NEW Life in the UK Course

• Would you like to join our new fast track preparation course for the Life in the UK Test? 
• Do you have ESOL Reading and Writing certificates at least to Entry level 3 (B1) or above? For our course we would actually recommend ESOL Level 1 (B 2).
• Can you come to Darnall Forum on Monday mornings between 9 and 12.30 for ten weeks starting in January?

The course will cost £245. To find out more please contact Nazia (nazia@darnall.org.uk) or text Neil on 07800 536642.

Muslims Encouraged to be Good Neighbours

Lord Nazir Ahmed has launched a new pamphlet about Muslim values which encourages members of the Muslim community to build bridges with their neighbours. Copies of the leaflet are available from Darnall Forum and the PMC.

Chair of Darnall Forum, Mothour Rahman, said: 'We at Darnall Forum believe in building harmony in the community, and anything which encourages peace, love and unity, and the integration of different communities into the life of their neighbourhood, is something we are glad to support. We are pleased to be able to help distribute this pamphlet, which is also supported by the Muslim Council of Britain and the East London Mosque.'

The picture shows Mothiur with Neil Bishop, the manager of the Forum, and Zahira Naz, who is one of our community workers.

Pictures from our Hallowe'en Event

This is a montage of pictures from our most recent community event, held at the Tinsley Tingas Centre to celebrate Hallowe'en. About 300 people of all ages and cultures came together to have a good time celebrating a traditional British Hallowe'en and to find out about other more serious opportunities to get involved in community life. The event was sponsored by Meadowhall and British Land.

Community Groups Meet to Think About the Future of Darnall

A wide range of voluntary and community groups, including local mosques and churches, have begun meeting to think about the future of Darnall and the help and resources that its residents need. Some of the group representatives are pictured meeting in 'plenary session', and local religious leaders are pictured taking part in a 'workshop session'.

If your group wasn't represented and you would like to get involved, please contact Neil at darnallforum@gmail.com.

Don't forget our Fright Night Hallowe'en event this Wednesday, sponsored by Meadowhall and British Land. Be very scared to miss it! 

(See our October 12 post for full technicolour details.)

Enjoy Fright Night with Darnall Forum at Tinsley Tingas! (Sponsored by British Land & Meadowhall)

Minutes of Our Annual General Meeting

MINUTES of the Darnall Forum Annual General Meeting

Held at Darnall Forum, 5pm Wednesday 3 October

Attendance 11 people attended.

Apologies were received from 3 people.

The minutes of the last annual general meeting were agreed to be a true record.

There were no Matters Arising.

The chairperson presented the annual report and accounts and made some remarks about it, thanking funders, volunteers, trustees and staff for their support and explaining what the figures really mean for the sustainability of the Forum’s work.

The annual report and accounts were adopted and the independent examiners, Nicholson & Co, were reappointed.

One vacancy for a trustee was filled by Mr Mehran Rehman. The current trustees were reappointed.

Community Issues

There was a discussion about the plans to open a new community gym in Tinsley and the need to have more affordable gym facilities in the area.

Neil Bishop gave a report on the campaign to try to get local people recruited onto the workforce at IKEA and Meadowhall. He reported that British Land are being much more supportive than IKEA. The Council's Economic Environmental Well Being Scrutiny & Policy Committee has promised to look again at the Council's involvement in big recruitment drives like this.

Some students from Sheffield University explained a project they are working on to try to create an additional community space at PMC. As the University are considering how they might be able to make use of it, Neil Bishop suggested that they look at the feasibility of delivering conversion courses there for new residents coming to work in the UK from overseas. An example would be people currently working as care workers while they raise the funds for and undertake the conversion course to register as nurses in the UK.

AOB – None.