Resident profiles - Dana, Park Hill, Sheffield
Park Hill now has a community of over 700 people living and working there. Whilst certain areas of life have been suspended and we are all spending more time at home Park Hill residents have been active in supporting each other.
Dana Abdulkarim has lived at Park Hill for nearly four years in an Urban Splash apartment. It suits her well and she loves the location as she can be in the Peak District in half an hour, can walk to city areas of interest such as Kelham Island and has easy access to the shops and entertainment. “It’s also pretty quiet”, she says “as we’re high up”.
Dana is a teacher and head of PE & PSHE (Personal, Social and Health Education) at the High School in Dinnington, Rotherham. She is working hard to support her students and helping them navigate their way through work for their GCSEs and A Levels. During lockdown she has been teaching from home but is one of the teachers who goes to teach children of key workers.
Working from home she is aware of what the community around her has been up to and how they have been coping. “The lockdown has opened up lines of communication I didn’t expect. There is a COVID phone group that has been set up to support anyone who needs help with shopping etc, plus there is group ordering of food from local businesses. The Park Hill community group allowed for people isolating to be supported with food, refuse disposal and well being checks. A leaflet was also produced that signposts residents to a number they can call or message, requesting support. As the lock down took full hold it allowed for those vulnerable or non-keyworker residents to seek support and guidance.
“There has also been a huge increase in exercise going on in the landscaped area – all doing it safely – I’ve seen boxing, people doing weights, mothers out with children on their balance bikes and a couple even have a badminton net they bring down, set up outside and play. I’ve been running and cycling through lockdown.
“My sister is an eye surgeon and she came to live with me for 3 weeks to protect her children when she was re deployed to the respiratory ward at the Northern General. Whilst here she was able to see our weekly NHS and key workers clap every Thursday and to experience the fireworks some set off further afield in the community. Our Park Hill clap was featured on ITV and the BBC’s ‘Big Night In’.
“It’s full on at the moment – myself and my colleagues worked through our Easter holidays so we could support our students. It takes time as first we need to call the parents or carers to gain permission to speak to the pupil. Our school is well organised and has set up food parcels for those who need it and have loaned laptops to students. Teaching live online lessons has been a new experience, but my students seem to be getting a lot out of them. Schools are not closed at all and it is, as ever, so much more than subject content. Much of my work is around supporting students and their families with their coping skills right now. Also, as you can imagine the work around PSHE is so important and necessary at the moment and will be when we are back in school again.
“I’m a Muslim and had been fasting since 23 April so I couldn’t have drinks or food throughout daylight hours, which was hard when you are talking all day!”
Dana lives in phase one of Park Hill; new homes being created in phase two are on the market now and can be viewed here.
