Spring 2012 Issue 5

Three sets of twin lambs born at the farm!

By Sarah Hardy
Heeley City Farm is celebrating a triple lambing success after sheep at the farm gave birth to three sets of twins in three days! First White Nose, the Welsh Badger Faced Sheep gave birth to a ewe and a ram then Angie and Bobbi, the farms two Meatlinc sheep, had two rams and a ram and a ewe. They are all beautiful! said Katie Davis, the farms co Youth Education and Training Manager. All six are healthy and their proud mums are doing a brilliant job of looking after them. Young people who were at the farm were really excited by the births and there are more on the way as other sheep are expected to give birth very soon. Its a fantastic time of year to be on the farm and visitors will be able to see the lambs bouncing around the fields in the next few days said Katie. The farm is open 7 days a week from 10am 4pm, to see the lambs.

Events upcoming for March June 2012

Spring Fayre: Saturday 31st March - 11am 4pm
Our annual Spring Spectacular! See opposite for details.

Big Easter Egg Hunt: Saturday 7th April - 11am 3pm

Join in our Big Chocolate Easter Egg Hunt! Follow the clues to different locations on the farm and try to track down the hidden Easter Eggs. The children can also get crafty in the reception classroom making last minute Easter Cards.

Farm Tour: Tuesday 1st May & Tuesday 29th May 10.30am 12 noon
Join us for a guided tour of Heeley City Farm. Find out about all the projects we are involved in on site and meet the rare breed farm animals. We have an on site cafe and garden centre to browse through afterwards too! The walk is mostly accessible for pushchairs and wheelchairs but some sections arent suitable and an alternative route is available. See the back page for more events

Happy one-year anniversary Pre-apprenticeship Young Rangers Course a of Older, Wiser, Warmer!
By Em Shabbir
During the biting winter months, many of us find it difficult to keep warm, even in our own homes. That, however, didnt stop 8 eager elderly citizens of Upperthorpe and Netherthorpe from trying! Heeley City Farms Older, Wiser, Warmer campaign, a new initiative which was launched last year at a Zest event and is being funded, thanks to a 3 year grant from Comic Relief, has been working hard throughout the year to bring warmth and knowledge of energy efficiency to those who need it most. Near the beginning of the project, 8 volunteers were trained as Energy Champions and are all now active members of the community. Five of the volunteers also work every week at the Agewell charity shop. The volunteers and project co-ordinator Shelly Davis have been very busy throughout the past year, organising and attending events locally and across the city in order to pass on information, advice and support. Together they have reached over 400 other elderly people in Sheffield helping them to keep warm and save energy and money on their fuel bills. The project operates from the Energy Centre at Heeley City Farm and was designed to encourage people aged 65 and over to become volunteer Energy Champions within their local community. But the scheme goes far beyond that We help older residents to get the best from their energy company and let them know of financial, and other, support available from local and national organisations, said Project co-ordinator, Shelly Davis. The unique holistic approach of the project meant that aside from the more obvious energy-saving tips, people have also been able to learn that gentle exercise, socialising and treating yourself occasionally, all help to keep you active, warm and motivated. 24th January, 2012 marks the one year anniversary of the project which has been an all round success. The work done by Shelly and the volunteers, who have had the enthusiasm to train in energy efficiency and affordable warmth in their own homes and then to go out and show other older residents how to implement them in theirs, has been truly inspirational and we wish them a scorching success in the future.

success for young people and Heeley City Farm

By Lee Pearse
As part of the 100 apprenticeship scheme with Sheffield City Council HCF Trainers Lee Pearse, Julie Blacker and Tony Hancox delivered a unique pilot 7 week pre-apprenticeship programme Young Rangers Course, in which 8 young people aged 16-18 not engaged in education, employment or training successfully passed a Practical Countryside Skills qualification and landed 15 month apprenticeship jobs. This programme was a huge success for these young people and Heeley City Farm, Post 16 Training Manager, Lee, said: We are very proud of all our young rangers and this just shows that clear aims and partnerships in Sheffield works positively for our young people, with a clear focus and a solid pre-apprenticeship delivery programme and secure supportive destinations.

The Farm Kitchen is open from 10am - 4pm seven days a week
The Farm Kitchen aims to provide healthy, tasty and affordable home- cooked food and we use as much of our own organic, home-grown vegetables as possible. The team also provides outside catering for events or buffets. Call 0114 2580244 for info.

Selected Plum & Almond Tart 14 - 16 cake Bakewell Tart 14 - 16 prices: Choc Fudge Cake 9 15

Lizzys Cup Cakes - 1 or... Bakers Dozen - 12 Vegan cakes also available

Meersbrook growing sessions available

By Rachel Sanchez
With the help of Ecominds funding, Heeley City Farm is involving people with mental health difficulties in local food growing at the Meersbrook Park Walled Garden. Within the walled garden is a calm oasis of green. It contains a variety of gardens (herb, organic vegetable, and Japanese), three greenhouses, a polytunnel, a composting area, and an orchard with many varieties of apples and pears and soft fruit. Sessions are held two days a week all year round. Participants can join in a number of different activities in a relaxed and friendly setting. No experience is necessary - guidance, tools and gloves are provided. This project provides an opportunity to meet new people, learn new skills, get some fresh air and eat tasty food! As one participant put it: I like coming here because of the friendships Ive made. Ive also realised how important participating in gardening has been to my overall health. To find out more or to get involved, please ring Rachel Sanchez, Meersbrook Walled Garden Mental Health Worker, on 07847 076 239 or email meersbrookwalledgarden@heeleyfarm.org.uk.

Six year old Jenson Harrisons half term volunteer session at Firth Park Community Allotment turned into a real treasure hunt!
By Dot Rodman

Jenson who has attended the Surestart toddler session based at the Brushes site in Firth Park since he was three now enjoys attending the Playschemes that run on Thursdays 1-3pm during the school holidays. Jenson, a regular volunteer on the site, was working with his 4-yearold brother, Bronson, and doing a great job litter picking the entire site and immediate area. After collecting two sacks of crisp packets, pop bottles, sweet wrappers and fast food containers, eagleeyed Jenson spotted a 10 note amongst the rubbish in our neighbours drive. Practicing his letter writing skills to explain how he found the money, Jenson posted the note back to the elderly neighbour.

Staff profile: Aly Lalloo

By Em Shabbir
The team here at Heeley-City farm can be described well as a very close-knit family and definitely the mothering role would go to Aly Lalloo! Having started out living in Leicestershire, Aly described her time in infant and primary school as very influential on the careers goals she developed. Through secondary school Aly overcame her dyslexia and excelled in her work. After her one year at Nottingham University she completed a post as a care worker for people with learning difficulties for 3 years and says that she automatically fell in love with it. After leaving her job she decided to reconnect with her passion for art and went on to study a degree in Sculpture at the University of Sheffield. Finally In January of 2001, Aly got her break when she landed her perfect job as Heeley City Farms Support and Arts and Craft worker. She combined her love for art with her passion for support work for adults with learning difficulties. Her conscientious and passionate character meant she completed every task with utmost enthusiasm and she has since worked her way up, deservedly, to the position of Supported Learning Manager. When asked what three words would best describe her life, she responded with varied, unconventional and passionate. Her lively personality, sense of empathy and hard-working persona makes Aly a cherished member of the Heeley City Farm Family.

Start with a spring at the garden centre

The garden centre at Heeley City Farm is the perfect place to kick start the growing season. At the Spring Fayre on Saturday 31st March, we will be selling the new seasons primulas, day lillies, ornamental grasses at 1 a pot and recycled coir 1 per large bag. The coir is for ornamental plants only NOT anything edible.

Good news from the Energy Centre

By Beatrice Greenfield
South Yorkshire Energy Centre is now involved in the Department of Health funded Warm Homes, Healthy People project delivering an Affordable Warmth Home Visit service to 40 households identified as being vulnerable and in need. Project workers Sonia Pruzinsky and Rawand Tawfik have been busy with home visits, installing draught proofing and supporting families in changing their energy provider to help them save money and stay warm this winter. They are working alongside Citizens Advice Bureau Debt Support Unit identifying households in fuel poverty. Sonia and Rawand have been visiting libraries and public events, as well as doing home visits, to advise and help people stay warm and stay healthy. They are both enthusiastic about the project and think that it is really worthwhile. You are supporting people in the community they said, and they are all interesting people with their own stories to tell. In other news, Gareth Hills, who coordinated the Family Fuel Busters project aimed at reducing fuel poverty amongst those with young families, received an award for all his fantastic work recently. He was named as a local Heat Hero, in the Heat Heroes Award Scheme which is run by Scottish Power, who funded the Family Fuel Busters project, and National Energy Action. He received his award from MP and farm patron Meg Munn at a reception event in the House of Commons. Gareth said he was: Delighted to be chosen! It's worth all the hard work when you know that you have helped people in the local community keep warm in their homes. For more information about this project contact the Energy Centre on 0114 303 9981.

Gareth Hills and Meg Munn MP

By Jo Townshend

Grow your own food get involved!

Spring is a busy time of year for the food growers at Heeley City Farm and its a great time of year to get involved! At Heeley City Farm we manage over 20 different food growing sites around Sheffield with lots of volunteering opportunities. Its a great way to meet new people, enjoy the health benefits of gardening as well as learning how to grow your own. Boots and gloves, and even travel expenses, can be provided. Volunteer sessions offer a way to learn new skills in a relaxed, informal and friendly setting. A volunteer at Wortley Hall Walled Garden said: Being involved in the walled garden has inspired me to dig up my flower beds and grow more veg at home. Im really excited about how much Ive been able to grow! Volunteers also find their experiences can be much more than just about learning. One participant at Meersbrook Walled Garden said: I like coming here

because of the friendships Ive made. Ive also realised how important participating in gardening has been to my overall health. Weekly volunteer sessions are held at our four main food growing sites: Heeley City Farm on Fridays, Norfolk Park Community Garden on Thursdays, Meersbrook Walled Garden on Mondays and Wortley Hall Walled Garden on Tuesdays and Thursdays. For gardeners wanting to further develop their skills we also have the Organic Food Growing Masterclasses course starting in April at Wortley Hall Walled Garden. Sessions will take place on Saturdays 10am-1pm at 15 for each session, or 75 for all six sessions. For more information about volunteering or about the course, please contact Darrell Maryon, Local Food Manager, tel: 07768932613 or email: wortleyorganic@rocketmail.com.

Digging up Heeleys past

Last summer saw the third Community Dig at Heeley City Farm. Over 600 people including families and groups, took part in this free, open to all archaeological excavation, run in partnership with The University of Sheffield. The project was once again part of the Council for British Archaeologys National Festival of British Archaeology (www.britarch.ac.uk) and the London 2012 Open Weekend. We aimed to learn more about the Victorian houses that were on Heeley City Farms site until the 1970s and more about what life was like in Heeley 100 years ago. We excavated parts of three houses on Richards Road and we found all sorts of fantastic things. We wanted to find out answers to the simple question: what did people get up to 100 years ago in their back yards? We found lots of answers from private moments at the bottom of the garden to evidence of hobbies and cottage industries. We found domestic objects and evidence of the trades of the residents for example in the garden of No.52 we found a policemans button which might have belonged to Mr. Albert Jackson, a Police Constable who lived there in 1901. We also found a partly finished penknife near No. 54 where a Spring Knife Cutler (Mr William Revell) lived in 1881. This was wonderful as we were looking particularly for evidence of peoples jobs especially anything to suggest people were doing work from home. This fitted with the community research project run in partnership with The Hawley Collection at Kelham Island Museum, Tools of the Trade which volunteers from Heeley Farm and from the Heeley History workshop had been working on all year, researching the census records and trade directories for

By Sally Rodgers

Sheffield to find who lived on the farm in the past and their jobs. Everyones research and the evidence from this and previous years digs was put together (thanks to Jenny Bland and Judith Smith) into Heritage @ Heeleys very first public exhibition! called What Great Grandfather Did at Kelham Island Museum which was opened on October the 9th with a lovely opening ceremony attended by over 300 people. We are looking forward to learning more about our over the next year.

More upcoming events

Compost Sale Spectacular: Saturday 12th May - 10am 4pm
Heeley City Farms annual composting day returns! Organic compost on special offer plus advice and demos on how to compost successfully.

Are you prepared to rescue a rabbit?

By Sarah Wild
Throughout the year Rabbit Rescues sees an influx of rabbits. Many people buy these animals and come to regret the decision when the rabbit needs feeding every day in the pouring rain, wind or snow. However a rabbit needs so much more than feeding, but unlike a cat or dog they can easily be forgotten, which is why they are Britains most neglected pet. Please think hard before getting a rabbit and consider a few of these myth busting facts before buying a cute bunny: Rabbits can live for up to fifteen years! More commonly they live for 8-12 years. Do you have the commitment to provide for a rabbit for this long? Rabbits are sociable animals and need company its best to have two or three rabbits together. However, to live happily they will often need to be neutered, so think about these costs. Female rabbits can be very hormonal and often become aggressive if not neutered. Rabbits need a lot more space than you can imagine. They will need a large hutch where they can stretch out and stand up comfortably as well as an outside run. If you want to keep an indoor rabbit, you will need to chew proof your house! Contrary to beliefs, rabbits do not always make very good childrens pets. They can be difficult to handle and may become aggressive or unsociable. If you would like to re-home a rabbit, please consider rescuing one. Helen runs a small rescue and often has them to re-home. You can ring her on 07798 804720 or you can try Sheffield RSPCA on 0114 2898050.

Dawn Chorus Bird Walk: Thursday 17th May - 6am 8am

Heeley City Farm is a home for a good range of garden birds. Before the noise of the city traffic begins, join us for a walk around the farm identifying our feathered residents and, by counting singing males defending their territory, we will estimate our nesting population. Most of the route is accessible to all although some parts are more difficult and aternative routes can be taken.

Big Lunch & Roundhouse Activity Day: Sunday 3rd June - 10.30am 3pm
Come and take part in our Roundhouse arts and crafts activities and then help to dress it up with celtic flags and woolcraft decorations. After a quick tidy up we'll have our Big Lunch picnic - bring a dish to share with everyone!

Heeley City Farm is a registered Charity No. 1111482. Heeley City Farm is company limited by guarantee without share capital.