North West Sheffield News Online

There’s still time today to get up to Our Cow Molly in Dungworth to see the dozens of new-born lambs.

And, of course, to get some delicious award-winning ice-cream!

Here’s the latest pic …

A devastating fire in a Stannington house was probably caused by a cigarette left smouldering, according to firefighters.

On National No Smoking Day, South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue warned residents to follow crucial safety tips and revealed that more fire deaths are caused by smoking related incidents than any other type of fire.

In this incident, on Monday evening, the back bedroom and loft of a terraced house on Woodfarm Drive were fire damaged, with the rest of the house smoke logged.

Firefighters were called at 8.55pm and spent most of the evening putting the fire out and ensuring it didn’t spread through the roof void to a neighbouring property.

Fortunately the female resident was not injured.

A 15-month-old boy was taken to hospital after a fire at his Sheffield home.

The toddler appeared to be fine despite the minor fire in Whitehouse Lane, Kelvin, just before 6am on Tuesday morning, but paramedics advised the precautionary check-up due to the acrid black smoke in the property.

The boy had been sleeping in the front room with his mum when an electrical heater, which had been keeping them warm, set a rug on fire. Although the blaze was small, and was already out when firefighters arrived, the plastic heater gave off the thick smoke when it caught fire.

NW Sheffield News wishes mum and son well. Well done SYFR and paramedics involved.

Click on the image below for your own online piano!

The Highways Agency will begin work to upgrade traffic lights on the roundabout at Junction 34 (Meadowhall) of the M1, on Monday 15 March.

This work is the first phase of a scheme to widen the roundabout. The scheme will increase the capacity on the roundabout and reduce congestion at the junction. Before the widening work can take place the Agency is upgrading the traffic lights and work is also needed to divert a water main which runs across the roundabout. The main work to widen the roundabout will begin early in 2011.

Work to replace the traffic lights will take nine weeks and in order to minimise the disruption to drivers work will take place at night between 10pm and 6am. There will be lane closures on the approaches to the roundabout and on the roundabout. There will be slight delays for drivers.

Trees and shrubs on the roundabout will also be removed before the bird nesting season begins and will be replanted at the end of the scheme. Read more…

Route diversion information for people using bus services involving Howard Road:

From 19:00 to 23:59 during Wednesday 10th to Friday 12th March 2010, highway works take place on Howard Road

Service 94, 95 and 123 will not serve this bus stop. Buses will divert via the 52 route to Walkley.

Travellers are advised to use services 52, 94, 95 and 123 on Brook Hill, Crookes Road or Northfield Road or alternatively SCT service 31 on Carr Road and Harold Street.

Travel South Yorkshire partners apologise for any inconvenience caused.

For further information please call Traveline 01709 51 51 51.

Social media surgeries for community and voluntary groups take place next month.

On March 3rd the venue is the Showroom Cinema’s cafe bar, and 18th March sees new sessions start at PACES Campus in High Green.

Groups seeking to market themselves and reach out better to existing or potential audiences can get to grips with blogging, Twitter, Facebook, and much more.

And it’s FREE!!!

Click on the picture to find out more.

Liberal Democrats on Sheffield City Council confirmed they have found the investment needed to provide a new bigger library for Broomhill.

Broomhill councillors and Nick Clegg MP

Under the plans the current small Broomhill Library, situated in a Victorian building originally constructed to be a home, will be replaced with a much bigger and better library right in the heart of the community. This is exactly in line with what local people in the community wanted.

The proposal involves working with a developer on the new site on Ashgate Road. When local people feedback on the original plans they said that the proposed new Library would be too small, at 265 square metres. However thanks to the Lib Dems extra investment of £300,000 they have been able to increase the size to 475 square metres.

Cllr Paul Scriven, Liberal Democrat Leader of Sheffield City Council and local Broomhill councillor, said, “I know that local people in Broomhill will be delighted with this news. Whilst the old Library is much loved, it’s simply not big enough and is not in the best location. The new modern Library, right in the heart of the community, will now be much larger than originally planned.”

The plan will also see the Council save £17,700 a year as the new Library would require less maintenance and is more energy efficient. The project will be able to start as soon as the developer can begin work.

Sheffield deserves priority over Doncaster for bus improvements, according to Lib-Dems.

Liberal Democrats on South Yorkshire’s Integrated Passenger Authority are set to propose that the Sheffield and South Rotherham area is promoted to first in line to be offered the chance to use Quality Bus Contracts in order to see improvements to local bus services.

At the moment the South Yorkshire Integrated Passenger Authority (ITA) plans to offer Doncaster the chance to use quality contracts that would see Councils able to regulate local bus services.

However, Lib Dems believe the Mayor of Doncaster has made it clear he doesn’t see better buses as a priority and he isn’t prepared to support the bus priority measures that would be required. The Lib Dems in Sheffield believe that, as a result, Sheffield and South Rotherham should be prioritised over Doncaster so that the area becomes the first place in South Yorkshire able to use the new powers. Read more…

Beginners, intermediate and advanced computer courses are currently available at Sheffield North City Learning Centre.

Ranging from “Introduction to computers” classes to advanced digital artwork and imaging courses, there’s something available to suit all levels of experience and confidence.

Courses are made possible thanks to a partnership between Sheffield North City Learning Centre and Sheffield City Council’s adult learning programme.

Further details are available from Kirsty on 245 5082.

And if more of an incentive is needed …

This has been out a while, but worth another airing:

(NB. NWS News Online neither condones cruelty to animals nor thinks this video clip evenly remotely amusing)

Thanks to “crookesuk” for posting this video on YouTube

Sheffield Homes was recently recognised by the Tenant Participation Advisory Service (TPAS) as one of the best social housing landlords in the country for resident involvement.

Sheffield Homes is only one of six Arms Length Management Organisations (ALMOs) to achieve Resident Improvement Quality (RIQ) Standard, which is the recognised excellence standard for all social housing landlords.

Louise Thompson, Sheffield Homes’ Community Engagement Manager said, “We know that at Sheffield Homes we work hard to involve tenants, as this is fundamental to continuing to develop services based on what our customers say is important to them. It is nice for us and tenants to be formally recognised as one of the best social housing landlords in the country within this area.”

Sheffield Homes tenants can find out how to get involved by visiting www.sheffieldhomes.org.uk, phoning 0114 273 5566 or by emailing getinvolved@sheffieldhomes.org.uk.

Some might think that marking out one day of the year as “safer internet day” is patronising, fear-mongering that uses children’s notional vulnerability as a vehicle with which to alarm adults who aren’t web-savvy. Others may believe that it’s not.

“Safer Internet Day” is organised by Insafe each year in February to promote safer and more responsible use of online technology and mobile phones, especially amongst children and young people across the world. The topic for 2010 is “Think B4 U post!”.

***** 10th FEB UPDATE! *****

See this Sheffield Star article on the OFSTED Report that says kids less vulnerable if net access NOT restricted.