Summer 2003

Editorial

Did you vote? Did you manage to vote? Could you make sense of the options?

I dread to think what the confusion of different voting options cost, in an attempt to increase the number of people voting at the recent local elections. Let’s hope someone notices that those areas where postal voting (the simplest option) was introduced, resulted in the greatest increases in the numbers voting.

Perhaps more importantly, how many people are aware that from the Council elections in 2004, the boundaries and possible name of Dore Ward (where most of us live) will change radically?

Proposals put forward by the Boundary Committee for England, aim to equalise the size of Sheffield electoral wards by redrawing their boundaries. In our case the ‘ward’ will loose Low Edges and Lower Bradway, but gain Whirlow. The name of the ward may also change.

Lower Bradway, defined as those roads East of the junction of Bradway Road and Greenhill Parkway, will move to a new Beauchief & Greenhill ward. Unbelievably such an electorally significant change was not notified to the residents effected. Is it any wonder that people by and large are becoming more disenchanted and cynical about our democratic system!

On a more positive note, Bradway now has its own voice, in a new pressure group. This group is concerned to represent the interests of people living in our community. Please give them your support. The more people who become involved or contribute ideas and issues, the greater the groups impact will be.

John Baker, Editor

Bradway Action Group

A successful first public meeting to explore grass root support for a local group to promote Bradway community interests was held at the end of March. This was followed by a steering group meeting in April to draw up a list of issues for discussion at the next public meeting and a draft mission statement.

Mission Statement:

1. To provide a forum for debate of local issues and to initiate appropriate action for the benefit of our community in Bradway.
2. To enable our local community to have more information and influence on the allocation of available resources. [ A fair share of the City Council’s spend and access to other possible sources of funding for local projects ].

Range of topics

Eventually the group hopes to cover a wide range of local topics including -

• Traffic, Road Safety, Parking
• Street Maintenance
• Refuse Collection and Recycling
• Policing - Neighbourhood Watch
• Facilities for Young, Elderly and Infirm
• Information, Education and Recreation
• Social Services and Healthcare
• Parks and Green Spaces
• Local Heritage and Conservation
• Local Planning Applications
• Public Transport
• Funding for local projects
• Local Democracy, Ward boundaries

Those who have shown an interest in the Group’s aims as detailed in the spring issue of the Bugle have been kept informed of developments. In the meantime local contacts are:

Alan Kewley on 236 9700 and

John Gisborne on 236 3532.

The next open public meeting is proposed for Monday 7th July in the Castle Inn.

Norton Show

Welcome back to the Norton Show and Sheep Dog Trials, to be held on Saturday 2nd August at the Show ground, Bochum Parkway, Norton, Sheffield 8.

Many events: - flowers, baking, fruit and vegetable competitions, children’s entertainment, stalls, car boot sale, horses, dogs and other animals. Car park and refreshments.

Sheep dog trials start: - 7.30am. Horse riding, dog show and other events: 10am.

Watch out for posters with more information. If you would like to help or be involved with the Show, please phone the Show Secretary on 0114 255 7886.

Post Box

Dear Sir,

As a recent resident in this area, it is very evident that there are some parking problems. The residential roads are narrow, so free and clear access could be greatly helped by cars being parked in drives and garages.

It only takes a minute to move one car to release the other car from a garage, for two car families. Recently the M17 bus [ a convenience for all ] has been seen to have difficulty progressing through narrow gaps.

Those drivers who could help may not be aware that in West Yorkshire there have been cases of fire engines/ambulances pushing through, resulting in the offenders who have not left enough clearance being sent a Bill for emergency vehicle repairs.

Another potential danger noticed is the Bradway Road/Prospect Road junction. Exiting from Holmesfield is a HALT, but many vehicles of all types ignore this. Do we really want a 40 ton lorry/ private car disaster? Surely something can be done to emphasise the signs and keep them more visible at all times.

Hoping this missive will give rise for thought and some action.

J Crothers

Dear Sir,

I was gratified to read the long article in the last issue, celebrating and pleading the cause of trees. They are quite amazing creations (?), all too often ignored, taken for granted or regarded as nuisances by we humans. Yet, out of water, sunlight and carbon dioxide, in all and every circumstance, polluted and hacked about, they create living matter. No human laboratory can begin to repeat such a miracle. Now it is just any old living matter, it’s wood, to last centuries, to rise high into the air, to take huge weights, resist rotting, to sway in gales without falling over, more than enough, you would think, to deserve our respect and amazement.

Just consider the ways in which trees matter to our local birds. The nooks and crannies in a trunk such as oak or sweet chestnut harbour insects, larvae and eggs galore, and the tree creepers shuffle up, and the nuthatches slide down, in search of them. Larvae and eggs last through the winter, camouflaged to give a greater chance of survival, but nuthatch, tree creeper, blue, coal and long –tailed tits have beady eyes and get up close, taking their harvest.

Come the spring, all our four tits time their breeding to coincide with the hatching of the remaining eggs into caterpillar, and on these they raise their young. Watch a blue tit pair returning every few minutes with a green morsel: the vast majority of prey will come from local trees. No trees! That guarantees a population crash.

Then again, woodland birds tend to nest in trees. Large nests of crow, magpie and jay, will involve several branches. Small birds will lodge in the joins of small twigs. Thick and tangled woody shrubs, such as those being destroyed in the woods at the foot of Prospect Place, are the summer home of migrant such as blackcaps chiffchaffs and willow warblers. Conifers will shelter thrush, greenfinch, dunnock and blackbird.

From March until June, and particularly in May, trees are used as song-posts by males. Territories have to be found and defended, for the territory allows the male to attract a female and enables the pair to find sufficient food to raise young. The male sings to attract a mate, early in the season and to let other males know the territory is taken all through the spring and early summer. A tree is ideal for this prominence. Blackbird, mistle and song thrush are particularly keen on treetops and will often choose the same one before dawn (thanks) and towards last light; but greenfinches also wheeze and whistle from high points.

March this year witnessed the usual bouts of hammering from greater-spotted woodpeckers at Totley Rise, near the Shepley Spitfire, and in Poynton Wood. The drumming is, of course done on the tree trunks, at amazing speed and spreading a message for a kilometre.

Conifers offer valuable roosting places for winter birds, large and small. The tightly interlocking foliage keeps out predators and offers shelter from frost and chilling winds. Small birds have a large ratio of surface area to volume, so chilling quickly. In frosty weather, such protection is vital to their survival.

Considering the importance of trees to animal life, how sad it is to see the nibbling away at our trees that occurs even in such a well wooded urban area such as south-west Sheffield. There are fewer trees here than there were ten years ago. Along the railway by Grove Road, by Totley Rise Methodist Church, all have gone. At the foot of Prospect Place, in Poynton Wood, trees have been murdered (legally) and shrubs are being burned. Near the Castle, housing stealthily advances into the trees and trash is abandoned. More and more garden trees are disappearing or being reduced to wretched telegraph pole look-alikes. What have humans against trees?

A good garden tree is the silver birch. Seeds, being light easily waft in. Fully grown, the tree reaches only to twenty feet. British insects and birds thrive in it, the leaves are nutrient-rich and rot down well, it casts a light shade, it will occupy a small corner. There are three in our garden and they are full of life all year round.

John Kirkman

Snippets

March was the driest in Sheffield since records began 121 years ago, with no rain between the 13th & 30th and only 38.4mm overall compared to an average 68mm.

Three armed robbers who struck at Corals on Bradway Road last summer have now been jailed for a total of 40 years.

The recycling site on Blackstock Road has now reopened following refurbishment.

Developers of land taken from the grounds of King Ecgbert School have appealed against the councils refusal of their planning application to build 19 homes.

Beauchief Tennis Club have recently installed lighting on two of their seven all-weather courts enabling play to continue up to 9pm during the dark winter evenings.

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