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Sunday 29 March 2009

From 1 April, the Council won't be funding our "community engagement" work

What this means for Darnall:
  • Darnall Forum staff will be working on short-time until we get more funding and could lose their jobs in November
  • The Forum offices will be closed on Fridays from April and will only open 10 till 4 Monday to Thursday
  • The Darnall Carnival will be greatly scaled down compared to last year's event
  • We will have to spend less time helping people who drop-in for advice in order to meet our other commitments, such as getting people into jobs and training
  • We may have to leave our current offices at 245 Main Road and find somewhere smaller
  • This may affect the number of lifelong learning classes we can run
  • This month's edition will be the last Darnall Herald delivered to your door for the foreseeable future
If you're not happy, send an email or letter to the Leader of the Council, Cllr Paul Scriven (paul.scriven@sheffield.gov.uk) or the Deputy leader, Cllr David Baker (david.baker@sheffield.gov.uk).

Wednesday 11 March 2009

A Sense of Belonging

Lifelong Learning and Skills and Darnall Forum
present a short course on
A Sense of Belonging
This programme of discussions explores the subject of individual identity in a troubled world
Who are we?
What is a Sheffielder?
How do we get to know each other?
Course details
Starts 18th March for 6 weeks – childcare available
To book a place please contact Darnall Forum
Venue: Darnall Forum
Darnall Learning Centre
245 Main road, Darnall, S9 4QD
Time Wed. 5.00pm-7.00pm
Contacts
Graham Burkin – Tel: 0114 258 6326
Nazia Fazil – Tel: 0114 249 0099
Shabaz Abbas – Tel: 0114 229 6158

Tuesday 10 March 2009

An Open Letter from Darnall Health Centre

This is an open letter to the people of Darnall and surrounding areas.

The issue of the redevelopment of the Centre of Darnall is currently in the spotlight and as a result of interest from the Ward Brothers / Sheffield City Council, working in tandem, plans have been drawn up to essentially re-establish the Centre as a modern easily accessible environment. (See the plans available on the Sheffield City Council website).

Along with the new Centre for Darnall the Primary Care Trust has proposed to build a new Health Centre for the GPs of the area—this plan was first put forward in 2001 and the PCT have told us throughout that the build would start ‘soon’.The proposed build would be funded via the LIFT Scheme. Since this has the backing of Central Government, all could have gone as planned. However, the administration of the scheme has not gone forward and as a result the news from the organisations involved – that they are now ready, once more, to proceed – is difficult to accept, as its credibility is tainted by the history of this affair.

Set against this background is the fact that the current Health Centre on York Road has been targeted by repeated acts of vandalism and thefts, which have caused thousands of pounds of damage. As a result the police have given a special dispensation to have razor wire fitted around the roof and, with the fence which completes the scene, the Centre is now reminiscent of a prison area.

Plans for a 100 hour pharmacy were put forward to Sheffield City Council for the York Road site and these plans were rejected, due to the fact that the site was deemed ‘unsuitable’.

The case is therefore being made for a move from these unsuitable / unacceptable premises to a more central location in Darnall and to this end the former Wellington site has been retained with a view to a move, (pending suitable planning permission), in the latter part of the year (Plans are available on the Sheffield City Council website.)

Wednesday 4 March 2009

Disasters Emergency Committtee Gaza Appeal

Will you help us to repair shattered lives?

Darnall Forum & Estikutum
ivite you to a FUNDRAISING DINNER
on Tuesday 24 March at 6.30pm
£15 per head (£8.50 goes to DEC for work in Gaza)
3 course halal set menu including soft drinks
vegetrian / special diets available on request
Tickets available from
Darnall Forum on 249 0099
or Estikutum on 244 9199