Resolution that counts

The start of a new year, when people are thinking about making resolutions, is the perfect time to consider volunteering.

The leading UK children’s charity Barnardo’s has 20,000 volunteers across UK from all walks of life, ages and abilities, and we are keen to recruit more people willing to donate their time in 2018 to support vulnerable children and young people.

Volunteers get involved for many reasons - to support our work and cause, to do something unusual and inspiring or to learn new skills. It is fun and rewarding, an opportunity to meet new people and it can be a stepping stone to a new career.

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Our volunteers help us in many ways, whether directly with children and young people, volunteering in our shops and offices or helping to raise vital funds. We also have special opportunities for employee volunteering (where companies allow their staff to volunteer for a day), young volunteers, interns and university students.

All Barnardo’s volunteers are given full training and support.

If you’re interested in volunteering with Barnardo’s, please pop into your local Barnardo’s store, or contact me by email at [email protected] or go to www.barnardos.org.uk/volunteering.

Finally I would like to thank all of our existing volunteers who have supported us throughout 2017 - their contribution is invaluable. We simply couldn’t exist without their support.

Jo Hunt

Volunteering & Community Engagement Advisor, Barnardo’s

The Parson Cross area

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I note that, as part of their Review of the Year, (December 26, 2017), The Star chose to resurrect an earlier article entitled ‘Sheffield community hits back over ‘one of the country’s most anti-social’ label’, (March 29, 2017).

In their recent version, The Star strangely changed its wording to ‘research revealed that Parson Cross was one of the most notorious crime hotspots across England and Wales’.

If, as stated in their March article, The Star drew its information from research done by Hopemiser in 2016, I would question their interpretation of the facts!

At no time did Hopemiser conclude that Parson Cross was ‘the most crime-ridden estate across England and Wales’. Nor did it state that it was ‘one of the country’s most anti-social estates’.

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In fact, their research concentrated on individual STREETS and NOT on whole estates! Based on the fact that, over a 6 month period,143 crimes had been REPORTED around it, Buchanan Drive did indeed gain the title of ‘one of the most anti-social streets’. Ironically, Buchanan Drive consists of a large open space and merely five properties. All of which are New Build!

The Hopewiser site, however, was at pains to point out that much anti-social behaviour was ‘petty’ and that only 10 of the reports came under ‘other crimes’.

There is always more to statistics than meets the eye!

Running along the top of Buchanan Drive, Buchanan Road leads to a nearby row of shops and an Asda Supermarket to which people travel from further afield. Youths regularly travel that route to and from an Academy a few hundred yards away.

Hopewiser draws no distinction between crimes committed by local people and those passing through!

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Some councils have complained about their streets being included in this list. As yet, I am not aware of any complaint from Sheffield Council!

In the name of art, the people of Parson Cross have borne the brunt of insulting verses, videos etc without a word of public condemnation from paid representatives.

Contrast this with the action of Paul Blomfield M.P who challenged The Sun newspaper over an article claiming the Manor estate to be ‘the worst in Britain’.

In support of his constituents, he told them ‘People who live and work in Manor completely reject the image portrayed in The Sun’s article’ and succeeded in getting it removed!

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Maybe the paid representatives of Parson Cross might someday take a leaf from his book and defend the people they serve when warranted!

Mary Steele

Deerlands Avenue, Parson
Cross, S5

Parkhill retro

I enjoyed looking at the old pictures of Parkhill. I noticed the butcher in one of them. Did that become the post office as well?

I moved to Sheffield in 2000 and was offered a flat in a month in the blue tower block on Claywood Drive on the 14th floor – and that’s how I remember Parkhill.

It had its problems, like everywhere.

I was at home there once I settled in. It was easy, four pubs in walking distance. I felt at peace in my little flat and I was brought up in a place called Old Roan just past the race course at Aintree and it was flat as a pancake terrain.

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Anyway I hope Parkhill gets some proper life breathed into it, film makers etc. Lord help us.

Michael

Upperthorpe

When is paper not paper?

I recycle my paper every week, but on Saturday, December 30, the person who empties our blue bag with paper in refused to do it as he said it had Christmas paper in it and it’s not recyclable.

He would not empty the entire bag, even though I said I would take the Christmas paper out. His reply was we have not got time.

So when is paper not paper ?

On most Wednesdays we visit the Crown public house at Barnborough Doncaster, on our way there we travel through Sprotborough on the main road to Barnburgh.Most Wednesdays we pass the recycling lorries on their way back towards Sprotborough,. There is often recycling rubbish strewn across the road and verges.

They travel with what seems to be not a care in the world.

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If I was dropping any litter there is a chance of being fined.

How can they get away with it ?

My wife has actually seen it blowing off the lorries.

Brian Chester & Frances Chester

Doncaster

Happy New Year First

Why has the back at work bus price gone up but no 5am bus. Same old, just a new year.

S Sutton

by email

Retaining all the benefits

It’s that time of year when I have to renew my subscriptions at my local social club. This year I’m thinking of asking the committee if I can forego paying my subs but still retain all the benefits, (cheap beer, free entertainment, kids trips, etc).

I suspect when they have stopped falling about in fits of laughter they will tell me to leave or words to that effect.

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I can’t think why they would take this attitude especially as we have team of highly paid Brexit negotiators costing the tax payer an arm and a leg doing the exact same thing with the Europe ‘committee’.

Pete Bellamy

Ashbourne Road, S13