Chairman Crosspool Forum

1 Jul, 2015

Successful day trip to the zoo for Crosspool youngsters

Crosspool Forum would like to say a big thank you to all at FirstBus for providing a first class coach for our trip to Chester Zoo.

FirstBus’s attention to keeping us well informed and the timekeeping of our driver Jed, who was very caring and patient, helped make the journey to and from the zoo a very memorable experience and an enjoyable occasion for the younger members of the Crosspool community.

Although being excited on the outward journey, the children were very well behaved, attentive and markedly, answering the animal quiz questions correctly.

Far from being tired on the journey home, after such an exciting and memorable day and despite being delayed for over an hour at Mottram, the children sang, played games and having had an exhausting but wonderful day, remained cheerful right up to our arrival back into Crosspool at just after 9pm.

The feedback from the twenty seven children and twenty six parents was extremely positive. All in all a very educational and worthwhile day out!

Here’s an account of the day from Lyla Dolini, age 7:

We met really early and I was so excited to go on a coach. The coach was really fun and I sat next to Erin and we watched programmes on my iPad.

Everyone who went to Chester Zoo was very surprised to see how big the zoo was. My favourite animals were elephants, monkeys, giraffes, bears, snakes, penguins and zebras. The giraffes were called Lillia, Dasher, Amelia (who was a baby) and Petal. Amelia was cute, but still very tall compared to me!

When at 4 o’clock we were finished at the zoo, we went to a hotel for dinner. The dinner was yummy and when everyone was finished we all went out into the field in the grounds of the hotel to play tig!

On the way home my little sister Anna fell asleep and we got stuck in a traffic jam, but it was ok as I was sitting next to Erin again.

The whole day was brilliant, thanks to the Crosspool Forum and FirstBus!

11 Jan, 2015

Thanks for all your Christmas trees

Andrew Fisher and his crew of volunteers worked tirelessly for an hour and half shredding Christmas trees this afternoon to raise funds for the Crosspool Forum.

Over 120 trees were left by residents outside Direct Travel, with quite a number being over 8ft tall.

Money raised will help provide hanging baskets and floral displays in the Crosspool precinct.

On behalf of all who have and will benefit from their kindness, a big big thank you to Andrew (Complete Tree Solutions) and to Paul at (Direct Travel) for the use of the car park.

Please reciprocate their kindness by supporting these local services.

30 Dec, 201430 Dec, 2014

Last chance to get 2015 Crosspool calendar

To avoid disappointment Crosspool residents are advised to purchase the Crosspool Calendar as soon as possible as stocks are rapidly running low and no
further copies will be available.

The calenders are on sale now for £4 in Crosspool Pets and Enhance hairdresser.

Crosspool Forum would like to thank everyone who submitted photographs for the photograph competition for entry within this years calendar.

Special congratulations go to Hilda Hinchcliffe for submitting the winning photograph which can be seen on the front of the publication and shows a white Crosspool as
experienced by the whole community since boxing day.

Money raised will help Crosspool Forum funds for local events and improvements to our neighbourhood.

23 Nov, 2013

Free home computer tuition for housebound; tablet course postponed until January

Over the next six weeks expert (DBS checked) tutors will be on hand to deliver free tuition sessions, either with iPads or internet-ready laptops, to the homes of housebound/lonely/isolated people, or those suffering from ill health.

The aim of the project is to break down loneliness and isolation by helping people:

stay in touch with friends and family
order shopping
save time and hassle and money dealing with online public services
access health websites
keep the mind active
look up hobbies and interests on any subject from gardening and cooking to knitting.

For further information please call Sue or Saima at Heeley Development Trust on 0114 2500 613 or email crosspoolforum@sfmail.net.

Meanwhile, the tablet/iPad classes, advertised to start 29 November 2013 in the Benty Lane Scout Hall, will now start 10am on Friday 13 January 2014.

13 Jun, 2013

Local police station expected to close in November

Crosspool’s nearest police station is due to close before the end of the year.

Crewe Flats police station on Clarkhouse Road will shut its doors in November, with the Broomhill neighbourhood policing team to be dispersed to other stations throughout the city.

Residents fear that the closure will mean that there will be less visibility of police officers in the area, with our local bobbies less connected and further away from the communities they serve.

The closure is likely to to be the result of cuts to funding. The South Yorkshire Police Federation warned last month that cuts could see South Yorkshire Police officer numbers shrink by a quarter overall between 2007 and 2015.

If you have comments on the threat to the police provision in our community then you can contact the following people to make your views known:

10 Jun, 201310 Jun, 2013

Books and tombola prizes wanted for Crosspool Summer Fayre

Books

Can you spare any unwanted books for Crosspool Summer Fayre book stall?

If you’re able to donate books for the stall, please bring them to 17 Den Bank Drive by 23 June.

This will give the volunteers running the stall the time to categorise the books, making it easier for people to find a title they want on the day.

If you’re having difficulty transporting your books, call 0114 230 9469.

Tombola prizes

Do you have any unwanted prizes or gifts that might be suitable for the Crosspool Forum Summer Fayre Tombola stall? If so, please get in touch on 07713 687 955.

Money from the tombola will be used in promoting and improving the area of Crosspool to the benefit and wellbeing of its residents.

9 Jun, 2013

Crosspool Ladies are 56 years young

Crosspool Ladies group has been meeting at St Columba’s Church Hall Manchester Road for 56 years. Starting as Crosspool Young Wives they then became Crosspool Wives and are now known as Crosspool Ladies.

The group has speakers on various subjects. For example, they’ve been visited by a pragmatic comedy novelist, heard about the Sheffield blitz and had numerous lively talks on vintage fashion. They also like to give our ladies a day out, swishing parties, a harvest supper, a summer lunch at Hassop Hall and Christmas dinner at the Hallamshire Golf Club.

New members are welcome to join the happy, young-at-heart group or just pop in one evening and give it a try. The winter sessions start on 5 September at 8pm with ‘A Town Built on Carpets’, Crossleys of Halifax.

For further information call Janet Stain on 0114 230 2916 or Linda Saxton on 0114 230 1468.

4 Jun, 20134 Jun, 2013

Residents’ concerns over street parking on Tapton hill

Residents living in the vicinity of Tapton Hill Road and Tapton Bank have expressed their concerns about the recent increase in vehicles parking outside their properties, adding further congestion at school times.

Sheffield West Delivery Office has taken delivery of 26 new vehicles which now occupy their onsite car park, meaning the vehicles which previously parked there are now parking in the surrounding streets.

One resident has contacted the site manager to raise her concerns and other residents brought up the matter with local councillors at a recent Crosspool Forum open meeting.

Members of the Forum also met with management at the delivery office on Wednesday 1 May and the Post Office will be carrying out a feasibility study to look at options available to try and improve the onsite parking within the site.

22 May, 20134 Jun, 2013

Work to tackle serious subsidence on A57 Manchester Road continues

Temporary traffic signals on Manchester Road

During Crosspool Forum’s April Open Meeting, it was reported that the temporary traffic signals and roadworks on the A57 Manchester Road are one year old this May.

The work is the result of a serious subsidence problem which has spread significantly since it was first identified and is now affecting the retaining wall.

Although it may appear to regular users of the road that little has been done other than the siting of temporary signals, Amey has been monitoring the subsidence and has drilled several boreholes as part of its investigations. It appears that the problem is more complex than originally believed, meaning further surveys have been required.

Two options have been identified to stabilise the ground and stop further subsidence. The first involves driving concrete pilings, twelve metres in length, into the ground to support the embankment.

The second, reported recently in the Sheffield Star, uses electricity. The method involves inserting electrodes into the ground: the electrical current stabilises the ground beneath by altering the properties of the rock and soil. This method has been used successfully in similar situations and may be an option for the A57.

Our councillors and Amey inform us that the work is due to start in May or June so we may have seen the last of the chicane by the end of summer.

19 May, 201321 May, 2013

Update on Bell Hagg Inn tower conversion

The Bell Hagg Inn is being converted to a house

The former Bell Hagg Inn, which has overlooked the Rivelin Valley from the Manchester Road approach in to Crosspool for well over 100 years, is being converted into a seven-bedroom family home.

For a period the public house was also known as The John Thomas before it finally closed in 2005.

It’s commonly believed that the original building was erected in 1832 as a five-storey house for Dr Hodgeson, who had built it as a folly to antagonise the Vicar of Stannington after he turned down a generous donation because he had made much of his fortune from gambling.

Before becoming a pub at the beginning of the last century, the building was used as a tea room by workers from the quarry across the road (now occupied by the Valleyside Garden Centre) and travellers stopping off between Sheffield and Manchester, and on occasion to secure prisoners destined for the assizes.

The present owner, who bought this vandalised property from the receivers, has started to extensively renovate the main five-storey stone built tower that hides the sheer drop at the back.

The building has stunning views across Rivelin Valley

Some of the tower’s small rooms that can be seen from the road are being knocked together and a covered link is being proposed to the already converted four-storey barn at the back. This link is to facilitate the future maintenance of the pub tower and will have a large glazed area and a sedum roof designed to blend into the surrounding green belt landscape.

In securing planning permission for the changes to this historic building, the new owner has had to get a bat licence to ensure bats are not disturbed. This will limit the times at which work can be carried out.