Crosspool News – crosspool.info
The Crosspool community website run by Crosspool Forum
Come along and help with planting and tidying on Hagg Copse Saturday, 15 November at 10am.
We’ll be planting small trees (provided by the Woodland Trust) and English bluebells. If you have gloves and spades then please bring them.
Hagg Copse is a community green area on the corner of Coldwell Lane and Manchester Road, maintained by Crosspool Forum.
A small herd of alpacas are settling in on a field near Hagg Lane allotments in Crosspool.
The three male animals have the run of Holly Hagg, a three-acre plot on the hill where Long Lane meets Back Lane/Bole Hill Road. They’ve been there about four weeks.
They’re very hardy animals, and a north-facing slope in Sheffield is nothing compared to where the species originated in the Andes. They don’t like getting wet so have a shelter at the bottom of the field.
Holly Hagg isn’t open access, but you can usually get a good view of the alpacas from Long Lane. If you see someone working in the field when you visit then have a word with them and you should be able to take a closer look.
The alpacas are neutered and were sold as ‘seconds’. They don’t hold much financial value but are microchipped, tagged and registered with the British Alpaca Society for easy identification.
The herd and Holly Hagg are a looked after by community group called Friends of Holly Hagg. Their aim is to make the land more fertile, biodiverse, beautiful and productive. As well as the alpacas, there’s already plenty going on with bee hives, a pond ready to be filled, a simple irrigation system and plots for vegetables.
If you want to find out more or get involved with Friends of Holly Hagg, get in touch with Claire via Facebook, on 07779 067718 or by emailing claire@gregorysheffield.plus.com.
Earlier today Crosspool Forum hosted a Special Open Meeting at St Columba’s to discuss recent vandalism to local allotments.
Fifty three allotment tenants from Marsh Lane, Hagg Lane, Rosco Bank and Rivelin attended with a view to discussing how to prevent such problems in the future.
The attendees came up with nine proposals – download the bullet point summary below.
Rivelin Valley Heritage Open Day takes places on Sunday 14 September. Join in activities and find out about the industrial heritage of the valley.
More information is at heritageopendays.org.uk and rivelinvalley.org.uk.
As allotment holders appeal for spare materials to help them rebuild the Marsh Lane allotments cafe, tool store and site toilet, a special Open Meeting has been arranged to discuss the problem of Crosspool allotment vandalism.
The 25 August fire came just a few days after a blaze at Hagg Lane allotments on 14 August.
The council have supplied a skip to Marsh Lane allotments and a group of gardener volunteers have been working to clear the site.
One plot belonging to allotment holder Jeff Walker was left devastated but thanks to a generous donation from an anonymous benefactor Jeff should be in a position to replace the shed with something more substantial and possibly fire resistant.
Marsh Lane allotment holders are now in desperate need for any timber, glass, concrete, breeze blocks, slabs and other building material to help rebuild their buildings. They’re particularly looking for support from local building yards and glass merchants.
If you can help then please call Jeff Walker on 07970 539986.
Meanwhile, local councillors, council officers, and our local police officers, in their determination to end the current blight of vandalism at local allotments, have arranged for an emergency Open Meeting to be held at  St Columba’s Church Hall, Friday 5 September at 10am. Everyone is welcome.
Volunteers have been left devastated following an arson attack on Hagg Lane allotment hut.
The main building was set alight on Thursday 14 August at around 11pm. The fire brigade was called and the fire put out but not before serious damage had been done to both the building and stock.
In addition there were some more break-ins to individual huts.
Hagg Lane & District Gardeners’ Allotments Society would like to say thank you for the over 50 emails of support since the fire and the help they’ve had clearing up.
If you’d like to lend your support then please contact them via their website.
For more information and photos, read their latest posts.
Make sure you take a look at Crosspool well dressing when you next go past. You’ll find it on the grass bank outside Crosspool Tavern on Manchester Road.
This year’s well dressing theme is the centenary of the first world war.
The well dressing was created by volunteers over the last few days and was dedicated on Friday night by
Revd. Stephen Parker of St Frances of Assisi Roman Catholic Church in Crosspool.
Crosspool Open Gardens is a chance for you to explore some of the wonderful gardens in our community, get to know your neighbours over a cuppa and cake and raise some money for charity.
Tickets for this year’s event on Saturday 28 June are on sale at Lounge@Crosspool all week and at Crosspool Pets on the day. They cost £4 – children go free.
There are lots of new gardens to explore this year. Refreshments available in nearly all the gardens including Holly Hagg.
Also be aware that some roads may be closed to cars for resurfacing such as Sandygate Park Road on the day, so please park at the top or the bottom and walk to the gardens there.
Who knows, you might be inspired to share your garden next year!
Could you spare some time to help lay a new bark chipping path on Hagg Copse this Sunday, 11 May?
Join other volunteers from 10am for a Hagg Copse clean-up morning. No experience is required, but if you have a pair of gardening gloves to wear and a spare shovel that would be useful.
Hagg Copse is a community green area on the corner of Coldwell Lane and Manchester Road, maintained by Crosspool Forum.
The Friends of Lydgate Green are asking if anyone has any plants they could donate to help improve the green space.
Secretary Roger Burkinshaw explains: “We replanted Lydgate Green last summer but the beds are looking a bit sparse after losses from the very wet winter and more annoyingly from the theft of half a dozen rose bushes.
“Do you have any plants you could donate? For example, if you are tidying your garden and have any plants that have grown too large or you are splitting clumps of perennials etc, we would love to have them.”
If you can spare any plants then please let Roger know by emailing woodster.rog@gmail.com. The Friends of Lydgate Green will then plant them up for everyone to enjoy.
Crosspool News - crosspool.info 