ct
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SAFF Any profits go back into The SAFF Reg. Charity no. 1090197
Keep it Local Advertise HERE!
Skate Saff Twins Mariam & Tia their way to
Germany
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Get the lowdown on Community News & Resident Views. Great Offers and Discounts for Saff readers
Issue 7
Editors Welcome! Advertising Promotion
Saffron NMB Community Update
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Ben & Dave Flashback
Community Police Report Police Officer Paul Archer
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What’s On? Resident Update
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Saff Summer Fete - Sci Fi Extravangza!
8 Community News - Elly Cutkelvin on Tick Tock Park?
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10 Saff Twins Skate their Way to Germany
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Wow! What an amazingly busy summer on the Saff. There was so much for people to do what ever their interest. We had the Saffron Summer Fete at the end of August, which was a great success. The carnival parade was a sci-fi spectacle and I’d like to say well done to everyone who came along and got involved in the day it was great. We need to start on the planning for next years fete. If you are interested in getting involved or if you want to volunteer for 2012, contact me, we would welcome support from the community.
editor
There are lots of volunteering opportunities on the Saffron estate, some of which are in this magazine, so if you want to get involved in making the Saff a better place to live why not check out pg 9 Where your local Cllr Elly is looking for your support to get improvements to the Tick Tock Park. Saffron Group Practice need your help to make positive changes to the way surgeries work for you, check this out on pg 21. The resource centre has launched their mobility trike scheme on pg 22 get in touch with Neil Hodgkins if you feel this project could help you or if you could help them with maintenance. Saffron Neighbourhood Management tells the SAFF about their plans to improve the community on pg 6. It seems many groups in the area want to improve your community so why not get involved and have your say. September is here and that means new opportunities to learn new skills or build on existing skills. There are many courses available for adults locally this year at The Linwood Centre, Samworth Academy, and Eyres Monsell Community Centre. Pop in to the Linwood Centre to find out about courses near you.
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Cover pic: Saff Twins and British Skating Champions Mariam & Tia
We are now on our 7th issue of The SAFF Magazine and I’d like to thank all of you for your kind and supportive comments, this is what keeps us going and enables us to report for you so if you have any issues you want to raise, any events you want advertising give us a call. The SAFF is now finding new ways to keep in touch with you so join us on Facebook look for “Saffron mag”, Call Kellie on mob: 07784233997 Office: 0116 224 9790 email: kelliebugby@yahoo.co.uk Post: Unit 9, Linwood Workshops, Linwood Lane,Leicester, LE2 6QJ
Are you thinking of advertising? Then check out our promotional offer and get yourself 15% off advertising in the Winter edition of The SAFF Mag
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Promotional Offer 15% off book before Oct 14th
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World War II - Trenches in the Playground
Q&A with Jon Ashworth MP.
14 Fit as Fiddle - Independent Age
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&
Ben
18 Community News from Councillor Elly Cutkelvin
Dave
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Interview Amy Endacott - The Pregnancy Support Team
Resource Centre Trike Scheme
The Patient Participation Group
The SAFF interviews local resident Dee Dixon
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nothing to do
Written and Illustrated by David Bacon
The SAFF is a bi-monthly community magazine with a print run of 3000 which are delivered to all houses, shops, businesses and community centres across the Saffron area. We need your help! Support us by advertising in the magazine and telling us your stories. Any profits will go back into the charity and continue bringing The SAFF to your door.
engage
Design by Beckie Sanderson Engage Multimedia
Conditions of acceptance: Although every effort has been made to meet advertisers’ wishes, Saffron Arts Forum, does not accept responsibility for inaccuracies in advertisements or consequences arising. No responsibility is accepted for the loss or damage to copy, or error in printing. It is the responsibility of the advertiser to confirm and comply with the Trade Descriptions Act 1968, Sex Discrimination 1975 and Business Advertisement Disclosure Act 1977. All advertisements are accepted in good faith. Placing an order and advertising with Saffron Arts Forum, will signify confirmation and acceptance of the above mentioned responsibilities and conditions. The opinions expressed by the advertisers and in any articles, are not necessarily those of Saffron Arts Forum. The inclusion of any advertisement, group or organisation in this publication does not necessarily imply recommendation of its aims, products, services or policies. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information in this magazine, but no liability can be accepted for loss or inconvenience caused as a result of error or omission. Saffron Arts Forum reserves the right to amend, shorten or refuse to publish articles and advertisements submitted for publication. None of the articles contained in this magazine are to be reproduced in anyway without first obtaining written consent from Saffron Arts Forum.
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ff and enterprise club Come along for community and business networking tea & coffee and Enterprise Club 10am-12pm Every second friday of the month October 14th & November 11th Unit 9 Linwood Workshops Linwood Centre, Linwood Lane, LE2 6QJ
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Saffron Neighbourhood Management Board Choosing to make Saffron an even better place to live
This year the Saffron Neighbourhood Management Board is working with:
Local Health Workers To support the Health Volunteering Project and to reduce cardio vascular disease on the Saffron Estate.
Leicester City Council Housing Officers To support improvements to the environment and a walk about to see what needs doing on the Saffron Estate.
Schools and other groups To support the literacy project and reduce school absence among under 11 year olds on The Saffron estate.
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Police and Community Safety Team To reduce crime and the fear of crime on the Saffron Estate.
The City Wardens and Community Services To tackle litter and rubbish but also to encourage Saffron residents to use local facilities such as community centres.
Adult Education and Multi Access Centres To help make suitable training available to Saffron residents and support them into employment.
The Saffron Neighbourhood Management Board chose to work on these following consultation with local residents, businesses and workers in the neighbourhood.
Your views and opinions are what guide the Board. The Board is led by its resident members who work with agencies and groups. For more information about the Saffron Neighbourhood Management Board and what it is trying to achieve, or if you would just like to find out more please contact: David Budd, Saffron Neighbourhood Development Co-ordinator Linwood Centre, Linwood Lane, LE2 6QN. 6
Tel 0116 245 3001 / 07903 982 934 david.budd@leicester.gov.uk
MOTORBIKE MADNESS
For a while now there has been an issue on the Saffron Estate with youths riding motorbikes around that are not registered to be used on the road. The youths don’t have licenses, insurance or MOT’s for these bikes and usually they are not wearing crash helmets. Under these circumstances we are able to take these motorbikes off the road using two pieces of legislation. Section 165 (a) of the Road traffic act. – Power to seize a motor vehicle being driven in a public place with no insurance. Please also be aware this law gives the Police a power to enter premises to seize the bike concerned (WE DON’T NEED A WARRANT) Section 59 of the Police Reform act. – This gives the Police a power to seize a motor vehicle (includes motor bikes) being ridden off road and in a manner likely to cause alarm, distress or annoyance to members of the public. With this legislation Officers first need to warn the user of the vehicle that it will be seized if it continues to be used in the above manner. This legislation also gives us a power to enter premises to seize the vehicle/motor bike (WE DON’T NEED A WARRANT).
IT IS FOR YOUR BENEFIT!
The reason we use these powers is simple. On the last two occasions I have used Section 165 to seize a motor bike the rider narrowly missed hitting a woman and her two young children (on the first occasion) and only last month, Sunday 7th August a young person rode off across Tick Tock park narrowly missing a 3 year old girl on her pedal cycle. For those who ask “Haven’t you got something else better to do?” The answer is “Yes” but I ask you this Question “If your small child, Grandchild, brother or sister were hit by someone riding illegally around the estate how would you feel? You would expect action to be taken. And this is what we do it for, not for pleasure or to annoy the local youths but to prevent an innocent child or motorist being hurt. If we seize these motor bikes we will also ensure you go to court for the motoring offences you are committing when riding them. The use of these illegal bikes is a reason a legal motorist’s insurance is so expensive each year. From P.C 335 Archer, Your friendly Local Bobby. The SAFF Mag wants to say farewell to 2 local PCSO’s, Jim Muddimer and Lyndsey Bones. Both have completed their training to become police officers and will no longer be serving the Saffron
Community Police Report By Freeman Police Officer
Paul Archer Crime figures for the Freemen area in the for July and August 4 House Burglaries 8 Burglaries other than houses 2 robberies 9 thefts of pedal cycles 8 thefts from motor vehicles 2 thefts of motor vehicles These Figures are for the whole of the Freemen Ward, not just Saffron
Estate. We wish you all the best for the future. You have been very visible around the estate over the years and we believe have been a big part of building good communications between the community and the police. Well done! 7
What’s COMMUNITY EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
Saffron Area Forum open community meeting 3rd November at The Linwood Centre 11am FAB Weight Management course Tuesday 6th September 1-3 pm Southfields Drive Sport Centre Thursday 22nd September 1-3 Linwood Centre Thursday 6th October 9.15-11.15 Eyres Monsell CC 0116 225 2836 Or Email: FAB@lcchs.nhs.uk Road Show at Linwood Centre, Community Services and Saffron Neighbourhood Management Board 6th September 10 am to 12 pm Many local Adult Courses available for more info or to enrole contact Elizabeth Botmeh at the Linwood Centre on 0116 2832335 Saffron Neighbourhood Management Meeting 7th September 12.30pm Linwood Centre Leicester Day, Market Place in town, 11th September 10am to 4pm Saffron Neigbourhood Management will be holding a stand to showcase the Saffron estate Elderly Persons Month & Health Day at Linwood 27th September, 10 am to 2 pm Charity Coffee Morning at the Linwood Centre In aid of McMillan Nurses Coffee and cake £1:25 30th September 8:30am till 11am. Enterprise Club at Friendly Fridays Every second Friday of the month 9th of Sept, 14th of October For more info contact Beckie on 07900002530
To list your events here please email: kelliebugby@yahoo.co.uk drop in Sexual Health Clinic
Thursdays 3.00 - 4.30pm
Choices is a FREE, confidential and friendly service, staffed by a small team of nurses. • contraception of your choice including - emergency contraception (morning after pill) - the contraceptive pill or patch - contraceptive implant fittings and removals • advice about sexual health issues • tests and treatment for STI’s • condoms distribution • pregnancy testing 8
Saffon Resource Centre, 432 Saffron Lane, Leicester, LE2 6SB
0116 283 7212
n Wha R E S I D E N T
U P DAT E
Recycling in Leicester is Changing
Following a successful trial of a new recycling service, all houses and flats which currently use a green box or green bag will be moving to the new orange bag recycling service this October. All other properties including flats with communal recycling bins, will be contacted after October to let them know about the bespoke recycling service for their property including a start date. You will be able to recycle a far greater range of materials in the orange bags including cardboard, plastic packaging, tetrapaks, tins and cans and aerosols. The new scheme will help the city increase its recycling rate and so reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. Residents will receive detailed information about how the new scheme will work and their first roll of orange bags in early October. Our waste management team will also
be at community events throughout the summer and autumn to answer any questions you may have. Making it easier to recycle more. It’s in the BAG!
COMMUNITY NEWS Calling for Improvements to
Tick Tock Park? By Councillor Elly Cutkelvin Basketball Area
The Slide
The Zip Wire
D
uring the local election campaign at the start of this year it was clear that the local community are understandably very concerned about the state of the play facilities on Tick Tock park. I spoke to numerous local residents who all said the same thing, they wanted something to be done about it and improvements to be made. During that period I spoke to various people at the City Council and asked for some improvements to the Park. This resulted in additional bins, an additional bench, a lick of paint for the children’s play area and additional bark chippings. However, I recognise that this is not enough, more radical work needs to be done in order to make this park something the local community can be proud of once more. I have contacted the Assistant Mayor responsible for parks, but due to the level of cuts that our City Council is facing it is unlikely that the Council will be able to ďŹ nd the funds for the work that is so desperately needed. Therefore, I want to set up a local residents group, or Tick Tock Park users group. This local group, with the help of myself and the Council, could access money for some of the bigger improvements needed. If successful, the group would then consult the local community to ensure that improvements are made, that are wanted by local residents. There have been suggestions of a BMX track, skateboard ring or free running site. To make this happen we need the support of the local community. I need volunteers who care passionately about the local community and the state of Tick Tock Park and who are willing to get involved to make this happen. Please, please get in contact with me if you are interested in taking part - don’t leave it down to your next door neighbour or your mate down the road. The more people involved the more we are likely to be successful in making these much needed improvements happen. I care deeply about the Saffron Lane estate, and I know there are a lot more of you out there! You can contact me on 07891 232662 or by e-mailing elly.cutkelvin@leicester.gov.uk I can also be contacted via members services at the Town Hall: Town Hall, Town Hall Square, Leicester, LE1 9BG.
0116 2298850 The Swings
I look forward to representing you here on the estate. Councillor Elly Cutkelvin 9
The Saffron Fete Committee
which consists of local residents, Neighbourhood management, Saffron Arts, Saffron Community Enterprises, Local Police, Pink Lizard and the City Council, would like to thank everyone who turned up for the Saffron Summer Fete on Saturday 20th August, a lot of hard work goes into organising the annual event and it was great to see so many people out enjoying themselves. This year the fete was funded by The Freeman Ward Committee, Saffron Neighbourhood Management Board and the Local Police JAG funding. The parade was a great success, sci-fi themed costumes owed the streets. Thank you to Saffron Arts and Goldhill for all your hard work helping local families create costumes for the event it is always great to see people coming out of their homes and joining in the parade as we wind through the estate. We are looking for a great 2012 theme, let us know your thoughts and maybe your ideas will be turned into reality for next year.
volunteering Opportunities To make 2012 Summer Fete even bigger and better, we need support from the community, if you are interested in getting involved in the planning at our monthly meetings or maybe you would like to volunteer on the day, or get involved in the costume designing, there are so many parts of the event you could get involved with so give us a call or an email.
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Kelliebugby@yahoo.co.uk 07784233997 or Karen.Pickering@lcchs.nhs.uk
FREE COMMUNITY CLASSES Art classes with Ahmed Linwood Centre, Mondays 10am - 1pm Creative Writing with Polly Linwood Centre, Tuesdays 10am - 12pm Textiles & embroidery with nina Linwood Centre, Fridays 10am - 12pm Art classes with Sabrina Samworth Academy, Fridays 3.30pm - 6.30pm
For more info contact Kellie on 07784233997 or Email: kelliebugby@yahoo.co.uk
Aylestone Park Football Clubhouse
New Facilities to Hire for functions and private parties
Sky Sports package and ESPN playing all major games
Licensed Bar • Outside Patio area
Hot & Cold Food Daily opening hours
Monday to Friday 5.30pm till 10.30pm will be extended for private parties and functions
For more information Please Contact Stewart Bond at
Aylestone Park FC, Saffron Lane TEL: 07564136941
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Saff Twins Mariam & Tia
Skate Germany their way to
The SAFF Mag catches up with 14 yr old twin sisters, Mariam & Tia Sylla from the Saffron Lane Estate.
T
he sisters became British champions this summer after taking first and second place in The British Artistic Roller Skating Championships in Sussex. They have now been selected to represent Great Britain at the European Cadet Championships in Germany in August. Mariam & Tia said,
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We’re so excited to be representing Great Britain in Germany. It’ll be the first time we’ve been abroad in a skating tournament and being asked to represent Great Britain feels fantastic. Mum Julia Said, “I am extremely proud of both of them they have worked so hard.” Laura Pole the girls coach said, “Mariam and Tia started training as beginners only 4 yrs ago and they have been dedicating 13 hrs a week to train.They come and they really do work hard and it’s paid off for them, they’re champions of Britain and now they will be going to Europe and that feels really good, they are so modest about their achievements.” Janet Sturgess who runs the Empress Roller Skating Club added how well they work with other skaters in the group “They are always willing to support others with their training.” “Our team got together and did some bag packing at a local supermarket recently and we raised £700 to help for the cup of Europe in France and Germany there are 2 other girls who will be travelling to France in October but Mariam and Tia will be going to Germany on their own with their coach.” Laura added “The girls and all of us were thrilled when we were told local organisations The Saffron Neighbourhood Management Board and the Freeman Ward Committee wanted to help support us with funding to get to the Germany tournament.There is so much negativity around teenagers in the media and we hope this will be a real positive opportunity for us to show that young people on the Saffron Estate have drive and ambition and really want to succeed. - It is also good to raise the profile of skating.” Mum Julia added, “It’s been wonderful to know people want to help, it’s expensive to set up, the kits are expensive especially having two children interested in the sport it’s an ongoing cost new wheels, spare parts, outfits as well as the travel and accommodation. It would be awful not to be able to give the girls the opportunity to represent Great Britain, I am really thankful that people want to support Mariam and Tia.”
The SAFF Mag Editor Kellie Bugby added, “I heard about the girls fantastic achievements this summer and wanted to do what I could to help these talented young residents reach their potential. So I contacted a few community organisations to ask for help. Living and working in Saffron I am extremely editor proud that two young people from our estate will be representing our nation in Europe, and I believe this is just the sort of thing we should all support and get behind.They should be very proud of themselves and their team. It is great to see people getting involved in things and aspiring to achieve their full potential.” “This is something fantastic for an estate like saffron and we need to support opportunities like this for dedicated hardworking young people who can be an inspiration to others.” By the time this goes to print Mariam and Tia will have been to Germany so on behalf of The SAFF we wish you all the best and above all else have a fantastic time. Terry Rogers, Chair of Saffron Neighbourhood Management said “We have several key themes,to our funding one of which is youth provision. On reading of the girl’s plight I contacted some of our resident members and we jointly agreed that they deserved support.We have very limited funds but we gave them the maximum amount £300 allowed by our rules. In the present climate of blame and condemnation of excesses attributed mainly on young people it is nice to put the other side of the argument. I wish the girls (young ladies) every success in the competition.” “Tia and Marian have achieved so much already and I wish them success in Germany and in the future” Jon Ashworth MP. The Empress Roller Skating Club was set up many years ago at Granby Halls and when that closed we wanted to carry on and managed to get some training time at Aylestone Leisure Centre and also Beaumont Leys. Aylestone Leisure Centre has been so supportive of our club Sean Miles the manager has really helped us a lot. Julie Withers a young skaters mum added “Laura and Janet are so dedicated to the group they give all their spare time to support the skater, we wouldn’t be here without them, they are fantastic volunteers and my son loves the club.” Daniel withers, who is nearly 10 and from Aylestone is the only boy in the club at the minute he says, “It is very hard, physical training but it keeps my body and mind active and keeps me off the street I started 18 months ago, and came 3rd in my last competition, I’m travelling to Clacton on Sea in October for the Tiptree Competition.” Daniel wants to encourage other boys to get involved, “It’s cool! You have to try it to realise what a great sport it is.”
The empress roller Skating Club There is a beginners club at Aylestone Leisure Centre on Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays and at Beaumont Leys on Thursdays. All ages can come along, we have them as young as 3 yrs old at the minute. For more information contact club secretary Janet Sturgess on
0116 2403378
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World War II Trenches in the Playground P reparations for the Second World War began well before September 1939. In February 1939, all the children at Southfields Drive Infant School were fitted with gas masks, and had been taken home to be stored in case of emergency. A supply of empty sandbags was sent to be stored in bundles in case they should be required, and in May they where filled with sand by boys from Linwood Lane School.
On 4th September 1939, the schools log books record, “owing to the declaration of war with Germany, no children were in attendance at school today. The schools are to remain closed until further notice, but all staffs are present, and are engaged in various duties like making light shades and gas mask covers etc, and in practicing First Aid.” At the end of the month work began on digging trenches in the Playground for air raid shelters. Similar shelters were built in the Newry school playground, but they were often inches deep in water and had to be pumped out by the fire service. People along the route to school were asked to act as “Child Shelters” in case of a raid while they were going to and from school, and by October most of the children were back in their classrooms. Boys from the Linwood Lane also helped to dig trenches at Marriott School. The heads office became an Air Raid Precautions post until this was moved to Broughton Road in March 1940, and the staffroom became a dental clinic for a while. In 1943 the school was providing 50 dinners a day for children who’s parents were at work and in 1944 it collected £270 to buy a mine detector during “Salute the Soldier Week”. From 1940 the local schools also had to make room for evacuees who came and went during the war. One man, who was three when the war started, went to Southfields Drive and then to The Newry: “I can remember my first day in the Infants with Mrs Shelton, and Mr Smith was deputy Headmaster at The Newry. Teachers were either very young or very old because they had all gone off to war. We had evacuees, there was a family of them. We had some stop with us, some stopped next door, and they stopped for quite a while. My Mum looked after us and the evacuees, they had to go school when we were on holiday. A lot of parents said they couldn’t cope with them all. The Newry School was beautiful. It had a fishpond and a quadrangle, but we never had paper that was still rationed we had to use slate to write on. 14
They Never Hit a Thing D uring the war the main ARP depot in the area was at the gas works on Aylestone Road, but the Pork Pie Library on Southfields Drive was also used as an ARP post. “on the roof tops the dreaded siren sat” Mr and Mrs Brown recalled, and “the sound of the siren in the small hours of the night sent shivers down my spine. We became adept to getting dressed without lights in record time, and down to the shelter at the bottom of the garden.” The first bomb to land on Leicester landed not far away, in Cavendish road in Aylestone on the 24th August 1940. “My family used the shelter my dad put up with the help of neighbours”. Freda Sodan remembered:
“As he helped them to put theirs up. Over the top he grew marrows and each side were fruit trees. Father always stood outside the shelter, and would watch the aeroplanes fly over or dog fight in the sky. He was at home when they bombed Cavendish Road. He was on nights at the gas works. I was on my way to Jonathan North School dentist when I looked up and screamed to my brother ‘Bombs!’ A man came and shouted ‘Run for your lives. They’ll kill you’. The German plane looked very low, you could see the crew’s faces. We ran round the park and got back to our jitty and the siren went. Dad cane to the gate and we blurted out ‘we saw bombs’. We got to the shelter, then, when the All Clear sounded we went down to meet Mum as she was working at Dunlop’s near the gas works, St Mary’s Mills. Mr Issitt remembered a stick of incendiary bombs dropping across the estate: “There was one dropped in a garden, one dropped right smack in front of our house, and another dropped in the school playground. Right across the estate and never hit a thing. Unbelievable! At the corner of Windley Road and Meadow Gardens there used to be a big round tank that they dug out and filled with water for the fire brigade to use during the war. They used to have those Green Goddesses as they call them now. I was the only bloke on our stretch of street I was only 14 but had to go with the wardens in search of fires.” “We left school at 14”, as Mr Brown said, “and straight to work, a war on and fathers away in the services. A tiny allowance to keep families fed, so a job was essential. Most of us kept a few chickens in the back garden, and the egg allowance on the Ration Book was cut accordingly. Gardens were dug up, and front lawns to grow vegetables”. Food was rationed, but “there was a lot of stuff off the garden”, another man remembers: In the summer when all the fresh fruit was out- blackcurrants, red currants, raspberrieswe used to have pies and things. The older kids had to help out digging the garden and things like that. We had quite a few hens, and always had a cockerel or a duck in the garden for eggs. We used to have two pig bins, one at the top of Southfields Drive on the corner of Repington, and one outside number 21, which would be filled with all food scraps, and they used to come round and collect the bits. The stink! Now and again during the war there was entertainment on a stage put up in Tick Tock Park: “They’d put fencing around and you’d have to pay to get in. You could watch from outside but you couldn’t sit down. They had them 2 or 3 times and one time it was local talent, you could sing or anything like that. Canadians used to come up to the community centre for the entertainment at night. I think it was there. Army, Air Force, American were all wounded. I can see the nurses there with them. The Americans were very generous. They didn’t just give you a stick of gum, they gave you a pack full, ‘share this out with your buddies’ Candy as they called it. 15
Making it easier to recycle more Starting October 2011
What you can recycle in your orange bags... Plastic bottles All plastic food containers eg margarine tubs, ready meal trays and yogurt pots Plastic film Carrier bags Newspapers Magazines
Paper Catalogues Junk mail Envelopes Wrapping paper Greeting cards Telephone directories eg Yellow Pages
Cereal boxes Cardboard packaging Food tins Drink cans Foil trays Empty aerosols Drink/food cartons eg Tetra Pak Glass bottles/jars
For further information, visit www.leicester.gov.uk/orangebags telephone 0116 252 7002 /orangebags @orangebagleics
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Independent Age has been established since 1863 and is a unique charity, providing support to older people. Independent Age’s fit as a fiddle is a 12-week programme which gives older people the opportunity to get information on healthy eating and gentle exercise. The discomfort of many common conditions can be reduced through managing what you eat. Even a little exercise can help you to feel more positive. fit as a fiddle starts with a volunteer visiting six times to help you to devise a programme of things to try. They will also help you find out what is available in your local area to carry on the good work. You will continue to receive helpful information and support from Independent Age.
Do you know any isolated older people who might be interested in joining in with fit as a fiddle? Would you like to train as a volunteer to work with older people? Contact:
Natalie Morris, Development Officer, Independent Age, 6 Avonmore Road, London W14 8RL Telephone 0207 605 4295 natalie.morris@independentage.org.uk
www.fitasafiddle.org.uk 17
THE SAFF Jon Ashworth MP
Q&A
My name is Jon, short for Jonathan, and I was elected as your MP in May of this year. I became the MP for Leicester South as Peter Soulsby stood down to stand to be the City Mayor.
Q
What sort of things can you help me with?
I can help with most things that relate to national government policies or agencies, such as benefits, tax credits and the National Health Service. I can also help with things to do with the Leicester City Council, such as housing, schools and social services.
Q
How well do you know the Saffron estate?
I spent a lot of time during the by election campaign on the Saffron estate. Since my election I have visited the estate a number of times, for example, to visit the Linwood Centre and Marriott School. I want to hold regular surgeries on the Estate so that people can come to me for assistance. I also want to hold regular walks around the Estate so that I can meet you and take up any problems you have.
Q
What are your priorities for Saffron
My first priority is to stop Saffron Estate being hit harder by the government’s cuts than other areas in the City. It is unfair that people who did not cause the deficit are expected to pay for it by reduced services and help. My second priority is to bring employment opportunities to people on the Estate. I have already asked the Conservative Liberal Democrat Coalition government to tax the bankers to fund job schemes for young people - the government refused. But I will not give up as work is key to so many areas of people’s lives.
Q
Are local Community Centres safe with all the cuts?
I hope they are! I, along with your local Councillors (Elly Cutkelvin and Bill Shelton) will work together to keep these key community places open and with the same level of services.
Q
How can I get in touch with you? You can contact me by the following: Tel: 0116 251 1927 Email: jon.ashworth.mp@parliament.uk Website: jonashworth.org My Constituency Office is at: 60 Charles Street, LE1 1FB
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COMMUNITY NEWS
FROM YOUR ELECTED COUNCILLOR
ELLY CUTKELVIN I organised the Community Clean Up Day on Monday 22nd August around Neston Gardens & Neston Rd. The event was really successful and we managed to clear up a lot of rubbish from both rear and front gardens. It worked so well the Biffa vans also went on down to Heathcott Road. After that there was a Patch Walk with Jon Ashworth MP. Following this clean up and patch walk I am looking to: • Getting play equipment for the ‘mound’ in Neston Gardens • Getting a CCTV camera to cover the mud dumps • Holding a Christmas do at Kingfisher Youth Centre for all local residents I organised another Patch Walk on Tuesday 23rd August around Tick Tock Park, again with the Local MP.
Following this we are looking into: • Getting a professional graffiti artist to do some work on the Green hut • Consult with local residents regarding the improvements they would like to see on the park After making enquiries, I have discovered that the number 10 & 11 Centre Bus route, which was due to close on September 26th, will now be continuing on a month by month agreement whilst they access the level of need for this service. Following the anti-social behaviour seen in the City Centre, there was an incidence of graffiti outside of the Linwood Centre. I have organised for the CCTV cameras at the Centre to be fixed.
Jon Ashworth Your New MP Jon was elected as your local MP on the 5th May having previously worked for Gordon Brown and Ed Miliband. He became a father for the first time on the 20th May when his wife, Emilie, gave birth to their daughter, Gracie.
For appointments and to contact Jon about any local or national issue please get in touch…..
Jon is contactable at his City Centre Office, 60 Charles Street on: Tel: 0116 251 1927 Email: jon.ashworth.mp@parliament.uk Twitter: @ jonashworth 19
need help to STOP smoking? The SAFF speaks with AMY ENDACOTT
from The Pregnancy Support Team What is the scheme about? The pregnancy support program is designed for any women that are pregnant and smoking and want to have a go at stopping. We’re here to support parents. We’re not here to be judgmental. We want to help parents give up smoking if they want to. We can also support their families and partners as well. It’s not just about the pregnant woman, it’s about others around her too, we want to help everybody and give them all the support they need, so they can create the best possible atmosphere for their baby to be born into. How is this scheme different from other smoking initiatives? It’s designed especially for pregnant women so they are able to get the right advice to suit them and their situation. We can make sure we recommend the right treatments to help them and this makes it a lot easier to give up. We have a lot of women using the service right now so we’re kept busy, but we always have time to meet new people as well. What do mums-to-be get out of The Pregnancy Support Team? This service is completely free for pregnant women. We have two workers so we cover quite a large area between us. We’ve helped lots of pregnant women and their families to quit over the years so we are experienced, very patient and flexible. We can visit people at different times of the day or evening, we can do home visits or meet people at community buildings, we go out to wherever is easiest for them. What are the benefits for pregnant mums to stop smoking? There are lots of really good reasons to stop smoking in pregnancy. You are likely to have an easier pregnancy, less morning sickness, less chance of pregnancy complications and there are loads of benefits to the baby too. When a woman 20
smokes the baby doesn’t grow and develop as well because less oxygen can reach it, so if she stops smoking the baby has a better chance of growing to a healthy size in the womb. It’s not just about the baby’s size either but also its internal organs may be better developed if the mother does not smoke and this will reduce the long-term impact on their health. They’ll be less likely to develop breathing illnesses like asthma. There is a lot more evidence now that smoking in pregnancy can have an effect on your childs behaviour and even the childs own fertility can be affected when they’re older. So the effects of smoking during pregnancy can follow your child through life. We want to make stopping smoking a positive experience for parents and help them understand that they will be gaining a better, healthier life for themselves and their child. What is Smoke Free Homes Scheme? We are trying to encourage people who are not yet ready to stop smoking, to make their home and car a smoke free area. This helps to reduce the risks of second hand smoke and dramatically reduces the risk of cot death. If people are able to make their homes smoke free we send them out a reward pack just to say thanks for doing that and to encourage them to keep, their home smoke free. How can people find out more about this service? The midwife can refer you to us or you can self-refer by giving us a call If you would like to speak to Amy and her team or would like any further information on the Pregnancy Support Program or the Smoke Free Homes Project then please give their office a call and ask to speak to an advisor, who will be able to answer your questions. 0116 2954141
The SAFF Mag, speaks with Sarah Hall Chair of the
Patient Participation Group
at Saffron Group Practice, where she talks about an exciting opportunity for the community to have their say and really shape the future of their local health service.
The Patient Participation Group is entirely about your opinions, local residents who use Saffron Group Practice having your say about how to improve services. It is about making sure the communities voice is heard by doctors in the practice. We are looking for members in the community to come and have their say, and to find out how the practice works, this way the practice can find out if it’s working for you. Sometimes it doesn’t, and unless we hear from you we wont know. It is a two-way thing, the practice can give out health information, tell you about the services and explain about issues such as the new GP funding and commissioning that is going on and the community can tell us about how GP’s surgeries can work better for you. It’s very important for us to hear from the community. At the moment all our members are 60+ and we are looking to hear from other unrepresented groups such as, young families, teenagers, people with special needs any one who uses the surgery can get involved. It is very informal you can come along have a cup of tea, a biscuit and chat with other local people. It is not intimidating at all, we do have a Chair Person to lead the meetings but it’s a very friendly and down to earth atmosphere. We want to have regular meetings and try to keep them to no longer than an hour, these are held monthly at 1pm but that is subject to whatever the group wants to do. We are a new group and have only had a couple of meeting but are already looking at the appointment system at the practice, as patients told us they find it difficult to get appointments, so we are listening to you and discussing how we can improve this. The practice is very much behind this group, we have support from the practice manager and the doctors. They can come to the meetings and give ten or fifteen minute presentations on something that interests the group this may be about particular health concerns, or maybe you are interested in how things work at the surgery.
Have Your Say!
The doctors want to hear your opinions and want to respond to your views so if you want to get involved in the Patient Participation Group (PPG) pop in to the surgery and leave your details with reception so they can contact you with further information.
We need more members
People with special needs
Young families
Teenagers
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Resource Centre Trike Scheme The Saffron Resource Centre has been around for 35 yrs and was set up as a base of information and advice for the Saffron community. Over the years it’s built up a reputation for providing quality benefits and housing advice.
The SAFF interview neil Hodgkins one of the project workers about their mobility scooter hire scheme. We have been running the scheme for some time. It first started through a grant from the NHS and proved popular so we wanted to continue the project. We hire the scooters for £50 a month, this price covers all maintenance and repairs too and would come out of your mobility allowance. If you don’t get mobility allowance and feel you should, we can help you apply for this too. You can hire long term and take advantage of receiving a brand new scooter each year, you can also hire short-term too. I would recommend this scheme to anyone who has difficulty with mobility. Buying scooters privately can prove very expensive, especially if you don’t keep up with the insurance and have to pay out for repairs. The more scooters we hire out the more we can buy for the communities use. We have 6 at the moment but hope to increase this number. We would eventually like the scheme to become a local enterprise project, and make enough money to employ a local worker here. We want the income that’s generated to go back into the estate to keep economy local. 22
We are looking for a local person to help with the maintenance and repair of the scooters, at the moment it’s me that fixes them. Local resident Teresa Spilsbury. Stated “I think it’s really good, I pay a set amount so I know how much it’s going to cost and if there’s a problem with it I don’t have to find extra money, they fix it for me and it’s local so if there is a problem it’s only a few minutes away. It’s for local people and you don’t have to commit you can come and trial them. The Saff has a high rate of mobility issues so it’s great for the area, people should take advantage of this project. “
Opportunities for venue Hire
Many organisations use the centre as a base for their projects and by having new builds and more space means we can offer this service to more groups or individuals. Our prices are tailored to yours and the community needs, office overheads and a full time reception is included in the price. We can also offer our building as a drop in space for community groups to use. Any money that is raised through the centre goes back into the estate through our services. If you are interested in any of these schemes please pop in or contact the resource centre on
0116 2837 212
The SAFF
interviews local resident and face of Goldhill
“Goldhill is an absolute life saver on the Saff, probably saved many parents from going crazy. It is open to children of all abilities and its natural surroundings make it an ideal place for children to explore their senses and develop vital physical & creative skills. The staff are wonderful. I hope Goldhill is here forever as it’s at the heart of the community for many families. Big up to goldhill.”
Dee Dixon How did you get involved with Goldhill Adventure Playground? In 1978 when my kids were little, my mum lived at the top of the street I lived at the bottom so I would pass it daily. I decided to pop in one day. Two of the kids enjoyed it one didn’t take to it at all. I stayed on as a volunteer and joined the management committee, which was for 10 yrs. The post became vacant so I applied and here I am 20 yrs later so technically I have been here for 30 yrs. How has it changed over the years? It has changed a lot. Every day is different, the buildings are different the way the playground is run has altered. Gone are the days where kids are told to go away and not come back. We have a junior management committee, they make the rules so if they feel people are not following these, they have time on the gate. There’s a barring line there and that’s were they go for 5 to 15 minutes, they negotiate, if there are problems with racism, or bullying they get their 1st warning after that it’s a day ban and we speak to their parents, we’ve gone as far as a month with some of the young people if they continue with bad behaviour, but these are the rules that the kids have set. They all know and understand them, there’s no arguing about it, but they are always aloud back after their time.
We’ve built all the structures in Goldhill and some are 30 ft in the air but they’re all cased in. Every thing we do is an ongoing risk assessment but these structures are what the kids want and we’re just about finished. Why do you think Goldhill is so well attended? There are 9 adventure playgrounds in Leicester we are all the same yet different we all operate on the process of open access and inclusion, the sites are different and staffed differently but we’re all child led and supervised by people who understand what children want. Over 20yrs the playground has seen many users return with their children and grand children, I believe this is down to the instilled rules and mutual respect over the years. We work with anybody and everybody kids are kids. We have bad days they have bad days, so yes sometimes they’ll use bad language against staff but they know where the gate is and they know we wont accept that but we don’t hold it against them, they come back apologise and start a new day. We teach them how to conduct themselves in a social setting, at home, school, college or work but rules need to be followed through at each of these places. Social skills and confidence building is what we’re about. Kids don’t have to have a large group of friends to come here,
Quote form local parent and user Emma Webster children come from the age of 5 to 19 and they will come on their own, they are made to feel welcome with the support of our junior management who are there to support and buddy up. Playgrounds are a culture of their own. They have a life of their own, and take on this entity. How many people attend the Playground? We’ve got about 2000 registered users, 160 young people under 8 and 110 over 13 who enjoy evening session. We’re not only about the children lots of parents come back and volunteer for us. We’ve put 15 local mums through play work training to give them an understanding about children and what we do as workers this gives them the opportunity to go off and work in the industry if they want it or just to gain a better understanding. What does the future hold for Goldhill? We are what we are, onward and upward. I’ve got a few years in me yet.
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