Editor: Park or car park just for machines isn’t hard choice

This city wouldn't be what it is without thousands of volunteers who give up their time to make it better, for nothing more than love.

Fortunately they are many in number because it feels as if an army of normal folk is needed to protect what is rightfully theirs. In this particular case, a corner of Graves Park which has been unloved for as long as I can remember and, it would appear, isn't allowed to be restored to its natural glory.

I happened to be chatting about John George Graves with business owners at a prestigious event on Monday evening.

He remains one of the most prominent givers to the people of Sheffield, helped hugely by his name adorning his donations decades later. We need more people like Graves, philanthropic kindness which doesn't have to involve huge acreage of land or prominent buildings but is desperately appreciated.

But we also need to ensure that those charged with looking after these gifts on our behalf, do so openly and honestly, as was assumed when they were handed over.

I don't know what Graves would think of the crippling lack of investment to stop his art gallery crumbling or of the local authority's damagingly dithering approach to any sign of a plan to secure its future.

But, guided solely by his passion to make Sheffield better for those who live here and the wording from his gifts, I think we can safely agree he wanted parkland not a car park for machinery.

It is good for humans and great for the planet, but then that doesn't seem to hold much sway with politicians amidst this climate crisis.

It does feel a little strange to have the Green Party in charge of parks and yet the environment clearly isn’t the priority in this instance.

But where there's a willingness to meet, there's hope. I await the site visit and subsequent decision with great interest.

When will this city guarantee that our wonderful platoon of volunteers have nothing more serious to fight than weeds – forever?