Crosspool Forum’s next Open Meeting will take place on Thursday 24 January at St Columba’s church. It starts at 7pm.
Come along and give your concerns on local issues to local councillors, the police and officials.
The guest speaker at this meeting is Mark Johnson from City Wide Care Alarms who will be talking about how you can remain safe, secure and independent in your home.
The church hall at St Columba’s has been redecorated and a new sound system installed.
Harry Jessop (front) competes at the British Short Track Speed Skating Championship in Nottingham
Well done to 11-year-old Harry Jessop from Crosspool who has won a silver medal at a prestigious national speed skating championship.
Harry fought off tough competition to finish second in the under-11s category of the British Short Track Speed Skating Championship, in Nottingham.
The two-day competition required racing over three different lengths – 500m, which he won; 333m, in which he came fifth after a fall; and a 222m race which saw him come in third. The three race times are averaged to provide an accumulated score.
Harry, who trains with Sheffield Speed Skating Club at iceSheffield, was a fraction away from winning the overall tournament which involved competitors from as far as London, Birmingham and Dundee.
Harry with his silver medal on the podium
He said: “I feel really proud of myself because I haven’t been skating for that long – only 18 months. It was a bit hectic rushing around and changing my skates but I did well in the end.
“Speed skating is really important to me – it’s my favourite thing in the world and I just love it. My mum encouraged me to go to my first session at iceSheffield and I just wanted to keep on doing it.”
Harry’s mum Clare said: “It’s a great sport to be involved in – iceSheffield has a great atmosphere and everyone’s lovely. It’s good for the children because it teaches them to look out for each other and practice discipline.”
Harry’s skating success comes as Michael O’Dea, Sheffield Speed Skating Club’s oldest member at 67, has qualified for the European Masters Short Track Speed Skating Championships in Holland on Saturday 19 January.
Mandy Parker, general manager at iceSheffield, which is operated by Sheffield International Venues (SIV) said: “Harry and Michael’s skating success is great for iceSheffield and the Sheffield Speed Skating Club. It shows that people of all ages and backgrounds can enjoy and succeed in sport, and we wish Michael the best of luck for the European Masters.”
On Saturday 5 January 2013 a black cat called Pudding went missing from his home on Cairns Road. Have you seen him?
He is around 10 years old (the owners don’t know for certain as he was rescue cat), with black long fur with a brownish chest and green/yellow eyes. A distinguishing feature is a little nick in his tongue. He doesn’t have a collar and isn’t microchipped.
The owners are asking whether you could check your garage, basement, greenhouse and shed in case Pudding – who also responds to the name Wow Wow – is trapped inside.
If you think you might have seen him, please ring the owner on 07904 468589.
Do you know anyone in Crosspool who is learning to use computers or who has not used one before?
Crosspool Forum is organising more computer courses to help people build their IT skills. Enrolment is on Monday 7 January 2013 between 10am and 12pm at the Scout Hall on Benty Lane.
Following this, different courses for beginners and the more advanced are expected to take place on:
Mondays 10am-12pm and 1-3pm
Tuesdays 10am-12pm
Fridays 10am-12pm
A laptop is provided and a projector is used to display lessons on to a large screen.
To reserve a place in a class or find our more information, contact Ian Hague on 0114 335 1674 or Maxine on 0114 250 0613. You can also email crosspoolforum@fsmail.net.
Drivers on the bottom end of Manchester Road will have noticed the electronic speed indication displays (SIDs) return last month. We got in touch the council to find out what data about traffic speeds the SIDs have collected.
The speed limit for this stretch of road is 30mph. The idea is that the SIDs slow cars down by making drivers aware when they are driving at unsafe speeds.
The data below from previous periods when SIDs have been installed on Manchester Road shows a reduction in average speed when they are present:
Period
Average vehicle speed into town
Average vehicle speed away from town
No SIDs on site
34mph
31mph
February 2011
31mph
29mph
July 2010
31mph
27mph
The SIDs on Manchester Road will be there for an eight-week period before they are rotated to another site by the Central Community Assembly.
Christmas trees are going up in the precinct on Sunday
Three events mark the start of Christmas festivities in Crosspool this weekend.
On Saturday 1 December from 10am-2pm Crosspool WI hosts a Christmas Fayre in Lounge@Crosspool cafe. Pop along for craft stalls, refreshments, homemade cakes and their great Crosspool bake-off!
On Sunday morning the Christmas trees will be going up in the precinct above our local shops. So look out for them when you pass through next week.
And on Sunday afternoon from 1.30-3.30pm there’s a Christmas disco for children between 3-11 years at St Columba’s church hall. Father Christmas will bring a present for every child and refreshments and nibbles will be served.
In addition to the church services, Loxley Silver Band will be playing local carols and Christmas tunes from 8.30pm at The Sportsman pub on Sunday 9 December, and there are also carols at Sandygate on Thursday 20 December.
St Columba’s Church of England
16 December 10am Family Communion; 4pm Carol Service (with Stephen Hill Methodist Church)
23 December 10am Morning Worship
24 December 4pm Candlelight Nativity Service
25 December 10am Christmas Family Communion
St Francis of Assisi Roman Catholic Church
24 December 4pm Children’s Nativity Service; 8pm Christmas Night Mass
25 December 10am Christmas Day Mass
Tapton Hill Congregational Church
23 December 2.45pm Candlelight Service
25 December 10.15am Christmas Day Service
The Beacon at Stephen Hill Methodist
24 December 4pm Children’s Service with Christingles; 11.30pm Midnight Communion
25 December 10am Worship for all the family
Hallam FC chaplain Reverend Peter Allan is to host an evening of Christmas carols, mulled wine and mince pies at Sandygate, the oldest football ground in the world.
From 7pm on Thursday 20 December Peter will lead a choir and guests through some best-loved carols around the tree in the 1860 Suite.
All the family are welcome and the bar will stay open afterwards.
The Crosspool Clarion is the official newsletter of Crospool Forum. It is a free, quarterly publication, with over 2,500 copies delivered to local households.
