Issue 104 • February 2013 • Free to everyone in Burngreave www.burngreavemessenger.org Voice of the Burngreave Community Campaign for Childcare Watoto manager Sharon Brown explained, “Early years and childcare services are crucial to helping our children develop their linguistic, cognitive, social and emotional building blocks in readiness for school and life. We at Watoto Pre- School believe that slashing the early decision was taken without proper Story: Lisa Swift | Photos: Erin Blythe years funding so drastically is unwise consultation. And no account was taken and will cost the city and the country in Parents, childcare workers and of the equality duty – many women will the long term.” children took to the streets on be impacted because of these cuts. Many December 12th and January 19th, children with special needs, many Semereab Tesfazghi, a father whose to let the Council know that cuts children from BME backgrounds are family has used Burngreave Children’s to Early Years funding is not going to be specifically affected.” Centre for years expressed his concern, acceptable. The Messenger spoke to parents and workers who would be affected by the “We have twins who are 4 years old now. Burngreave and Fir Vale families were a cuts. Lena Mohammed, worker at Fir Burngreave Children’s Centre have key part of the protest. Voluntary sector Vale Pre School, explained what the cuts supported us since before they were born. providers Watoto, Fir Vale Pre School might mean for their centre, There are a lot of facilities there, health and Ellesmere Children’s Centre all checks, midwives, my partner has been to depend on Council grants that will be “We won't be able to employ enough a lot of activities and got help with entirely cut. While childcare at staff and we'll have to downsize. That things like breastfeeding. It’s an Burngreave Children’s Centre is run would be ridiculous because in our area important part of our community.” directly by the Council, the Council plans there's a population increase and we need to privatise this. more childcare. We are a multicultural A local mother of two from Firs Hill, who centre with a multicultural staff.” takes her baby to Owler Brook Nursery, January’s demonstation was organised by said, Sheffield Community Childcare Forum. Burngreave mum Charlie, who uses Speaking on the Town Hall steps to Ellesmere Children’s Centre, said, “The impact will be women becoming hundreds of protesters, Abtisam more isolated, staying in, getting Mohammed, representing Fir Vale Pre "I feel like the government is attacking depressed. This is the contact you have School, said, working class women. I want to be able with the outside world. It's part of the to afford to go to work. They're taking community and you get to know what's “We were told that the most vulnerable that right away from me." going on around you.” deprived communities would not be affected. By cutting all these Children's Nusrat Begum takes her children to Parents are beginning to see some action Centres and childcare, which are in the Watoto Pre-School. She said, as a result of their protests and the 9000 most deprived areas in Sheffield, we are signatures they have gathered on a “I have to look after three children with targeting the most vulnerable petition. The Council’s Scrutiny Panel has disabilities. If it wasn't for Watoto, I communities.” now referred the matter back to Cabinet wouldn't be able to get anything done at and asked them to preserve the current “The Childcare Forum will be challenging home. I think it would make me ill.” services until the matter is reconsidered. these cuts legally on 2 grounds: the Green City Action Telephone: (0114) 244 0353 [email protected] Green City Action has a vacancy for the post of: School for Vegetables Project Assistant Salary: £10 per hour plus 5% pension contribution. This post is part-time and flexible at 10 hours per week (520 hours per year) and is a 1 year contract. Purpose of job: To support the School for Vegetables (SfV) project by assisting with school site visits to a community allotment, horticultural sessions and general organic gardening. Applicants must have experience of sustainable food growing and working with children. For an application pack please contact Green City Action on email at [email protected] or by phone on 0114 244 0353 The closing date for applications is Monday 25th February at 5pm www.greencityaction.org.uk. Registered Charity 1095725 2 BURNGREAVE MESSENGER Example possible site spaces Burngreave hit hardest Putting this issue together has been a grim task as we survey the impending cuts to services in Burngreave in the Council’s budget. Faced with £50 million less to spend than last year, the Council has a difficult and unpleasant task. Having less money inevitably means people in Burngreave will be badly affected. Fir Vale Primary Academy update But Councillors need to bear in mind the population of Burngreave is also listening to all comments about the Story: Rohan Francis facing bigger-than-average cuts in non- school. They told the Messenger these Council services, including the severe More information about the comments could influence the final cuts to benefits and Council tax rebates proposed Primary Academy details of the project, suggesting that that so many people rely on. Whilst School in Fir Vale was revealed by views on traffic problems, access to Councillors may be eager not to raise the Council at community outdoor spaces or how the Academy is Council tax for wealthier homeowners meetings in December. run, would all be taken into account. across the city, they should remember who is really having to pay the cost of Primary Places Other regeneration? the cuts. From its opening in September 2014, the The plan shows a small area remaining school will offer 60 Reception places, on the site, which has yet to be designated Copy deadline: 6th March with 30 places in years one, two, three a use. It is proposed that the development Published: 23rd March and four and 15 places in years five and of this area will be decided through Burngreave Messenger Ltd, six. The school will eventually provide 60 community consultation later. Abbeyfield Park House, places per year across all seven year Abbeyfield Road, Sheffield S4 7AT. groups – a total of 420 places. Local comments Tel: (0114) 242 0564 Members of the Council’s Inclusion and Residents’ comments on how the [email protected] Academy should be run were collected at Learning Service told the Messenger they Messenger Info www.burngreavemessenger.org anticipated the extra school places will be local Libraries, the Pakistan Advice and taken up by local families due to the Community Association and from parents increased birth rate. There is also a of local schools. demand for primary school places across the older age ranges in Fir Vale. These The Council will consider the expressions children are expected to fill the places of interest in running the Academy they offered in years one to six. had received by the 21st January, combined with the comments, and form a This differs from the situation in the ‘Preferred Option’. This will then be proposed new school at Shirecliffe, where forwarded to the Secretary of State who The Burngreave Messenger is a the school will be launched with just two will make the final decision on who runs community newspaper with editorial reception forms of 30 places each in its the school around the end of March. Once independence, funded by the Big Lottery, first year. The size of the school will grow this decision is made, there will be a the Tudor Trust, local residents and our to 60 places per year across the primary separate opportunity for residents to advertisers. Registered Charity: 1130836 age range as the first group of children comment on the planning application for flow through it. the building. All content is copyright Burngreave Messenger Ltd or its voluntary More information contributors, not to be reproduced New location plan without permission.We aim to increase The Council also revealed an updated More information on the new Academy and encourage communication in plan of the site for the school, on the Primaries can be found on the Council's Burngreave. Each edition is put together Skinnerthorpe and Bagley Road area. website. A report on the community by an editorial team who write articles This plan shows the area of land that discussions and details of which not otherwise credited. could be taken up by the new building, organisations have expressed an interest This issue’s team: Rohan Francis, outdoor areas and playing fields, based in running the schools will be posted at Carol Holmes, Saleema Imam, on the requirements of a typical primary the same website soon: Douglas Johnson, Jamie Marriott, school. It could be adjusted in response to John Mellor,Tim Neal, Lisa Swift local wishes. www.sheffield.gov.uk/education/about- us/consultation/new-primary- Proofing and editing: Fran Belbin, Council staff at the drop-in said they were schools.html Gaynor Carr, Liz Searle. ISSUE 104 • FEBRUARY 2013 3 Study support campaign continues Story: Lisa Swift, Emily Haimeed, Nasira Amin, Education is an investment Asha Mohammed Diana Yehya Shaibi works at Byron Wood School supporting children with maths and literacy. I am a proud, Yemeni-British citizen living in Burngreave. I graduated from Sheffield Hallam University in November, Springboard into University studying BA Education Psychology. Mohammed Ali (pictured right) is in his 3rd year of Bio Medical I attended the Burngreave After School Science at Sheffield Hallam Support Project whilst I was a student at University Fir Vale School.