Firshill Tenants
by Gaby Spinks

Firshill Tenants and Residents Association (TARA), formed in 1997, currently has twelve committee members and are an extremely active group. They have representatives on all the local authority bodies such as Area Panel, BCAT, Crime & Safety and Primary Care Trust.

In 2001 they were given their office at 11 Firshill Glade. It’s open three days per week to help deal with tenants’ and residents’ enquiries on housing and neighbourhood issues. The staff are all volunteer workers. They formed a local Neighbourhood Watch two years ago which now has nine co-ordinators.

They produce a newsletter six times per year, delivered to every household on the estate, giving details of local activities and useful information.

One of the campaigns that Firshill TARA are working on is to get more facilities for the estate. “Firshill has got very few facilities, only one post box, one phone box and no leisure activities especially for the older residents. 75% of the estate population is over 50 years old.” Said Milton Graham, Firshill TARA’s secretary.

Life on Firshill estate has recently been disturbed by the arrival of Sheffield United’s Football Academy. They have refurbished the old Forgemasters site and are liasing with the TARA about giving residents access to their facilities. Sheffield United have also given funds to provide traffic calming to the top end of the estate, although the Council have yet to do the work.

Every year Firshill TARA run a Summer Fair in conjunction with a children’s gardening project. They invite local school children from Firshill Primary and St Catherine’s Primary to enter the competition. This year’s theme has two strands: Fire Safety and Crime Prevention. They also have a Best Kept garden, hanging baskets, pots and tubs competition.

Recently together with the Adult Learning Campaign they set up two courses, ‘Computers for the Terrified’ and ‘Down Memory Lane’. Both courses are proving very popular.

If anyone is interested in getting involved with Firshill TARA they would love to hear from you. Contact them at their office on 256 0337 during opening hours which are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 10am–1pm.

Firshill TARA Annual General Meeting
Monday 23rd June
Starts 6.30pm. Doors open 6.00pm
Roe Lane Community Centre, Firshill Crescent

Councillors, Housing officials, and Police representatives will be in attendance

Free tea/coffee and biscuits will be served. Free raffle with assorted prizes.

Firshill Tenants and Residents
Summer Fair
Saturday 28th June, 2pm
Roe Lane Community Centre, Firshill Crescent

Stalls, Bouncy Castle, Refreshments, Games, Cakes, Raffle, Prize giving

Don’t forget to get your entry forms for the garden competitions and children’s poster competition.

Contact Firshill TARA on 256 0337.