The Rose Garden Café Partnership
Who are we?
The Rose Garden Café Partnership is made up of representatives from the Friends of Graves Park, Save the Rose Garden Café Campaign, Sheffield City Council and Chris Hallam is our independent chair.
Photo of the Rose Garden Café Partnership stood outside the café and the partner logos.
Why is there a Rose Garden Café Partnership?
Following a 15-month campaign by local people to save the Rose Garden Café after it was closed in 2022 on safety grounds, the council proposed to work in partnership with the community to restore and refurbish the café. The role ofContinue reading
Who are we?
The Rose Garden Café Partnership is made up of representatives from the Friends of Graves Park, Save the Rose Garden Café Campaign, Sheffield City Council and Chris Hallam is our independent chair.
Photo of the Rose Garden Café Partnership stood outside the café and the partner logos.
Why is there a Rose Garden Café Partnership?
Following a 15-month campaign by local people to save the Rose Garden Café after it was closed in 2022 on safety grounds, the council proposed to work in partnership with the community to restore and refurbish the café. The role of the Rose Garden Café Partnership is to create an action plan, with timescales and funding sources to develop the strategy for the restoration of the café.
Our vision statement
The Rose Garden Café Partnership’s vision for the Rose Garden café is....
To understand the current structural state of the building so that it can be fully restored as quickly as is feasible with improvements and refurbishments, for it to be operating as a café to serve the community as a sustainable building for future generations.
We want to do this by…
Creating a strategy which considers cost effectiveness, quality, accessibility, environmental impact and the future, so that we can obtain funding to achieve our vision.
What has happened so far?
Chris Hallam appointed as our independent chair
Chris has an impressive track record in strategic leadership and management with community-based regeneration schemes and is currently the part-time Chief Executive of the High Green Development Trust, Chair of Derbyshire Community Transport and a voluntary non-executive director of the Elveston Castle Trust in Derbyshire, an independent charity working on the regeneration of a major Derbyshire visitor attraction. His role will be to continue building the trust between partners and to ensure that everyone is working together effectively and urgently towards the agreed strategic goals.
Public consultation undertaken
To ensure that we capture the widest and most diverse views and opinions from park users and visitors, we designed a public consultation. The views collected will inform the design proposals, the future use of the building and help add weight to our funding bids. The consultation included a survey, ideas boards in the café designed by Newfield School's Cartoon Club and events in the park which enabled people to complete the survey.
Structural Engineer's Report - Alan Wood & Partners
In order to apply for funding, we need to finalise the design and cost plan for the restoration and refurbishment, which means we need to understand the structural design to stabilise the front wall. We co-created a brief for the structural engineer and approached engineers who have a Conservation Accredited Register of Engineers (CARE) engineer or relevant heritage experience to provide a quote for the works. Alan Wood & Partners were appointed and issued their Structural Report on July 5th.
Structural issues
The structural engineer's detailed design work alongside the new ground investigations undertaken in May 2024 concluded that the poor foundations are the sole reason for the lean in the wall. Her recommendations based on the new information are that the front wall is unsafe and should remain propped until refurbishment works take place and that any scaffolding supporting the roof can be removed.
Reopening of the internal seating
The Partnership has removed the internal scaffolding and the cafe reopened it's internal seating on August 7th 2024 with new flooring.
Progressing funding
We have a funding strategy and have already begun identifying potential sources of funding for the work with £25,000 already committed by local Councillors from the Beauchief and Graves Park area. In addition, over £11,000 has been raised through donations to the appeal led by the Friends of Graves Park.
Design team appointed to undertake RIBA Stage 1 and 2 design
A design team were appointed to undertake the next stage of design producing co-ordinated designs for the cafe based on the public consultation. The design team included structural engineer, architect, service engineers and cost manager. The design fees have been paid for using the Community Infrastructure Levy contribution from Graves Park Ward and Beauchief & Greenhill Ward LAC (Local Area Committee) and a contribution from Sheffield City Council. Click here(External link) to see the latest architectural drawings capturing the RIBA Stage 2 proposals.
Fundraising
We now have an A-Z of Fundraising Ideas that you can download, a form for you to register your Fundraising with us, and a Template Risk assessment form. You can find all of these at this link https://haveyoursay.sheffield.gov.uk/rose-garden-cafe/news_feed/fundraising.
As we get more fundraising events, you'll be able to keep up to date with these via the events on the right hand side of this page.
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Come and join our Fun Fundraising Quiz on May 2nd!
Share Come and join our Fun Fundraising Quiz on May 2nd! on Facebook Share Come and join our Fun Fundraising Quiz on May 2nd! on Twitter Share Come and join our Fun Fundraising Quiz on May 2nd! on Linkedin Email Come and join our Fun Fundraising Quiz on May 2nd! link09 Apr 2025Tickets available here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/friendsofgravespark/1620324(External link)
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Join us for the Easter Fayre!
Share Join us for the Easter Fayre! on Facebook Share Join us for the Easter Fayre! on Twitter Share Join us for the Easter Fayre! on Linkedin Email Join us for the Easter Fayre! link10 Mar 2025 -
Dukes Hot Drinks Donations
Share Dukes Hot Drinks Donations on Facebook Share Dukes Hot Drinks Donations on Twitter Share Dukes Hot Drinks Donations on Linkedin Email Dukes Hot Drinks Donations link03 Mar 2025Big thank you to Dukes for continuing to donate 10p from every tea / coffee sold to the Save the Rose Garden Refurbishment Fund. Since the reopening of the internal seating on August 7th 2024, 19,248 hot drinks have been sold! That is £1,924.82 donated to the restoration!
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Latest plans for the Rose Garden Cafe restoration and refurbishment
Share Latest plans for the Rose Garden Cafe restoration and refurbishment on Facebook Share Latest plans for the Rose Garden Cafe restoration and refurbishment on Twitter Share Latest plans for the Rose Garden Cafe restoration and refurbishment on Linkedin Email Latest plans for the Rose Garden Cafe restoration and refurbishment link12 Feb 2025Following the public consultation last year, we invited people to meet the project architect, Chris Hill from Wainwrights and to see the latest design scheme for the cafe, costed at £2.6m. Many thanks to all those that joined us and asked questions. Click here to see the latest architectural drawings.
‘We feel that we have incorporated many of the ideas from the public consultation into the design scheme’ says Chris Hallam, Independent Chair of the Rose Garden Cafe Partnership. “The plans include repairs to the front wall, new roof covering, new windows and patio doors, the renovation of the clock tower along with improved toilets and access. ‘There will also be a new kitchen and extended exterior seating areas’. ‘Graves is Sheffield’s largest park and it’s only right that we have sought to increase access, participation and inclusion in our design scheme’. ‘The design proposals also include for increased community use and hire which was ranked the number one priority out of the consultation’, adds Chris.
‘The reaction to our plans was really positive and encouraging. We hope people liked what what we have produced and the challenge now is to secure the funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and other sources to secure its future for the next 100 years’, concludes Chris.
The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Leader of Sheffield City Council, Cllr Fran Belbin and Richard Williams, the Chair of the council’s Charity Trusts Sub-Committee along with other local councillors.
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Rose Garden Cafe Public Meeting - February 10th
Share Rose Garden Cafe Public Meeting - February 10th on Facebook Share Rose Garden Cafe Public Meeting - February 10th on Twitter Share Rose Garden Cafe Public Meeting - February 10th on Linkedin Email Rose Garden Cafe Public Meeting - February 10th link27 Jan 2025Come and join us on Monday 10th February in the Rose Garden Cafe from 6.30pm-8.30pm to see the latest restoration and refurbishment design ideas and plans from the Rose Garden Cafe Partnership with architect Chris Hill from Wainwrights. Everyone welcome!
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Carols in the Cafe - Thank You!
Share Carols in the Cafe - Thank You! on Facebook Share Carols in the Cafe - Thank You! on Twitter Share Carols in the Cafe - Thank You! on Linkedin Email Carols in the Cafe - Thank You! link19 Dec 2024Huge thanks to:
Norton Players
Kindling Choir
Nether Edge Voices
The Night Chorus
for their spectacular performances. They put on such a show and it was brilliant to hear their amazing voices and sing along. Thank you for supporting us and bringing cheer to the cafe.
Thank you also to all the amazing fundraising members who shook buckets, sold raffle tickets, was our santa, manned stalls and spread the word, you're amazing.
Finally thank you to all the members of the public supporting us. We have a long way to go but hope you will stick with us, this was only one of many fundraising events. Thank you!
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Fundraising
Share Fundraising on Facebook Share Fundraising on Twitter Share Fundraising on Linkedin Email Fundraising link10 Oct 2024Thank you for thinking about Fundraising for the restoration of the Rose Garden Cafe!
To register your Fundraising event with us, please complete the application form at this link: https://forms.gle/K2JDHupEqTfhWV5PA(External link) and we will be able to send you an "Authority to Fundraise" certificate if you need to prove who you are fundraising for.
We'll also then be able to include your Event on our Fundraising Dates, promote it on our social accounts and support you in achieving your goals!
Useful Documents
Below are some documents that you may find useful to download (open in new tabs):
Supporting image by Glenn Sontag from Pixaby
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Huge Thanks!
Share Huge Thanks! on Facebook Share Huge Thanks! on Twitter Share Huge Thanks! on Linkedin Email Huge Thanks! link17 Nov 2024Thanks to Carol and all the Aqua Girls team from Graves Leisure Centre, Friends of Graves Park, Save the Rose Garden Cafe Campaign(External link) and Julie and all the staff at Dukes for organising and supporting the recent Craft Stall in the Rose Garden Cafe.
Together they raised an amazing £1,227.72 towards the restoration of the cafe! What an amazing result.
And HUGE thanks to everyone who purchased an item from the stall or placed an order :)
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You can now donate as you shop!
Share You can now donate as you shop! on Facebook Share You can now donate as you shop! on Twitter Share You can now donate as you shop! on Linkedin Email You can now donate as you shop! link20 Sep 2024FOGP have signed up to Easy Fundraising(External link) so that its easier than ever for you to support the restoration of the Rose Garden Cafe!
By signing up, whenever you shop online a percentage is donated to the FOGP Rose Garden campaign.By shopping at over 4,000 registered shops and sites – including eBay, Argos, John Lewis, ASOS, Booking.com and M&S – you'll be donating and it won’t cost you a penny extra to help us raise funds.
All you need to do is:
- Go to https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/fogravespark/?utm_campaign=raise-more(External link) and join for free.
- Every time you shop online, go to easyfundraising first to find the site you want and start shopping.
- After you’ve checked out, the retailer will make a donation to Friends of Graves Park at no extra cost to you whatsoever!
There are no catches or hidden charges and the Partnership will be really grateful for your donations.
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Putting People of the Past into the Park
Share Putting People of the Past into the Park on Facebook Share Putting People of the Past into the Park on Twitter Share Putting People of the Past into the Park on Linkedin Email Putting People of the Past into the Park link12 Aug 2024On Sunday Gertie led the first of her 'Putting People of the Past into the Park' fundraising walks. Many thanks to those who attended and their donations. Listening to everyone it became incredibly clear how important the park was to people’s lives, with all sharing their fascinating memories of the park and café. The next fundraising walk is at 6pm on Tuesday 3rd September if you would like to join then meet in front of the Rose Garden Cafe.
Update from our latest Partnership Meeting 28/02/2025
Today we heard from Charlotte Barrington the Mechanical Engineer from RLB Ltd on the restoration project about the options for the mechanical, electrical and drainage systems (heat, power, water, solar and drainage) in the cafe and which of the current modern systems are the most environmental sustainable and energy efficient (the current systems are very inefficient and costly). We discussed the community fundraising plans for Easter and beyond including craft stalls and a quiz night. We are grateful for £2,000 from the Local Area Committee to enable us to buy some equipment for our community engagement and fundraising work. The Expression of Interest to the National Heritage Lottery Fund has gone in by the deadline of 26th February. We await their decision whether we are able to proceed to a full bid for the restoration.
Who's Listening
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Friends of Graves Park, Save the Rose Garden Café Campaign, Sheffield City Council and Chris Hallam, independent chair
Latest Architectural Plans for the Rose Garden Cafe
Fundraising Dates
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02 May 2025
Public Consultation Results Infographic
Important Links
Ideas Consultation Boards designed by Newfield School
Young people from Newfield School created designs and questions for the restoration and future use of the Rose Garden Café, which were shared via ideas boards in the café. The public were able to share ideas and answers to the questions on the boards. The boards were documented daily and feedback will be collated to compliment the survey responses.
Photos of students designing boards and finished boards in café.
Partnership Meeting Updates
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24 January 2025
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20 December 2024
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15 November 2024
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25 October 2024
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27 September 2024
News Categories
- donating (1)
- events (1)
- fundraising (2)