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duckweed

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About duckweed

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  • Birthday 02/09/1953

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  1. Has to be pointed out 2 things about the petition and that it was collected mainly by a handful of people and was right across the city, not just the "muesli eaters". I went to city partnership partnership workshop (chaired by David Blunkett) and criticism of SCC's lack of engagement was criticised by David Blunkett as well as a frustrated rant by a TARA chair. An ex employee of SCC said she had changed to working for Barnsley Council due to the head in sand attitude by SCC re the impact of Austerity cuts. She said they had made no moves to help the poorer areas of the city unlike other Councils. Many community buildings are being sold from under the community groups. groups such as St Vincent's boxing club, DeHood, and Abbeyfield House. Groups that provide useful services re youth work and helping support the vulnerable. Local Councillors are not allowed to respond to potential sale of the properties, nor are they even informed that the decision has been made. No one knows how these decisions are made or who by. Communities are left with having to charge round getting signatures to declare the property a Community asset and even then as we know from the potential demolition of the Plough across from Hallam FC that doesn't guarantee protection.
  2. They have reached 90% of their target. I do hope they reach this as I do believe we can push for a lot more funding on the basis of this, especially as there is a focus on women activists this year there is a chance for getting big publicity for Mary ann Rawson both for Zion Cemetery and Wincobank chapel.
  3. The whole point is to make it accessible. And I doubt anyone will care where she goes. Was only found out recently by someone researching Mary Ann Rawson and soon after she learned that the graveyard was being sold. I was in there during Heritage Open Day and it has great potential as both a memorial to Mary Ann and a wildlife haven. Rawson is of international importance yet how many have heard her name or know her contribution? The group have work days every week to clear away the rubbish so if you go onto their website you can find out when the graveyard is accessible to visitors and take a look then.
  4. https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ziongraveyardattercliffe?utm_id=106&utm_term=VZxe4kN36 Not many people know that Sheffield women abolitionists were the driving force both re abolition of slavery and the drive to women getting the vote. One such great woman was Mary Ann Rawson. We have a few days left to save her monument and a small important piece of Attercliffe's unique history being turned into a carpark. Please tell everyone you can think of and lets save an important piece of our heritage.
  5. I don't see the logic either as there is perfectly fast tram from Meadowhall. Also it would mean it would bring more investment into Tinsley, Attercliffe and Darnall as well as Rotherham. They are talking of building more houses in that area and there is this new super factory developing in Tinsley. Wouldn't it make more sense to boost that area in any way possible? The Victoria station idea if you look at drawings is some hideous sort of monorail thing hanging over Victoria Quays. Haven't we got enough muddle there? Though in all honesty I don't see point of HS2 at all as modernising the present line would give almost as fast a route without all the upheaval and considerably cheaper as well. Is it worth spending billions on 15 mins faster train journey than a modernised line. Parliamentary committee didn't think so and said a lot of statements were being made about the line with no cold hard facts to back them.
  6. I can't say my source. Yes I know there is problems re English Heritage though probably not of their making as the Govt has been restructuring them and cutting funding for some time. Likewise the Council has had several funding cuts. The biggest being the abolition of Yorkshire forward when this Government came into power which meant many schemes came to a halt. Yes I do know that Urban Splash is back on track but it has been a long journey you must admit. I think the flats that have been renovated are great but if they were selling faster it is quite obvious things would not be moving as slowly as they have been. Perhaps if there wasn't so much aggression against them by certain local politicians it would help. And perhaps if more people went and had a look at the work Urban Splash are doing they would see what a great job they are doing. I know a friend went to see them at the Heritage Open Day and was very impressed.
  7. I agree with you about the flats. They may not be 200 years old but there are good logical reasons for keeping the flats besides them being listed. Many people sneer at them but there are useable and could be a great asset . At present the developers have run out of funds. To knock the flats down and rebuild would cost far more than has been spent so far plus a great waste when they could be restored. There again is heritage snobbery. It isn't 200 years old so it isn't heritage.
  8. That's the attitude that is losing us all our heritage. No of course you don't remember it as a Town Hall but that isn't a reason for knocking it down. Otherwise we'd probably be bulldozing over 1'000 buildings in Sheffield that you aren't old enough to remember what they were like when first built. This is a Georgian Building and the biggest heritage building of that age in Sheffield. Nearest in size would be Shirle House in Nether Edge. It is a prominent building and with the demolition of the market will once again have some really great views along the river. It is at the centre of a whole cluster of Sheffield's early history. Developed and restored properly it will bring focus on Sheffield's heart, the place where Sheffield was born. Yes and I know you definitely aren't old enough to remember that. It is central, it links by public transport to other heritage places such as Kelham Island, the Emergency Services Museum, Manor Lodge and many other places. If restored it makes an impressive image for the people who come to the hotels links the Canal Basin to the City in a historic chain. Not just a building but the heart of the city together with the castle ruins. Other cities who do look after their heritage end up with tourism. Glasgow a city the same size approximately has gone from virtually no tourism to earning a £billion through tourism this year. From Glasgows point of view that is over 20'000 jobs. So it is not just about a building that you know nothing about.
  9. Likewise in the USA and places like Poland & Germany. There are many countries that take care of their heritage. But there is also an inequality not just North/South divide but also skewed in favour of the places in more picturesque settings. There is a certain heritage snobbery I think in the UK.
  10. There is a hotel in Angel Street. 2 at the bottom of Castlegate, 4 in the Victoria Quays area and just opened is the old policestation now a hotel so 7 hotels who are not up to full capacity and who would use the Old Town Hall if it had an attraction there. ALso self catering apartments on Snig Hill. There are several more within walking distance. I don't think we need more hotels. A cheaper backpacking type hostel yes which could be part in 1950s extension maybe. A restaurant/cafe sandwich outlet and indy shops included too.Put the tourist office there too & booking office for events, and Sheffield shop selling Sheffield made goods. Turn the Castle Coop into shopping centre like they have done with a mill in Derbyshire with lots of traders rather than one. Shared building would make it cheaper for smaller traders who find usual rent & rates too high.
  11. It is big enough and don't forget there is also the 1950s extension to have multi use. The council themselves on their Castlegate plans have pencilled in Gallery or Museum. Personally although I love the idea of a museum I am not sure it would bring in sufficient revenue on its own but the extension could be used for something different. I'd love to see a sort of Yorvik or York dungeons attraction down in the cells where maybe prisoners tell their story. I'd hate it to be a hotel and besides there are already a considerable number in the area, and in any case how would a hotel work round the listed interior. An ARTs centre with performance space and rehearsal rooms which could also be used for conferences?
  12. Valerie does still do heritage walks. I agree she is a brilliant woman and we are very privileged to have her as Chair. Yes there is an issue about the Courtrooms as what do you do with them but they are I believe the only complete ones from that period and are similar to drawings of courts like the Old Bailey so there is possibility of film work. Also could be used as cinema lecture theatre for community groups and conferences, citizenship courses on how courts and government works. The first idea when the OTH was up for sale was that it be a nightclub and it was looked seriously at. I don't know whether those plans are still around. The person who paid for the assessment had to pull out due to lack of investment I believe.
  13. Nice idea but Hawley collection is best where it is I think at Kelham Island. Other suggestions were a Museum of Crime and Punishment, a Story of Sheffield Museum. A Performance space and rehearsal rooms, Mixture of retail, restaurant, and museum. Art Gallery. Part of University using courts as lecture rooms.
  14. You can help in a number of ways. Firstly just by being a named supporter. Secondly by becoming a Friend and helping with events, putting out publicity, and helping fundraise or even be a committee member. We are a very small group though getting considerably bigger by the minute. We also welcome ideas on the use of the building as I think it is good to get as many ideas as possible on this. As it stands it is complicated. The Council cannot legally just compulsory purchase they have to serve a notice on the owners to make repairs. The owner could at that point offer to sell to the Council. If the owner wants to be awkward they can ignore the notice. The Council can then move in and make repairs and send them the bill. This is likely to be a pretty big bill. If they do not pay it within a certain time the Council then has the right to compulsory purchase. Re making offices apartments etc there are some problems there in that the court furniture is listed too so any scheme will mean the developer will have to work round this. However there are experts who have dealt with similar big projects. We are not closing doors on any solution that would protect the building. It is complex and probably why most wise developers wouldn't touch it with a bargepole and why present developer has got themselves stuck. I think that they were hoping the Castlegate Development would have been further along by now and that the value of the building would go up and then they could sell. I doubt this would ever have given them much of a profit Sheffield property prices are not like London and the amount of work it would need to be done to turn it into apartments would only work if you could afford to not make a profit for a while.
  15. https://www.facebook.com/OTHSheffield https://friendsofothsheffield.wordpress.com/2014/12/29/19th-century-timeline/ We value your ideas. If this building is to be saved it has to have a viable future. It will be a big job. Take a lot of time and money. However we already have had a lot of media interest and encouragement form English Heritage. We think it is worth giving it a go. Several suggestions have been put as a Museum and restaurant, performance and rehearsal rooms, offices or back pack hostel in 1950s wing. There will be professional appraisal of Building soon from a expert in the field. If you'd like to join on the supporters list get in touch and I will put you on the mailing list. We hope to have a major event in March for supporters and members of the public.
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