Young Advisors in Sheffield, frustrated about the closure of a local park due to vandalism, have set about bringing their community together to restore it to its former glory.
Vandals repeatedly targetted the children's park on Butterfly Drive, Paulsgrove, ripping out fence posts and gates. The damage got so bad the whole area had to be sealed off and play equipment removed about three years ago.
Young Advisors Xanthe Cahill (16), Jodie Robinson (16) and Bethanie Kirby (15) highlighted the park as a key community issue, and collected hundreds of signatures as a community call for action.
The Young Advisors are full of ideas about what should go in the park. And are already working up plans of what should be included, and from where they hope to gain funding.
Bethanie said 'Fortunately the youths that were causing the vandalism are no longer in the area, so any repairs should last.' Jodie added 'The children are playing football in the street which is extremely dangerous. Ideally we would like to see an off-road area for football as well as play equipment for younger children.'
Xanthe said 'Residents have signed a petition and we have the support of the police and the housing association in what we're hoping to achieve'. Their local councillor, David Horne is fully supportive of their work to date and said 'It is so lovely seeing young people in Paulsgrove taking an active part in their community and getting results'.
“He who plants a tree plants hope”
Story: Douglas Johnson
It wasn’t a promising day – Saturday 8th November on Nottingham Rec was wet and overcast – but people gathered to carry out improvements to their park.
With Leonie Kapadia, Burngreave’s new Community Forester, the group planted three new trees in the park – an Indian Bean Tree, which should come out with splendid flowers in the spring, and two different eucalyptus varieties.
Also present were Young Advisors and Streetworx, to emphasise their stance against gun and knife crime, Green City Action and Rock Christian Centre members, along with Councillor Jackie Drayton and a lot of children. This good mix of people all got a hot dinner afterwards, courtesy of the Young Advisors’ mutton and rice.
At another tree-planting on Tuesday 11th November at Burngreave Rec, Leonie had help from Byron Wood School’s Fresh Start Group.
Leonie said:
“Our green-fingered students back-filled soil around the tree roots and learnt about the nutrients needed to ensure healthy root growth – in volcanic rockdust. They mulched the trees to keep the weeds down, and finished by ensuring the strapping support was well and truly screwed onto the tree-stakes. Not only did our students demonstrate their understanding of the need for oxygen producing trees, they also showed their skills using tools, and their dedication to getting the job done! Thanks to each one of you for working so hard for your area – we will all appreciate your work when the trees are blossoming in Spring.”
Story: Farhan Ahmed
Young people organised an event on the 29th August, around 90 people attended at the Nottingham Cliff Rec. Young Advisors Afrah Al-kheili, Farhan Ahmed and Zanumb Bibi supervised the entire event with help from Streetworx staff and volunteers. There was something for everyone, from face painting and a bouncy castle for the children, a drug information stall and Activity Sheffield for the young people.
Free food and drink was provided throughout the event, art work was done on the youth shelter that the Young Advisors had previously placed in the park; on it will be positive messages and memorials for those who have previously passed away.
The week leading up to the event the Young Advisors and local young people together with Green City Action worked closely to do up the park. This included polishing benches, cutting tree branches, painting, trimming grass and cleaning.
Published Date: 26 January 2009
By Kate Lahive
HUNDREDS of people took part in a peace march in Sheffield to highlight the plight of people in Gaza and encourage greater harmony in a city suburb.
Members of the Sheffield Young Advisers Group from Burngreave teamed up with other groups to promote peace on a local and global scale.
About 200 people took part in the march which started in Ellesmere Green, Burngreave, and finished with a rally in Devonshire Green in the city centre.
Co-organiser of the march Farhan Ahmed, aged 19, from Burngreave, said the aim was encourage people from all walks of life to come together.
Burngreave has seen its reputation suffer from the effects of violent crime including the killing of 16-year-old Jonathan Matondo which causing shockwaves across the city.
Mr Ahmed said: "It went well and it was about looking at the issues both locally and globally. Burngreave is one of the most mutli-cultural areas in the country with 52 languages spoken - it's as if the whole world is in the area. We want to support each other and come together as a community."
Many marchers brought banners to draw attention to the desperate situation in Gaza which has been bombarded by the Israeli military, as part of the ongoing conflict.
Story: Farhan Ahmed
Much work was put in to Burngreave for young people through New Deal Funding, 1000 young people have benefited from these services. When the Young Advisors and Burngreave Youth Council heard about the cuts to funding we organised a meeting with Sonia Sharp (Head of the Council’s Children and Young people’s Directorate) to help save these projects.
With around 200 people, the turn out of young people from Study Support and Streetworx was amazing, with parents and teachers supporting too. A presentation by young people showed the impact of study support, including that young people going to university has gone up 139%. Young people told the meeting:
“They helped me a lot, I was below the standard at school, but then I went on to get 7 GCSEs A-C.”
“Streetworx gave me an opportunity and it’s allowed me to give other young people opportunities.” Uzma Bibi
“I grew up in Pitsmoor. Streetworx helped me and kept me off the streets.”
In response Sonia Sharp said:
“It’s obvious these projects are really important to your lives. We haven’t got a magic pot of money, but with the help of schools we have managed to buy some time. Study Support, Extended Schools and Family Advocacy have 6 months funding, and we have found the funding to give Streetworx another 12 months, definitely.”
The best comments are best left until last, as a study support student stood up and said:
“Diane treats us like her children”.
