'I love it here' - residents have their say on life on Sheffield's Lowedges estate
“I've lived all over the place, but Lowedges is home”
With park improvements and a new community centre opening up, Lowedges residents are seeing some improvements to their neighbourhood.
Yet some things are still making them feel left behind, including the continued closure of the park's public toilets, and sewage dumping in a local stream.
Local residents Cheryl Maillard and Joanne Booth help to run the coffee morning at the newly opened Eden Community Hub on Lowedges Road.
Cheryl, who has lived in her current Lowedges home for 25 years, said: “I love the community. The community's fantastic if you need anything.
“I was on Facebook, and somebody said they needed the food bank, they were running low on food over the bank holiday weekend.
“Somebody jumped straight on and said, ‘What do you need? I'll go to the shop. I'll get it for you.’ The community spirit is fantastic. Anyone helps anybody else out.”
However, she said: “There's still a lot of issues here, as you get on most estates. You know, your drugs, your alcohol.
“It's a more deprived area, people don't seem to be able to get off here.”
Cheryl told The Star that Sheffield City Council had provided improvements with a new playground a few years ago but more could be done.
She said: “They put all new climbing frames and things like that. But I think there's other things that they could be doing.
“The stream needs looking at badly because it's got sewage running through. It never used to be like that.
“They had some guys from the water board the other day in the park, and they were telling people with dogs, ‘don't let your dogs go in the stream’, because obviously they know how filthy it is.”
Cheryl also explained there used to be a toilet block in the park, but it was closed down due to evidence of drug use.
Despite these concerns, Cheryl says Lowedges is “home”.
She said: “I love Lowedges. I love it here. I've lived in some nice areas over the years. I've lived in Greenhill, Dronfield, Chancet Wood. I've lived all over the place, but Lowedges is home.
“When I first moved on here, the end where I lived on Lowedges was actually known as quite a bad area, and it seems to have changed.
“I think in general, it's a lot better.”
Joanne agreed and said: “I do like the area. I mean, it does have its bad points. Especially where I live on my road. But like Cheryl says, it's home.”
Joanne moved away for a few years, but moved back in 2002 and has lived in the same property ever since.
She said: “It’s who you know. If you've got really good friends, they will help you out. People will come and help you. It’s really good.”
The women said with the new community centre now open, a sense of togetherness is strengthening in the area.
The Eden hub hosts a varied programme of activities each week, including a ‘memory cafe’ dementia group, Christian fellowship, kids clubs, Spanish class and support groups for bereavement, carers and addiction.
A new kitchen is set to open soon, with a community grocery shop in the future.
Sheffield City Council was approached.