Category: gardening

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Food Works Launches New Volunteer Sessions at Carver Fields

Food Works are launching new volunteer sessions at Carver Fields this autumn, with weekly Tuesday sessions (9:00–12:30 from 8 September) and monthly Sunday sessions (from 13 September). Due to road closures on Hagg Lane, volunteers are asked to park at the top of the Lane and walk down.

The autumn work focuses on preparing the site for spring vegetable growing and some autumn crops, including tidying the top paddock, mowing overgrown areas, making the gate safe, and creating veg beds using cardboard and topsoil or compost. Food Works are also exploring the reuse of topsoil from nearby works and plan to plant native hedgerow trees from the Woodland Trust to improve wildlife corridors.

Food Works are keen to hear ideas from local residents. They’ve already spoken with a neighbour about creating a herb garden, and Crosspool Forum has offered a couple of picnic benches for the site. Conversations are also underway with scout groups, local schools, and Holly Hagg farm to explore how the project can benefit the wider community.

A drop‑in event will take place on Sunday 13 September, 11:00–2:00pm, where residents can discuss bench locations, maintenance needs, planting ideas and potential community projects.

If you’re not able to make it on the 13th, please do drop Bethan an email: bethan@thefoodworks.org

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A City That Grows Together

Food Works have already begun by bringing Norton Nursery back into community use. Now they have a unique opportunity to create Sheffield’s first nature‑rich, community‑led food‑growing site at Calver Fields, thanks to land generously offered by the Methodist Circuit.

With your support, this could spark a city‑wide transformation, good food and nature that flourishes in every neighbourhood.

The aim of Community Growing for People & Planet is simple: to make Sheffield a city where every neighbourhood has nature‑rich spaces that grow food, bring people together, and ensure everyone has access to good, fresh produce.

A bigger table for everyone. When we share what we can, no one has to go without.

Add your name to Food Works’ bigger table today.

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Food Works Community Food Growing

Carver Fields this Sunday, 26 July, between 2 and 4pm

Food Works are really looking forward to getting started on the new community food‑growing project at Carver Fields and are keen to involve as many neighbours as possible. 

Whether you’re curious, enthusiastic, or just want to find out what’s planned, they’d be delighted to talk with you.
They’ll be at Carver Fields this Sunday, 26 July, between 2 and 4pm for a relaxed drop‑in chat. Come along, share your thoughts, and help shape something positive for the area.

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Crosspool’s Blooming Displays 

A huge thank‑you to the Crosspool Forum for brightening our Precinct with planters and hanging baskets this summer. From neat arrangements around the big tree to full cascades of colour in the planters, your creativity has turned our neighbourhood into a cheerful patchwork of blooms.

It’s the small touches that make the biggest difference, hanging baskets and carefully tended planters in the precinct and outside the Crosspool Tavern, together they lift the whole area and show the pride we take in our community.

Massive thanks to Steve and all the gardeners, waterers and quiet behind‑the‑scenes helpers; your efforts are noticed, appreciated, and admired. Your dedication shows, and our community is all the brighter for it.

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Crosspool Open Gardens — Saturday 27th June 2026

A great day out close to home.
Explore a lovely mix of local gardens, enjoy refreshments and maybe even a bit of expert advice. 
Map of Garden Tickets £5, available from Crosspool Pet Supplies, any participating garden, or email: 156kar@gmail.com
Come and support our gardeners and enjoy the neighbourhood in full bloom.

Crosspool Festival 2026
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Crosspool Open Gardens – Saturday 27 June

Crosspool Open Gardens returns on Saturday 27 June, offering a rare chance to explore some of the area’s most cherished private gardens. Whether you’re looking for planting ideas, curious about how neighbours make the most of their outdoor spaces, or simply fancy a gentle afternoon wander, it’s always a highlight of the local calendar.

This year’s trail features a lovely mix of mature gardens, creative smaller plots, spaces shaped with wildlife in mind and plenty of lovely homemade cakes and snacks to enjoy.

Tickets are available from the pet shop or from a garden near you: look out for the posters outside open gardens.
Children get in free and all proceeds go to charity

Whilst out and about don’t miss taking a moment to explore Lydgate Green, our community’s own Garden of Tranquillity.
Tucked away at the corner of Lydgate Hall Crescent and Lydgate Lane, this peaceful spot has been lovingly tended by local volunteers for over five years and is there for everyone to enjoy throughout the year.

Crosspool Festival 2026
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Crosspool Open Gardens 

Our much‑loved Open Gardens returns!
Keen to support a charity close to your heart? Join this year’s Open Gardens and help make it a wonderful community day.
Saturday 27th June 2026 – 10.00am to 4.00pm
To take part, contact:
Ken Rutter and Sue Day 0114 268 0088 156kar@gmail.com

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Social Gardening Club

Broomhill Community Library Social Gardening Club starts 10:30, Wednesday, 14th January.

A welcoming space to learn gardening, forestry, garden design and more, all guided by experienced facilitators.
No gardening experience needed, and all tools and refreshments are provided.
A great way to meet new friends.
Indoors during the winter.

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Hagg Lane Organic Allotments – gardening opportunity for all

Winner of the best community allotment in Sheffield 2024.

Hagg Lane Organic Allotments are a thriving community food growing group in Crosspool, Sheffield. They currently have twelve gardeners who meet every Tuesday and Friday mornings throughout the year, and every day in Spring and Summer for watering. The fruit and vegetables are shared.
For less than £1 / week you could join them and take-home armfuls of picked that day organic apples, pears, berries, grapes, potatoes, kale, beans, garlic, onions and shallots.

Joining this group offers a wealth of benefits for both your physical health and mental well-being. It’s more than just gardening; it’s a vibrant social learning community where members generously share decades of hands-on experience and practical know-how. Their collective wisdom is freely passed on, enriching everyone through shared effort and mutual support.
The organic approach, first introduced on Plot two by Richard Clare in 2013, who also had a keen interest in leaf mould, has been nurtured and sustained ever since. Members are warmly encouraged to get involved, enjoy the process, and take pride in growing food you can harvest and eat.

They expanded to their second plot in 2019 and they will soon expand to a new plot making three in total. They are looking for new gardener members to join them. If you are interested go along any Tuesday or Friday between 10 and 12 or contact their secretary Simon at simonmartinez1937@yahoo.com – 07713 133800. Please let Simon know if you are going to visit.

Plots two and three have vegetable beds on a three-year rotation, fruit trees and soft fruit. Discussions have started on how they garden the new plot. So, contact them and go along to shape the next twelve years of the Organic Community Allotment.

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Community Allotment Group

Would you like to join a community allotment group?

Hagg Lane Organic Allotments, Plots 2 and 3, Back Lane, Sheffield S10, are looking for new members.

If you enjoy gardening and growing organically or if you’re thinking of an allotment of your own and would like to try gardening on an allotment scale first, why not come and visit to see if you would like to join us.

Currently we meet on Tuesday and Friday mornings at around 10.00am.

We have two plots imaginatively named Plot 2 and Plot 3 and currently have 13 adult and several school age members.

Plot 2 is a large area gardened before us by Richard Clare. The plot benefited from Richard’s pioneering ideas regarding the use of organic growing. Sadly, Richard passed away in 2013. Subsequently the group was formed and with the support of the National Trust took over the plot though we are now entirely independent.

Plot 3 which came under our care in 2021 has soft fruit, a small orchard, grape vines, soft fruit, asparagus, a secure shed and water tank.

Consequently, we have some years of experience gardening and maintaining the soil health of our plots. We share our knowledge and skills and as a result have all become better gardeners.

Any surplus produce is donated to Foodbanks and Food serve. In recent years we have also welcomed school groups onto the site for environmental visits.

Membership is currently £50 per person per year. This covers rent, insurance & tools etc.

If this friendly cooperative sounds like something that you might be interested in joining, to arrange a visit to meet us, please contact:
Simon Martínez Tele: 07713133809 Email:  simonmartinez1937@yahoo.comÂ