricket coaching sessions on Tuesday and Sunday mornings.

Details of the upcoming changes to waste collection services.

FREE training courses for EU migrants and refugees in Sheffield!

On 18th July Watoto held the annual Watoto Pre-School graduation celebration to recognise and reward the achievements of thir children for all successfully completing pre-school.