 Football pitch at Dore Recreation Ground Wow what a season we've had across our football pitches in 2025-26. Despite a very wet and muddy winter period, we've seen around 200 teams battling it out on our fields, with an average of 50-60 games across each playable weekend. That’s more than 1,200 football players plus parents and spectators enjoying the beautiful game each weekend in Sheffield's parks. And for all those games we've spent a fair bit of time white lining, covering around 21km (or 14 miles) of marking out every weekend. While our pitches have a well earned rest we'll be reseeding and mowing in time for 26-27 fixtures. We hope you've all had a brilliant season and look forward to welcoming the new season here in the home of football. You can find out more about booking sports pitches on our website.  Ann Ellis from the Sheffield Swift Network looks up at the bricks and boxes installed at Centre in the Park, in Norfolk Heritage park Swifts travel from Africa to Sheffield to breed here in the summer, but in the last 25 years UK swift populations have fallen by more than 66%. They are now 'red-listed' and need our help. As swifts rely on nesting holes in buildings, it's fairly easy for us to help them thrive. Following a successful application last spring, The Friends of Norfolk Heritage Park were awarded funding from the East Local Area Committee (LAC) to install swift bricks, boxes and a swift caller at Centre in the Park.  Rosemary Telfer, Sandra France and Ruth Abbey from Friends of Norfolk Park stand outside Centre in the Park The work was completed last year under the guidance of the Sheffield Swift Network and we're now seeing an increase in these amazing birds nesting on site and swooping around our skies. If you want to help swifts you can join your local swift group or contact Sheffield Swift Network for advice on fitting a swift brick or box on your property.  Rangers Tom & Hannah building the raised beds at Meersbrook allotment Having an allotment is a great way to get outdoors, grow produce and support an active lifestyle. It's important for us to promote diverse allotment communities that are safe and inclusive. In some cases we can look at reasonable adjustments allowing those with accessibility needs to manage their plot. Following a request from a Meersbrook allotment tenant who uses a wheelchair, our Rangers Team installed raised beds and laid a suitable path to help our tenant get around and keep growing. It's that time of year when the ticks are loving the warm and humid conditions and more people are out and about in the countryside. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection, usually caused by the bite of an infected tick. Ticks can be found in every county across the UK and can be as small as poppy seeds, so are easily missed. If you spend a lot of time outdoors or own a pet, you may be at higher risk of being bitten. Raising awareness of Lyme disease is very important, as late diagnosis or misdiagnosis can lead to serious long-term health problems. Get clued up, check out the resources from Lyme Disease UK. What's on Art stalls in the Sheffield Botanical Gardens Held each year in the beautiful surroundings of the Botanical Gardens, tickets for the 2026 Art in the Gardens go on sale from Monday 1 June. A haven for creatives, drawing hundreds of artists, craft-makers and exhibitors to Sheffield. You'll meet premier artists in the pavilions and marquees, see sculptures on the lawns, browse the Open Art Competition and stalls. Sheffield Botanical Gardens, Saturday 5 & Sunday 6 September 2026 Price: £8.50 – on sale Monday 1 June  Direction signs at Graves Park Don't forget it's the big community picnic and fun day tomorrow, celebrating 100 years of Graves Park. Activities are also taking place on Sunday so come down and help us mark this special occasion. Saturday 30 May - Graves Park - from 11am The British Cactus and Succulent Society Sheffield Branch will host it's annual plant show at Sheffield Botanical Gardens, Dorothy Fox Education Centre. Expect plant sales, displays and expert advice. Free entry, drop-in throughout the day. Saturday 12noon-5pm, Sunday 10am-4pm.  ScandiBox Sauna in situ at Ecclesall Woods Join Scandibox Saunas at Ecclesall Woods for an evening of heat, nature and wild discovery. Expect a three hour experience of sauna and wild food experience combining foraging education, sensory tasting and seasonal buffet dining, plus foraged skincare products. Please note - foraging will not take place in Ecclesall Woods, all food is foraged and brought in from other sources. Sunday 7 June - from 6:30pm, book your preferred slot Join the Friends of the Botanical Gardens Sheffield (FOBS) for more brilliant talks and tours on Monday 8 June. - Unusual Edibles 6-7pm - public garden tour exploring what we can eat beyond common fruits and vegetables.
- It's a Gardeners Life - 7:30-9pm - Join Alan Mason, one of Europe’s most experienced and best qualified garden designers and consultants for this light hearted look at a lifetime of gardening.
Events are free to FOBS members, and non-members can attend for a contribution of £3 for tours and £5 for talks and lectures. Visit the FOBS website for all upcoming event listings. Join our Ranger Hannah and Paul from Friends of Gillfield Wood for an afternoon of river dipping. A great family activity with all equipment provided. You'll gently disturb the water to see what creatures lurk beneath. Sat 13 Jun - no booking needed, just meet at Totley Hall Lane. Suggested contribution for non-members £3. Job opportunity - Working Team LeaderAn exciting opportunity for a full-time Working Team Leader in the Parks & Countryside Service is now live for applications. This role is for you if: - you love working outdoors and care about Sheffield’s communities
- have great customer service and people skills
- work well in a team and can support others at work
- like a mix of hands-on graft, planning & development
- know your stuff when it comes to groundwork and horticulture.
You can read the full job description online, where you'll also find contact details if you have queries about the role. Search for job ref REQ004345 The closing date for applications is Sunday 14 June 2026, search  The view from the Sycamore Suite at JG Graves Discovery Centre, Ecclesall Woods, with private patio and access to the brand new deck We have various spaces across our parks available for hire so that you can hold your event in beautiful natural surroundings. From meetings, workshops and away days to education, celebrations and well-being experiences - we've got you covered. There's more information on our website about room hire. You can also check out our guide for the JG Graves Discovery Centre Ecclesall Woods as featured in the above image. Or you can get in touch to find out more about the right space for you and your event, email us at parksbusinesspartnership@sheffield.gov.uk | 
