Category: Heart of the Community

By Dan Barron and Sam Dixon, Heart of the Community Team

As the Heart for the community project is ending, we wanted to be able to give something back to the volunteers that have participated in the project over the last 3 years. We have met some wonderful people who have stood up to positively impact their community. They have put the interest of others before themselves and have brought a real sense of community to Rotherham.

We didn’t just invite the Community leaders we invited volunteers who do the small tasks that go unnoticed at times and those that help out when they could. The heart of the community has been about bringing the community together and highlighting that people can support positive change in different ways. We wanted to give a shout out to the unsung heroes. We created an event specifically for our volunteers to relax, have some food and music at the Rotherham Titans Rugby club and enjoy the afternoon. Including Rotherfed staff we had 41 people join us for the celebration.

This project wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication and hard work of our incredible volunteers. Their commitment has transformed isolated communities and created lasting positive change.

Their passion and selflessness have been the driving force behind this project’s success.

“Thank you for everything you have done and the impact you have had on the community and myself. You will be missed, and I’ll remember when I’m taking over the world. Lots of Love and well wishes.”

Talk n Train

“Thank you for everything you’ve done for the Community Tree. We will miss you both so much. Lots of Love from the committee at the community Tree. We love you loads xx.”

       The Community Tree Committee

“Thank you for all your help and putting up with me and a big thankyou for all of the support from DEHT Greenspaces. We love you both xxx.”

             Nicola (The DEHT committee)

“Thankyou for your help and assistance over the
last few years and for tolerating the absolute DIN!! Created at the coffee
mornings at Warreners Centre on Wednesday mornings. Very Best wishes to you
both in your future ventures xx.“

Warreners Drive Residents

“Thank you for all you have done.”

Margaret

“The venue was perfect for our volunteers to be able to socialise and talk openly about what they are achieving in their communities. The place had a real earthy feel and made a real difference as there was no corporate feel to it.”

RotherFed

By Dan Barron and Sam Dixon, The Heat of the Community Project

A local community group has been making a significant impact on the lives of residents in Canklow, thanks to generous funding. The group, based at the Canklow Pavilion, has successfully launched a variety of free activities, providing essential support, social connection, and opportunities for personal growth.

One of the group’s most popular offerings is their Zumba sessions, which have proven to be a fantastic way for residents to exercise, improve their well-being, and have fun. The sessions have been so successful that they often reach capacity, demonstrating the strong demand for such activities.

In addition to Zumba, the group also hosts crafting sessions, coffee mornings, and allotment sessions. These activities provide a welcoming and inclusive space for residents to socialize, learn new skills, and connect with nature.

The funding received has been instrumental in enabling the group to offer these valuable programs. It has allowed them to rent the Canklow Pavilion, a vital community space, and has helped to cover the costs of running the activities.

As a result of the group’s efforts, over 139 people have benefited from their programs, including those who were previously isolated or struggling with their mental and physical health. The group has also been successful in signposting residents to other support services, ensuring they have access to the resources they need.

Looking ahead, the group is committed to expanding their reach and impact. They are actively seeking additional funding to support their activities, and they are exploring partnerships with other organisations to ensure the sustainability of their programs.

By Dan Barron and Sam Dixon, The Heart of the Community Team

The summer events have officially started this year and the Heart of the Community team have spoken to over 1000 of Rotherham’s residents at community events. The team have been asking you how you support others throughout your day. Although most people don’t shout it from the rooftops that you’ve helped someone, we’re here to show that residents in Rotherham look after each other. Some of our work also looked at how residents feel about the community they live in. The team attended summer fayres and Pride 2024 throughout June. Lots of people took the time to speak with us about how they’re supporting someone on some way.

“(I) Support a friend in addiction”

“I helped a person get back onto their feet when they was down”

“I made someone happy when they were upset”

“I helped someone when they were lonely”

“Helped people to learn to horse ride in my spare time”

“Helped my mum when she was down”

Some residents are supporting their neighbour or family with small acts of being there for support when times aren’t so good, some support others to learn new skills and hobbies. You spoke to us about many different acts of kindness. Some acts of kindness came with personal journeys of supporting a friend or family member through addiction and a personal sacrifice on behalf of another person to support them when they need it the most.

Some of the children made their little act of kindness something really simple by helping a friend with their work, when they’re sad or they’re there for someone they don’t know in a moment, people supporting each other makes a positive impact to someone.

HotC put together a presentation to speak to students at one of the local comprehensive schools. The school want to help their young people recognise the impact they offer their communities already, and the impact of positive action whether small or large. The presentation created an opportunity for the young people to think about and share their ideas about how they personally impact their own communities as well as giving an opportunity for workers to talk about the voluntary sector and the advantages the experience will have for future prospects.

The young people we spoke returned 148 pledge cards, detailing their little acts of kindness.

“If I see anybody on the streets, go into the closest shop and buy them food, in hope that they won’t sleep hungry for that night and other may copy this kind act.”

“Help the elderly in care homes. Eg, making cups of or having a conversation with them”

“Start working at my local library and charity on weekends to engage with people”

It’s been amazing to speak to so many people who support other people they may know or just by chance was kind to a stranger in need. Its further proof that people of Rotherham look after each other when they see someone else in need. So, we would just like to say, well done residents of Rotherham, keep up the community spirit and taking care of each other.

By Dan Barron and Sam Dixon, The Heat of the Community Project

On a warm summers evening in August, Clifton Park saw 9 volunteers come together with project workers from Rotherfeds Heart of the Community project to help to create a new forum. The planned activity for the day was to litter pick and discuss what groups thought Rotherham needed to support litter pickers better and how that could be achieved.

The forum was well attended by seasoned Litter pickers from the S61 litter pickers, Rawmarsh & Parkgate Friends of Green Spaces, Rotherham’s Older Peoples forum and the Rotherham Inter faith group. Whilst picking in the centre of the park 9 bags of litter were picked to provide a safe and clean area for families to enjoy at the height of the summer.

The rubbish that was collected by the group was quickly collected by the rangers in the park with further reports of where sharps were discovered being made to the relevant council department. A good haul for 45 minutes work on a refreshing summer afternoon.

Once we had regrouped, we asked what groups thought Rotherham needed to support litter pickers better and how that could be achieved. There were lots of conversation and ideas It was agreed that it would be a good start to create an online forum on social media where all litter pickers from the borough can come together to share their events, achievements and stories. There is interested in creating a committee which will continue to be explored.

After our discussion we all enjoyed a share of sandwiches, crisps and cake.

So far, the group has managed to increase its online membership to 90 individuals. The group is already seeing lots of members posting about litter picks across Rotherham. The next plan is to create another event that will engage with more members and will have a positive impact on more green spaces in Rotherham.

By Dan Barron and Sam Dixon, The Heat of the Community Project

Heart of the Community Project workers supported Jo and the SEND youth group apply to Voluntary Action Rotherham’s Mental Health Fund at the end of 2022. This fund was to finance new activity to produce activity that supports Adult Mental Health and wellbeing within Rotherham.

Jo, who could now be considered a veteran at supporting SEND families given her community project history, designed this project to be a space for parents and carers to be able to get together and share their experiences of living with a young person with additional needs. The group wanted to deliver a weekly coffee morning for parents and carers to support each other and talk about their experiences to break the stigmas attached to parents/ carers and the pressures that come with having a SEN family.

“I know I’m talking to others who understand what I’m going through and will listen to me, and I feel listened to.”

Raising a young person with additional needs is a journey that most parents never imagine that they will have to go through. It is a journey filled with constant learning and a whole multitude of emotions including denial, anxiety, sleep deprivation, depression, loneliness, and isolation. It magnifies the importance of community groups like Jo’s Peer Support that provide a small respite for parents and carers that they would not otherwise have. Sessions bring them together so that they can vent from turbulent emotions, have access to likeminded peer support such as sharing individuals’ journeys and activities to bring participants together.

“People don’t try to fix my situation with suggestions because they know there are no fixes.”

The group is run by volunteers who are parents and carers of children with disabilities/additional needs, so everyone has lived experience when navigating through the process of diagnosis and life with a child with additional needs. Parents in these situations very often feel isolated, this could be the result of others not understanding the pressures being faced, or even the individual isolating themselves because they are struggling to process the situation, they now find themselves in.

“People don’t always get what I’m talking about…… Other parents in the playground they listen, but they don’t get it.”

The sessions have made huge leaps in creating a peer support network that is helping members resilience and have a place to go to where their “constant battles are being understood.” They have recently employed the services of Jane from Luna Spirit who offer Holistic Therapies to attendees and is paid for by the funding. The addition of Holistic Therapy has been a real hit with everyone giving everyone a small pamper for themselves or just some well-deserved “me time.” The group is slowly growing its membership and people are gaining proper friendships from being involved with the group. Long may it continue.

“In this group, I know that I’m talking to other parents that have real experience of the things I worry about for my child’s, and my family’s future.”

“We get a cuppa and biscuits, and we don’t have to jump through hoops for it. Hahaha”

“The people here are a real fountain of Knowledge.”