21 January 2022
Welcome to the Rotherham Round-up, your regular email update with news, video and events from Rotherham Council.
If you would like to comment on any articles included in this bulletin, or suggest what you'd like to see in future issues, please drop us a line at corporate.comms@rotherham.gov.uk
And don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Linked-in and YouTube for more regular updates. See the links at the bottom of this email.
The UEFA Women's Euros 2022 is coming to Rotherham this July, promising a festival of football and featuring some of the best players in the world and visiting fans from across Europe.
And the tournament is about much more than the four amazing matches being hosted at the New York Stadium, as two new exciting legacy projects show.
 Fodens Ladies FC in the 1960s. Photo credit: National Football Museum
Uncovering the hidden history of women's football
From badly fitting kits, terrible pitches and questionable haircuts to well-known professional players on prime time TV, playing in the finest stadiums in the country, women's football has been on quite a journey!
Rotherham, as one of the nine UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 host cities is taking part in a National Lottery funded project to uncover the hidden history of women’s football in a summer of celebration of the game, its players and communities.
In partnership with The FA, Rotherham Council has teamed up with a number of other organisations across England for the project which has been awarded £500,000 by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
In Rotherham this will see the creation of a cultural programme focused on the heritage and legacy of the tournament, with community engagement programmes and an exhibition at Clifton Park Museum.
And Rotherham Town Centre will play host to fan zones before each of the four matches, during July, with musical performances, from local and international artists, dance performances, art installations, football and much more.
Read more on our website.
Inspiring the next generation
Schools can play their part in making it a UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 to remember for children and young people.
The Schools Programme aims to inspire and unite schools and pupils to get involved with the tournament.
The programme gives teachers access to a digital pack, consisting of free, digital, cross-curricular resources all themed around the Women’s EURO.
The resources, produced by an educational specialist who has worked closely with teachers to ensure they fit in with the school curriculum, include an array of activities and tips from how to run a EURO themed assembly to challenge packs consisting of 22 activities ranging across play, support and learn themes. #WEURO2022
Find out how to sign up here.
|
EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Group tickets available now!
The chance to buy group tickets for UEFA Women’s EURO 2022 is available now!
We’re giving you exclusive access to purchase group tickets ahead of general sale.
Perfect for schools, local sports clubs, community groups and others who want to enjoy the spectacle of a major football tournament here in Rotherham for the first time as a group together.
Simply visit the link below and enter your access code GROUP.
Ticket prices start from £5 Concessions (U16s) and £10 Adults – plus for every nine Concession tickets purchased an Adult goes free!
But hurry – tickets are sold on a first come, first served basis so make sure you don’t miss out!
Visit the official ticketing site to claim this exclusive offer.
|
Putting the pride back in neglected areas
The first six schemes in a £4 million package to put the pride back into neglected areas of the borough are set to be given the go ahead.
The Towns and Villages Fund (TVF) has been specifically earmarked to fund environmental improvements in areas of the borough which are not being supported through current national Government funding schemes, such as Levelling up and Towns Fund.
Amongst the first six schemes set to get the green light is an unloved area of green space at the Ridgeway in East Herringthorpe (pictured), which will be transformed into an attractive community garden.
The other five initial schemes are:
- New off road parking at Brinsworth Lane Shopping Parade
- Establish new Green link corridor between Greasbrough Park and Greasbrough Recreation Ground
- New off street parking at Laburnum Parade shops near Maltby, utilising and improving existing green space.
- Improvement to area outside of Masefield Road shops near Wath, including highway and green space.
- Refurbishment of Broadway shopping parade on Swinton, improving accessibility and environment.
All the sites have been identified by local councillors in each area following consultation with local residents.
In total, the Council is working towards implementing 23 separate schemes of a similar scale across the borough over the next two years.
TVF money is also being set aside from the for larger scale improvements at Maltby town centre, which it is hoped can be used to lever in further external funding.
See the Council website for more details.
|
 VIDEO: Click the image above to watch a video explaining why Holocaust Memorial Day is so important for all of us
Think of 'One Day' in history for virtual commemoration
Rotherham Council is inviting residents to think about ‘One Day’ as we mark Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January.
Residents would usually gather in All Saint’s Square in remembrance of the millions of people murdered during the Holocaust and in other genocides but as a precaution, due to the high number of COVID-19 cases still present in Rotherham, we have opted to make the event virtual this year.
This year the Council will be producing a video featuring local faith leaders and representatives from the Council centred around the theme for Holocaust Memorial Day 2022 which is “One Day”. The video will also include performances from St Ann's School and from local singer/songwriter Nic Harding, who has written a song about her experiences visiting Auschwitz.
The One Day theme encourages everyone to come together to remember, to learn about the Holocaust, Nazi Persecution and the genocides that followed in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur, in the hope that there may be One Day in the future with no genocide. We're encouraging people to pick One Day in history and learn about that day, where we learn more about the past, we empathise with others today, and we take action for a better future.
The Holocaust Memorial video will be available to watch from 12 noon on Thursday 27 January on the Council's YouTube channel.
VIDEO: Why is marking Holocaust Memorial Day important?
 Pubs, restaurants, hotels and leisure firms urged to apply
Hospitality, leisure and accommodation businesses in Rotherham are now able to apply for the Government’s Omicron Hospitality and Leisure Grant which could offer them up to £6,000 in support grant.
The grant is to support businesses that offer in-person services that were affected during the Omicron COVID-19 outbreak. This includes cafes, bars, restaurants, boarding houses, hotels and B&Bs, soft play centres or areas, and wedding venues.
It applies to businesses where the main service and activity takes place in fixed rate-paying premises in the hospitality, leisure, and accommodation sectors. The business does need to be the rate payer to apply.
Grants are being offered per premise, and the amount paid is based on the rateable value of each eligible premises. The criteria for which businesses are eligible – and those which are not – has been set by the Government.
To apply, businesses will need to complete an application form and must provide the required evidence by 28 February but are urged to do so as soon as possible to allow time for any issues to resolved. Any unresolved claims outstanding on 1 March 2022 will be closed - as per Government’s guidelines.
For further information and to submit an application, visit the Council's website.
Have your say on the big decisions affecting you
Did you know the Council is regularly asking local residents and businesses for their views on a huge variety of topics?
From taxi licensing to cycling strategies and our annual budget to local plans, we would really like to hear your views on what's happening locally, what you support, what you're against - and why. Public opinion matters.
 Tell us what you think Council spending priorities should be
Residents and businesses have until this Sunday, 23 January to have their say on the Council's budget priorities for the coming year.
The Council will begin the formal process of setting its budget in February and wants to hear which services local people think should be prioritised for investment.
The annual £236m budget is used to provide a huge range of public services in the borough, including social care for vulnerable adults and children, road maintenance, school places, job creation, support for the homeless, housing, libraries, bin collections, community safety, parks, planning and licensing.
People can register their views on the Council’s website www.rotherham.gov.uk/budget by the end of Sunday 23 January 2022.
Town Centre cycle routes
We're asking for feedback on proposals for a new scheme to improve provision for cyclists in the town centre.
As part of work to deliver a new cycle route and improved public realm, the Council is proposing to permit cycling on Frederick Street and High Street at all times.
The proposals would also allow cyclists two-way access on Effingham Square.
This follows the recent consultation on the Rotherham Cycling Strategy, and forms part of South Yorkshire-wide efforts to improve cycling infrastructure.
To ensure the delivery of the scheme meets the needs of local people and visitors to the town centre, the Council is seeking feedback on the proposed design.
To register your views, complete the survey on the Council website by Sunday 13 February 2022.
|
Electric Vehicle charging infrastructure
If you own an electric vehicle or plan to buy one in the near future, you can help us plan improvements to the charging infrastructure.
We're asking EV owners and would-be owners to complete a short survey so we can better understand where and what improvements are needed to EV charging infrastructure across the borough.
|
A new approach to ensure equality for all
We're asking for your views on our approach to ensuring all parts of the community can access, engage with and benefit from services.
Our new draft equalities strategy has three proposed priorities, each with a set of clear actions. They are:
- Understanding, listening, and engaging across all communities
- Delivering fair, inclusive, and accessible services
- Empowering people to engage and challenge discrimination and to promote good community relations
An online survey will be available until 7 February. You will also be able to discuss the plans at events in libraries and community centres across the borough.
Find out more and complete the online survey on our website.
|
Where to find all our consultations
All our live consultations are available to view on our website, which is regularly updated.
Good Grief - award winning play breaks the stigma of loss
Rotherham Libraries are teaming up with Liverpool based theatre company, Ugly Bucket, to help break the stigma on grief and loss by hosting their new play, Good Grief.
Good Grief is a paranormal physical performance based on loss and the memories left behind, and features a high energy maelstrom of clowning, movement, verbatim, and thumping techno tracks.
Rotherham libraries will be screening their performance up to March 2022 at various sites across the borough. After each screening there will be an open discussion for the attendees to share their thoughts, feelings, and personal experiences.
Rotherham Libraries will be screening Good Grief on the following dates, free of charge. Call the Library of your choice to book your place
• Monday 31 January 2 - 4pm at Swinton Library (tel 01709 254615)
• Thursday 17 February 1 - 3pm at Maltby Linrary (tel 01709 334772)
• Tuesday 15 March 10am - 12noon at Riverside House Library (tel 01709 823606)
If you require further support with grief, please call Listening Ear FREE Bereavement helpline on 0800 048 5224 or visit the Rother Hive website.
|
|
