One of Sheffields best kept treasures is scheduled for closure in August of this year - the Walled Gardens, in Hillsborough (just behind the Library).

Despite £890,000 being put into 'redevelopment' of Hillsborough Park, and only a mere £20k needed to keep the gardens fully running, they are claiming that a 'lack of funds' are forcing its closure... :(

The Walled Gardens are used by disabled groups and schools, and also have a good deal of memorial benches bought in memory of deceased loved family members. There is also a memorial corner for the Liverpool families who lost family in the Hillsborough football tragedy.

All of this will be destroyed and vandalised when the gates close for the last time in August. All that love, care and dedication ripped up and mindlessly trashed!

I'm personally incredibly saddened that the council can allow something like this to happen - if you have never visited, please do - its an oasis within the city! :)

I'm wondering if anybody has any ideas on how this can be stopped - I have written to the 'Head of Redevelopment' of the the park to ask him to justify the loss and closure of the Walled Gardens when £890k is being spent over the wall. I cc'd in the Star, MP's and the BBC Sheffield newsdesk.

Can anybody help? I feel sure if you visit the gardens you too will be suprised and saddened at how this is being allowed to quietly be ignored and slip away.

:help:

aw no... i loved them gardens. Could spend all day in there, really going to miss it.

I can't believe the walled garden is going to close.

Living in Hillsborough and not having a garden of our own, only a shared back yard, we spend quite a lot of time in the walled garden. We have picnics there (they've recently put in picnic benches), feed the birds, take photos of the lovely flowers and just sit there for some peace and quiet.

It's beautiful place and it would be such a shame if it closed down.

Is the garden seen as a part of the Park, thus qualifying for general funding, or part of the Hillsborough Trust? Do the trust have to find the funding?

Having worked in community work/done development work before, I know how hard it is to maintain funding as funders want to fund 'new and better', not the same. This is where a lot of projects fall down as it's maintainance funding they need and not money to start a new project.

Does anyone know what, or if, the Hillsborough Trust are doing about it?

The Walled Gardens seem to fall into a bizarre 'No Mans Land' inbetween the park and Middlewood Road. No-one seems to accept responsibility for its funding.

Hopefully if awareness is raised something can be done - rather than a meek acceptance of its closure!

The ridiculous thing is that it *could* be entitled to some lottery funding, but there will be a gap inbetween where the Gardens would be closed and mindlessly ripped apart and destroyed.

I feel sure that many residents in the S6 area are unaware of the Gardens existance, no less its impending fate!

When we were last in the Walled Gardens on our way to the Library, the staff had some questionnaires to fill in and we were told it could have a positive effect on the funding if we enough people completed one... so get down there and fill in those forms!

When was that, Dannyboy?

That is incredibly sad news - its a really lovely part of the park:(

LisaHxxx

Originally posted by DannyBoy
When we were last in the Walled Gardens on our way to the Library, the staff had some questionnaires to fill in and we were told it could have a positive effect on the funding if we enough people completed one... so get down there and fill in those forms!

We filled these in during the easter holidays. They were indeed for funding purposes.

If I get a chance this week I will contact the Hillsborough Trust and try and find out what is going on.

This could be a worthy cause for whoever gets voted in as our new local MP!!

Originally posted by Henrietta
When was that, Dannyboy?

Not long ago - middle of April some time?

I have just got off the phone from talking to the one remaining worker at The Hillsborough Trust. He is now the head gardener/office worker/everything person!! His wages run out in August and then that is it.

The situation is this .....

The funding has run out. His funding runs out in August and as he is the only remaining worker, the gardens have to shut. A bid has been submitted for funding to one funding body and another to the Heritage Lottery Fund will go in in December. There is no guarantee of any funding from anywhere. Funding bodies do not like funding wages, they prefer to fund other things.

Sheffield Council will not provide any funding for the Walled Garden and would rather see it close than put their hands in their pockets. The garden no longer qualifies for SRB money as the boundaries have changed and the area where the garden is situated is seen as reasonably affluent and not in need of funding.

So what can we do?

If you are concerned, saddened, angry about the imminent closure, then write to the Star Newspaper and tell people. You can bet that most people are totally unaware that it is set to close. Write to The Star and make sure people know how you feel.

Write to Parks, Woodlands and Countryside Service at:
Meersbrook Park,
Brook Road,
Sheffield,
S8 9FL.

And tell them how you feel. Ask them why they won't help fund the Garden. It's funny how the council list it as one of THEIR attractions on the Sheffield Council Website but deny any involvement when it comes to funding.

Also, whoever gets voted in as the new Hillsborough MP, write to them and ask them what they are going to do to help.

Did you know that if every person living in the Sheffield 6 area paid just £1 a year, it would be enough to keep the garden open? Not a lot really is it?

So, will the people of Hillsborough help to save the garden or not?

I for one will do whatever I can as I am really sad at the thought of it closing.

Anyone else have any ideas?

Very sad to hear this, it's a lovely little spot - a real treasure. Don't think Liverpool FC fans will be too impressed either. The council may respond if they get wind of the adverse publicity that would come from Merseyside (and indeed all over the world). Local LFC fans could maybe help here. Could also get a piece in the 'Sixer'. Letters (short pithy ones!) to the Telegraph will help get the chattering classes of SW Sheff on board.

I can't believe they would let this go before the park refurb. It should be the centrepiece of the whole park and there should be a nice new cafe next to it.

What is the Hillsborough Town Centre Manager doing about this? He reads this forum I think.

What about the local schools, etc. It's a good little resource for them, so I'm sure they'd be said to see it close.

Is there a volunteers group or similar running for the Walled Garden? If not, can we set one up - even if it's to keep the garden open until new funding appears? I'm sure we have lots of skills between us forummers!

What does that £20K buy exactly? Is that just to cover the one-person band operation as at present for 12 months or what? Maybe the true costs are actually more than this if it's to be sustainable at a decent level (more staff, more facilities etc) as that does seem remarkably cheap.

If that is the true figure then it would be fun to compare it with other items of council expenditure.

Surely it would be more than £20K as that would only just about cover one persons wages on typical council salary (well the wage is probably a little lower) without the employer contributions (tax and NI, pension contributions etc) and then you would need to cover tools, plants etc for the upkeep:(

It really is very sad - I seem to remember them talking about shutting it a few years ago too. It seems to be run on a project basis rather than a permanent feature. It really needs to be included in the redevelopment of the park - its most definitely an asset.

LisaH xxx

As far as I know (but don't take this as gospel) this covers the Head Gardeners wages plus some running expenses. If there is no Head Gardener, there is no garden...... end of! At present he is doing everything as the funding ran out for all the other workers and no-one was forthcoming with anymore.

There is a park steering group that comprises (I think) of local councillors, the guy from the trust, some council people, the Hillsborough Centre manager and maybe some local people. As far as I gather, this seems to concentrate on the park as a whole but doesn't seem to include the walled garden.

As far as local school are concerned, lots of them have been involved at the garden. Schools take groups of kids to learn about plants life cycle etc and some have their own little beds to manage. I am going to talk to the head at my school (Malin Bridge) and see if they can offer any support, even in the way of writing a letter.

I also thought of making a poster to display in Hillsborough Shopping centre telling people about the closure as I am sure most people don't know. This could encourage people to lobby their local MP and write letter etc. It's worth a try!

I think the idea of getting a group together is fantastic and I for one would get involved. Who else is up for it?

Originally posted by FetishFairy
I think the idea of getting a group together is fantastic and I for one would get involved. Who else is up for it?

Count me in FF! :thumbsup:

Cant believe its closing , we were there last week admiring the little squirell thats made its home there.
What a crying shame.

Fetish Fairy I am moved and encouraged by your responses!

:clap:

Enough of the "Its a beautiful place.. such a shame its closing." If all the people who thought "Aww thats a shame" jumped in and shouted their support, maybe we can STOP the loss of this treasure.

Posters in the shops/shopping centre sound like a good move forward - but how would you step beyond that, to demonstrate peoples' opinions? How do you organize petitions? Do you go door-to-door? Anybody with experience of this..?

The letter I emailed on Saturday to 'Head of Park Redevelopment' was cc'd to the Star and the MP for Brightside, also the Lib Dem candidate for the area - maybe individual, direct letters are needed demanding a response? I could also telephone the Star direct. How would you find out the local newspapers for Liverpool?

P.s I am very happy that this thread has generated replies and that it hasn't just been allowed to drop off the end of the page.. :bigsmile: Although yes, I would have bumped it up before allowing that to happen :razz:

Petitions are easy enough to organise. A couple of hours on a Saturday Morning in Hillsborough Precinct should get a good response. It just takes a few dedicated people to get off their backsides and do it!

Lobbying MP's/councillors is also easy. As long as you have a good enough size group, you just turn up on the day of their local surgery and ask in person what they will do to help. Ask for your request to be documented and set a deadline for a response. If they do not give you a response then go to the papers! (been there, bought the T-shirt!!)

Another good idea would be to liaise with the guy at the Hillborough trust and try to arrange a public meeting at the walled garden or other local building. Give out leaftlets whilst petitioning and make posters to advertise it. Send the date to The Star with an accompanying letter also.

Then you take it from there. See what kind of interest there is and what people are prepared to do.

I am a great believer in 'people power' and know from experience what brilliant results it can have.

You've got a really good opportunity coming up to express your views. I'd recommend that you attend the Netherthorpe/Hillsborough/Walkey Area Panel on Thursday the 12th May 7pm at Hillsborough Library (junior library). Interestingly one of the items is City Centre Greenspace Strategy and you are encouraged to come along and have your say!

The church on the corner of Middlewood road and Dorothy Road is a polling centre on Thursday. If you have done a poster (Fetish Fairy mentioned doing a poster) then it may be a good place to have one.

Where could you get A3 size posters printed out?

Originally posted by Henrietta
[B]The letter I emailed on Saturday to 'Head of Park Redevelopment' was cc'd to the Star and the MP for Brightside, also the Lib Dem candidate for the area

Yes, Hillsborough Park is actually in Brightside Constituency, but the two adjoining MPs have always bent Parliamentary rules as far as reasonably possible to properly deal with issues about the park.

I've just checked my email and there's nothing there, if it's me you're refering to above. I'm Chair of the N/Hillsborough/W Area Panel and I've just emailed my support officer for the background to this. I have some information on this, but I have to check it to make sure I'm talking sense.

We were supposed to have a report from the town manager last week, but it was unavailable. The current manager is due to leave the post at the end of June. There is funding in place to keep the post until April '06. The vacancy will be advertised soon.

Come along to the Area Panel meeting in a couple of weeks and harrangue us.

--
JGH

Originally posted by Henrietta
Where could you get A3 size posters printed out?

DS Print, 288 South Road, Walkley.
--
JGH

The email was for the attention of a Mr. Stephen Handley, who is allegedly (according to the City Council website) head of the Hillsborough Park Regeneration Project.

I'm a single mother with a toddler to look after; is anybody going to join this mission to publicise/defend this proposed closure of the Gardens? :wave: Who could attend the meeting at the Children's Library with me? Anybody a whizz at designing flyers/posters? Anybody willing to lobby Hillsboroughians for signatures?

If I could offer some advice there are a couple of things you need to ensure. If you do a petition make sure that what you ask for is acheivable and within the gift of whoever the petition is sent to, this is extremely important. Also for people outside of Hillsborough to be sypathetic to your cause I'd ask that some of the 890k being spent on the park be redirected to keep the garden open. I think people would support this more than asking for even more money. For some advice on who the peitition should be addresses to then I've found local councillors to be very helpful.

Also are there any local groups that you can get to support you're campaign? It seems odd but it doesn't seem to matter with the council if you are a group of 12 representing you're own views or a community group representing thousands the council treats your opinions as carrying equal weight.

If someone can print the petitions off then a good place to leave them would be local shops esp around Hillsborough.

This was done for a cause that im currently involved in where i live.
And the amount of signatures was suprising.

And im also a single parent but with 3 children but wouldnt mind taking petitions to shops or anything to help at all.
Im deffinately not the kind of person to complain and then do nothing.
ive sent protest letters to planning depts and all sorts.
- local paper.
If we can get a definate strategy going then im in.

Originally posted by Henrietta
I'm a single mother with a toddler to look after; is anybody going to join this mission to publicise/defend this proposed closure of the Gardens? :wave: Who could attend the meeting at the Children's Library with me? Anybody a whizz at designing flyers/posters? Anybody willing to lobby Hillsboroughians for signatures?

I am prepared to go to the meeting at the Library with you.

I am also prepared to give up a few hours on a Saturday morning to stand in Hillsbrough Shopping Centre and collect signatures on a petition.

I would be terrible waste if the Walled Garden closed.We went recently and was saddened by the state of the big beds on Squirrel Green, they used to be fantastic. I have the photos of them looking glorious, but they are all weedy and neglected now.

is the Friends of the Walled garden still a functioning group?

I paid subs and got a few mail outs then nothing.

A few years ago I offered to do a website about the Walled Garden but there wasn't much enthusiasm from HCDT.

I can't attend meetings or stand in Hillsborough precint as I have a chronic illness/disability, and 3 kids.

but could still put a web page(s) together to support the Walled Garden and leaflets. But would need someone to provide the copy. One thing doing the design, another having to write and check all the content.

Originally posted by Henrietta
The email was for the attention of a Mr. Stephen Handley,

I've got a copy of the email now.

--
JGH

More info!!

The £890, 000 regen money for the park has come from Sport England and is for developing the bowling green, the playground and to provide a running track. The Coach house, stable block (where the Hills Trust are located) and the walled garden are not included in this.

A bid is being submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund but apparently Chris Heeley( Parks Regeneration Steering Group Manager) does not want to include the Coach House and Garden in the bid. It's his opinion that the HLF won't go for it! :loopy:

It seems that Chris Heeley(sp?) is the man to complain to! I've just called him but only got to speak to his answering machoine.

'Steering Group Manager' ! ! ? !

Sorry Jonathan, I didn't realise it was yourself posting who I had cc'd the email in to! :)

I'd also be up for delivering a lot of flyers in the S6 area, but where would you go about getting these printed out for buttons..? I feel sure that raising the local awareness will generate support for the cause.

I guess all public areas such as the doctors, dentists, takeaways (people have the time to read a bright poster and add their name to the list!) the library, the Central Library even, theres a coffee house in Hillsborough would be great for asking if a poster and petition could be left. I'm not sure how you could lobby parents in the local schools.

Also I understand that colour photocopies are more £££ but I'm sure that if some photo's could be added to posters for people who haven't visited to see the beauty of this corner. I do think though that for this purpose a website with pictures and info is a fab idea!

Can't you get business cards printed out for free - these could have the website address on and be handed out on a saturday morning etc?

I have just spoken to Chris Heeley.

He insists that the Hills Trust have not approached the Head of Parks, Woodland and Countryside to inform them of their financial position. His opinion is that they should contact Martin Page(sp?) and tell them about their funding problems and ask for help. It may also be worth some of us contacting gim at Meersbrook and informing him of our concerns.

There is a meeting of the Hillsborough Park group on Mon 9th at HASA 1-2:30pm so maybe we should go to that one as well as the area panel meeting.

The Liverpool Echo and it's sister papers might be interested. Regional papers in Liverpool are here (http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/contactus/)

I can't remember what the disaster families group is called, but they might also be interested in keeping the garden open?

Couldn't we have an on line petition, i'm not sure how to do it but with all the members we have it would bump it up

Surely a nice little website, with pictures and info about the Garden's role within the S6 community, and an on-line petition would be good?

I've just looked into 'free business cards' which cost about £3 for 250. I'd be willing to order those - you could have a little statement on them with the website address. A website could really sell the beauty and value of the Gardens to those who have never visited or even heard of the Walled Gardens!

as said in my earlier post, I can easily put website together and have photos of the walled garden looking fantastic a few years ago, but don't particulary want to write the copy.
any offers for a collaboration?
-
Katya

Certainly! What about webspace though?

not a problem.
sent you a reply by PM.
-
Katya

Where would you get flyers printed out at low cost? They could include the website address. Also, do you contact the Sheffield Journal (free paper on a thursday) direct about inclusion on their inserts?

Originally posted by FetishFairy
The £890, 000 regen money for the park has come from Sport England and is for developing the bowling green, the playground and to provide a running track. The Coach house, stable block (where the Hills Trust are located) and the walled garden are not included in this. Hang on - there used to be a running track. What's going on?

Originally posted by Tony
Hang on - there used to be a running track. What's going on?

The running track was done away with ages ago when the new HASA complex was built.

This is going to be a figure of 8 track for joggers/runners, down near the bottom of the park I think.

After emailing The Star about this, I received an email today saying they are looking into the proposed closure.

Lets get as many emails/letters/phonecalls to the Star as we can as they are obviously very interested in this!

- I was encouraged to hear that today, the Star had been on the phone to the Walled Gardens asking about its proposed closure. Twice in fact! So fingers crossed they will be running a story on the situation. I also got a response from the Liverpool Echo saying that the newsdesk 'might well be in touch' so I hope that comes through too.

The meeting next Thursday at the Hillsborough Children's Library is the one for the public to go and make their voices heard - I'm also aiming to get some posters up in the Hillsborough shops ASAP, and will phone the Journal about running an article/including a flyer in their inserts - failing that, who's up for helping out on some door-to-door flyering? :bigsmile: Nice bit of springtime exercise!

The website space has kindly been sorted by Blue-Kat. Hopefully the address will be able to be included on any literature/articles...

P.s: It would take the small amount of tuppence, per week, from just every S6 resident to fund the gardens. Thats only about £1 a year.

How many people live throughout Sheffield? What would that amount to per person in Sheffield..? Probably a few pence a year or something negligible like that.

How much of our council tax gets spent on trivial 'expenses' which we are never made aware of...

Just a quickie before I head off for the day .........

Someone from the Star called me this morning to talk about the garden. As I was just on my way to school, they are going to call me later this afternoon.

I'll feedback later on the outcome.

Good luck! Look forward to hearing what kind of interest they had. :D

anything more from The Star?

They didn't call me back :mad: :confused:

Will chase it up after the weekend if they don't call me.

Hi

The park ranger housed in the Library is unaware that there is any proposed closure. Maybe the Trust guy needs to have a chat with her.

LisaHxxx

The Star article (http://www.sheffieldtoday.net/ViewArticle2.aspx?SectionID=58&ArticleID=1021441)

Thanks for that link!

Thats outrageous - I didn't appreciate that the whole Gardens were actually opened/resurrected in memory of the Hillsborough victims - is this right?

UPDATE
There's an event on soon in the walled gardens, 29th and 30th May (not the Mayfest) from 11 am, it's another way to show support and register your opinions.
See you there.

looking forward to it ! and brining rent-a-crowd too.

as it happens we've already made arrangements to meet a group of friends in the park for games and tour of walled garden !

Excellent, all support could help.
The more the merrier and it sound like it should be a good day.

Did anyone attend the meeting on Thursday? I was unable to attend :mad:

I saw that there were articles run in the Thursday Journal, and the Star.

there was a little piece in the Telegraph too.

any more info on what's happening?
the articles allude to 'behind the scenes', and mis-communications.
-