This week’s District News from our correspondents across the Rotherham borough

KIMBERWORTH AND KIMBERWORTH PARK

Karen Wilkes - Tel 07930 438313 or email [email protected]

THE SALVATION ARMY: 158 High Street, Kimberworth. Telephone 01709 558435. Email [email protected]. Sundays 10.30am for relaxed and relevant church gathering. Tuesday 9.30-10.3am: coffee morning, 10.30-11.30am bible study group. Wednesday 9-11am play group for preschoolers. Friday 9-10am prayer space.

ST THOMAS’ CHURCH: Peter Street, Kimberworth. Holy Communion Services every second and fourth Sunday.  Family Service on first Sunday of month and All-Age service with potential baptisms on third Sunday.  All services start 10am. Coffee mornings in Community Hall on first Wednesday of month 10am-noon. Good Companions on first and third Thursday 1.30-3.30pm. For baptisms or weddings, contact Rev Diane Etchell at [email protected]. To hire the Community Centre, contact Rachel [email protected].  

KIMBERWORTH LIBRARY: Church Street, Kimberworth – Tel: 01709 558581. Opening times - Monday and Tuesday 9.30am-1pm, Wednesday closed, Thursday 1.30-7pm, Friday 1.30-5.30pm, Saturday 9.30am-1 pm, Sunday closed. Knit & Natter Thursday 2.30-4.30pm, experienced and beginners welcome. Readers’ Group – on second Thursday of month 5.30-6.45pm. IT beginners’ course – learn basic IT & internet skills with Learnmyway.com 10-11am every Tuesday. Police Drop In – 1 st Tuesday of month 9.30-11am. Free stories, songs & rhymes for under 5s Mondays 11.15-11.45am.

ST JOHN’S CHURCH: Sunday services 10.30am.  For enquiries, telephone (01709) 551652. On Sunday morning, there was a service of Morning Worship.  The after-school board games club continued on Monday and the Naturally Connected group on Tuesday.  Today (Thursday), the Drop-In Café is open again 11am-1pm.  On Sunday 10.30am there will be a service of Holy Communion when Fran and Steve Grasham will talk about the children and young people’s activities, and at 4pm Café Church meets, particularly for young families and children.

COUNCILLORS’ SURGERIES AT ST JOHN’S CHURCH: Cllr Simon Currie - Third Monday of month 6-7pm. Cllr Gill Garnett – First Thursday of month 11.30am-12.30 pm along with Council Housing and Local Policing Team.

ST JOHN’S GREEN STAKEHOLDER GROUP: Consists of residents, business owners, councillors, RMBC housing and estates staff, police, church members, community groups, children and young peoples’ services. Meets at St John’s Church to discuss ideas and problems in the area.

KIMBERWORTH PARK COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP: Membership open to residents of the estate and others who work there. Meetings held to update members on developments that have taken place and the plans for making a difference to the estate. Phone the Community Partnership at the Chislett Centre (01709 559805). Next meeting November 2 3.30pm.

ACTIVITIES AT THE CHISLETT CENTRE: Monday-Friday 9am-3pm Men in Sheds (woodwork/gardening/socialising). Mondays - Knit/Natter 9.30-11.30am, Quiet Group 11.30am-1.30pm, Sewing group 1.30-3.15pm. Tuesdays – 11.30am-1.30pm Social group for over 50s. Wednesday – 9.15-11am Craft Group. Last Wednesday of every month – noon-2 pm Forget Me Not Memory Café (Social group for people with dementia). Mon/Tues/Wed - 10am-noon & Thursday 1-3 pm Community Gym. Thursday - 10-11am Gentle Exercise/Keep Fit, 11.30am Musicality. Friday - 10.30-11.30am – Yoga (chair based or floor mat), noon-1pm Wellbeing/Mindfulness.

CHISLETT COMMUNITY GYM: Chislett Centre S61 3JT. Small friendly low-cost gym - £3 per session. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday 10am-noon. Instructor is GP referral and pre and post-natal trained. Individual support and free induction. For information/booking – phone Sam on 07523889765 or email [email protected]

KIMBERWORTH PARK WALKING FOR PLEASURE: Meets at St. John's Church on Wednesdays 9.4 am. On September 16 the group walked through Kimberworth and down to the canal footpath, making our way along to the Meadowhall Centre. Anyone wishing to join the group should contact Karen Wilkes – email [email protected]. Website https://www.kimberworthwalking.net.

GRANGE PARK GOLF CLUB: Explore range of full, flexi, and corporate golf membership packages. Call 01709 919991. In aid of Macmillan Cancer Relief, the club is hosting a Bake and Stroll on Friday September 25 - walk starts 9.30am and coffee and cake served from 11am.

KIMBERWORTH PARK TARA: Open for breakfasts Monday-Wednesday 9-11 am. Byrley Road. Clothes, bric-a-brac, toys, books, DVDs etc are on sale. Donations welcome.

KIMBERWORTH PARK CLUB 50+: Meet Friday noon-3pm at St Thomas's Community Hall High Street, Kimberworth. Door to door drop off and pick up if booked. Contact Pauline Fairbrother 07947090607.

S61 LITTER ACTION GROUP: For details of future litterpicks, see Facebook page S61 Litterpickers. If you fancy getting involved, contact Neil 07960 507582.

ROTHERHAM BMX CLUB: Little Common Lane, Kimberworth. BMX / MTB Racing is suitable for anyone aged from 4 to 40+. Cycling is for all genders and abilities. No-one is excluded. The club has a number of bikes and safety equipment available, which can be hired. To book go to www.rotherhambmx.com/shop or contact [email protected].

BARKERS PARK BOWLING CLUB: Redscope Crescent S613LY. Looking to encourage anyone interested in Crown green bowling to come along and have a look at the club. There is usually someone there (weather permitting) every Friday 10.30am-1pm and also Tuesdays if not playing away. On some Tuesdays and Thursdays, may be there playing a league game, so all welcome to watch. Contact Dave Neale 07837460152.

WHISTON

Elaine Reynard - Tel 07825 558070 or email [email protected]

WHISTON LITTER PICK: Thank you to the eight volunteers who carried out a litter pick on the closed section of Worrygoose Lane last Sunday. More than 40 bags of litter were collected in three hours. A special mention must go to Amelia and Finn from Year 6 at Whiston Worrygoose School who gave up part of their Sunday morning to help with this clean up.

CLOSURE OF WORRYGOOSE LANE - EXTENDED: Whiston Parish Council have been notified the the original closure period for Worrygoose Lane whilst work is carried out in relation to the Whiston Flood Alleviation Scheme has had to be extended. The original closure was scheduled until the end of September, but unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, works will now be completed mid-late October.

WHISTON PARISH COUNCIL: A meeting of Whiston Parish Council took place on September 14. Items reported/discussed included: a) Youth Club - membership numbers still high; discussed vision for 2026-27 and values at the first meeting after the summer break; b) Christmas Event: Budget was set for this year’s event - 3-6pm on Saturday November 28, with usual mix of entertainment, food and stalls, with craft stalls in the Parish Hall. Santa’s Grotto to be relocated this year as Manorial Barn cannot be used due to planned re-thatching. Event Foundry progressing all arrangements including entertainment, staging, stalls, security, etc.; c) Whitestone Solar Farm: The Clerk has registered Whiston Parish Council as an interested party’ in future consultations; d) Himalayan Balsam Pulling: a schedule has now been received from RMBC with a number of suggested dates for 2027; e) Conifer trees on High Street - proof of land ownership etc is still being progressed; f) Damaged planter: options and quotes for replacement were discussed and agreed; g) Meeting with RMBC Drainage Department (and representatives of Yorkshire Water) - detailed feedback from the meeting was given and concerns were raised regarding hedge removal and re-location of the outfall closer to Moorhouse Lane. A letter is to be submitted to RMBC; h) Remembrance Sunday - Sunday November 8 - final details were discussed and agreed for the Pie & Pea Lunch, and 70 tickets priced £5 per head will be going on sale shortly; i) Autumn Parish Newsletter - the Clerk reported that the deadline for submission of articles for the Autumn edition is October 9; j) monetary donations from the Summer Gala were discussed and it was agreed that these would be given to Rotherham Round Table. Ward Councillors reported on: *concerns regarding tree removal at various locations, including the Stag, because of disease and said a planting scheme for replacement trees was in place; *measures are in place to hopefully deal with the problem of fly tipping; *extra grass cutting had been requested on both roundabouts in the area. Members’ items discussed were: A) quotations for framing the donated watercolour paintings of the Manorial Barn; B) Issues with the waste bin outside the Coop - this has been reported on numerous occasions and is still awaiting repair/replacement; C) Weeds and general untidiness of streets around the Parish - this was noted and agreed it was a generalised issue. Details were requested of any areas requiring particular attention; D) Disabled parking space in village - has been requested, but still awaiting completion. In additional matters, Councillor Paul Thorp agreed to be an additional representative on the Penny Hill Wind Farm Community, and the request for traffic calming measures on High Street by the Methodist Church will be discussed with the RMBC Chief Executive.

WHISTON RESIDENTS ACTION GROUP (WRAG): WRAG have submitted a letter to RMBC regarding the lack of response to their Freedom of Information (FOI) request regarding their recent sale of two ‘ransom strips’ of land adjacent to the site of the proposed housing development behind Lathe Road/Worrygoose Lane. Following RMBC’s acknowledgement of the original FOI request in mid July, and after 20 days in which to respond, they wrote to advise WRAG that “The Council is writing to you to advise it is formally applying an extension to your request with reference FOI-453-26/27, as permitted under the FOI Act 2000.  This is because the Council is considering the application of at least one qualified extension (in this case Section 43(2) – Commercial Interests ) to your request.  To appropriately consider the required Public Interest Test for Sections 43 then the Council requires additional time, which is why we have applied the permitted extension.” This extension permits up to a further 20 working days in which to respond, but at the time of writing a total of 47 days have elapsed without further response.

WHISTON PARISH CHURCH: On Sunday September 20, celebrated Creationtide 1 and the theme, Dividing the Sea, was part of this year’s theme of ‘Living Water’. Rev Caroline Wyman presided and preached at the Parish Communion 9.45am. Little Fishes had a session on Monday 9.30-11am in the Parish Hall. The team of Open The Book had a rehearsal on Monday for the dramatisation of the Bible passage to be presented in three local schools today (Thursday). On Wednesday midweek communion took place 10.30am. There is a choir practice on Friday evening. On Saturday YouthZone and their leaders will attend the Diocesan Centenary Project Wild Away Day at Hesley Wood. Next Sunday, Creationtide and Parish Communion, and Starfish Gang will be at 9.45am. October 4 - Creationtide 3 9.45am, Parish Communion with Starfish Gang, and at 4pm Refresh@4, a service aimed at children, young people and their families which usually includes singing, craft, bible story. Harvest Festival - October 11 9.45am. To make arrangement for weddings or baptisms, ring 07799684543 or email [email protected]; whiston [email protected]. Contacts: Lucy Luckock (children and families’ activities) on 07707863901. Rev Karen Skidmore, Priest in charge, on 07356232600, or Alan Teale, churchwarden, on 07803021201. Email [email protected].

WHISTON METHODIST CHURCH: Rev Andrew Fox preached at last Sunday morning’s service which included the baptisms of William and Nora Sneath. The Craft and Board games group met on Tuesday at midday. Today’s coffee morning is for MacMillan Cancer Care. There will be a cake stall and a raffle and all proceeds from the morning will be donated to MacMillan. On Saturday September 26 there will be a Pie and Pea lunch and beetle drive. This is a ticket-only event starting noon. The 10.30am service on Sunday September 27 will be taken by church members.

BROOM METHODIST CHURCH: Our service on Sunday was led by Anne Holmes who preached on the theme of ‘parable of the workers in the vineyard’. Our Harvest celebration worship next week will be led by Suzie Fox. Donations of food will go to the local foodbank. Broom Baby and Toddler Group meets every Thursday 9-11am. The next Tuesday@Broom meeting will be on Tuesday October 13 10am-noon.

LITTLE FISHES: Baby and Toddler Group meet every Monday during term time at Whiston Parish Hall 9.30-11am.

SUNBEAMS: The Baby and Toddler Group meet every Tuesday during term time at Cuthbert’s Church Hall, Herringthorpe 9.30-11am.

ROTHERHAM PROBUS GROUP: Next meeting Tuesday September 29, when a talk entitled ‘Syria and Jordan’ will be given by Phil Cooper. Why not come along to this or one of the other Tuesday morning meetings for a ‘taster session’ to see if Rotherham Probus Group is for you? Meet 10.30am at Broom Lane Methodist Church.