Winn Gardens: What you don't hear in the media

[Joanl 12]

OK I haven't read the articles mentioned. I only get to read the Star on their website and it doesnt have much on it really.

I can't say I remember Winn Gardens, but I do like to look at the Middlewood Winners site and keep up with what you are all doing.

I am always impressed with what I read and wish sometimes that I could just pop on a bus and see it for myself.

I know that you all work hard to make it somewhere anyone would be proud to be part of.

Keep it up fox20thc, you are doing so well.

[Tipex 10]

Dear Sheffielders

 

Winn Gardens, a community charged with anti social behaviour and multiple crimes of differing proportions yet again came under attack this week with the publication of the article Police raids net 11 on drug-blighted estate (18.7.06).

 

The saying “no news is good news”, springs to mind and very rarely do the residents of this area get a mention unless its to reinforce the stereotype inherited from the early 80’s that the estate is one filled with unemployed criminals dealing drugs to children. The readers of this article would have paid no attention to the detail that nobody had actually been charged.

 

The Winn community feel disappointed and angered at their constant labelling as an under class and feel that any problems they have are no greater than many other areas in the city. The majority of residents are a hardworking community minded people. In recent years this estate has turned itself around, it is the residents of this area who have assisted and sometimes led the improvements both environmentally and socially. Ten years ago it was home to a run down tower block, overgrown tennis courts and tatty play equipment, there was nothing for the young people to do nowhere to go and the park was a hot spot for people (not particularly residents) to dump stolen vehicles.

 

A lot has changed. The tower block has gone, in its place a green space which is favoured by young children to play on. The tennis courts have gone, replaced with a dynamic multi court which is always in use, so much so that people from outside the area drive to the park to use it. There is brand new under 5’s play area and a refurbished park for older children. It has been commented by the parks department that our playgrounds are some of the best cared for in Sheffield! The tenants association tackled the nuisance vehicles issue by erecting and paying for barriers along the perimeter of green space, which has eradicated the rogue car issue.

 

Ironic that only 5 days previous the star posted this headline: "How I turned my community around" - one womans story.

 

There is the resident led voluntary group (registered charity) Middlewood Winners Ltd, who after working for over 8 years now manage the pavilion. A derelict building they took the lease of, and found well over a million pounds to refurbish. The estate now has one of the most modern childcare facilities in the area (Little Winners Nursery), well used by residents and people from other areas of the city. The group provide advice; parent and toddler group; Junior Club for children of primary age; do health initiatives and activities; work with connexions to provide activities for young people and are hoping to start an over 50’s club. Not forgetting the Middlewood Festival which most definitely is a community venture, people from all walks of life in the area are helping out from aged 16 to 60.

 

Very few areas of the city have such places where your neighbours are indeed your friends, the statistics show that tenancies on here span three generations of the same family, this stands as testament to the feelings of the people who live here. They feel safe and know whether its a family emergency, help with the shopping or the loan of a cup of sugar there is always someone nearby only happy to lend a hand.

 

We are proud of our estate and its community, our achievements and successes far outweigh the attention given to the small amount of anti social activity which is no greater than other parts of the city. Please do not believe the hype and please look at the positives of this community.

 

Thank you for having an open mind.

 

Are you joking? winn gardens is full of scruffs, i went on that estate about 2 weeks ago and it was like the end of the world.

 

Some of the kids walking from winn gardens sticking fingers at motorist and parents buying their kids booze from that shop across from netto, not to mention the chav girls pushing prams at 13+

[fox20thc 10]

Are you joking? winn gardens is full of scruffs, i went on that estate about 2 weeks ago and it was like the end of the world.

 

Some of the kids walking from winn gardens sticking fingers at motorist and parents buying their kids booze from that shop across from netto, not to mention the chav girls pushing prams at 13+

 

So you saw their identity cards then did you? I can reassure you that there are no children under the age of 16 who are parents on the estate, and walking from wg I presume you mean down middlewood road! That would be the big A ROAD which feeds wisewood, wpv, middlewood etc.

 

Grow up..

[JoeP 11]

Thanks for the birthday wishes, fox!

 

Does your group have an acting Press Officer?

 

When I've worked with NPOs and community groups in teh past we always found it handy to have a nominated 'Press Officer' whose job was to make contacts with the local media and act as a single point of contact for the reporters and such.

 

That way, you become a 'name' to them, not just a story.

 

If you want to get stuff off of the letters page and possibly towards the features, attach what you're saying to an event, get a couple of photographs attached (or make it clear you have images available) and send it out as a Press Release - that way you'll get taken more seriously. You still might end up on the letters page, but they've got more to run with.

[Tipex 10]

So you saw their identity cards then did you? I can reassure you that there are no children under the age of 16 who are parents on the estate, and walking from wg I presume you mean down middlewood road! That would be the big A ROAD which feeds wisewood, wpv, middlewood etc.

 

Grow up..

 

Lol here we go with its a perfect estate, i challenge anyone to go on winn gardens and see the state of the people that live there.

 

The attitudes of winn gardens is terrible with their out of control kiddies and disrespect for others.

 

When i went down i saw some black kids swearing and being disrespectful, modded novas on drive ways, i made a post awhile bk about a kebab shop being smashed and the same little black kid walking in the rd giving signals.

 

He lives on that estate with the gang he had that nite and everytime i see them come form winn gardens its the same thing.

[medusa 16]

I think the point that Fox20thc was making was that there are steps being taken by concerned residents to make Winn Gardens into a better place than the current perceptions make it out to be.

 

No area in Sheffield is perfect, and none without its problems, but if the only perception that people have of Winn Gardens is of its problems then that view is as false as if someone believes that there are no problems at all.

 

It is possible to turn an area round, and it is possible to have a functioning community project to make an area more pleasant to live in. Fox20thc is obviously doing her best, with the residents who do care about the area, to change perceptions of the area and enable the good to flourish.

 

Why not wish her and her caring neighbours well with their attempts to turn the area round instead of continually knock them down again?

[Jabberwocky 46]

My bro lived there in the 70s and it was a lovely place apart from a few rough uns on the tower block.

[JoeP 11]

Why not wish her and her caring neighbours well with their attempts to turn the area round instead of continually knock them down again?

 

Because it's easier for a lot people to do sod all and carp at the efforts of others than it is for them to try and change things.

 

I doubt that any estate or area of Sheffield is perfect; but rather than bitch and whine, why not contribute to trying to fix things?

 

Oh yes, that's it. It means you have to actually take responsibility and put some effort in. Silly me.

[fox20thc 10]

Thanks Medusa and Joe

 

I do have one question for Mattuuk1. If the area as you wish to label it s such a ghetto of crime and chavvery... what the hell were you doing on there? Visiting your friends

 

Lol here we go with its a perfect estate, i challenge anyone to go on winn gardens and see the state of the people that live there.

The attitudes of winn gardens is terrible with their out of control kiddies and disrespect for others.

 

I take personal offence at that being a resident and a parent!

[fox20thc 10]

Thanks for the birthday wishes, fox!

 

Does your group have an acting Press Officer?

 

When I've worked with NPOs and community groups in teh past we always found it handy to have a nominated 'Press Officer' whose job was to make contacts with the local media and act as a single point of contact for the reporters and such.

 

That way, you become a 'name' to them, not just a story.

 

If you want to get stuff off of the letters page and possibly towards the features, attach what you're saying to an event, get a couple of photographs attached (or make it clear you have images available) and send it out as a Press Release - that way you'll get taken more seriously. You still might end up on the letters page, but they've got more to run with.

 

 

Yes Joe, that would be me I plan to issue a further release a week before the event. Any tips would be welcomed.

[fox20thc 10]

Lol here we go with its a perfect estate, i challenge anyone to go on winn gardens and see the state of the people that live there.

 

Quite cross now

 

MattyUK1. I publicly challenge you to come back to Winn and have a walk around with me. See for yourself. As I have had the pleasure of reading your previous posts on other topics you appear on the whole to be a glass half empty kind of person. So no doubt you will decline the opportunity to actually see what the estate and its people really are all about.

 

The offer stands ...

[Tipex 10]

Quite cross now

 

MattyUK1. I publicly challenge you to come back to Winn and have a walk around with me. See for yourself. As I have had the pleasure of reading your previous posts on other topics you appear on the whole to be a glass half empty kind of person. So no doubt you will decline the opportunity to actually see what the estate and its people really are all about.

 

The offer stands ...

 

Why should i waste my time visiting the end of the world?

 

I wish you luck in turning winn gardens into a respectful area, but if its anythin like earlyer where kids off winn gardens were shouting verbal at a mental patient like '**** u' and '**** u ill batter you' then i dont see room for improvements.

 

Like joeP said 'we should help them' so next time i'll offer the kids cash or something, i wont bother complaining about some poor old man being abused by youngsters.