South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership (SYSRP) partners South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service are giving bright ideas to young people as part of a joint winter road safety campaign. Neighbourhood Community Safety Officers from Rotherham and Barnsley have been out and about as part of their annual Dark Nights patrols, handing out reflective bag straps, stickers and arm bands (in line with COVID-19 restrictions). read more

Lockdown is devastating for everyone, including the local RSPCA Animal Centre, but caring for animals cannot stop. Despite losing 95% of income in the first lockdown, the team still has animals of all shapes and sizes to look after.
One such case is Tommy, rescued in a terrible state by RSPCA inspectors. read more

Volunteers from Winthrop Gardens will be preparing and delivering ‘Christmas Afternoon Tea in a Box’ in a determined effort to stop the Covid Grinch stealing Christmas! Councillor Sue Ellis, Chair of Wickersley Parish Council, said: “Winthrop volunteers are determined to deliver a bit of festive cheer notwithstanding Tier 3 and Lockdown 2! read more

Rotary International President Holgar Knaack asks clubs to show that ‘Rotary Opens Opportunities’. Opportunities to make new friends and value old ones, to serve and achieve and to bring happiness to many. read more

On 17th December 1843, Sir Henry Cole, pioneer of the penny post, invited his friend, John Chalcott-Horsley, an illustrator, to deliver a small painting he’d commissioned, little suspecting that their meeting would spark a long-lasting Christmas tradition. read more

As ‘Lockdown 2’ ends the Winthrop Christmas Craft Stall will return every Friday morning up to Christmas. The perfect place for last minute gifts and stocking fillers for those wanting to avoid busy shops and support Winthrop at the same time. read more

Be Diabetes Aware is part of the Social Movement in Health project, commissioned by the Rotherham Clinical Commissioning Group and based at Voluntary Action Rotherham. You can follow their social media accounts: www.facebook.com/bediabetesaware and www.twitter.com/bediabetesaware. For more information, please contact jo.farey@varotherham.org.uk or 07523 542016.

Healthier You NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme (NDPP)
Diabetes UK’s ‘Know Your Risk’ tool supports self-referral. Developed in partnership with the NHS England Diabetes Prevention Programme, it allows those who find they are at moderate or high risk of developing Type 2, to self-refer to their local Healthier You Diabetes Prevention Programme in England.
For information about preventing Type 2 Diabetes and to find out your Know Your Risk score see www.diabetes.org.uk/preventing-type-2-diabetes.

Martin Ford has been the Head Volunteer Gardener at Winthrop Gardens since February 2016, when Wickersley Parish Council purchased and took over the running of Winthrop. He approached Parish Council Chair, Sue Ellis, offering his services and Sue has always maintained that his arrival was akin to the answer to a prayer! read more

If you want to focus on improving your health and wellbeing, your GP surgery’s social prescribing link worker could help you. One of our local Link Workers is Alice Butler (covering The Stag Medical Centre and Rose Court Surgery), though this is a service offered Rotherham-wide. read more

An award-winning Sheffield artist’s beautiful winter depiction of a famous local landmark is set to spread festive cheer to homes across the region once again. For the sixth year in a row, Margaret Ellis has lovingly crafted the watercolour design for one of Bluebell Wood’s exclusive Christmas cards to raise much-needed funds for the hospice. read more