duffman

Hello! I am volunteering with a local researcher who is interested in talking to United supporters about their relationship with the club, and in particular perceptions on how we attract new fans and engage with different types of supporters from different backgrounds. He wants to get groups of 6-10 people together for about an hour to discuss in more detail, and is happy to meet anywhere that is convenient - place of work, somebody's home or the pub. Apparently they'll supply food or get the beers in, etc depending on the location. Nothing has been set in stone right now, but any session will be sometime after the middle of October. So for now I am just trying to see if there is any initial interest in this. Either post here or PM me if you would like to know more, I will assess the initial reaction and then post again here or PM you back. Thanks, Duff.

Hi Tom, I had wondered what was happening with the old Mercury Taxi building as I live very close by, and had seen lots of work going on (although you've ruined my idea of turning that into a community cafe , but I hope you manage to do something similar ) Just one point I would like to raise about parking. I think a lot of the guys use Northfield Road as it is close to the building and field. Now it's a public road so I'm not going to raise anything about 'stealing places' just because we park our car there. However some of the parking from those who were training was just a tiny bit ridiculous if you don't mind me saying. Basically the couple of times I have seen the group there, the pavement could not be used at all and there was hardly any room to move at all. I know that can happen anyway on that road, but if the training there will be a regular thing in season, I wonder if you will be looking at trying to reduce the amount of vehicles cramming in that small area? I wish the club well, and hope that a sensible agreement about the use of the area will be made. Although in your consultation I would have liked to have seen residents who live in the immediate area also included in the consult, particularly if (although I don't think I have quite followed this part of the thread correctly) there is to be some kind of fencing off of an area in the field. Regards.

Hello! I wasn't sure where to post this, so it's going here for now I guess. I’m here to tell you about my*Isle of Wight Challenge*in 2016 and my*biggest fundraising effort*to date. I will be walking a continuous 106 km route around the coastal paths around the Isle of Wight. The challenge is to complete the course (including break stops) within 24 hours. Please checkout my blog, which I have set up to monitor my progress towards the big day! I have entered two similar challenges in the past couple of years. In 2013 I attempted to walk a 100 km route from Manchester to Sheffield. I did not finish and had to drop out at 75 km. In 2015 I attempted the London to Brighton 100 km route. I completed this one, but it took 31 hours, so I missed out on the 24 hour challenge. So why am I doing it again? Well, it’s not just for the fun of it! And apart from attempting to beat the 24 hour mark, I like to raise money for charity. Pushing myself in these types of challenges is a good way to do so. I have raised money for national and local charities in the past. This time I felt I needed to raise the bar slightly. My friend is volunteering as a GP for 12 months at the Bwindi Community Hospital in Uganda. The hospital’s Neonatal unit needs a new incubator and other equipment for the babies in the wards there. . Bwindi Community Hospital*is located*in the South West of Uganda, near the Rwandan and Congolese borders.*Most of the people in the surrounding area are farmers or herders who live without running water and electricity and survive on less than 70 pence a day. The neonatal unit at Bwindi Community Hospital is always a busy place. There is an average of five premature babies born each month who often require a prolonged length of stay in hospital. Other babies are admitted if they have a low birth weight or problems at birth, such as asphyxia. Ideally all low birth weight or premature babies would be cared for in an incubator. The unit only currently has one incubator. This means babies sometimes have to share the incubator which can put them at risk of infection or are moved out of the incubator before they are ready. A second incubator would greatly improve the care that the neonatal unit is able to offer to the newborn babies of this area, and that is why I am fundraising! The cost of an incubator can be anything from £1,500 – £7,000. My target of £2,000 will hopefully get them on their way to purchasing one. Please visit my*Just Giving page*and donate what you can. If you’re a U.K tax payer, please don’t forget to add gift aid. Please also spread the word of this challenge. Please also check out my facebook page to keep up with the blog, and my friends blog as she spends a year in Bwindi, volunteering in the hospital. Thank you! Duff!

I did the Hillsborough Parkrun for the first time yesterday! Considering it was only about the 5th time I had run, I was happy enough just getting to the finish without having to stop. 37.23 isn't a great time, but now I have something to aim to beat!

OK, tried linking in a picture from Flickr, didn't work. Not sure what i'm doing wrong!

On June 22 - 23 I will be walking from Manchester to Sheffield via the Peak District in a 24 hour 100k walk. The event is being organised by Action Challenge and I will be raising funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I am 99% the perfect physical being *cough, cough*, but unfortunately even I will have to do some training. I am aiming raise a minimum of £400, with £200 of that being required before the end of May to ensure my participation in the event. I have set up a Just Giving page if anyone would like to donate to my chosen charity. http://www.justgiving.com/gezasaurus If you're interested in the event you can find the details here: http://www.transpenninechallenge.co.uk/ Thanks Duff ---------- Post added 15-02-2013 at 17:42 ---------- Just a little bump here. I have had a couple of friends interested in joining me on this challenge. You can take part in the challenge as a team. Teams of five or more can be given a specific team pack for the event. Any interest out there in joining up? You can still choose to raise money for your chosen charity, even if you are part of a team which is quite handy. Duff

Really sorry for the delay in getting back. All the stalls are booked up i'm affraid. Please come along anyway. Thanks Duff ---------- Post added 08-12-2012 at 09:13 ---------- Hello We're counting down until the doors open here at Wesley Hall. Remember, we're open from 10am until 5 pm. We have stalls, games, food and drinks. Plus Santa will be there too! Hope to see you there!! Duff

Hello everyone. Come to the most colourful and exciting craft and vintage fair of the year! In aid of SAVE THE CHILDREN FUND. 30 stalls of amazing vintage and retro homeware and clothes. Linocuts and paintings, quilts and knitting and crochet. Tombola and other games. A patisserie. Jewellery and 3D bead art. Christmas workshops. Plants and stone carvings. Homemade toffee and sweets. And a Cafe with hot food and drinks. And.... Father Christmas will be visiting!!!! Location: Wesley Hall, Crookes. Time: 10:00 - 17:00 Cost: £1.00 entry for adults, children go free!

Think the festivals are still going to be a part of Devonshire Green, the reason the paths are wider than you would normally expect is to use them for market stalls on said festivals. So, instead of ripping up all the grass everytime an event is there, they can use the path instead. That is the theory, whether or not is is put into practice shall be seen.

A glass raised to all my ex colleagues who have lost their jobs, hope they find their feet and find new employment soon! Has been years since I worked there, but still know plenty who did until the end!

Obviouisly it's hard to tell what has been used in these photos. This was taken about 7 years ago when we first got our pup. It was taken on an old disposable camera that was found inthe shed, I wasn't even expecting for any pictures to come out of it. To my surprise some did and although as you pointed out blurred, I expected nothing less because of what I used. To me, this is more of a sentimental picture. It defines happiness in two ways for me. The first is that despite it looking to yourself like she was miserable, it has been a glorious afternoon in the front garden with the new pup pouncing about merrily in her new home. Secondly, anytime I look at this picture, it makes me happy, sounds simple and to be honest it is. I suppose it's difficult to get that across in a photo competition, your comments are spot on and I could use the pointers for future pics, but I don't think they really apply to this snap in particular. Still, someone obviously went 'Awwww' it has a vote, and it wasn't me Only the second time a pic I have submitted has a received a vote. Saying that, it's only the third go at submitting a picture

Could it be that the landlord or someone else will be converting the rooms above the pub into self contained flats, rather than a full re-development to which Rosy Rat has already pointed out the various applications for planning, etc? Maybe even with that there will still be some planning needed, I am not sure on it, but maybe it's not as long a wait as the full redevelopment. Will be interesting to see what happens anyway.

Standing inside one of them? I can imagine you get a good view, just don't think it would be very good for your health. :D:D

Now, although the food will be my main reason to visit, this is cheaper then anywhere else I have seen it in the City Centre, great stuff!

The first image looks familiar. It reminds me of the old Loxley driving range on Long Lane. I used to pass that every day on the way to school. I remember it burning down too.

You mean the beautiful 'Square turd' that someone managed to squeeze out?

In the UK it was 'Ebony and Ivory' by Stevie Wonder and Macca In the US it was 'I love rock n roll' by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts In Aus it was What About Me - Moving Pictures

This weekend, I have been mostly listening to: Balklan beats: Various Eastern bloc artists Ingold Klezmer Trio: Polish Klezmer band I saw in Krakow Chagall Klezmer band Odessa Klezmer band Vodku Mas

I'll second Niagra Social club. I am using it for a 60th birthday party next year and will be attending a Wedding reception this October. It's handy to have someone you know who is a member though to get the members rate for room hire.

Motzart: The Magic Flute

I'm currently the hottest guy in Sheffield. I am sat next to the radiator and my head is currently in the oven slowly cooking away. I must be able to claim this title now?

Not wanting to sound too blunt with this, but Litter is litter and when caught, people get the same fine, regardelss of what it is they have dumped/thrown (unless you go into the realms of flytipping, but that's a different matter in term of this thread). It has been posted earlier about the seriousness of certain types of litter and if you think gum on the streets is worse than cig ends, read this: http://www.cigarettelitter.org/index.asp?PageName=Facts. and here's some more reading material for you to go through, just for information. from the DEFRA website. http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/localenv/litter/code/index.htm http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/localenv/litter/cigarettes/index.htm It's not quite a fact of anti-smokers gone mad, I am by no means a fan of smoking, however I don't judge for it and am ok if that's what people chose to do. However, when it comes to just thinking that people are out there to 'get you' with regard to this issue, it clearly isn't. I don't smoke, but I am not a tee totaller and do like a drink. Does this allow me to **** in the street? Hey, I put money into the economy, it's only pee no one will be bothered about it. Maybe I don't contribute as much as smokers, so I am only allowed to be sick once a month in a shop doorway, but then maybe this is just putting the bait on the hook for certain people

I registered with Occidental health in Shalesmoor yesterday. Here's a list of dentist in Sheffield from the NHS website NHS dentists

Well one way to find out....and it doesn't involve starting a thread on here! May aswell have a pub crawl up that way and find out if it's open or not.

I must say that stuffed dumplings are very tasty. I have been to the shop on Infirmary road and it's a decent place. I do sometimes stare and wonder at some of the jars of pickles that are on the shelf. I visited Poland in February and am on the look out for some of the things we had there. Anyone remember the short lived Russian tea room on Commercial street? I did enjoy going in there when it was open. Cabbages! I thought that had closed down, or at least I was told it had. If not then I will pay it a visit soon.