Fruit, vegetable and plant sales at Hagg Lane allotments

Hagg Lane & District Gardeners’ Allotments Society has fundraising fruit, vegetable and plant sales on four days during May, starting this weekend.

You’ll be able to purchase vegetables, fruit, bedding, herb and perennial plants at the bring and buy-style sales. They run between 9.30am and 2.30pm on:

  • Saturday 5 May 2012
  • Sunday 6 May 2012
  • Saturday 19 May 2012
  • Sunday 20 May 2012

The sales are to raise funds towards their new community hut. They’ll also be selling hot drinks and home-made cake at the sales. If you wish to donate plants or get involved then contact them directly via their website:

Hagg Lane & District Gardeners’ Allotments Society

Minutes from Crosspool Forum Open Meeting, 26 April 2012

Below is a bullet point summary of Thursday’s meeting.

Download April 26 2012 Open Meeting bullet points (PDF, 78KB)

Matters arising

Benty Lane junction still ongoing – information expected soon.

Police report

PC Louise Atha – team now part of “SWSNA” (rather than Broomhill Safer Neighbourhood Area); but still the same officers working the same area. Recent items of interest:

  1. Coop Travel armed robbery – ongoing CID enquiries;
  2. armed response op, Manchester Rd, one arrest.
  3. under-age alcohol purchases; of 17 premises tested 3 failed
  4. bogus callers – list available of phone numbers to check their identity
  5. burglaries & pedal-bike thefts – reminder to keep access locked!
  6. schoolchildren fighting in Crosspool – ongoing enquiries
  7. allotment break-ins; shed alarms now fitted & new gate; Operation Herbaceous in place. Anti-social behaviour down by 4% in this area!.

PCSO Garry Hizam – BlackBerry number 07584 617 200; he can call at residents’ homes with his Hermes unit to register possessions.

Insp. Deborah Pickering – new insp. For the team introduced herself.

Guest Speaker:- Andrew Peat

Andrew Peet (Neighbourhood Watch, Fulwood).

As it is better to deter burglars from targeting your house in the first place, once secure locks have been fitted the most sophisticated (& police backed) tool is a ‘glitter glue’ type liquid that can be used by householders to mark laptops, ceramic, jewellery, cameras, satnavs etc etc. People were asked to sign up with Andrew or Pat Wilkins – or later via Ian Hague – so a large order can be placed with the company SelectaDNA, for kits at £25 a time.

Each kit has a totally different ‘fingerprint’, and will mark up to 75 items permanently., with ‘readers’ able to then trace the item back to its owner of stolen. Large door/patio window stickers then advise potential criminals that a particular house is not worth breaking-into, and hopefully eventually insurance companies will take this into account when setting premiums.

Hillside Harvest

Nick & Eleanor Rousseau, & Claire Gregory, spoke about their grow-you-own cooperative, run from on 7 allotments on Hagg Hill. The last year & a half have seen them learn by experience, how to keep the mice off, how to make use of weeds for fertilizer, & how to grow a ‘permaculture’ system that works in harmony with nature & is low maintenance. They have a rota of local members who go together to work the land, and teach school groups etc how to do this in a sustainable fashion.

Councillors’ report

Cllr. Geoff Smith said:

  1. Hadfield Reservoir – unlikely to be on the final list of proposed building sites – no plans to decommission it. Lydgate – awaiting response that Nick Clegg requested about this.
  2. Vernon Tce; sadly this is now a ‘dead issue’
  3. 20s plenty road campaign; one 2o zone will be put in place in the SWCA area – but not necessarily in Crosspool.
  4. Moor View (Gosney’s )farm; despite very worrying letters to the effect that demolition will take place on 30th April, Geoff was positive no application had even been received to do this, & Kate Mansell (planning) knows this is an important heritage site for Crosspool.
  5. Green garden waste; from 23rd April people can purchase clear sacks at £1.20 each & once filled can telephone for 5-10 to be collected by the Council. This is just for 2012, as in ’13 the Council hopes to introduce green bins. (Flytipping is recognized as a possible isse because of this).
  6. Recycling; once the black bin become a fortnightly collection people can choose which blue bin to use for which recycling – as long as they do not mix their waste.

Events

Crosspool Festival; now in its 3rd year Sally Turnbull listed some of the events happening int he week 6th to 15th July – well dressing, open gardens, barn dance, organ recital, street market, cricket club open day, Tavern & Plough events, walks, harp recital, birds talk, gardeners’ question time, tea dance, harp recital etc! Residents will get a programme through their letterboxes in June.

Summer Fayre (14th July) – new events incl. Punch & Judy, American marching band & sumo wrestlers! Helpers please contact Ian Hague.

Car Boot Sale (16th June). – but not if its wet!

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee – look out for flags & flowers in the precinct!

 AOB

  1. Ian Hague was thanked for his organization of the recent Salford Quays trip; it is to be hoped they can be more!
  2. Paula Stacey is re-opening the Crosspool craft shop.
  3. A new Crosspool Women’s s Institute group has started – see Twitter (Or Paula)
  4. Computer course; names to Ian Hague please if you would like to join the new courses.
  5. Event for 21013; it is hoped to mark Sheffield’ first-ever bus route – being the 51 to Crosspool – early in 2013. Watch this space!

The next Open Meeting will be Thurs, 26th July 2012. 7pm, St Columba’s.

Download April 26 2012 Open Meeting bullet points (PDF, 78KB)

Lounge @ Crosspool tea room opens in precinct

Lounge @ Crosspool (photo used with permission)
Lounge @ Crosspool (photo used with permission)

A new cafe has opened in Crosspool in the unit previously occupied by Craft Angels on Sandygate Road.

The Lounge @ Crosspool tea room welcomed its first customers on Tuesday. They are serving beverages and light refreshments and will be open 8:30am-4pm during the week and 8:30pm-1pm on Saturdays. The cafe has good disabled access, baby changing facilities and is child friendly.

A new sign above the shop will be going up this week.

Lounge @ Crosspool Facebook page

Paula from Lounge @ Crosspool (photo used with permission)
Paula from Lounge @ Crosspool (photo used with permission)
Lounge @ Crosspool cupcakes (photo used with permission)
Lounge @ Crosspool cupcakes (photo used with permission)

Residents’ concern over future of Moor View Farm on Manchester Road

Moor View Farm (picture and location on Google Maps) on Manchester Road has been put up for sale.

The property and surrounding land, known locally to some as Gosney’s farm, is being marketed by Eaton Commercial Property Consultants. The sellers are seeking offers in excess of £600,000.

At Thursday night’s Open Meeting, concerns were raised by some residents over whether the farm would be demolished. A downloadable document on the Eaton website gives details of how an indicative residential layout scheme might look.

Crookes Councillor Geoff Smith confirmed at the meeting that to his knowledge, no application to demolish it or for planning permission has been received by the council. Some neighbouring residents indicated that they had received letters saying that demolition of the farm was due to take place before the end of the month.

Councillor Smith is investigating further and we’ll post any updates regarding the farm to this website.

Property listing on Eaton Commercial (scroll down)

Plans document for Moor View Farm (PDF, 3.1MB)

Location of Moor View Farm (Google Maps)

Update, Friday 27 April 2012 from Councillor Smith:

I have been in contact with the Council Planning Department today. Unfortunately both the people I had dealt with before were on leave. However, I managed to talk to someone who studied the file and got back to me. The agent has applied recently to the Building Regulations office of the Council for permission to demolish the farm. This included notice of their intention to do so on 30 April 2012. What the neighbours have received is a letter from the agent informing them that the demolition will take place on 30 April. The Building Regulations office has NOT given them permission to demolish and has sent a letter today to the agent informing them that the demolition cannot go ahead without a bat survey and a planning application to demolish. The agent will also be telephoned today to inform him. I aim to be at the site on Monday morning.

Update, Thursday 3 May 2012 from Councillor Smith:

Those of you who were up and about on Manchester Road around 8am on Monday may have seen three men loitering near the farm. They were Ian and Steve from the Crosspool Forum and me. We were there just in case there was a demolition attempt. Fortunately we did not have to draw straws to decide which of us was going to dive in front of a bulldozer. There was no attempted demolition.

I have been assured by the relevant Council officers that both the owners and the agent are fully aware that a prior application to the Planning Dept. and a bat survey have to be carried out before demolition can take place. There is still some doubt as to the grounds on which the Planning Dept can insist that a full planning type application is made. But for the moment a prior application has not been made and a bat survey has not been completed.

I will keep you informed. If, though, you see any activity around the farm that looks like demolition of preparations to demolish please let me know. I can be contacted on 07581 214 783.

Report from Crosspool Forum visit to BBC Media Centre and Salford Quays

Thanks to David Rumsey for sending us this report from this week’s trip to the BBC and Salford Quays, which was organised by Crosspool Forum for some of our older residents.

Visit to BBC Media Centre and Salford Quays

Fifty friendly followers of the Forum left The Sportsman car park at 8.30 on a cold Monday morning and headed over the Snake in the TM coach expertly controlled by John.

We followed a learner driver at 20 mph from Hollow Meadows to Glossop on the most nerve tingling driving lesson ever known and with the traffic behind tailing back all the way to Sheffield. We made up speed on the motorway however and then into Manchester and Salford Quays arriving about 10am.

The aim of the trip was a conducted tour of the BBC Media Centre, a newly-conceived public relations exercise by the Beeb to demonstrate their increasing presence in the untamed North. We visited the Radio 5 Live studios, the Blue Peter and the Breakfast studios and some brave members of our group had a go at reading the news and weather forecast (just like the real thing).

Finding out how radio dramas are made was also most interesting and none of us will ever listen to The Archers again without remembering how they do the sound effects replicating the birthing of a spring lamb! Sadly we didn’t get a look inside the large sports building where all BBC sport is organised but it was an eye opener to find out that the BBC owned nothing (much) on Salford Quays – it was all rented! Apparently very much the cheaper option.

While we waited for our turn for a tour around the Media Centre we could spend fascinating hours in the Imperial War Museum North or the Lowry Gallery and Theatre. As well as the famous paintings the Lowry included a very striking exhibition on the costumes, albums and career of Annie Lennox; a collaboration between the Lowry and the V&A. A maybe less fascinating time could be spent in the large Lowry Outlet Shopping Mall.

The day was very effectively rounded off with a splendid meal at the Willow Bank Hotel (a Best Western Hotel) on the Wilmslow Road where we all had a chance to catch up on our day before John had the dubious pleasure of driving us back over the Snake.

A special thanks to Ian Hague, our Chairman, for organising such a great day out, for arranging the sponsorship from Sheffield City Council and for the hotel meal at such an extremely modest price! Great value.

Crookes ward: local elections and mayoral referendum on Thursday 3 May

Stephen Hill church polling station in Crosspool
Stephen Hill church polling station in Crosspool

Local residents will be voting in the local council elections and mayoral referendum on Thursday 3 May.

There are 28 seats up for election, which is one third of Sheffield City Council. Crosspool lies in the Crookes ward, where there are six candidates standing:

If any of these candidates read this, it would be great if they could comment below to sum up why Crosspool residents should vote for them.

Voters will also be deciding they would like the council to be run, either by a leader who is an elected councillor chosen by a vote of the other elected councillors (how the council is run now) or by a mayor who is elected by voters.

Sheffield local elections May 2012

Manchester Road Surgery launches early morning appointments

Manchester Road Surgery is to trial an early morning surgery on Mondays.

For three months from 30 April, patients will be able to book advance Monday appointments from 7.30am. The early morning slots are aimed at those with work or other commitments that find attending surgery during our normal hours difficult.

The surgery has asked people not to make an early morning appointment if you can come in during normal surgery hours (from 8.30am).

New surgery website

The news comes as the surgery launches its new website at www.manchesterroadsurgery.org.uk.

Visitors to the website can keep up with all latest surgery news. You’ll also find links to other websites where a wealth of health and wellbeing related information can be accessed.

The surgery website also reports on a newly formed patient group, and how patient power is making a difference at the surgery after the group contributed ideas that were used to develop a patient survey.

You can now also order repeat prescriptions via the internet and will soon be able to book advance appointments.

Manchester Road Surgery

Agenda for Crosspool Forum Open Meeting, Thursday 26 April 2012

You are invited to Crosspool Forum’s Open Meeting on Thursday 26 April at St Columba’s Church. It starts at 7pm.

A provisional agenda is below. Come along to give your concerns on Crosspool issues to local councillors, the police and council officials.

Update 21 April: PC Atha will be attending the Open Meeting with new inspector Deborah Pickering.

Agenda for Crosspool Forum Open Meeting, Thursday 26 April 2012 (PDF, 57KB)

Open Meeting, Thursday 26 April 2012: provisional agenda

  1. Apologies for absence
    Introduction of top table
    Chairman’s welcome/report
    Minutes (bullet points) of last meeting to be approved
  2. Matters arising
  3. Police Liaison
    An update on policing in the area. PC Atha will be attending the Open Meeting with new inspector Deborah Pickering.
  4. Guest Speaker:- Andrew Peat
    Demo of the advantages of Forensic marking
  5. Talk:- Nick Rousseau ‘Grow your own food’
  6. Questions & Answers with Councillors
    Cllr. Sylvia Anginotti; Cllr. Brian Holmes; Cllr. Geoff Smith
  7. Events: Festival/Fayre, Car Boot Sale, Queens Diamond Jubilee
  8.  AOB

Date of next meeting Thursday July 26th.

Agenda for Crosspool Forum Open Meeting, Thursday 26 April 2012 (PDF, 57KB)

Crosspool Open Gardens is looking for new gardens

Crosspool Open Gardens 2011
Why not open up your garden as part of this year's Crosspool Open Gardens?

Crosspool Open Gardens sees proud local residents open up their private gardens to the public to raise money for charities.

This year’s event is on Saturday 7 July and marks the start of Crosspool Festival 2012. As well as a chance to look round many of the old favourites, the organisers are looking for new gardens to take part.

Participating gardens are featured in a Open Gardens paper programme. Profits from the sale of the programme are shared between charities nominated by participating gardeners, who can also raise funds themselves by selling plants and refreshments.

If you’re interested in putting your garden forward for consideration, contact Roger on 230 6194 and rogerkite40@tiscali.co.uk.