Issue 107 Heatwave for Abbeyfield Festival · face-painting, clothes stalls, health activities, Romana Jilo dancers, community groups, the Rock Christian Centre, barbecue, cold drinks,

Voice of the Burngreave Community

Issue 107 • August 2013 • Free to everyone in Burngreave www.burngreavemessenger.org

Heatwave forAbbeyfield FestivalAbbeyfield Park Multicultural Festival on the 7th July,was a relaxed community event, describe by oneresident as, “So good, no one wanted to go home.”

The Festival was full of...bongos, ice creams, jerk chicken, henna,MC Nige, belly dancers, sunshine, sound systems, scouts,tombolas, tea and cake, steel drummers, Shiloh church Choir,face-painting, clothes stalls, health activities, Romana Jilodancers, community groups, the Rock Christian Centre, barbecue,cold drinks, arts and crafts, tight-rope walking, balloon art,patties … and sunshine!

A massive effort went in to organising the festival, according toco-ordinators Richard Belbin, Bilal Khan and Jon Watts and theywanted to thank everyone who helped on the day.

Summer Activities: See pages 12 & 13

Photos by Anwar Sulimanexcept top right by

Nicholaus Hall

2 BURNGREAVE MESSENGER

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ISSUE 107 • AUGUST 2013 3

Copy deadline: 11th SeptemberPublished: 28th September

Burngreave Messenger Ltd,Abbeyfield Park House,Abbeyfield Road, Sheffield S4 7AT.

Tel: (0114) 242 0564

[email protected]

www.burngreavemessenger.orgMes

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The Burngreave Messenger is acommunity newspaper with editorialindependence, funded by the Big Lottery,local residents and our advertisers.Registered Charity: 1130836

All content is copyright BurngreaveMessenger Ltd or its voluntarycontributors, not to be reproducedwithout permission. We aim to increaseand encourage communication inBurngreave. Each edition is put togetherby an editorial team who write articlesnot otherwise credited.

This issue’s team: Rohan Francis,

Douglas Johnson, Jamie Marriott,

John Mellor, Suzi Miller, Lisa Swift

Proofing and editing: Aishah Baroo,

Fran Belbin, Richard Belbin,

Gaynor Carr, Saleema Imam, Liz Searle,

Robert Shaw, Julia Shergold, Tim Neal.

Supporting the

Burngreave Messenger

Thank you to local residents who havesupported the Messenger with donationsin the last year. It is much appreciatedand makes a big difference to us. TheMessenger also relies on its advertisers,many for whom have been supporting usfaithfully for many years.

Advertising and donations income makesup a third of the Messenger’s income andalongside our funders helps us can keepour community newspaper free,independent and for the benefit of thelocal community.

If you would like to support theMessenger with a donation or an advert,please get in touch on 242 0564,[email protected]

Man killed on

Andover Street Bahman Yusif Amin was seriouslyassaulted and killed on the cornerof Andover Street and MontfortDrive at around 7pm on Monday17th June 2013.

Eye witnesses said the attack followed anargument between three Kurdish men..Children and young people attendingstudies at the nearby mosque are said tohave witnessed the attack, and teachersand other local residents had to call thepolice.

Armed police attended the scene andarrested 38-year-old Nawzad Kamal inthe Montfort Drive flats at around

8.20pm. Bahman Yusif Amin, aged 33,was taken to hospital where policeconfirm he had passed away. Police havecharged Nawzad Kamal with the murderof Bahman Yusif Amin.

Road works delayRoad resurfacing works in PageHall have been delayed by about6 weeks.

Owler Lane, Rushby St and Carlisle St arenow due to be closed for roadworks inAugust instead of the planned dates inJune and July. Amey, the roadworkscontractor, said this is because of work tothe electricity supply in the area.

New energy-efficient street lighting hasbeen installed on Burngreave Rd.

The revised dates are:

• Gower St

17–21 July

• Burngreave Rd and Spital Hill

22–31 July

• Owler Lane and Rushby St

2–12 August

• Carlisle St

13–20 August

Work to improve Ellesmere Green,

announced in 2011, is finally due to run

from September to December this year.

Khat to become

illegalThe government has announcedplans to make Khat illegal laterthis year.

Khat is a plant, which when chewed,

releases a mild stimulant; it grows in

countries such as Somalia, Yemen and

Ethiopia. It is imported into the UK and

is sold in many local shops, particularly

on Spital Hill.

On 3rd July the Home Secretary Theresa

May, announced the plans in Parliament,

stating the key reason for a ban was the

illegality of Khat in other European

countries, she said

“The government will ban khat so thatwe can protect vulnerable members of ourcommunities and send a clear message toour international partners and khatsmugglers that the UK is serious aboutstopping the illegal trafficking of khat.”

The Home Secretary has ignored the

advice of the Advisory Council on the

Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) who

recommended against the ban stating:

“In summary the ACMD considers thatthe harms of khat does not reach thelevel required for classification.Therefore, the ACMD recommend that thestatus of khat is not changed.”

ACMD recommends that education and

prevention initiatives are the best way to

prevent harmful misuse of Khat. It also

states there is no evidence the UK is a

hub for trafficking Khat to countries

where it is banned.

The Messenger has previously reported

on the divided opinion locally on Khat

use. A ban will certainly have an impact

on local residents. We would like to hear

your views, contact the Messenger on

242 0564, [email protected]

A copy of the ACMD report can be found

here: https://www.gov.uk/government/

publications/khat-report-2013

Friends and family placed tributesand messages at the murder scene


Story: Rohan Francis

The Council has announceddetails of its consultation intoSelective Licensing in Page Hall,which began early in July.

Selective Licensing is used by localcouncils to manage the quality ofprivately rented housing in an area. Extralegal powers can be granted to theCouncil if the area in question hassuffered from low housing demand orsignificant anti-social behaviourproblems.

The Council must first consult the wholecommunity. The period of consultationhas been confirmed to run until 18thSeptember.

Housing officers have already announceda series of events including visitingresidents and businesses, sending outleaflets and delivering questionnaires.The first public consultation meeting tookplace as the Messenger went to print onthe 18th July at Fir Vale School. See boxfor further consultation dates.

Once consultation is finished a report willbe sent to the Council's Cabinet whomake the decision on whether or not tointroduce Selective Licensing. It is notexpected to be in force until April 2014.

For more information aboutSelective Licensing contact theCouncil's Private Sector HousingTeam on 205 3335 or email:[email protected]

Page Hall’s Big Clean UpStory: Muneebah Waheed | Photos: Sheffield City Council

As regular readers of the Messenger will know, therehas been an ongoing problem of litter in Page Hall.Concerns have been addressed to the Council,asking when something will be done to tackle theissue.

The Council responded bylaunching a week of action to‘educate, involve and supportthe local community’ on theissue of litter. Local residentsand various communitygroups were invited to cleanand collect rubbish from thestreets of Page Hall.Information packs explainingappropriate methods ofrecycling and disposing ofhousehold waste weredistributed amongst localresidents.

Dean Fearon from SheffieldCity Council spoke to theMessenger about the week of action, saying:

“We visited 600 properties with information about what to dowith your rubbish and, working with the community, wecollected more than 60 tonnes of bulky waste. More than 100

members of all parts of the community have helped with litterpicking and cleaning the streets.”

As part of the preparation, local schools were also visited toeducate young people about the importance of recycling andkeeping the streets clean.

However, some local residents are worried the litter will return ifnot monitored closely by the Council. A local resident told us: “Itlooks much better now as they have done a good job this time,but let’s hope it lasts.” Other residents feel that a long termsolution is needed and that the Council should continue theireducational activities.

At the end of the week nearly 100 local residents signed a pledgeat the Pakistani Advice Centre (PACA) to become involved inregular litter picks and other projects to keep the localcommunity clean. Miroslav Sandor, from PACA, said: “It’s beenamazing. I'm glad to be working with Amey and the Council onthis. All the community have been involved and we are going tokeep working on this issue.”

David Blunkett MP also commented, saying: “Congratulations forthe enormous achievement and for the work and leadership inmaking this week happen. Thank you to the workforce of theCouncil, Amey and Veolia for collecting all the rubbish. It's aboutthe community working together, caring about the area andmaking a fit place to live and for children to play.”

Selective Licensing consultation announcedConsultation dates

Thursday 25th July,11am-2pm and 6.30-8pmDrop in event at Pakistan Advice andCommunity Association (PACA),Page Hall Road.

Thursday 1st August, 11am-2pmLandlord meeting at PACA.

Thursday 8th August, 11am-2pmDrop in event at PACA.

Thursday 15th August, 5-7pmPublic Consultation Meeting atFir Vale School.

Wednesday 18th Sept Close of consultation.


Court date for nurseriesStory: Douglas Johnson, Sheffield Law Centre

Parents of Fir Vale Pre School have won the first roundof their legal challenge to the Council’s decision tocut funding to their nursery, after a High Court Judgeruled in their favour.

The mothers are trying to get the grants reinstated by arguingthat the Council acted unlawfully. Without the grants, the judgeheard of the “significant loss of service and probable closure ofnurseries.” Sheffield Law Centre is representing the women.

Although there are four named women in the case – the court hasordered their names to be kept confidential – the case affectsparents at over 20 centres across Sheffield. This includesEllesmere Children’s Centre, Watoto Pre-School and TheMeadows at Shirecliffe, which recently announced it, would close.

All the nurseries are in the deprived areas of Sheffield where

there are not enough parents in regular work to make a nurseryrun on a commercial basis.

Without adequate childcare, parents cannot work or train andchildren miss out on development and learning. The Counciloften states that the early years of a child’s life are the mostimportant ones that affect future life chances.

The nurseries are also important community organisations intheir own right. They were often built up by local women facedwith the lack of childcare in the community. They provide bothformal and informal support.

Parents from the Meadows at Shirecliffe brought their ownpetition to the Council meeting on Wednesday 3rd July. Thenursery is to close after plans for a school to take it over fellthrough. The issue also came up at a Council scrutiny meeting on4th July but councillors voted against any proposals to assist thenurseries.

The case is now going to a 2-day hearing in the High Court inManchester on 29th and 30th July.

Children’s centrecloses at Owler BrookStory: Muneebah Waheed

The Children’s centre situated inOwler Brook School is due toclose at the end of July. Parentsare expected to now use facilitiesat the Burngreave Children’sCentre or at the Earl MarshalYouth Centre.

The Children’s centre has been a pivotalpart of the community, with manyparents using the facilities to receive help

and advice. The centre also providedcrucial interaction with new mothers at asensitive time.

One parent commented on the closuresaying “It’s a pity to see a purpose builtbuilding go to waste. The centre hasbenefited so many people.” Others alsofelt the same:

“The Centre has provided me with a lotof support at a time when I needed it themost. I can’t believe it’s closing.” UzmaMohammed.

“The building was specifically built forthe Children’s Centre. Everyone feelscomfortable here and it has helped somany people. By relocating, some won’tbe able to receive the important help andadvice.” Parveen.

Claire Shaw, Senior Learning Mentor atOwler Brook School, said,

“Its going to be difficult for the familieswe work with, they are under a lot ofpressure and the loss of the Children’sCentre will leave a lot of familiesvulnerable. The Children’s Centre servicesallows us to build relationships withparents before their children start school,which means they are more confidentwith us and this gives us a head start inidentifying children’s needs.”

The Council issued a statement on theclosing of the children’s centre, saying“Local parents and carers will be able toget advice, information and support fromOwler Brook as an outreach centre withinthe Burngreave Children’s Centre Area.”

Fir Vale primary approvedStory: Rohan Francis | Image: Bond Bryan Architects

Council planning officers have given the go aheadfor the construction of a new primary school in FirVale. Planning permission was granted on July 3rd,nine months after officers first announced theproposals.

Construction of the school can now begin at the site onSkinnerthorpe Road, with building work planned to start thisSeptember and the school completed and open in time for thestart of the new academic year in 2014.

The development, which will occupy a vacant stretch of landbetween Fir Vale School and the back of shops on Owler Lane,features a two storey teaching block, a single storey space forstaff, learning activities, school meals, sports and community useand outdoor sports pitches.

Local residents and businesses have raised concerns over certainaspects of the school plans, including the closure ofSkinnerthorpe Road, which currently provides parking for peopleusing Owler Lane shops. Residents have petitioned the Councilto retain space for parking within the proposals, but there are noplans to do this.

Another concern is the proposed closure of pedestrian accessalong Skinnerthorpe Road, which is used by Fir Vale Secondarypupils going between school and Barnsley Road. This routecurrently provides an alternative to walking along Rushby Streetand Owler Lane, which has very high volumes of daytime traffic.Suggested solutions, including the construction of a pedestrianfootpath alongside the existing boundary with Fir Vale secondaryschool, have been put forward. Local Councillors said options arebeing explored to see if it would be possible to retain a pedestrianroute.

For more details search for planning application number13/01483/RG3 on the Council planning website:http://publicaccess.sheffield.gov.uk/online-applications/


March for DignityStory: Lisa Swift | Photo: John Mellor

Demonstrators gathered at Ellesmere Green on 26thJune in a March for Dignity for Asylum Seekers.

Local residents joined other campaigners from across the city towalk from Ellesmere Green to the City Hall. The aim of the smallmarch was to raise awareness of the poor treatment of asylumseekers in the UK, and to remind people that they are hereseeking sanctuary.

Local resident Victor Mujakachi was on the march, he has been inThe United Kingdom for 10 years and seeking asylum for 6 yearsafter he could not return to Zimbabwe safely. He explained to theMessenger why the march for dignity was needed.

“The march was in response to tightening immigration rules bythe coalition government and cuts to legal aid funding to asylumappeal cases. And there has been a rise in anti-immigrationfeelings in the general public which also affects asylum seekers.”

“Asylum seekers are not people who come here to depend onwelfare, they are displaced people who have no choice but to behere. The march was about raising people’s awareness of theseissues, so they know some of the information from the mainstream media is wrong. Asylum issues should be separate from

immigration issues. By changing attitudes we hope this will leadto a change in government policy eventually.

“At the moment the initial asylum process can take about 6months, during this time people get support which includesaccommodation (separate to all other housing budgets andsystems) with a small weekly allowance. If their claim isrejected, all support is removed. Many people cannot go back towhere they have come from and the government leaves them tobe destitute, because we are not allowed to work and we are notentitled to any benefits. This is where ASSIST and similarcharity organisations come in and help people who becomedestitute and homeless.”

“In some cases the government recognises it is not safe for peopleto go back, for example there is no safe passage to Eritrea. Therewas also a time when The U K government took a moral policyagainst deportation of Zimbabweans, but their asylum claimswere still refused even though it is not safe to send any one back.Despite these rulings the government still rejects people’s claims.No one understands why the Home Office operates like this.There are even cases of one family member being given asylumbut others being rejected without explanation when theircircumstances are similar.

“Asylum claimants are less than 3 % of total immigration in theUK. In fact the UK ranks very low in the league of tables ofcountries hosting asylum seekers. The countries with a largenumber of asylum seekers are Pakistan and South Africa. Themainstream media does not provide this information insteadthey project the UK as a magnet for asylum seekers from all overthe world.. They are people who are traumatised and runningaway from terrible things and they should be treated with careand support.” Instead, they end up in an open prison of extremeuncertainty and suffering that is if they are not re-detained.

You can help by getting involved with organisations like:

South Yorkshire Migration and Asylum Action Grouphttp://www.symaag.org.uk/

ASSIST http://www.assistsheffield.org.uk/

City of Sanctuary http://www.cityofsanctuary.org/

Memorable exhibition of

Chilean patchworkStory & photo:Tim Neal

June saw an exhibition of patchworks, the arpilleras,at Abbeyfield House. These rich creations made bymembers of the Chilean community in Sheffield, andfurther afield, emerged in response to the tragedyand loss suffered by the then refugees from thePinochet regime.

They were a form of psychological healing for the Chileans at thetime and the exhibition allowed us to share some of theirmemories and the pain.

Roberta Bacic, researcher and curator of arpilleras from theUniversity of Ulster brought work made by Chileans both fromIreland and Chile. There were many members of the SheffieldChilean community present at the opening as well as many ofthose men and women from Sheffield who befriended andsupported them over those difficult years.

Helen Jackson, ex MP for Hillsborough and their long time

friend, gave a moving testimony to the resilience of the Chileans.The spirit of welcome shown to them, she noted, was stillreflected in the work being done by a whole variety oforganisations working with and on behalf of the many groups ofrefugees who have come to our City over recent years.

The exhibition marked 40 years since the dictator Pinochet cameto power in a bloody coup. It brought back many painfulmemories but it also inspired many people. Difficult situationscan bear fruit in unexpected ways and the manner in which theChileans worked with their pain acts as an example to us all.


Council tax hits

poorestStory: Lisa Swift

Thousands of people have beensummoned to court following theintroduction of the new Councilsupport scheme on 1st April. Allresidents of Sheffield must nowpay at least 23% of their CouncilTax. Of the 35000 people who relyon the new Council Tax Support,6000 were summoned to court inJuly for non payment.

The Messenger spoke to local residentAbdul Tourzani about his experience.

“I was sent a letter saying to attendcourt. There were 40 or 50 other peoplethere who were in the same situation.They were interviewing people to see ifthey would come to an agreement to paybefore going in to see the magistrate. I

agreed to pay in instalments, and theysaid they would waive the court costs, soI didn’t see the judge. Now I’ve got aneven bigger bill which is not what Iagreed to.”

Mr Tourzani was very concerned abouthow he would afford the bill and the extraunexplained cost from his most recentbill.

“They are forcing poor people to pay,who can’t pay. I had no money to paymy Council tax because my sicknessbenefit was stopped. I will find itdifficult to pay; it will mean missing outon something essential to pay it.”

The Messenger asked the Council tocomment on why so many people hadbeen summoned to court, and if theywere concerned about the impact theirpolicy was having on people who arestruggling to afford the new bill.

Councillor Bryan Lodge, Cabinet Memberfor Finance and Resources at SheffieldCity Council said:

“Our policy in Sheffield is to offer asmuch support as we can to help peoplemanage their money as a result of theGovernment’s changes to the welfaresystem. We always advise people to getin touch with us if they are havingproblems so we can work through themtogether.

“We are sorry that despite this sometaxpayers have found themselves in adifficult financial position, but theCouncil is doing what it can to supportthose who have been hit hardest by thecuts by establishing a £500,000 hardshipfund.”

The Government cut £5.5 million fromSheffield’s Council Tax Benefit budget. Inresponse the Council chose to reduceCouncil Tax Benefits rather than makecuts to other services. The Council statethey have done everything they can toinform people that they must pay.However with 17% of claimants ending upin court, it would seem no amount ofinformation can equip people to pay billsthey cannot afford.

Library moving to

Sorby houseStory: Lisa Swift, Nazrul Hussain,Rohan Francis

The Council have submitted aplanning application to moveBurngreave library to Sorby House,revealing that the library will besubstantially smaller.

The housing office is also moving. Theplans show the ground floor room on theright, next to Rainbow’s end, as the publicface for Housing Services, with moreoffice space on the 3rd floor.

The Council could not explain why theLibrary move was being made, at a cost of£40,000. Instead they said the planswould be part of the general Libraryservice consultation. A spokes personsaid, “Plans will not be completed untilthe final outcome of the library reviewand also the outcome of consultation thatis planned to take place with the localcommunity.” However the Messengerunderstands that the consultation wassupposed to start in June and has beendelayed until August. In the meantimeplanning permission has already beensought; suggesting the decision hasalready been made. One local parent said,

“It’s not good that they are moving it butwe don’t have a choice all the Council dois cut cut cut.”

The Messenger understands that theSheffield College who currently use Sorby

House will be moving into both thelibrary building and the housing office.The Council did not confirm who wouldbe moving into the buildings.

The plans for the library show that spacewill be cramped. Planners have failed toinclude space for computers or a servingdesk and office for staff to work from.Sorby House opening times will alsorestrict opening times of the library to5pm at the latest.

Speaking to local parents, manyexpressed concern about the move:

“It’s on a busy road, Sorby House, it isn’treally a place where I would take my sonit’s not very appealing to me and itwouldn’t encourage me to go there.”Sharlene Clarke

“I don’t feel good about it moving toSorby House mainly because of the bigroad it’s very busy and dangerous, if it’stoo dangerous I’m going to stop going.”Local mother

“It’s comfortable now. Where it is now is

good and it is good for the kids. I think itwill be too small in Sorby House.” Sacda

“Its not a good idea. I have a 12 year olddaughter who goes to the library. I don’tthink its safe if it moves because of cars –people drive too fast and people hangaround. If they move I will not send herthere. We will go somewhere elseinstead.” Rahma

“I don’t understand what they gain. Theywill to be left with a purpose builtlibrary sat empty which they are going tohave to fill with something else. I don’tunderstand why the ‘something else’can’t go in Sorby House. It seemsridiculous to move the library into aspace that is less suitable at the cost of£40,000. I’d like to see a cost benefitanalysis, I’d like to see the figures.” Lucy

Other parents said the most importantthing was that the area kept a library butwere unhappy that the space would besmaller

“As long as the hours are the same andit’s a friendly atmosphere I think it’salright. But if it’s smaller I think it’s abad idea and do not agree with it. Adultsand children need their own space, itwould be too cramped.” Safiya Saeed

“At least we still have the library, someareas have completely lost theirs, and ifthe staff are still there its fine. But Ithought the premises would be bigger, itneeds to be the whole ground floor. It’salready small, it’s unacceptable.” Felson

To give your view on the plans go to:http://publicaccess.sheffield.gov.uk/online-applications/ Ref: 13/01902/RG3

Layout for the library in the plans tomove it to Sorby House


Firs Hill School

new play areaStory: Lisa SwiftPhotos: Kath Hobson & Saleema Imam

Firs Hill School have installed anew outdoor learning area forFoundation children.

The area includes grass and plants, aswell as a sand pit, pond and sensorygarden. All the children are enjoyinglearning outside the classroom,experimenting, digging, mark making andexploring in the fresh air.

The Burngreave Messenger was given aguided tour by some of the Foudnationchildren (all aged 5). Zahra, Salma,Umaha, Kauthar, Ammaarah, Hassan,Ibraheim, Jude, Yousuf, Liza, Usmaan,Reyhaan all helped to explain what it wasall about.

“There are flowers growing up, tadpoles,grass and a fake grass mountain.” Umahaexcitedly pointed out, while Salmainsisted we let her show us the sandpit –“There are benches to sit on too. Wemake sand castles and do anything wewant to” added Hassan.

Kauthar, Umaha, Ibraheim and Yousufenjoyed pointing at different thingsinside the pond.

“There are tadpoles, big ones and littleones”

“they are going to grow into frogs soon”

“the frogs will jump all around”

“everywhere in the school”

The sensory garden was filled with herbsand scented flowers and their teachershowed them what each one was.

“These flowers attract the bees” Hassantold everyone. “Mmm, mint. You canmake it into toothpaste,” explained Jude,“and that one is sage, it stinks” saidIbraheim.

As we finished the tour childrenexplained what they liked most about the

new area.

“I like the grass best because you can siton it,” said Kauthar

“I like the sand best, it’s nice, I likeplaying with it” said Usmaan

“Come back and play if you want to. Youcan visit any time,” Hassan said as hewaved us goodbye.

Whiteways

summer melaStory & photos: Laetitia and Hamad

On 26th June there was a SummerMela in Whiteways School.

It was to raise money the parent’s groupand the football team Mrs Wood’s sonplays for, called the Yorkshire WheelchairClub. The money is for new power chairs.

There were stalls, henna and gamesorganised by children. And there was abouncy castle, guess the weight of thecake and glitter tattoos organised byteachers. There were also food stalls. Itwas a brilliant and busy day.

Miss Cipriani said “I’ve had lovely hennaby Bisma. She could be a professional”

Children running stalls told us what theywere doing on their stalls to raise money.

Thaminah: “We are doing a ‘AhoyTreasure Map’ - you may win some hairaccessories.”

Zara: “We are doing splat the rat, youhave to try to hit the rat. It’s very hard.”

Iqra and Intessor: “You have to pick twoshort sticks out of the sand to win a lolly,it’s called Straw Pick.”

Janad, Iqram and Saleh: “We are doingFootball Against the Clock. You have toput as many balls into the hoop as youcan before the time runs out.”

Mrs Blackham who organised theSummer Mela said, “We have had lots ofhelp from staff and parents to make theday happen, thank you to everyone.”

Mrs Woods said, “It’s been a brilliant day.The power chair football team needsports power chairs so they can playwithout damaging their everyday powerchairs. The team are looking forsponsorship and new players. Anyonewho is interested can contact Ian Woodson 07881 742 604.”


Byron Wood Choir at

Symphony Hall BirminghamStory: Smaira Sadique

Byron Wood’s choir were chosen to perform at theSymphony Hall in Birmingham on Wednesday 3rd Julyafter getting through to the finals at the Music For Youth(MFY) regional competition at Bannerdale Centre earlierthis year.

Music For Youth (MFY) is a national charity that celebrates andsupports the breadth of young people’s music-making across theUK. MFY provides performance platforms for over a millionyoung musicians in some of the UK’s most prestigious venues.

The children performed a traditional Qawali entitled “Allah Hoo”and “fix you” by Coldplay as well as beatboxing. A form of vocalpercussion primarily involving the art of producing drum beats,rhythm, and musical sounds using one's mouth, lips, tongue, and

voice by the very talented Y6 pupil Maros.

Mrs Stroud said, “this is a great achievement for the children…”Classic FM has included photographs of all the schools that tookpart in the national festival on their website. The choir is nowwaiting to hear who will go forward to perform at the RoyalAlbert Hall in November.

Community litter

pick with Pye BankStory:Zabeda Hussain

On Saturday 6th July around 30volunteers came together inBurngreave to help clean upareas around Pye Bank PrimarySchool.

The volunteers were divided into 6teams, they worked hard throughout

the morning, collecting 68 bags ofrubbish, but were rewarded with drinksand sandwiches provided by BurngreaveTenants’ and Residents’ Association. A huge thank you to all who took part.

Pye Bank Sports

Day success

Story: Zabeda Hussain

Sports Day started with an openingceremony. The school was divided into 6teams, Hawks, Owls, Kestrals, Falcons,Eagles, and Kites. The races included theclassic Egg and Spoon Race, Hurdles andan Obstacle Course.

Lots of parents came to cheer the childrenon. It was a thoroughly enjoyable day.The Kestrals were the winners.

10 BURNGREAVE MESSENGERSponsored by NHS Sheffield’s

Healthy Communities Programme

Learning to livewith diabetesStory: Somshun Nessa

In April and May, residents tookpart in a six week ‘Healthy livingwith diabetes’ course at theBurngreave Children’s Centre.

The course was open to those with, or athigh risk of developing, type 2 diabetesand those who care for family with type 2diabetes. It was delivered by Dawn Younga trained tutor in nutrition and physicalactivity, supported by Somshun Nessa,Health Development Worker, PamDaniels, new Health Trainer and Nasra,Health Champion, who providedtranslation into Urdu and Punjabi.

The course included information aboutrisk factors, causes, symptoms and eatinghealthily. The tutor also explained foodlabels, the benefits of physical activityand suggested cooking tips. Each sessionwas followed either by a cooking sessionwhere we looked at adapting home-maderecipes brought in by the learners, orgentle physical activity sessions. Thelearners gave the following feedback:

“Both my mother and father-in-law haveType 2 diabetes, and we attended thiscourse together, this course has helped meunderstand the condition more and howto support my parents. As a family wehave made many changes, we cook withless oil, fat and salt and no ghee. Me andmy mother-in-law go out every day for a45 minutes’ walk.”

“The tutor Dawn was so helpful, friendlyand she made the course very easy tounderstand, she made us feel so relaxedand comfortable”

“Somshun and Nasra were reallysupportive, if it wasn’t for Somshun Iwouldn’t have known about the group Iam so grateful to her for helping me.”

“Dawn gave us lots of information aboutdiabetes to take home to show rest of thefamily, which is very useful”

“Without Nasra’s help I wouldn’t havebeen able to understand the course fully,she has been a great help.”

“It was very useful to know how we canchange our own recipes without havingto change our diet completely.”

“I have made new friends on the courseand we have set up our own walking clubwhere we meet up a couple times a weekand go for long walks.”

Following the course we have decided toset up a self-help group, meeting once amonth. Professionals will give moreadvice around managing type 2 diabetesto the group. Burngreave HealthyCommunities Programme will be fundinganother course, if you would like toattend or for more information contactSomshun Nessa, SOAR HealthDevelopment Worker on: 07960 084 119.

For further information on Diabetesspeak to your GP, Diabetic Nurse or visithttp://www.diabetes.org.uk

Inspiring others toquit smokingStory: Emma Msigiti

Naz had been a smoker for manyyears and often had thoughts ofquitting but he didn’t believe he’dbe able to do it.

After seeking support from TheCommunity Stop Smoking service, Nazhas now managed to kick the habit andhasn’t looked back since. Naz is hopinghis success will inspire others to quit.

When did you first start smoking?

I was 9 years old when I first tried acigarette and by the age of 11 I was aregular smoker. I remember feeling coolwhen I used to hang around inAbbeyfield Park, smoking with myfriends!

When did you feel that smokingwas becoming a problem?

Thoughts of quitting had been on mymind for the past few years. I wasdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes 8 yearsago, and although the GP and nurse atmy local surgery kept advising me toquit, I just didn’t think I could do it.

What made you take the first stepto have a go at quitting?

I really wanted to be a better role model

for my 2 daughters and felt that all themoney I was spending on cigarettescould be used to make a better futurefor them. I also knew that I was puttingmy health at risk if I carried on smoking.On one of the visits to my GP, hementioned that I could get one to onesupport to quit from the local stopsmoking worker. I thought having a bitof help may make a difference so Idecided to give it a go.

How confident were you aboutstopping smoking?

Not at all! As the date of my firstappointment approached I felt nervousand anxious about stopping, and lackedconfidence in being able to do it. Myfriends and family were also verydoubtful about my chances of successand didn’t believe I would stop.

What helped you stay smoke free?

The combination of the weekly supportsessions and the stop smokingmedication helped me a lot. At thesupport sessions I was able to discussany problems I was having, and how towork through this. I found that afterthe first few days and weeks withoutsmoking, my confidence began toincrease and I realised that I couldactually live without cigarettes, eventhough I was going through stressfultimes. I want to thank my adviserEmma, because if I didn’t get the

support and encouragement I don’tthink I would have done it.

How do you feel about yoursuccess, has it changed your life?

Stopping smoking has been the first stepin making other positive changes in mylife to improve my health and also to seta good example for my kids. I’ve alreadystarted to make changes in my diet as Iwas concerned about what I was eating.I’ve been working with local healthtrainer Paul Nash to help me make thesechanges and also to introduce moreexercise. I want my kids to know thatanything is possible—if you set your goalyou can follow your dreams.

If you are thinking about quittingcontact Emma Msigiti, Community StopSmoking Worker. Call or text 07847893134. Please remember to put yourname on the text or leave a message atThe Furnival, on 0114 272 7497.


Byron Wood’s

Treasure IslandStory: Smaira Sadique

Year 5 and 6 classes showcasedtheir talent in a spectacularperformance of Treasure Island.

Parents and special guests watched thechildren perform on stage for the lasttime before they go to secondary schools

across the city. Paul Allen, Chair of MusicIn The Round, said, “I was, first andforemost, very much entertained by alively, inventive, committed and highquality performance but I was also movedby the fact that these children were doingit: a very British story of course, completewith hornpipe and folk dance, but onethey made their own. I had a lovely time.”

Well done to Years 5 and 6 for anoutstanding performance and farewell toMrs Stroud, performing Arts Teacher,who will be leaving for pastures new.

Owler Brook

celebratesOwler Brook was full of parents andchildren enjoying food on Friday5th July, at the end of term picnic.

The event was organised by parentvolunteers and support staff. Parentsbrought food to share with children andfamily members.

There were games, activities and sports.MC Nige introduced fantasticperformances by children who reallyshowed their muscial and dancing talents.

The picnic followed the previous day’shugely successful summer fair, bringing areal air of celebration to the end of theschool year.

Owler Brook Big Toddle

About 40 children and 20 parents fromOwler Brook’s nursery, reception andchildren’s centre took part in the the BigToddle to Firth Park on 26th June. Staffand children dressed up as charactersfrom books and stories. Once there,everyone enjoyed games and activities inthe Park. The event helped encourageparents to walk with their children and totake advantage of local places to visit.They also raised £63 for Barnardos.

St Cath’s awardStory: Ruby,Y6 School Council Representative

In June the School Council at StCatherine’s Primary becamerunners up in the Speakers SchoolCouncil Awards 2013. This is acompetition that is run by theSpeaker at the House of Lords andis entered by hundreds of schoolsacross the country!

It is a way that school councils can tellpeople about the great projects they getinvolved in. The competition is judged bylots of important people and they choosethe best projects to win and be runnersup. We entered with a project we havebeen working on all year – our SchoolCouncil newspaper ‘The SchoolCouncillor’.

We put this together every term for allthe pupils in our school. Our schoolcouncillors report on events that havebeen happening in school like school tripsand fundraising and we also have What’sHot, What’s Not pages, puzzles andquizzes, Guess the Mystery Member ofStaff and book and film reviews. It’s agreat way to talk about the things thatinterest all pupils in school. Anyone canadd pages by sending their page to theirschool council rep, who then adds it to thenewspaper. It’s a fun paper and everyonelooks forward to getting their copy!

We are very proud to have been runnersup for the award and have received aplaque to put up in our school. On Fridaythe 19th July, Mr David Blunkett iscoming into school to present us with theplaque. We are really excited to meet himand think it’s great that he has taken timeto come and present us with the award.


Shaibi charity cupStory: Khalid Salih El-Hakli

The Shaibi organisation organiseda football tournament to bring alldifferent members of thecommunity together.

The role of the organisation is primarilyto support the Yemeni community inSheffield and beyond. We receivedfunding of £1000 from BurngreaveCommunity First for two sessions offootball a week for 6 months. Fromthese sessions, we collected subscriptionswhich went towards setting up the ShaibiCharity Cup.

Sixteen teams entered the cup and the

games were played to a very highcompetitive standard. The turnout wasaround 200 people. Trophies and cashprizes of £150 were awarded to the teams

who made the final: World Class andSteel City Yemenis. Steel City Yemeniscame out winners in a close-fought final.It ended up going to a penalty shoot-out.It was fitting that Steel City Yemenis won,as their name shows the history of ourparents and grandparents, who workedhard for many years in the steel industry.

A well-respected guest from the Shaibicommunity in the USA, Abdul SalamSaqladi, handed out the prizes andtrophies. We would also like to say a bigthank-you to Power League for hostingthe tournament and World Class inPitsmoor Road for their sponsorship andrefreshments on the day.

We hope to plan many more events in thefuture for the people of Burngreave.

Elodie All Sainte launchStory: Lisa Swift

New African support group Elodie All Sainte held theirlaunch event on 15th June at Verdon RecreationCentre.

Councillor Jackie Drayton opened the event, which was acelebration of African culture, with food, music and traditionaldress. The group also raised money for Cancer Research.

Those who attended were from different parts of Africa includingSierra Leone, Gambia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Congo, Kenya andSomalia. Members of the group brought food from the IvoryCoast and Kenya, including dishes such as attieke, which issimilar in texture to cous-cous, and alloco, which is friedplantain. There were also bottles of gnamakou, fresh ginger juice,mellowed with pineapple.

Organiser and President of the Elodie organisation, EmmanuelKei, said, “I am very happy that people have responded and comehere for fellowship. We are very determined to stay together andthe show unity. We want to think about the future now,providing activities for children and the community.”

Eugene Nguetta, a committee member and advisor to the groupsaid, “I hope to be able to help organise more events like this onefor all people in the African Community in Sheffield. I’minterested in fundraising for charities such as Cancer Research.”

Elvira, a parent from Southey Green said, “I came today to showour community here what we can do. We want to bring ourchildren together, to meet together, to know each other andunderstand our culture.”

Six Book Challenge AwardsStory: Kath Hobson

ESOL learners from Firs Hill School and all overSheffield have successfully completed the “Six BookChallenge.” On Monday 1st July, the Lord Mayorpresented them with their certificates the CentralLibrary.

One in six adults struggles to read. The Six Book Challengeimproves the chances in life for people who find reading difficultby building their reading confidence and motivation. Learnershad to pick six different books to read and record their progressin a diary.

At Firs Hill, three different ESOL classes and Conversation Clubmembers took part. The Learners were accompanied by KathHobson, the Extended School Worker, and their ESOL tutors. Itwas a proud moment when each of our learners had their namecalled out to walk up the red carpet to the Mayor. They have done

so well and this goes hand-in-hand with passing their exams andimproving confidence - a fantastic example for their children.

The women said,

“It was a party.”

“It was very nice - people gathering and nice food”


New committee at

Carwood TARA Story & photo: John Mellor

Fifteen residents from the Carwood estate met withNeil Ashton from the Council Housing Services on 4thJuly for a postponed annual general meeting.

Most of those present had not been involved with a tenants andresidents association previously and Neil first explained what wasinvolved in the running of a TARA and how it was funded.

In explanation, he said:

“TARAs are financed by a weekly 10p levy from rents paid to theCouncil. How this money is spent, for the benefit of thecommunity, is then decided by a committee representing thoseliving in the area.”

The main purpose of the meeting was therefore to elect the threemain officers of the TARA, namely, Chair, Secretary andTreasurer.

Following a friendly and good natured discussion between thosepresent, including translation for those who needed it, the

meeting came to a unanimous decision, with the agreement ofthose who were nominated for these positions. The meetingdecided that Metaq Dhalei should be the Chair, with MahroRazzaq as Secretary and Jean Hill as Treasurer. Clearly, everyonewas happy with these decisions and with the progress made at themeeting. Others present agreed to serve on the committeealongside the three elected officers.

The new committee will meet later this month to discuss futureplans and activities for the area.

Story: Lisa Swift

Carwood Tenants met again on2nd July about district heatingconcerns, in a follow up to awell attended meeting in April.

Tenants have been complaining aboutthe shared district heating breakingdown, going off at night and costing toomuch money

In April the Council promised to installvalves, so that if the system does breakdown, only part of the estate would beaffected. They also said they would askfor pipe replacement work to beprioritised on Carwood. They promisedto investigate if the heating was beingreduced too much at night. They alsopromised to compensate tenants for theloss of heating in March during the lastsnowy weather.

Council Officer Pete Hoyland toldresidents, “A refund of 2 weeks shouldshow up on your heating bill thismonth. If you have not had this pleasecontact the Council about it. We will befitting the new valves in August, whichwill mean no heating and hot water forat least one day. We have managed toget Carwood moved up the waiting listfor completely new pipes and thisshould happen in 2014, this will alsoreduce breakdown problems in coldweather”

Councillor Ibrar Hussain asked that thevalve replacement work in August avoidRamadan and Eid celebrations, andofficers hoped this would be possible.

Residents again raised concerns abouthigh bills and cold radiators at night.The officer said further investigationswould be done into the night timetemperatures. He also explained that ametering system would be installedsome time in the next 4 years followingJanuary 2014. Carwood is not a toppriority for this at moment. Once themetering is installed tenants will havecomplete control of their heating, butthey will also have to pay for exactlywhat they use.

A further follow up meeting wasset for 22nd October 1pm atCarwood meeting room.

To report problems with yourheatin call 0114 273 5555.

Summer at Verdon

Recreation Centre Verdon Recreation Centre remainsavailable to use over the summerfor events and activities.

Pye Bank School has taken overmanagement of the building, but duringthe summer holidays the CommunityBuildings Team will be taking bookingstemporarily. Discounted rates areavailable for community groups. Contactthe Team on 273 5621, keys can be pickedup at Sorby House

Activities for young people will be runningduring the summer, from ActivitySheffield, Ellesmere Youth Project,Burngreave TARA and the Taekwondoclub. More details are in the summeractivities listing, page 12-13.

After the summer Friends of VerdonRecreation Centre will be helping toorganise a ‘Tidy Up Verdon’ day. Groupswho use the centre are being asked to helpsort out all the equipment left in thebuilding, to keep the centre tidy and readyfor people to use. The event will beSaturday 14th September 1-4pm.

New health activities will also be startingin October, look out for more informationin the next Messenger.

From September contact Pye BankSchool on 276 0472 for bookings.

Heating discussions at Carwood



Spital Hill live artPhoto: Panni Poh Yoke Loh

Local artist Panni Poh YokeLoh organised a “peacefulintervention” on Spital Hill on June 21st to encouragewoment to make use of a Spital Hill, which is oftenperceived to be a place used mainly by men.

30 women, plus children and a few men, arrived in positivespirits on Ellesmere Green, keen to explore together. Smallgroups went to different cafes or to look in shops and explorethe arcade. Panni writes,

“I roughly knew where everyone had gone and went to see themto see how it was going. I spoke to one café owner who waspleased with the new business. Mostly women thoroughlyenjoyed the evening.”

Women who took part said:

“I wouldn’t normally come here, but it feels better coming withother women.”

“After dark I would cycle through, but I wouldn’t walk through”

“I’ve enjoyed it, it’s been something different and I got to drinkmint tea again, I haven’t had it for ages and I love it.”

“I enjoyed going into the shops and cafes that I would neverhave gone into on my own.”

Saving money togetherStory: Clarete Sibanda

We are a group of 6women and we buy ourshopping together to helpsave money. We want toshare our idea to inspireothers.

We save £3.75 per week for 6months, which we use to buybulk items at differentsupermarkets where there arebargains or special offers. Webuy things like soap, washingpowder, toilet paper, dishwashing liquid, cooking oil and rice, and things that don’t go off.Then every six months we share out what we have bought.

We take it in turns to collect the money and buy things and keepthe shopping until the sharing day. We all look out for bargainsand we tell the person with the money, so they can buy things onoffer. We contribute £2 each for the person doing the buying topay for petrol.

We meet up every 6 months to talk about things we might need,or things we already have so the shopper can get the things wewant. On the sharing day, we bring food and eat together as wellas sharing out the shopping. Last time we celebrated one of thegroup's birthdays with a decorated cake!

We want to inspire other women to do something similar, it savesmoney and you don’t have to worry about running out of thingslike toilet paper or washing powder. Also we get to share eachother’s company and we are supporting each other during hardtimes.

If anyone wants to start something similar and wants toget advice contact Clarete via the Messenger 242 0564,[email protected]

Arwa Relaxation

TherapyStory: Muneebah WaheedMain photo: Richard Hanson

Four years ago ArwaHavard opened herown massagebusiness, ArwaRelaxation Therapy(A.R.T.), after trainingwith Vicky Gaughan atthe Sheffield Centre forMassage Training andgaining a UK Diploma in MassageTherapy.

She aimed to help the local communityfeel better physically and spiritually byproviding therapy in quiet, private andrelaxing premises close to AbbeyfieldPark. Now, in a bid to expand herbusiness, A.R.T is also opening a therapyroom in the John Banner Building inAttercliffe.

I was lucky to experience an Indian HeadMassage - a thoroughly relaxingexperience I would definitelyrecommend! The lovely, warm andwelcoming atmosphere is one of the perksA.R.T. offers, a perfect opportunity to

relieve your stresses!

Others also felt the massage was a perfectway to wind down: “The massage Ireceived was extremely professional, andwas physically very therapeutic. I feltrevitalised for a number of daysafterwards” said the Reverend HannahJackson.

Dina Martin OBE told us: “Arwa’smassages are truly holistic and help me tode-stress. They are the best I have beentreated to.”

Arwa aims to offer quality massages at anaffordable price. For example, an hour'shot stones massage is £45 and a half hour£25. The holistic massage is £40 for a fullhour and £22 for half an hour, and herIndian head massage is only £20. A.R.T.is also offering a special offer in honor ofthe Eid celebration with £5 off the fullhour of the hot stones massage.

To book a session, or for moreinformation, contact Arwa on07532 329 723.


Beyond the VeilStory:Tim Neal

For the second year running the Mikron TheatreCompany visited Grimesthorpe Allotments. 100 peoplegathered in the sun to watch them unveil a story ofintrigue, allotments and bee keeping with, of course, asting in the tail.

The play was both amusing and educational making the valuablepoint that we really need to make sure we recognise quite howimportant bees are to our well bee-ing.

Thanks to Green City Action and SAGE Greenfingers fororganising the event and we hope that they might return anotheryear.

Abbeyfield House open day

Story:Tim Neal

On 22nd June the Friends of Abbeyfield Park (FOAP)held an open day at Abbeyfield Park House.

An interesting history leaflet was made available and number ofpeople took the opportunity to explore the house which was heldopen for the occasion.

The afternoon saw an important meeting take place at which itwas agreed that the group would reconstitute as a CharitableIncorporated Organisation (CIO). This valuable move allowsFOAP to progress further in developing plans to reinvigorate thehouse as a community resource.

For any information concerning FOAP please contact:[email protected]

Firth Park Festival Story & photos: Muneebah Waheed

On Saturday the 29th of June, thelocal community gatheredtogether to celebrate the start ofsummer in the annual Firth ParkFestival.

Ice cream, face painting and bouncycastles were in abundance in the festival,as everyone enjoyed the fun filled daywith lots of activities to choose from.Stalls showcasing world foods, arts andcrafts, and gardening decorated the park,

creating a welcoming and friendly festivalatmosphere for people to enjoy.

People also enjoyed music and break-dancing performances, sporting gamesand fairground rides. Mohammed, a localresident, spoke to the Messenger aboutthe festival, saying it “is a very fun filledday with something for everyone toenjoy.”

The sun even made a surprise appearanceduring the festival, and festival goersenjoyed healthy activities such asskipping, circus skills and football. TheSouth Yorkshire Fire and Rescue teamalso played a part in the festival, byhighlighting the dangers of kitchen fireswith a very engaging demonstration.

All in all, the annual festival was asuccess, with many people celebrating thestart of summer together. It was a muchneeded treat after the long and harshwinter!

The Mikron Theatre Company present “Beyond the Veil”


Parkwood

Academy’s

Summer Fair

Story: Nicole ChalmersPhotos: Paul Howard

Parkwood Academy’s annualsummer fair event took place on the6th July. It was a spectacular eventas always, as crowds of all agesgathered .

There was no shortage of things to do,from children’s rides to footballcompetitions all with great prizes to win,

including a big shiny trophy which youcould take home. More of the eventsranged from free rides to tombolas. Itwas a great and crowded and lot of theevents were for charitable reasons. Themain one was the Race for Life fun runround the school grounds to raisemoney for Cancer Research.

On the school’s new 3G pitch was a minisix a side football match which was apopular event.

Paul Howard, from Parkwood Academysaid:

“A brilliant day enjoyed by students,parents, staff and a great many membersof our local communties!”

Story: Lisa Swift, Pitsmoor Adventure User GroupPhotos: Rohan Francis

David Blunkett MP supported local residentscampaigning to keep Pitsmoor AdventurePlayground at their funday in July.

This is the third funday organised by the Playground users group,who want to keep the playground open and run by the Council.Budget cuts have reduced the opening hours to 9 per week, downfrom 25 hours.

David Blunkett presented certificates to local parents who hadcompleted an introduction to playwork course. He also received asigned football from one of the playgrounds regular attendees.Speaking to parents and children, Mr Blunkett said: “Well doneto everyone for keep the playground open and for workingtogether to do that. I will do everything in my power to help youkeep the playground staffed and open.”

Over a hundred childrenand parents enjoyed theactivities of the day, whichincluded a bouncy castle,den building and balloonmodelling.

The playground is openWednesday, Friday andSaturday 12-3pm during theschool holidays. The nextAdventure Playground Funday will be Saturday 17th August 12-6pm. The theme for the day will be ‘Pitsmoor Olympics’, withsports and fun activities for children and families.

Blunkett supports playground


Pitsmoor’s

George BuckleyStory: Fran Belbin

Sir George Buckley retired thisyear as Chairman, President andChief Executive of Americancompany 3M, who manufacture awide range of products, butperhaps most famously ScotchTape and Post-it notes.

George was the only British CEO of aFortune 500 (the top 500 U.S. publiccorporations as ranked by their grossrevenue) company - and he was born andbrought up in Pitsmoor. The Messenger

caught up with him at the annualSheffield Management Lecture.

What are your recollections ofPitsmoor?

I was born in 1947 in my grandmother'shouse at 78 Macro Street. Mygrandmother had certain rules, forexample if you can stand you can go towork. She was poor and she wascrippled, so she turned her house into arooming house. I was given to one ofthese itinerant lodging families and theyraised me until I was 11. I went to aschool for physically handicappedchildren and caught a couple of buses toget to school. There'd been a lot ofbombing in the area so we played onbomb sites, digging through the rubble. Iwas actually beaten and raped as a child,so it was a very tough upbringing.

And you left school with noqualifications?

I was 15 and I got a job as an apprenticeelectrician for NG Baileys. One day whenan electrician said to me, "George, do yourealise why we're putting in heaviercables for the power and lighting? Let meshow you how to calculate the power. "Iwas completely lost, so the following day Iasked for day release. I went to GranvilleCollege for 5 years, never missed a class.

Where did that motivation comefrom?

I had an inferiority complex. I wasconcerned that unless I worked very hardI'd never be able to overcome it. And Ihad a dream of being an engineer frommany years before, even my grandmothersaid, "He's going to be an electricalengineer." I've no idea where she got itfrom! She'd only had electricity in herhouse five or six years, but she obviouslyknew it was something of the future, agood thing to do.

You've retired from 3M but you'vetaken on more work?

If you're lucky like I was, enormousfulfilment comes from working. Thepeople you work with, the friends youmake, that become a kind of extendedfamily. I look for balance, what I call the"baby bear" solution, not too hot, not toocold, not too sweet, not too salty...

Any advice to share from yourworking life?

For young people, it's a combination ofeducation and hard work. And a greatrule of leadership is to stretch people,allow them to see where their realpotential lies. I suspect there are a lotmore creative juices in people than theyimagine.

Brearley’s early lifeStory:Aishah Baroo

During his early childhood, HarryBrearley, discoverer of StainlessSteel, moved from Spital Street toMarcus Street, Pitsmoor(according to the 1891 Census)which was where he spent the first20 years of his life along with hisparents and eight siblings. Life inBurngreave meant that Brearleywas exposed to industrial andmanual trades from an early age.

Sheffield was one of the cities that

became renowned for its Steelworksduring the age of the industrial revolutionand it was steel, coal and iron which werethe core industries in what was once athriving economy. The industrialrevolution had certainly left its mark inBurngreave and this is evident by theimmense number of factories thatBrearley was surrounded by in hischildhood. Some of these included DonSteel Works and Wicker Iron andEngineering works (See 1893 map, left).

The historical records and tradedirectories show that Brearley'sneighbours worked in a wide spectrum ofprofessions from shopkeepers, railwayguards and iron workers, to the moreunusual job of a cow keeper. Otheroccupations that went unrecorded in theofficial census records, but which werestill common, was causal work suchwashing people's clothes, whichBrearley's mother did to help raise herlarge family or collecting and sellingbundles of local firewood door-to-door,which was what Brearley recalls doing asa child.

In his autobiography, Stainless Pioneer,Brearley remembers one specific incidentas a child when he was fascinated by thecarved and dipped shape of sandstonethat was used as water bowls for aneighbour's hens. He tried to create a

similar shape by chipping away using ahammer and a long nail as a chisel butquickly realised that the nail easilybecame blunt. After sitting on a walloutside his home watching workmenbuilding the wall around the MSLRailway (Manchester, Sheffield andLincolnshire), he was able to use theirchisels after he helped them to make tea.He then made some amendments to hisown tools by using heat and water, and byexperimenting realised what processmade the hardest nail.

Influenced by his surroundings inBurngreave, his sparks of genius as achild and inquisitive nature would leadhim on to do great things. He went on todiscover stainless steel, that can not onlybe found in homes in Burngreave but alsohomes across the globe.

Houses on Marcus Street 1959. Courtesyof Picture Sheffield


Cemetery well dressingStory: Saleema Imam | Photo: Rohan Francis

Glorious sunshine heralded the annual well dressing inBurngreave Cemetery on Sunday 14th July. At noon,Councillor Jackie Drayton, one of a number ofvolunteers who had worked over the previous few daysto create the artwork, revealed this year’s theme: theeverlasting rotation of the seasons.

The ancient local tradition of decorating wells in thanksgiving forthe life giving gift of water was accompanied this time by amodern day equivalent – a mosaic made in plastic bottle topsdepicting infinity. Both stand together by one of the wells whichall predate the cemetery by hundreds of years.

Research into this well and the drift mines which were previouslyworked beneath the land now occupied by graves, is beingsupported by a grant from the National lottery ‘All our Stories’strand.

Earlier this year saw an initial survey of the well; a mini ‘dig’ tookplace in July on the lawned area near to the Melrose Roadentrance, and a Time Team style geo-physical survey of the samearea is planned for the autumn.

Victorian artefacts and mining photographs from the NationalMining Museum were on display inside the old mortuary chapel

The local history project continues over the summer withcommunity workshops to create a mosaic sundial which will beplaced in the grassed area near to the cemetery gates.

The Friends of Burngreave Cemetery continue to meetevery Sunday between 11.00 am and 3.00 pm to helpvisitors find graves. Patrick Amber leads recycled craftworkshops between 2.00 and 4.00pm. Details fromhttp://www.friendsofburngreavecemetery.btck.co.uk


Pitsmoor Methodist Church131 Burngreave Road, S3 9DG

Come and join us on the 1st Monday of each month at ourNosh & Natter Club, where light lunches and beverages willbe served, table top games will be played, and all washed down

with plenty of chatter between 12 and 2 o’clock.

Held in the lower hall at the rear. Everybody welcome.

Contact Pam Eaton for further details on 0114 243 5333. Email: [email protected]

Pitsmoor Home Fire Girls coffee morningOn August 15th from 10.30am at Pitsmoor Methodist Church

Anyone welcome to join our friendly group ofapprox. 20-25 ladies and gentlemen.

Councillor Surgeries

Your local councillors, Jackie Drayton,Ibrar Hussain and Talib Hussain (left toright) share surgeries on a rota basis.

Please note there are no Surgeriesheld in August

14th September: 11am-12pm,Burngreave Library, Ibrar Hussain

17th September: 12pm-1pmm Norwood& Bishopholme Tara, Jackie Drayton

19th September: 2pm-3pm, PakistanAdvice Centre, Talib Hussain

[email protected]@[email protected]

David Blunkett MP’s next generaladvice surgery is on Saturday, 20th Julyat Firth Park Advice Centre on StubbinLane from 10.30am until 12noon.

There are no advice surgeries in August,so the next scheduled session is onSaturday, 7th September, same venue,same times.

Story: Martin Currie

Cheap thrills, the zero budget filmfestival is back, and cheaper thanever! Have you made a film or doyou want to make a film? Eitherway we want to hear from you!

We are delighted to show any film that is:

• Short

• Entertaining

• Family friendly

• REALLY REALLY CHEAP

We are also happy to help you make afilm if you need it. We have equipment,we have people. If you know what youwant, we know what we’re doing.Highlights this year include... aThunderbirds homage made in a shed; aWW2 mystery; racing airships; a numberof music videos from local bands; biscuitbased martial arts. Oh, and I'd better giveyou the price list...

• Entry fee: Nowt

• Help with making a film: Nowt

• Admission fee: Nowt

• Refreshments: Nowt or a voluntary

donation

Where do we get our funding from?We don't get any.

Why do we do it?Because we enjoy it.

What's the catch?There isn't one!

So join in before we get too busy. Join usin Burngreave Cemetery Chapel at7.30pm on the 14th of September for theshow. It's always good, and you are mostwelcome.

Visit www.zerobudgetfilmfest.comfor more details.

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To advertise in the Messenger contact 242 0564 or [email protected]

Documents

Issue 107 Heatwave for Abbeyfield Festival · face-painting, clothes stalls, health activities, Romana Jilo dancers, community groups, the Rock Christian Centre, barbecue, cold drinks,