Dore to Door internet edition

News & Comment - Autumn 2004

40 years on - Letters - Archeology dig - Chairman's Report for 2003

40 years on

The Dore village Society was founded 40 years ago in September 1964. Over the years it has grown and evolved with over 900 members last year and a host of activities.

During this anniversary year we will be looking back to 1964, holding a number of special events and undertaking initiatives to commemorate the anniversary. In this issue we feature an interview with the Society's first chairman, Syd Hoffman.

Letters

Dear Sir,

The letter from Don & Edna Johnson (Issue No 74) is welcome to our ears, having suffered personally throughout the last five years or so, from today’s builders’ practices on our doorstep: trade fires (supposedly banned); blocking of access to the outside world on a regular basis; just to name a few of the very great nuisances which have surrounded and frustrated us. Whilst at the same time, we have been forced to fight off further possible neighbouring building developments. Certainly, we are able to sympathise with Mr & Mrs Johnson. It doesn’t lead to an easy life, does it?

In fact these developments can equal great distress and disturbance of normal life, on a long and regular basis, to surrounding near-neighbours; when, with a bit of thought and planning, the situation could be vastly improved upon (we refer here specifically with reference to Mr & Mrs Johnson’s comments regarding skips and contractors vehicles parked dangerously onto pavements of very busy roads).

Dore has recently become even more spoiled through lack of good planning practices. By that, we mean planning which takes into account not only the applicant, but the applicant’s near-neighbours and surrounding locale, as well as how the ongoing development work will affect immediate surroundings and free access. Some people would add further to this. The fact that many, many more road traffic accidents have not occurred due to the practices we write of, we can only say must have been due to good fortune.

If we don’t watch it we shall all be awash here with overflowing drains and sewerage, as well as losing our green spaces and wildlife to bricks (of varying hues and finishes) and mortars and woods of contrasting shades of plastic and design. In particular, what a mis-match Dore Road has become aesthetically, along with being hazardous.

When we do have protective legislation (and some does exist), the public is often kept generally unaware, and the powers-that-be are hardly forthcoming regarding imparting this helpful information.

Having suffered much from the above (and more) we have encountered positive support from Richard Allan MP, and Councillor Anne Smith: Thanks! As ever, it’s the busy people who are most forthcoming with their assistance.

Kathy & Chris Armes

Archeology dig

Two trial archeology trenches have recently been dug along an old trackway in Ecclesall Woods by the University of Sheffield's Archeology Consultancy team. The aim was to determine the condition of the trackway and its original purpose prior to resurfacing. A report will be submitted to the Tree and Woodland team at Sheffield Council.

Chairman's Report for 2003

(Presented to the Dore Village Society AGM on Wednesday 9th June)

This was another satisfactory and busy year for the Society which continued to maintain a healthy overall financial position and achieved a record membership. The Society was able to balance income from membership subscriptions with that of our normal running costs, leaving money from Dore to Door and donations to go towards village projects and contributions to local good causes. During the year we have been actively involved with many issues, and the following is of necessity a brief summary:

Planning: Planning issues and proposed developments as usual absorb a great deal of the Society’s time. Of particular concern have been the re-building King Ecgbert School; redevelopment of the ‘Blue Ridge’ site on Ashfurlong Road; high density proposals for the Old Vicarage and Totley Bridge Garage sites on Abbeydale Road; more mobile phone masts; and a constant flow of planning applications for flats, in-fill housing and extensions. Finally the possible Supertram extension to Dore. A questionnaire insert in Dore to Door and a ‘village workshop’ have helped the Society in its preparation of a Village Design Statement to form the basis of supplementary planning guidance.

Publications: The last three issues of Dore to Door reached 28 pages, a burden for long suffering deliverers, but a positive reflection on advertising demand and the healthy flow of letters, local news, and articles. The 2003 Christmas cards featured a view of the village green in the snow and a smaller card with new illustrations of ‘Dore Ducks’, drawn by David Heslop. Our web site, www.dorevillage.co.uk continues to attract viewers from around the country and overseas.

Traffic&Transport: The deterioration of roads in the area still causes concern, as do speeding and parking problems. The promised creation of a safer pedestrian crossing on Causeway Head Road has still not come to fruition, despite continued pressure being exerted on the Council. The campaign over missing and damaged road signs has had some success, but further road safety improvements seem unlikely following policy changes introduced by the current council.

Dore Collection: The Society’s two rooms at the Old School contain a collection of information, pictures, maps and items associated with the history of the village. Contributions to this are always welcome. An exhibition by members of the ‘Dore Oral History Project’, which is supported by the Society, has brought lots more information and picture to light during the year. Members of the committee are available in the rooms from 10 - 12 noon on the first Saturday of every month, to discuss local issues with members or talk about the work of the Society and local history.

Environment: The Society discusses local environmental issues at each committee meeting. Contributions to the years Sheffield Environment Weeks included organising a metal collection point, a history walk around the village led by John Dunstan and refurbishing the grounds of the war memorial. Of concern has been the Council’s damage to gravestones in the churchyard and acts of local vandalism, including the blowing up of the letter box on Cross Lane. Further plantings of daffodils and crocus on approaches to the village have been carried out while local contributions continue to support the flower tubs around the village centre. The basketball area has finally been completed in the Recreation Ground, with more tree planting and other improvements planned. The Society is active in support of Friends of Ecclesall Woods (a nature reserve) and in Sheffield Wildlife Trust’s management of the Blacka Moor nature reserve.

Events: The Society arranged three public events featuring invited speakers during the year. These included well attended talks on ‘The Brontes’, ‘Whinfell Quarry Gardens’ and ‘Haddon Hall’. Members also took part in a summer trip to Buxton with a guided tour of the town and its history. Dore Show is the biggest annual event organised by the Society and continues to attract considerable support. The society’s ‘Wyvern Walkers’ group offers a regular programme of local guided walks on different days of the week, including an annual ‘Wassail Walk’ supported this year by some 70+ people. The Society also funded and installed the village’s first Christmas trees and lights along the house fronts on the High Street.

People: With a record 915 members in 2003, it is evident that the Society has widespread support from within the community, from both current and past residents. New ideas for local initiatives are always welcome as is anyone with time to contribute. This does not require joining the committee and you can put in just as much time as you wish.

I wish to place on record my particular appreciation for their help to: former committee member George Elsdon who sadly passed away in April; helpers on the Dore Collection and at the Dore Show; deliverers of Dore to Door; advertisers; Green’s shop for collecting subscriptions and selling DVS publications; fellow committee members and all those active supporters and members - wherever they may live.

John Baker, Chairman,

Dore Village Society