We are sisters with a passion for the great outdoors and have lived on the south west side of Sheffield on the Peak District border all our lives . We regularly walk our dogs and feel very privileged to live in such a beautiful location .
Helen is a recently retired Head teacher from Waterthorpe Nursery Infant school and has seen first-hand the issues that affect young children. Their health and fitness are so important in facilitating access to the wonderful place in which they live.
Kathryn is a retired Interior Designer and Architectural Technologist with both a passion for the great outdoors and for art.
We decided to combine our skills and passions to create Little Urban Fox and Friends. This is a series of books and guides to encourage families to visit and explore the many interesting places in and around the Sheffield and surrounding areas .
In Book One ‘The Little Urban Fox Explores Endcliffe Park’. The Little Urban Fox explores his surroundings for the first time, looking for his mother and making new friends on his travels . The book tells of his adventures in Endcliffe Park, Sheffield.
The Little Fox meets lots of animals who help him in his search, as well as meeting the statues and memorials in the park. He talks to the Toad , the steel worker and the young mother, as well as Queen Victoria, on the monument near the entrance to the park.
The Little Fox also learns about the industrial heritage along the river Porter when he visits Shepherd Wheel.
One of the main sections is about the Mi Amigo memorial where the Little Fox learns about the bravery of Lt John Kriegshauser and his men.
2018 marked the 75th anniversary of the aircrash where the 10 US airmen sacrificed their lives near the end of World War 2 to save the lives of people in the nearby houses and the children playing in the park.
The US Air Force carried out a fly-past on the anniversary on 22nd February 2018.
Crews set off in an F-15 fighter jet from RAF Lakenheath in Suffolk, home to the largest US Air Force camp in the UK.
US and UK aircraft including Ospreys, Typhoons and a Dakota also took part, and thousands of spectators gathered in the park to watch the wonderful display.
In Book 2 ‘The Little Urban Fox Explores The Botanical Gardens, Sheffield’. The Little Fox goes looking for his brother Stumpy and eventually finds him in The Botanical Gardens. You can follow his adventures through the gardens, and find out how his brother Stumpy lost his tail, as well as meeting lots of new friends and learning all about the history of the gardens.
In Book 3 ‘The Little Urban Fox explores Longshaw and Padley Gorge’. The Little Fox and brother Stumpy are given a magic bell by Anthea the Ant, and they make a wish to visit a house for foxes. Their wish takes them on a great adventure to the Longshaw Estate and to Padley Gorge where they meet Boggarts and lovely lady foxes. They learn how Longshaw was used as a hospital in the war and how stone quarried at Padley Gorge was used to make the great dam walls at Ladybower and Derwent.
Through the Little Urban Fox and Friends story books children are encouraged to go and find the different things that the Little Fox encounters. At the end of the story there is a section giving more historical information as well as a guide map showing the locations of interesting places that the Little Fox and friends visit.
The first book of the second series of the ‘Little Urban Fox Explores’ books was published by our own publishing company LUFF Publishing in October 2021.
In Book 1 ‘The Little Urban Fox Explores Castleton’. Amber, one of the daughters of the Little Fox, goes on her own adventure. She visits Castleton with her friend Ziggle in search of a shiny blue stone. They learn about the history of Castleton and Blue John, from the Celts who lived on Mam Tor 3000 years ago, to the mines you can visit today.
We are delighted to announce the publication of our second book in series two. ‘The Little Urban Fox Explores Bakewell’. Published April 2024.
In Book 2 ‘The Little Urban Fox Explores Bakewell’. Amber’s sister Ruby goes off in search of a birthday treat for her mother and finds herself in the beautiful market town of Bakewell, famous for the Bakewell Pudding. Amber meets lots of new friends and learns all about the history of Bakewell and also how the Bakewell pudding came about.
We have planned many stories about other local places for children to visit . Our aim is to encourage families to put aside the computer games & TV and to adventure outside .
Our hope is that these books help to get more children outside, actively engaging in the environment . They will learn more about the place in which they live and visit.
We hope you enjoy our books as much as we have enjoyed researching, writing and illustrating them.
Thank you Kathryn & Helen