Meadowhall staff volunteer at Tinsley Community Allotment for Community Week

Community Week at Meadowhall launched Monday 24th of June 2024 to give the centre’s staff a week to support local community organisations each day of the week, and the chance for employees to get together and connect with each other, as well as surrounding communities.

Taken over by a new team in 2016, the Tinsley Community Allotment project, partly funded by Meadowhall and partially ran by Jacquie Dace and Jess Banham, allows local children to grow their own fruit and vegetables. The Meadowhall team regularly offers their services to the Allotment, and this month, 11 members of Meadowhall staff helped with a number of gardening tasks, including weeding, strimming, painting a strawberry planter, setting seeds, cutting hedges, laying new ground bark and building new compost beds.

The team were also able to harvest a range of vegetables and fruits this year, including cucumbers, lettuce, mangetout, garlic, and raspberries.

“The Tinsley Allotment is a favourite project amongst the Meadowhall team. It’s a chance to get out of the office, take part in some team-building tasks, be outdoors and get your hands dirty! Jacqui Dace and Jess Banham are always community-focused and help us to give back to our local community,” said Darren Pearce, Centre Director at Meadowhall.

Meadowhall VE Day Tea Dance

Meadowhall hosted a special Tea Dance on Wednesday 8th May to celebrate VE Day.

The session took place from 10am until 11:30am on the Upper Oasis with those attending enjoying a vibrant mix of Sequence, Latin and Ballroom dancing with live music from local musician Audrey Robinson, one of the UK’s leading organists for sequence and ballroom dancing.

The dances, which were first introduced in the early 90s, invite members of the local community to come together to dance, reminisce and enjoy a cup of tea. They are free of charge, with routines suitable for all abilities and free tea, coffee and cake provided.

The session is the latest in the series of popular Tea Dances at Meadowhall, which offer older members of the community a chance to socialise, meet new people and exercise together.

Meadowhall’s Challenge 10

Challenge 10, an internal fundraising initiative launched by External Services Manager, Dean Checkett, aims to complete ten fundraising initiatives, with all proceeds being split between Weston Park Cancer Charity and Walking with the Wounded.

Beginning in February with a staff Bake Sale, Challenge 10 aims to complete one challenge every month, with each challenge raising more funds for Weston Park Cancer Charity, which was Meadowhall’s charity partner for the first half of 2023, and Walking with the Wounded, a charity close to the heart of not only the Meadowhall team but also the charity partner of Churchill Group, who have pledged to donate £1000 to the cause.

The Meadowhall team have completed 7 out of 10 challenges so far, raising over £7400.

Dean Checkett, External Services Manager at Meadowhall who launched Challenge 10, said,

“It has been a great experience for the team doing a number of challenges for our two charities of the year Walking With The Wounded and Weston Park Cancer Charity, raising valuable funds and awareness for the two amazing causes is the main objective but the team building and camaraderie between the team members has been excellent. Roll on the next challenge.”

Here’s our Challenge 10 list:

Challenge 1 – Bake Sale
Challenge 2 – Sheffield Half Marathon
Challenge 3 – Superhero Day
Challenge 4 – Three Peaks Walk
Challenge 5 – Cycling
Challenge 6 – Tough Mudder
Challenge 7 – Bake Sale
Challenge 8 – Charity Summer Party
Challenge 9 – CEO Sleep Out
Challenge 10 – Walk with the Wounded

Celebrating Pride at Meadowhall

For more than 6 years, Meadowhall has shown it’s unity and pride with our rainbow lights and rainbow stairs, where thousands have climbed every day through the month of June.

Last year, we connected with our local Meadowhall and South Yorkshire communities to sow we’re all under one love and one flag, offering our support to Worksop Pride, Doncaster Pride and Chesterfield Pride.

This year, we’re thrilled to be sponsoring the newly formed Kelham Pride, as well as continued support to Doncaster Pride. Ben McGarry, Chairperson at organisers KINCA for Kelham Pride, said,

“Kelham Pride is thrilled to have Meadowhall as sponsors for the 2025 festival. Having the support from the region’s largest retail destination carries a huge amount of confidence in the event, which helps thousands of people in the LGBTQ+ community and its allies.

We can’t wait to don our Kelham Pride t-shirts proudly displaying the rainbow Meadowhall logo. Thank you!”

For more information on local Pride events and how you can participate, visit each Pride Organisations website below:

Kelham Pride, Saturday 21st June

Worksop Pride, Saturday 12th July

Chesterfield Pride, Saturday 19th July

Doncaster Pride, Saturday 9th August

Meet Meadow- the latest recruit at Support Dogs

Trainer Emily Moss with Meadow. Meadow the puppy pays a visit to Meadowhall, Sheffield. November 28 2022.

Sheffield-based Support Dogs has named its latest recruit Meadow, in honour of its long-term partnership with Meadowhall.

The Meadowhall team were among the first to be introduced to the eight-week-old puppy, who will undergo extensive training in the first three years of her life in order to become a qualified assistance dog.

Following the gesture, the centre has pledged to cover the cost of Meadow’s vet bills for her first year with the charity.

Support Dogs is dedicated to increasing the independence and quality of life for those affected by autism, epilepsy and physical disability across the UK, by providing and training specialist assistance dogs.

Danny Anderson, fundraising manager at Support Dogs, said: “We’re marking our 30^th year this year, and as we do, it only felt right to honor our longest partner who have supported us for most of our journey.

“We’re immensely grateful to the team at Meadowhall for their ongoing commitment to Support Dogs, it is generosity like this that allows us to keep supporting people across the country.”

The charity also has a partnership with Meadowhall’s co-owner, British Land, which involves sponsorship of support dog, Cobble, and knowledge sharing by Support Dogs to improve accessibility across British Land’s different sites in the UK.

Darren Pearce and Emily Moss with Meadow. Meadow the puppy pays a visit to Meadowhall, Sheffield. November 28 2022.

Working in Partnership with Support Dogs

Support Dogs is dedicated to increasing the independence and quality of life for those affected by autism, epilepsy and physical disability across the UK, by providing and training specialist assistance dogs.

Meadowhall has a long-term partnership with Support Dogs and has been working with them for more than 20 years. As well as providing financial support, Meadowhall is also used to run essential training exercises which have helped the dogs become comfortable in different environments and situations.

Support Dogs is a Sheffield based charity dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children and adults with various challenging medical conditions.
Through partnering with Support Dogs, Meadowhall has been fortunate to assist in the training of a number of Support Dogs with the latest support dog being named ‘Meadow’ to recognise this partnership.

British Land Young Readers Scheme

British Land and the National Literacy Trust are celebrating 11 years in partnership this year and, since the programme launched at Meadowhall, it has supported more than 2,600 school children and seen more than 7,800 books donated across the region.

The partnership started between British Land and National Literacy Trust in 2011 with 11 schools and just over 1,000 children
British Land have donated over 190,000 books
The programme has delivered over 1,600 events
63,000 children have taken part in the programme

Meadowhall Joins The Great British Spring Clean

Volunteer litter pickers from Meadowhall recently joined the Keep Britain Tidy Great British Spring Clean in a bid to help tidy up Sheffield.

A team of fifteen volunteers joined forces on 2nd June for a community litter pick, where they collected roughly half a ton of mixed waste and bottles.

In a team effort, Centre Director Darren Pearce and colleagues conquered a stretch of the Trans Pennine Trail, along the Five Wiers Walk cycle path.

The Meadowhall team chose to spruce up the cycle path as part of a bid to get more visitors on their bikes. To encourage this, the center recently installed brand new cycle hubs near the Oasis Dining Quarter and Argos entrances, providing 120 additional secure spaces for visitors to safely leave their bikes.

Darren Pearce, Centre Director at Meadowhall, said: “We’re really proud to be participating in this year’s Great British Spring Clean, joining thousands of people across the UK to clear litter from our streets, parks and benches. It’s been great to help tidy up our local area and to give back to our local community in Sheffield.”

Meadowhall encourages shoppers to get their cycle on for National Bike Week

From 30th May – 5th June, visitors to Meadowhall can pick up a range of free cycling gear donated by the Making South Yorkshire Roads Safer campaign, including waterproof helmet covers, gloves, neck warmers and bag covers.

The giveaways, which can be collected from the centre management suite next to the Oasis Dining Quarter, are part of the centre’s commitment to encourage more visitors to choose environmentally-friendly travel routes to Meadowhall, and support safe and secure cycling in the region.

Meadowhall recently installed brand new cycle hubs near the Oasis Dining Quarter and Argos entrances, providing 120 additional secure spaces for visitors to safely leave their bikes. They also include six e-bike charging points, two bike repair and pump stations, and lockers to store helmets.

The cycle hubs were part-funded by Sheffield City Region and have an environmentally-friendly design that includes a sedum roof to provide food for butterflies, bees and birds in the area.

Darren Pearce, centre director at Meadowhall, said: “We all know cycling is a great way to get around and keep fit, and it’s also a good choice for our environment. We’re committed to helping to support a sustainable future for Yorkshire, and helping our visitors choose a greener form of transport to get to us is one way of doing this.

“In recent years we’ve invested in both the space we have for cyclists through our new racks and hub, as well as the installation of our electrical vehicle charging points in our car parks.”

Stock for the cycle wear giveaways is limited and will be on a first come first serve basis.

To help you plan your next trip to Meadowhall by bike, visit: https://meadowhall.co.uk/getting-here/directions

Meadowhall Funds Tinsley Children’s Trip to the Seaside

Excited local pupils were treated to an enriching day out at the seaside last week, thanks to a grant from Yorkshire’s no.1 attraction, Meadowhall.

Key Stage 1 and 2 pupils aged between five and nine, from Tinsley Meadows Primary Academy School in Sheffield, visited Whitby to experience the contrasting sights and sounds of the exhilarating Yorkshire coast.

The children dived into a day of learning and play, with visits to the Captain Cook Memorial Museum, Whitby Abbey and Whitby Lifeboat Station. The foundation-year pupils will visit the seaside with a trip to Cleethorpes.

Meadowhall has been funding school trips since 2013 – covering the costs of transportation, activities and food. The experiences provide disadvantaged children, who may not leave Sheffield in the summer, with the opportunity to escape the confines of the classroom and learn outdoors in a natural environment.

Darren Pearce, Centre Director for Meadowhall, said: “As a leading supporter of the local community, we’re delighted to be funding the Tinsley Meadows trip to the seaside. It is hugely motivating for the children and allows them to get creative and broaden their horizons.”

Allison Brunt, from Tinsley Meadows Primary Academy School, said: “The children were so excited to be going to the seaside and we’re very grateful to Meadowhall for facilitating another trip for us. The funding allows us to take the curriculum to the beach – and from past experience they really do learn!”

The seaside trips are just one of several projects that Meadowhall has partnered with Tinsley Meadows Primary Academy School for, with the leading leisure destination also having recently invited pupils into the centre to have the ultimate school year picture on a unicorn in The Post Room.

Newsletter Sign Up

Support Dogs is dedicated to increasing the independence and quality of life for those affected by autism, epilepsy and physical disability across the UK, by providing and training specialist assistance dogs.

Volunteer litter pickers from Meadowhall recently joined the Keep Britain Tidy Great British Spring Clean in a bid to help tidy up Sheffield.

Excited local pupils were treated to an enriching day out at the seaside last week, thanks to a grant from Yorkshire’s no.1 attraction, Meadowhall.