March 2015 Issue 115

Since the Messenger’s last print edition in October the council’s contractor M3 has begun the Spital Hill improvement scheme, intended to revitalise the appearance of the shop fronts.

In our last print issue in October, we reported that the sculptures that form part of the Spital Hill improvements were to be installed by the end of the month. The eagle-eyed among you may have noticed they still aren't there.

The Burngreave Messenger is back!

Crabtree Ponds are designated as a Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust Nature Reserve. On 12th January a meeting took place for local people to discuss future plans for the reserve with Rob Miller and Sarah Sidgwick from the Trust.

Burngreave TARA continues to offer ‘feeling good’ activities for women at Verdon Recreation Centre during term-time.

Local woman Kate Thomas is a volunteer who has set up an ‘Out and About’ course to help groups of women learn how to get around the city, and to give them the confidence to explore outside of the local area. Kate has been running courses for many years now, and says, “I like introducing people to new places and I like meeting people.”

The Queen is visiting Sheffield Cathedral on Maundy Thursday, 2nd April 2015, and we were delighted to find out that our very own Derwent Levick is going to be one of the recipients recognised by the Queen with an award of Maundy money.

The origins of Royal Maundy go back a long way in history. King John was the first monarch recorded as giving alms to the poor at a Maundy service in 1210.

Sheffield City Council has released figures about its selective licensing scheme in Page Hall.

Burngreave resident, Martin Obodo, is a man with a vision. He is working hard to develop an inspired local ‘Aquapon’ project which has a clear focus on benefits for the community and the environment in Burngreave. His basic aim is for local people to tend vegetable boxes and then share the produce with others.

On 23rd December 2014 Burngreave Foodbank fed our 5,000th customer since opening in June 2012. There was no fanfare or gold-plated tin of food because we didn't know the date until we checked later!

The Wensley TARA are planning to hold many events at the end of March/beginning of April to keep people busy in the Easter holidays.

The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) are creating many community-based projects. They are now looking for volunteers to help at the Pitsmoor Scout Hut on Holtwood Road with a community garden with fruit trees and a space for growing food.

This group is for women who have suffered or suffering from domestic abuse to come and talk to like-minded people, forget about the past and have fun.

Due to the popularity of this session, classes will continue up until the start of Ramadan. Activities are tailored to participants’ fitness levels. The tutor has previously done activities such as aerobics, circuits, floor work on mats, resistance bands, Zumba, and weights.

Local mental health charity, SAGE Greenfingers, is bouncing out of a long period of funding uncertainty with two large grants secured at the end of 2014.

The Sheffield City Council programme has received another year's funding until April 2016, so we can continue funding Health Development Worker Somshun Nessa and the activities and groups she has established.

The chronic pain group has been well attended with women from local surgeries and self-referrals. The group is supported by Somshun and Page Hall Practice Champions Glynnis and Nasra. This has been a great opportunity for people who suffer from chronic pain to get together and share tips on managing pain, discuss pacing, relaxation and stress relief. We now fund a professional masseuse to come monthly for personalised massages.

Ellesmere youth project promotes confidence and mutual respect

The Dementia? welcome! cafe has volunteer projects for people with dementia

Sheffield Green Commission met in Burngreave Vestry Hall on 12th February 2015

Recent activities at Pitsmoor Adventure Playground

Owler brook Primary gains ‘outstanding’ report after OFSTED inspection

Ellesmere Children's Centre has received an ‘outstanding’ Ofsted inspection

Byron Wood school has its own newspaper, The Byron Wood Bugle.

Bert Holmshaw spent his early childhood years in the Burngreave area and Bert’s sister, Macyl Holmshaw, who died of diphtheria at the age of six, is buried in Burngreave Cemetery.

Over the next two years Abbeyfield Park House will host a programme including an artist placement and workshops about the Victorian thinker and artist John Ruskin

Burngreave’s local history group which meets monthly in St Catherine’s School on Firshill Crescent is now working on a follow up to ‘Pitsmoor a Peek into the past’.

Councillor Surgeries Local councillors, Jackie Drayton, Ibrar Hussain and Talib Hussain (top to bottom) share surgeries on a rota basis.

Dr Aileen Adams writes from Cambridge about her father Dr Joseph Adams who lived at 189 Grimesthorpe Road – the doctor's surgery.

As part of their work in Page Hall, PACA (Pakistan Advice and Community Association) have undertaken a community mediation project bringing together diverse members of the community to look at a positive future for Page Hall.

Pitsmoor Road Neighbourhood Watch group met on Monday 9th February

The council have announced that the roadworks now taking place at the bottom of Rock Street are part of the Bridgehouses traffic management scheme, which is designed to improve journey times for buses and improve traffic flow on the ring road.

TED talks began in 1984 at a conference on Technology, Entertainment and Design, and aim to make great ideas accessible over a worldwide network, shared by some of the most influential and powerful people on the planet. TEDx events are run independently by communities around the world.

Plans have come up again for new housing to be built on the greenfield site known as Stanley Fields, but not including ‘affordable’ homes

The toddler group at the Welcome Centre continues to meet every Wednesday during term-time in the Welcome Centre on Nottingham Street, from 9.30 to 11.30 am

How to register for voting in the general and local elections on 7th May

Between editions of the Burngreave Messenger, you can keep up to date with all local events and news by visiting our website. You can even subscribe to a free daily update of what’s on and what's happening

These sessions,involving varied activities takeplace at St Cuthbert’s, Barnsley Road, Fir Vale on Wednesdays from 10.30am to 1.30pm.