Event - Masterplan for Castlegate (Sheffield)

This Its in the Friday and Saturday 17th/18th May Sheffield City Council will be putting on a display on its proposal to investigate the remains of Sheffield Castle from 10/11am onwards.

The Event will take place in the Winter Gardens

News - Gallery threat due to Museums Sheffield loan repayment demand

MUSEUMS Sheffield has warned that the future of venues including Graves Art Gallery could be at risk due to council demands for a £650,000 loan to be repaid.

Senior officials at the trust which runs Graves, along with the Millennium Gallery and Weston Park Museum, have made the warning in confidential paperwork.

Sheffield Council, which is already reducing Museums Sheffield’s main grant by £200,000 to £1.8 million in 2013/14, wants the loan to be paid back in five instalments of £130,000 a year from 2014.

The loan was given to the trust in 2010 to help it cope with a cash shortfall.

Museums Sheffield’s Business Plan Summary 2013 to 2015, put together by chief executive Kim Streets and finance manager Helen Morris, said the trust ‘cannot begin to pay the loan until it is generating surplus from commercial and charitable activity’.

Currently such income - around £500,000 a year - helps to cover basic ‘open the doors’ costs - which will be hit if the loan has to be repaid.

The report said: “Closing sites and reducing opening hours is an option Museums Sheffield must face if it cannot afford basic costs.

“However, closing sites sends out a wider message about the economic state of the city, the way we value culture. Reducing hours has a major impact on visitor footfall, school bookings and retail income.”

The trust, which employs 74 people, is making a ‘small number’ of redundancies among its visitor services team but creating new retail jobs and inviting staff to apply to transfer.

Ms Streets said: “Closure of any of Sheffield’s museums and galleries is not a realistic option – it’s not in the best interests of the city nor us as an organisation, and that’s why we’re working hard to reduce costs and increase our trading income to support the service we provide.”

Coun Bryan Lodge, Sheffield Council’s cabinet member for finance, said the authority has yet to hear from Museums Sheffield.

From: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/gallery-threat-due-to-museums-sheffield-loan-repayment-demand-1-5403101

News - Letter reveals desire to protect historic Sheffield building (Sheffield)

PLANNING officers strongly urged Sheffield University to retain a historic city building only six months before its demolition was approved.

Emails and letters between Sheffield Council planning officers, the university and its agents have been revealed to campaigners hoping to save the Grade II-listed Edwardian wing of the Jessop Hospital.

In a letter to the university’s consultants about the £80 million engineering block planned for the hospital site and neighbouring land, principal planning officer Dinah Hope called the university’s plans ‘disappointing’.

She branded the proposed engineering building an ‘ungainly big box that has no relationship with its setting’, adding the hospital’s Edwardian wing should be ‘retained, and influence the footprint and massing’ of the new block.

Ms Hope also warned loss of the Edwardian wing could leave the remaining Victorian wing of the hospital ‘weak and out of place against the backdrop of a new building’.

Nick Roscoe and Valerie Bayliss, of the Save Jessop Hospital campaign, said: “The picture that emerges is, leading up to the letter to the university, the planning department were dealing with this application firmly and showing no signs of accepting the demolition of the Edwardian building was necessary.

“The university would not have been happy with this letter – and obviously achieved a more compliant response from officers in the end.”

The council approved the plans in December, but Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has the final say because of the wing’s listed status.

Campaigners have collected 2,500 signatures on a petition at www.jessophospital.org.uk, which will be sent to Mr Pickles urging him to save the wing.

From: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/letter-reveals-desire-to-protect-historic-sheffield-building-1-5402207

Women of Steel - Sheffield Star Walk

THE Star Walk is making a comeback and we want you to step out and take part in a bid to help raise £150,000 for a Women Of Steel statue.

The sculpture will stand in Sheffield city centre as a permanent memorial to the city’s inspiring women who worked the steel mills during two world wars.

The statue, featuring two of the women stading shoulder to shoulder, will be given pride of place outside Sheffield City Hall.

The unique sculpture has been designed by world renowned artist Martin Jennings, most famous for his John Betjeman statue at St Pancras Station in London.

And today we are bringing back The Star Walk to kick off a major fundraising campaign to raise the £150,000 needed to complete the statue.

We want to encourage as many Sheffielders as possible to take part in the event, which is being staged in Hillsborough Park on Sunday, April 28.

Kit Sollitt, aged 93, has been one of the leading forces behind our Women of Steel campaign – taking the appeal for official recognition to Downing Street and to the Ministry of Defence.

She said: “I’m so happy our efforts in the steel factories are finally being recognised.

“Seventy years later it is about time we were recognised, and this is for all the Women of Steel including the many thousands who are no longer with us.

“I’m so happy the statue is on its way and I’m looking forward to seeing the end product.”

Sheffield Council leader Julie Dore added: “We all owe it to these amazing women to make the statue a reality.

“I’m calling on everyone out there to do what they can to help us raise money, do The Star Walk, have a bake sale, sit in a bath of beans, or just donate.

“It doesn’t matter what you do, we just want to you to get behind these wonderful women.”

Other fundraising plans are also in the pipeline for later in the year including a major concert at Sheffield City Hall.

THE STAR WALK DETAILS AND ENTRY FORM

The Star Walk quickly became a city institution when racers first took their marks in 1922.

It attracted huge crowds and was one of the highlights of the Sheffield calendar.

It hasn’t taken place since 2000 - but now we are bringing a version of it back, to raise money for The Women of Steel statue.

And we want as many readers as possible to take part.

The Star Walk 2013 is just one mile long so that as many of the Women of Steel themselves, who are now in their late 80s and 90s, can join in.

It is open to all ages and will be a great day out for all the family.

The walk takes place in Hillsborough Park, starting and finishing at Hillsborough Arena, known locally as The Old Running Track.

The four women who have been leading the campaign - Kathleen Roberts, Kit Sollitt, Ruby Gascoigne and Dorothy Slingsby - are vowing to do all they can to take part.

And they are laying down the challenge that, if they can do the walk in their 90s, then anyone can do it.

Kathleen said: “This statue means such a lot to so many families in Sheffield and further afield that we are determined to do all we can to raise the money.”

Entry is £10 for adults and £5 for children, with all money raised going to the Women of Steel Statue Appeal.

DOWNLOAD ENTRY FORM: We will be revealing more details about the event soon, but you can enter now by filling in the form, where you’ll also find full terms and conditions - CLICK HERE.

MAKE A DONATION: You can also donate to the Women of Steel Appeal at www.justgiving.com/womenofsteel.

From: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/women-of-steel-star-walk-150k-statue-bid-entry-details-1-5398983

 

News - Museums Sheffield Faces 10% Budget Cut

Museums Sheffield is facing cuts of £200,000 a year from April as Sheffield City Council looks to make at total of £50m in savings.

Museums Sheffield currently receives £2m a year from the council. It is finalising its business plan and will make an announcement on how it will deal with any cuts in the next fortnight.

Kim Streets, chief executive at Museums Sheffield, said: “We are aware that Sheffield City Council has been tasked with finding significant savings in the forthcoming year and are currently in negotiation over a reduction to Museums Sheffield’s annual grant.

"Over the coming weeks we’ll be working with the council to finalise plans that address the challenges ahead while continuing to safeguard the city’s museums and galleries for the people of Sheffield."

Isobel Bowler, Sheffield City Council’s cabinet member for culture, sport and leisure, said: "We provide significant financial support to Museums Sheffield, which runs the city's three venues: the Millennium Galleries, the Graves Gallery and Weston Park Museum.

"We appreciate all the hard work that Kim Streets and the rest of the team have undertaken to minimise the impact of reduced funding on their programmes. We recognise the challenge for Museums Sheffield and all our cultural partners posed by the current restricted funding environment."

The council will vote on the proposals in March.

Museums Sheffield underwent a restructure last year, which saw 45 redundancies, following the loss of £800,000 Renaissance funding and a £328,000 cut in its 2011/12 budget from Sheffield City Council.

 

From: http://www.museumsassociation.org/museums-journal/news/16012013-museums-sheffield-faces-10-budget-cut

Website - New Historical Website for Wincobank Hill (Sheffield)

A new website has been built to help the public access the most up to date historical and archaeological information about Wincobank Hill Iron Age hill fort and its immediate surroundings.

How it came about
Two years ago, Sheffield City Council commissioned a Desk-Based Assessment (DBA) about Wincobank Hill. They worked with The Friends of Wincobank Hill, ArcHeritage and the University of Sheffield to produce a report summarising all the archaeological and other research that has been carried out on the Hill throughout the years. The report (the DBA) was written to help advise all those who have an involvement in the Hill as to the best way to look after it for generations to come.

The website
We used Heritage Lottery Funds to commission a website from web designer "madewithpixels" to allow the public to access the DBA. The website has a timeline of events that have occurred on the Hill throughout history, and a map showing sites of interest on and around the hill as well as all the information from the DBA. The site can be updated by web editors from the Friends of Wincobank Hill, and the public can add their knowledge about the site through a comments box.

Catherine Nuttgens, Access to Nature Project Officer, said “The website will provide a fantastic resource for students, schools and people with an interest in Wincobank Hill to find out more and share their knowledge.”

To access the website go to http://www.wincobanklivinghistory.co.uk

Web Publishers Needed!
The Friends of Wincobank Hill are currently looking for volunteer web publishers to update the website with new discoveries, help keep news articles up to date and moderate comments. If you would be interested in helping out with this project, and would like gain some experience of web publishing and access training to learn how to become a web publisher, please contact Catherine Nuttgens on Catherine.nuttgens@sheffield.gov.uk

For more information contact:
The Friends of Wincobank Hill
Upper Wincobank Chapel,
Wincobank Avenue,
Sheffield.
S5 6BB
www.wincobankhill.btck.co.uk

www.wincobankchapel.btck.co.uk

or

Catherine Nuttgens
Access to Nature Project Officer
Sheffield City Council
Parks & Countryside
Meersbrook Park
Brook Road
Sheffield S8 9FL
Telephone: 0114 273 6199
Mobile: 07837 300203

News - Historic landmark given new lease of life (Sheffield)

Plans to preserve an important and unique part of Sheffield’s Victorian history have been given the green light after a 15-year battle with conservation authorities.


The Anglican Chapel in Sheffield’s General Cemetery is a Grade 2 listed building and known for its distinct gothic style and Victorian spire. Despite its position as an integral part of local history, the chapel has been allowed to fall into disrepair and has stood empty for a number of years.

Efforts to bring the chapel back into use have been on-going since 1997, but the latest proposal to convert the historic building into two domestic flats has finally been given the go ahead by Sheffield City Council.

Valerie Bayliss from the Sheffield Victorian Society said she was pleased to see an iconic monument being restored. She said: “The General Cemetery chapel has been empty for many years and has been subject to extensive vandalism. There have been several attempts to find a new use for it, and we are pleased that at last the essential repairs will be carried out and the building returned to use.”

The chapel, built in 1850, was designed by Sheffield architect William Flockton in a Victorian gothic style whilst other buildings in the cemetery are considered to be of a Classical or Egyptian style. The building is unique for its distinctive windows and entrance as well as the spire which was purposefully built too big so as to clearly visible.

Sheffield General Cemetery opened in 1836 and is one of the oldest public cemeteries in Britain. A number of figures from Sheffield’s industrialist past are buried there including steel manufacturer Mark First and the 19th century chartist Samuel Holberry, known for his role in the failed Sheffield Rising of 1840.

Two previous schemes to renovate the Anglican Chapel were turned down by planning officials after meeting strong local opposition. The latest proposal however is supported English Heritage and the Sheffield General Cemetery Trust who have looked after the cemetery since it closed to public burial in 1979.

The chapel will be converted into two flats with parking space for four cars. A council spokesman said that every effort would be made to preserve the building’s historical features.

Councillor Andrew Sangar said it was important to bring the chapel back into use but expressed concerns that the proposed plans did not go far enough.

He said: “In the past we have turned down numerous schemes to bring this building back into use and it needs to be done otherwise it will fall down. It is currently in a dreadful state of disrepair.

“In principal I support the idea to bring back old churches and old chapels into use. But I think we have missed an opportunity here.

“Given the history there and the little of it we have left to us today. This scheme does not go far enough to preserve an important and unique part of Sheffield’s history.”

From: http://postcodegazette.com/news/9002759371/historic-landmark-given-new-lease-of-life-AT-sheffield-sheffield-general-cemetery/

Petition - Save the Grade II Listed Edwardian wing of Jessop Hospital for Women (Sheffield)

Sheffield City Council will very soon make the decision on whether the University can demolish this nationally important building as part of their plans to build a new Faculty of Engineering building.

The decision will be based on whether the need for the new building outweighs the legal protection given to the listed building. The National Planning Policy Framework states that substantial harm to or loss of a grade II listed building should only be for an "exceptional reason".
If you wish to oppose the application to protect part of Sheffield's nationally important heritage please do one or more of the following as soon as possible:

Object at the council's online planning service,

email the planning committee councillors,

email your councillor,

email Paul Blomfield (MP for Sheffield Central),

email the University's Vice Chancellor.

Links are below.

--------------------------

Objections must be made on the following grounds (please feel free to use one or more of these, and amend in your own words if you have time):

I object to the University's plans to demolish the Grade II Listed Edwardian wing of Jessop Hospital in order to build a new Engineering Faculty building.

The Jessop Edwardian wing is a nationally important building which is an integral part of the early development of the Jessop hospital, being designed by the same architect who built the Victorian wing to complement his earlier building.

I believe that the need for the new University's Engineering building is not exceptional enough to warrant the demolition of this Listed Edwardian building. Clearly a new Engineering building can be built without demolition of the Listed hospital building.

The University has done a great job of renovating the Victorian wing of the hospital and can do the same with the Edwardian wing, while still constructing a new Engineering building. The two are not mutually incompatable.

The proposed new building does not fit sympathetically with the surrounding Victorian and Edwardian area of the city comprising the Victorian wing of the Jessop Hospital, St George's Church and the Sir Frederick Mappin Building - all listed buildings.

--------------------------

If you contact the University's Vice Chancellor, you may wish to add the following:

The University's reputation and standing in the city will be severely diminished if it goes ahead with plans to demolish the Edwardian wing of the Jessop hospital, where tens of thousands of Sheffielders were born over 100 years.

--------------------------
The council's online planning service:

http://publicaccess.sheffield.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=MAI4NZNYFY000
--------------------------

The planning committee councillors:

Cllr Alan Law (Chair) - alan.law@sheffield.gov.uk

Cllr David Baker - david.baker@sheffield.gov.uk

Cllr Richard Crowther - richard.crowther@sheffield.gov.uk

Cllr Tony Downing - tony.downing@sheffield.gov.uk

Cllr Jayne Dunn - jayne.dunn@sheffield.gov.uk

Cllr Ibrar Hussain- ibrar.hussain@sheffield.gov.uk

Cllr Peter Price - peter.price@sheffield.gov.uk

Cllr Janice Sidebottom - janice.sidebottom@sheffield.gov.uk

Cllr Diana Stimley - diana.stimely@sheffield.gov.uk


--------------------------

Find your councillor:

http://councillors.sheffield.gov.uk/index.asp?pgid=215818
--------------------------

Paul Blomfield:

paul.blomfield.mp@parliament.uk

--------------------------

University Vice Chancellor (Keith Burkinshaw)

vc@sheffield.ac.uk   Via SCHF

Event - Trading Histories: 700 years at Sheffield Castle Market

Come and find out about a new HLF-funded project which will be investigating the life and history of Sheffield Castle Market and its trading community. They will provide details of the project and let you know how to get involved in activities throughout the year. Bring your ideas for research themes which they can incorporate into our project. All welcome!

The project team includes:
Ian Beesley, photographer
Ian McMillan, celebrated poet
Kid Acne & Anne Mawdsley, Sheffield artists
Sheffield Archives & Local Studies Library
Sheffield City Council
University of Sheffield, English Department

Sat 3rd November 2012, 10am-12noon
Discovery Centre, Sheffield Manor Lodge, S2 1UL

To book a place please contact:
Grace Tebbutt, Community History Project Officer,
Green Estate, Manor Oaks Farm, 389 Manor Lane, Sheffield, S2 1UL
e: G.Tebbutt@greenestate.org t: 07713308122

Via SCHF

E-Petition - Save Wincobank Hill (Sheffield)

Although Sheffield City Council turned down the planning application for houses on Wincobank Hill, the applicant has now appealed to the Planning Inspectorate to overturn that decision. We have until the 24 September 2012 to submit more evidence justifying why the Council's decision should be upheld. The original petition you signed cannot be resubmitted to the Planning Inspectorate, we have to have a new one. So would you please sign this new petition to the Planning Inspectorate, link below? Many thanks for your help.


http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/the-planning-inspectorate-refuse-planning-permission-to-build-houses-on-the-historic-roman-ridge-2

Received via Sheffield Community Heritage Forum

Petition - Save Wincobank (Sheffield)

The Friends of Wincobank Hill, together with all Residents, Supporters, Academics and Experts involved are extremely concerned that next Monday, 2nd July 2012, Sheffield City Council Planning Committee will approve the Planning Application for development of the land on Wincobank Hill as described in the attachments.


The final decision will not be not be made until Monday so if anyone wishes to add their support to what they are already doing, there is still time to write (first class) or send emails to:

Lucy Bond, Development Services, Howden House, 1 Union Street, Sheffield S1 2SH lucy.bond@sheffield.gov.uk

They will be collecting signatures to their new this coming Saturday, 30th June 2012, at our Summer Fun Day on Wincobank Common. Their goal is 1,000 signatures of those who are behind them in preserving Wincobank Hill - so please help if you can by writing as above or emailing this out even more widely. Signed Petitions may be brought to them either at our FUN DAY on Saturday 30th June, or outside the Sheffield Town Hall at 1.00 pm next Monday 2nd July - or contact them to collect from you on Sunday. If they won't let them into the Council Chamber we will try to make ourselves prominent outside!

This is not just "any bit of open space" that can be swapped. There is no compensation for its loss. It is special. The Open Space designation in the Unitary Development Framework and the Sheffield Development should be upheld. No building here!

Their website is at http://www.wincobankhill.btck.co.uk/

News - Martin Jennings to create Sheffield Women of Steel memorial (Sheffield)

An artist has been chosen to create a sculpture to commemorate the women employed in Sheffield's steel works during both world wars.

Sculptor Martin Jennings created the bronze sculpture of former Poet Laureate John Betjeman at St Pancras station in central London.

Jennings said it was important to pay tribute to the women's work.

He said: "It's been 67 years since the end of the war so it's high time that their contribution was remembered."

"It's not only a part of local history but I see this as a national monument. 

"It was a war of national salvation and we depended on what these women did and it's extremely important to express our national thanks for the pivotal people in a crucial time in our history."

It is hoped the sculpture will be located near a bronze plaque which Sheffield City Council unveiled last year at Barker's Pool in the city centre.

"Until the site has been specified, I cannot work out the scale of it," Jennings said.

"Once I've worked out the scale I will narrow in on what we will do."

The city council has awarded the project £28,000, although a further £120,000 needs to be raised.

From: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-16960768

News - Sheffield museums face Arts Council funding blow

The city's Millennium Gallery is one of the museums facing job losses as a result of funding cuts 

Sheffield's museums face "large-scale redundancies" after the Arts Council turned down a bid for £4.2m of funding, the city's council leader has warned.

Museums Sheffield had applied for £1.4m per year for the next three years from the Arts Council England.

Council leader Julie Dore said: "This is a huge disappointment for the city. 

"Large-scale staff redundancies, major reductions in exhibition programmes, and scaled-down learning provision are all now inevitable." 

The council said its failure to gain funding from the Renaissance Museum Development Fund would mean a "crushing" 30% cut in its budget from 1 April.

The Arts Council said it had received 29 "eligible" applications for a total of £116.4m in funding over three years. 

Sixteen of the applicants were successful, including Leeds Museums and Galleries and the York Museums Trust.

"One year's transitional funding will be available to unsuccessful applicants who currently receive support... to help them adjust to these changes," it said.

Museums Sheffield, which runs the city's Millennium Gallery, Graves Gallery, Weston Park and Bishops' House, said it planned to appeal against the Arts Council's decision.

'Grossly underfunded'

Chief executive Nick Dodd said: "We know we put together a compelling case for continued funding under the new Arts Council grants programme, which met all the published criteria. 

"This decision will have a devastating impact and leaves Sheffield, South Yorkshire and the East Midlands grossly underfunded by the Arts Council in comparison with other parts of the country.

"We fully intend to appeal and will be questioning the Arts Council's strategic and geographical distribution of this public money."

Museums Sheffield is still in negotiation with its principal funder, Sheffield City Council, over its 2012/13 settlement. 

Julie Dore, leader of Labour-run Sheffield City Council, said: "We know Sheffield had a very strong bid and should have been recognised for its cultural offer. 

"I want to know why we were not successful and how we compared to others. We want to stand up for Sheffield, support the appeal and will await the decision with interest."

From http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-16698611

Policy - proposed policy for Sheffield City Council Archaeological Fieldwork on its Land

"As a landowner, the City Council recognises it has a responsibility to conserve and protect archaeological remains on its land. All archaeological evidence is unique and irreplaceable and constitutes a cultural asset that needs to be protected for the benefit of future generations.  Archaeological evidence also provides an opportunity for enhancing our understanding of past societies through investigation. Such investigations can also act as an important focus for community engagement. The City Council, therefore, welcomes carefully thought-out research proposals for investigation of remains on its land.

The Council will take advice from the South Yorkshire Archaeology Service, its archaeological advisers, on the suitability of any proposals for archaeological fieldwork on its land. Research proposals that include non-intrusive techniques, such as building recording, earthwork survey, geophysical survey and field-walking, will always be welcomed. Research proposals that include excavation will need to take into account all the implications of removing archaeological evidence from its burial environment.

For non-threatened archaeological remains, excavation may be considered appropriate if it can be demonstrated that the recovered evidence will be analysed and reported on to the South Yorkshire Archaeology Service and the resulting archive deposited with Sheffield City Museum (or another appropriate publicly accessible archive), for long term curation, within a reasonable timescale (to be agreed with both the South Yorkshire Archaeology Service and the museum). No excavation will be allowed if this approach cannot be followed; in such instances the archaeological evidence will be considered less at risk of loss or damage if it is left buried. 

Metal detecting involves excavation to recover finds, removing them from the context in which they were deposited and risking loss of archaeological evidence, as well as producing items that may need conservation and long-term curation. This activity will, therefore, be considered as excavation for the purposes of this policy.”

. If you can get any comments back to Dinah by Friday January 27th, either individually, or representing a society, they will be very welcome.
Please email comments back to dinah.saich@sheffield.gov.uk

Event - Memorial for Sheffield's Women of Steel

A memorial to Sheffield's Women of Steel is to be unveiled later.

The women worked in the steelworks to keep production going during World War II when the men went off to war.

A commemorative plaque will be revealed by four of the women and a female apprentice from Sheffield's steel industry at Barker's Pool at 14:45 GMT.

The city's lord mayor and council leader will also be present. The unveiling will be followed by a free tea dance in the Winter Garden.

Ruby Gascoigne, Kathleen Roberts, Dorothy Slingsby and Kit Sollit, who worked in the steel works in Sheffield during the war, will unveil the plaque.

'Crucial contribution'

There are also plans for a Women of Steel statue in the city centre, which is likely to be made of bronze.

The council has raised £28,000 for the project and is hoping to raise a further £120,000 so the statue can be put in place by November 2012.

Councillor Julie Dore, leader of Sheffield City Council, said: "The plaque unveiling is just part of our plans to pay our city's Women of Steel the respect and honour that they deserve.

"Their valiant efforts were a crucial part of the contribution Sheffield's industry made to the war effort in both world wars.

"We are keen that both the plaque and the statue are seen not just as a memorial to a remarkable group of women but an inspiration for the future, and hope people will join us in the celebrations."

From: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-15596841

Event - Wincobank Hill - The Facts! A Very Special FREE Event

4th August 2011 - Wincobank Hill - The Facts! A Very Special FREE Event

What's that?

If you want to find out the whole known story, so far, don't miss the next meeting of Friends of Wincobank Hill

Why? Because Sheffield City Council commissioned ArcHeritage to research all the historical information they could find and write it up into one huge report.

To save you having to read it all (and there is a lot of fascinating detail), the team will be giving a special Illustrated Talk at 7pm on Thursday 4th August.

Where? at Upper Wincobank Chapel, Wincobank Avenue, S5 6BB - a beautiful historic building.

Who for? Anyone who is interested, curious or even passionate about the Iron Age hill fort, the Ancient Woodland, the charcoal burners, the mines and the tips of Wincobank Hill. You don't need to be a member so bring your friends and family.

How much? FREE admission, thanks to Sheffield Heritage Wooodlands team. There will be an optional raffle in aid of Friends of Wincobank Hill.

Any need book? - No just come along. Refreshments will be served from 6.30pm

For further information please contact Adam Goodall, Woodlands Officer, Sheffield City Council Tel: 0114 205 3787 Email: adam.goodall@sheffield.gov.uk

NEWS - South Yorkshire Archaeology Service Cuts (15% not 50% cut)

We are pleased to report success in the campaign to defend South Yorkshire Archaeology Service against a proposed 50% cut in funding.

The Chair of CBA Yorkshire has received emails from Cllr Julie Dore, Leader of Sheffield City Council, and Peter Davies, Mayor of Doncaster, confirming that at the South Yorkshire Joint Leaders' Committee meeting yesterday, the 15% cuts to the South Yorkshire Archaeology service agreed in January 2011 would be honoured. Sheffield City Council will now reinstate £21,000 of the £30,000 (50%) cut it had made in the funding to the service.

It is still sad that keeping to a cut of 15% to a service is seen as a victory.

From: http://www.cba-yorkshire.org.uk/news/Our-announcements/southyorkshirearchaeologyservicecuts

News - Concerns over planned cuts to archaeological service (South Yorkshire)

Campaigners against cuts to the South Yorkshire Archaeological Service have said the planned loss of funding would pose a risk to local heritage.

They have met with Sheffield City Council to discuss the 50% funding cut. 

The Labour-led council is implementing the reduction in funding as part of £80m cuts to their budget.

The service works with planners to advise them on the archaeological impact of proposed developments. 

It also keeps a record of sites and monuments in the region in line with government policy.

Reduced demand

In a statement, the council said: "The demand for archaeology services has been reduced due to declining and substantially lower development and building activity because of the credit crunch.

"The budget reduction was agreed under the previous administration and is being implemented currently. 

"The current administration is not able to reverse this decision without impacting on other service areas and therefore regrettably, this decision will stand."

Sheffield City Council, Doncaster Council, Rotherham Council and Barnsley Council in South Yorkshire fund the service, and in January they jointly agree to a cut of 15%.

However, in March, Sheffield City Council decided to cut their funding to the service by 50%.

Bill Bevan, local archaeologist and heritage interpreter said: "A 50% cut is a much higher figure than any other council service is having to make, so why are they overloading the cuts to this particular service?"

The service recently discovered a Roman cemetery and artefacts over 2,000 years old on the site of the new Waterdale Centre in Doncaster.

Mr Bevan said: "If the service had not been able to advise on that site, a major nationally important archaeological site would have been lost."

from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-14234071

News - Palace date for wartime steel women (Sheffield)

Our Women of Steel are off to meet the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

More than 60 years after they were unceremoniously fired from the foundries as the men returned from war, the women who kept the steelworks going in the battle against Hitler will finally get the royal seal of approval.

The Star’s campaign to get official recognition for the Women of Steel has seen them have tea with the Prime Minister at No 10 and be welcomed inside the Ministry of Defence .

Now they are heading to a garden party at the Palace.

Sheffield City Council has pledged to build a permanent memorial in the city centre to remember their vital work.

Great-great-grandmother Ruby Gascoigne will travel to London this month with 89-year-old Kathleen Roberts, who launched the campaign, and the pair will represent thousands of women across South Yorkshire.

Ruby’s son Kevin first contacted the Palace last year about the campaign and after no success, tried again last week, hoping to get recognition for the women.

This time he contacted Princess Anne and within days hit the jackpot.

Kevin said: “Last year I met Princess Anne at a corporate reception. She was such a lovely lady and took so much time talking to us all that I began to wonder whether she may have any interest in the campaign for recognition.

“I wrote a letter to her last Friday more in hope than expectation after our previous let downs.

“To my utter amazement, I received a call on Monday evening from a lady who introduced herself as the garden party organiser for the Palace.

“She went on to say that Princess Anne had asked for her to invite Ruby and myself, together with another one of the Women of Steel along to the Palace.

“I am thrilled to bits by this and Ruby is beside herself with excitement.

“I would love it if we could get Princess Anne to agree to unveil the Sheffield monument on its completion, because it will happen, I am determined to make sure that it does.”

More than 100 women who filled roles in the steelworks during the war have had their names added to The Star’s roll honour.

Hundreds of other families got in touch to say their mums, grandmas or sisters had died before being given any recognition.

They took on jobs left empty as men were sent to the frontline and balanced bringing up children with making bullets, bombs, planes and boats.

The survivors were officially thanked for their role in the war effort with a letter from the Ministry of Defence. Receptions were organised by Sheffield and Rotherham Councils to honour them.

From: http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/local/palace_date_for_wartime_steel_women_1_3547328