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ACTIVE8
Woodland Trust award for S8 pre-school
S T Chad’s Pre-school on Abbey Lane is celebrating after being awarded a Bronze Green Tree School Award from the
Woodland Trust.
St Chad’s registered with the scheme last year after securing access to what the children refer to as the ‘top field’ providing youngsters with access to trees, wild flowers and a vast amount of undergrowth to adventure in.
To achieve the award, children had to gain points for different activities including bark rubbings; life drawings of flowers and leaves, listening walks and planting wild flowers. Children even filled a bug hotel with natural resources they had collected.
Once a week, children all take part in recycling where they help to clean and sort different items.
Catherine Needham, the pre-school’s chair, said: “The children absolutely love going on an adventure to the top field and I always know about it when my son has been there during the day because he can’t wait to tell me about what he’s discovered.
“The range of activities are brilliant and they help children to understand the world around them.”
Left: William Needham, aged four, is a big fan of nature
S8 couple’s diamond day
B EAUCHIEF couple Tom and Valerie Bennett are celebrating their Diamond Wedding this month
Tom hails from Enniscorthy, in Ireland, and came here in 1955 when he met Val while staying with a relative of hers.
The couple married at Our Lady and St Thomas Church, at Meadowhead, and set up home at Harbord Road, off Abbey Lane.
Tom worked for British Steel for many years until his retirement. Val worked as a care assistant at Ash House at Dore and then St George’s Hospital. She finished her working life at the Hallamshire Hospital out- patient eye unit.
Tom and Val and their six children - Marie, Tony, Lynda, Adrian, Liam and Darrell - enjoyed holidays in the family’s caravan in Mablethorpe.
Tom has also always had a love of horse racing.
Now they both enjoy being in their garden and spending time with the family which has grown to include in-laws, 13 grandchildren and five great- grandchildren.
All of the couple’s relatives and friends will be there to celebrate the big day at a garden party.
Tom and Valerie Bennett... married for 60 years
Action plan aids carers
S HEFFIELD’S army of carers will benefit from a new action plan to make sure they to get the support they need.
The concept for the council’s new Sheffield’s Adult Carers scheme was created by carers themselves. There are 60,000 people in unpaid carer roles across the city.
Sheffield City Council works with carers and a range of organisations including Sheffield Carers Centre, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Health and Social Care Trust and Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group to co-ordinate help and support.
Emma Dickinson, the authority’s commissioning manager for carers, said: “An important part of the plan is to make sure that carers have ‘a life of their own’.
“Increasing opportunities for people to look after their own health, have regular and sufficient breaks and to access education and work are important aspects of the council’s plans.
“Seventy per cent of carers are of working age. The plan places an emphasis on helping them to continue to work – or return to work.”
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Mental Health Guide
L OCAL charity Sheffield Flourish has launched the Sheffield Mental Health Guide, a website to signpost local people to help.
Sheffield Flourish works collaboratively on digital and community projects, recognising the untapped strengths of people who’ve experienced mental health challenges.
The charity is now asking the community to spread the word so that everyone knows where to go when they’re struggling.
Deputy managing director, Jo Eckersley, said: “More often than not when people are struggling with a low mood, or worse, they don’t speak to their GP right away, let alone mental health services. They might not know much about what ‘mental health’ is, but they definitely need help to feel better.”
The website lists hundreds of support services, activities, and information articles designed to help people who are having a hard time.
The guide can be found at sheffieldmentalhealth.co.uk/
For information or to help, email info@sheffieldflourish.co.uk