Remembering the Hillsborough Disaster: 35 Years Later
On 15 April 1989, during an FA Cup semi-final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest at Sheffield's Hillsborough Stadium, a tragic crush killed 97 and left hundreds injured.
The causes of the Hillsborough tragedy are deeply rooted in a series of systemic failures and poor decisions. Overcrowding, inadequate stadium design and a lack of effective crowd control measures contributed to the fatal crush in the Leppings Lane end of the stadium.
The aftermath saw a prolonged battle for justice as families of the victims sought accountability and truth, challenging the initial narrative falsified by South Yorkshire Police which blamed Liverpool supporters for the tragedy.
Debbie Caine, of The Hillsborough Law Now Campaign, said: “The pain and suffering of the past 35 years have not diminished. Today, we pay tribute to all 97 supporters, they will never be forgotten, and we fight on in their memory and for all those who have suffered such injustice at the hands of the state."
Investigations and inquiries revealed a pattern of negligence, cover-ups, and scapegoating, highlighting the failures of authorities, including the police and emergency services.
In 2016, a jury finally concluded that the 97 (96 at the time) victims were unlawfully killed, and subsequent inquiries have led to criminal charges against individuals and organisations responsible for safety and security at Hillsborough Stadium.
Ms Caine said: “The truth of what really happened on that dreadful day was not revealed for decades because public authorities and officials concealed the truth in their own interests.
"Yet, 35 years on, the experiences of Hillsborough families have been repeated countless times, currently with the Post Office scandal. Little has changed.”
This week Labour Party leader Keir Starmer confirmed a Labour government would prioritise bringing The Hillsborough Law into being a parliamentary bill.
This would introduce a legally enforceable, positive “duty of candour” for police and all public authorities to assist investigations into a major incident, and equal public funding for legal representation of bereaved families at inquiries and inquests.
The bill, drafted after the 2016 verdict, is aimed at ensuring that other people do not suffer police cover-ups and mistreatment, as the Hillsborough families did.
Pete Weatherby, the solicitor who represents 22 of the affected families and co-writer of the first draft of the proposed Hillsborough Law, said: “The fact that he [Keir Starmer] has come out publicly in support to the bill is good news.
“Hillsborough Law is the legacy project of the Hillsborough families after establishing their loved ones have been unlawfully killed.”
Mr Weatherby compared Hillsborough to other tragedies that has struck the nation in more recent years. He said: “You can substitute Grenfell, COVID, the post office, whatever you like, for Hillsborough. It is an issue that goes on in every single investigation and inquiry.
“The Hillsborough Law is an attempt to make practical and effective changes to the law to prevent public servants and others from covering up wrongdoing or hiding error.”
As we honour the memory of the 97 lives lost in the Hillsborough disaster, let us reaffirm our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of fans at sporting events. May their legacy serve as a reminder of the ongoing pursuit of justice, accountability, and solidarity in the football community and beyond.
World mourns 35 years since the Hillsborough Disaster
Today marks the 35th anniversary of one of football’s greatest tragedies - the Hillsborough Disaster - when 97 people were unlawfully killed attending an FA Cup semi-final tie between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest.
The tragedy unfolded primarily due to overcrowding in the Leppings Lane stand, which led to a crush of fans in one of the standing terraces.
The situation was exacerbated by inadequate crowd control measures, poor stadium design, and the failure of police to properly manage the influx of fans.
As fans entered the stadium, many were directed towards the already congested central pens, rather than the less crowded side pens. This led to crushing as the central pens became overcrowded.
Despite pleas from fans, the match was not halted. The response from emergency services further contributed to the severity of the disaster.
Over the past 35 years, multiple investigations and inquiries unravelled a series of conspiracies and cover-ups.
This led to a second inquiry being ordered which concluded gross negligence by police and ambulance services resulted in 97 unlawful deaths.
The incident led to significant changes in stadium safety regulations in the UK, including the introduction of all-seater stadiums for top-flight football matches and improved crowd control measures.
Labour leader Keir Starmer took to X [formerly Twitter] to express his condolences to the victims and their families.
He said: "Today on the 35th anniversary of Hillsborough, I'll be thinking about those lost, their families, and their enduring courage and determination to pursue justice.
"Making the Hillsborough Law a reality would be a priority of my Labour government."
The Owls will host the annual memorial service to remember the 97 Liverpool supporters who lost their lives in 1989.
The service will commence at 2:55pm at the permanent memorial site adjacent to the South Stand bridge and run for approximately 20 minutes, during which time Parkside Road traffic will be suspended.
Hillsborough Stadium will be open to all visitors wishing to pay their respects throughout the day from 10am to 4pm.
Second Sheffield man charged with attempted murder after alleged stabbing in Darnall
A second man from Sheffield appeared in court today after being charged in connection with a reported stabbing in Darnall last week.
Adil Mohammed, 24, of Acres Hill Road, Sheffield, appeared before Sheffield Magistrates' Court earlier today after being charged with attempted murder.
Mr Mohammed pleaded not guilty today and is the second man charged in connection with the alleged assault last week.
It comes following an alleged stabbing on Staniforth Road on Tuesday evening left a 21-year-old man with serious injuries which are now thought to be life-changing.
The man had multiple suspected stab wounds and remains in hospital.
Mr Mohammed has been remanded in custody and is next due to appear before Sheffield Crown Court on 13 May.
Sheffield man hopes to fundraise £40k for human trafficking victims
A Sheffield YMCA worker is aiming to raise £40,000 for human trafficking victims before his 40th birthday by running four half marathons in a month.
The Snowdrop Project is a Sheffield-based charity which provides long-term support to survivors of modern slavery and exploitation.
Jonathan Buckley, 39, decided to fundraise for the organisation after he volunteered to drive trafficking victims to safe houses for the Salvation Army.
He said: “For us, these weren’t just people you saw on the news in boats crossing the channel, or on trucks. They were real people with real stories and real lives too.
“You always think, what happens to them next? Do they just get lost in the system, do they go back to their home countries, what happens to them?”
He discovered the Snowdrop Project through friends who volunteered there, and decided to raise money for long-term support of human trafficking victims.
So far, including gift aid, Jonathan has raised £2,000 of his £40,000 target. He admits raising £4,000 is more realistic than £40,000, but he is determined to raise as much money as possible.
He said: “Encouraging people to part with their cash has always been a gift I have had.”
Jonathan aims to completes the Sheffield Half Marathon, which took place on April 7, Rugeley Half Marathon, which took place yesterday, and the upcoming Roche Abbey Half Marathon and East Yorkshire (Hull) Half Marathon.
He said: “Carrying the Olympic torch last Sunday was hard. I’ve not carried it since I carried it in 2012, and that was only 300 metres, rather than 13 miles. My arm muscles hurt quite a bit on Sunday night.
“The torch has been behind the TV for the last ten years, so it was good to get it out again!”
Jonathan said doing back-to-back races is a challenge, but he has friends and family members joining him on the way to cheer him on.
“Having planned this for the past five or six years, it’s good to actually do it. Come May, I think I will be at a loose end and wondering what is next!”
The Snowdrop Project said: "As a small charity, we rely on the generosity of supporters like Jonathan to fund the work we do.
"We're lucky to have an incredible community of people who fundraise and donate to enable survivors to rebuild their lives after exploitation."
You can donate to Jonathan Buckley’s Just Giving fundraiser here, or donate directly to the Snowdrop Project by visiting their website.
Friends band together to run the Sheffield Half Marathon in memory of an ‘inspirational’ racing driver
The death of an "inspirational" Rotherham racing driver by suicide has led a group of friends from Sheffield to raise money for mental health in his memory.
Jake Cook, a father of two, had competed in a variety of competitions, including the Formula Ford EuroCup and British Formula Renault Championship. His death led to 14 of his school friends coming together to honour his memory by raising money for the mental health charity, MIND.
His friend Jojo Quattrocchi, 32, said: "It's been something so tragic but we've managed to try and spin that into something positive by running for Jake's family, for MIND, and just sharing our solidarity for mental health and how we can maybe break these stigmas."
When asked about their memories with Mr Cook, the friends had an abundance of experiences they wanted to share. James Brodie, 30, bonded with Mr Cook over their joint love of auto racing.
He said: “He was just the sweetest guy. Even though I live down in London now and he was living up in Sheffield, we would stay in contact and we sometimes messaged each other about F1.
“He was just someone who I really enjoyed that world with.”
Olivia Parker, 30, spoke about what Mr Cook was like in school. She said: “He was very hard-working. He was very determined because not only was he incredible at sport and at such a high level, but he was also very intelligent.
“He was also very humble. He was never someone to particularly brag or rub it in your face.”
Miss Parker detailed why they had chosen a marathon to raise money and pay tribute to their friend: “He had competed as a Formula racing driver for his whole life. He was an extremely sporty and inspirational person and I think we thought what more could we do in his honour than a sporting challenge?”
The group decided to start a fundraiser for the mental health charity, MIND, to help increase awareness of men’s mental health. Men make up 80% of suicides that happen in the UK each year.
Originally, the group had set their fundraising target at £5,000 but after receiving generous donations, they decided to double it to £10,000.
Miss Parker said: “It’s really been quite amazing to see the generosity of people coming together. I think people really understand that MIND is a charity that they want to contribute to.”
MIND puts 83 pence from every pound they receive directly into helping people with mental health difficulties.
In spite of the progress made by mental health charities in the past few years, there is still a stigma around being open about mental health, especially for men.
The group are all taking a different approach to training for the marathon but are updating each other along the way.
Mr Quattrocchi, who is starting his own mental health charity, has found the process challenging but enjoyable. He said: “I’ve never run 10K in my life. I've gone years without running and it has been really good, personally, to get back to feeling the benefits of running, and then obviously the end goal is to finish it, all in honour of Jake."
The group will be running the half-marathon on 7 April.
You can donate to their fundraiser here.
Owls Glide by Millers in South Yorkshire Derby
The Owls made it three in a row after a comfortable 1-0 away win against Rotherham United.
Sheffield Wednesday needed three points against out-of-form Rotherham United to keep their survival dreams alive.
Pre-match, Wednesday boss Danny Rohl said: “We know the situation is still serious and it goes very quickly in this league in the other direction.
“But at the moment, we are going in the right direction.”
Although only seven miles and one league position separate the clubs, the gulf in class between the two sides was evident at the New York Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Wednesday spent the majority of the first half camped inside the Millers’ final third but lacked composure in and around the box.
This was evidenced after 21 minutes when Owl’s winger Poveda flashed a shot around the post after a positive run, cutting inside from the right.
The visitors did have the ball in the net from Akin Famewo but it was disallowed for offside in a questionable decision by the officials.
The goal didn’t come for Wednesday in the first half, but they were certainly on top, boasting 60% possession and 11 shots to Rotherham’s solitary effort.
Leam Richardson’s side started the second half with more intensity during the first ten minutes and had a few flurries around the away side’s area, but they didn’t create any clear opportunities.
The lack of quality in the Millers’ attack was met by a collective groan from the home fans on the 64th minute, when a seemingly promising counterattack culminated in a 30 yard back pass to their goalkeeper, Viktor Johansson.
Danny Rohl’s men finally broke the deadlock in the 66th minute when Ike Ugbo swept the ball in from close range after a quick passing exchange from the Owl’s on the edge of the box.
The last half an hour was fairly straightforward for the Owls, despite Barry Bannan clearing an effort off the line to keep the clean sheet intact.
Second half substitute Mallik Wilks also hit the post for the visitors with a headed effort in added time.
After the match, Rohl said: "From the beginning we were on the front foot, and we created a lot of chances and at half-time I had a clear message.
I said to my team it was great what we were doing, but it was about what we did in the box.”
The win for Wednesday was crucial and has pushed the Owls to within three points of safety.
When Rohl took the helm in December, they were struggling on 13 points at the foot of the table.
Wednesday play host to Plymouth Argyle tomorrow for another ‘six pointer’ in the relegation scrap.
From Sheffield to Sydney: 40 years of Rock and Roll photography with Tony Mott
A former Lowedges chef who became one of the most esteemed photographers in rock and roll, working with over 3,000 musicians including The Arctic Monkeys and Madonna, talks about his 40 years in the industry.
From touring with The Rolling Stones to having dinner on Paul McCartney's yacht, and being forced to shoot Blink-182 in a bathtub, Tony Mott reminisces about his time shooting some of the world's most famous bands.
"The reality is that I've shot thousands of bands and musicians," says Tony. "I've only met three a***holes, and that's after more than 40 years experience. They're not great time keepers, nor are they hugely reliable. But they're definitely not all a***holes."
The son of a steelworker, Tony, born in 1956, a loyal Blades fan, was raised in Lowedges. He lived in the city until he was 18, where he studied to become a French Chef in Granville Catering College and can recall clearly the 'buzz' of the Moor on a Saturday morning.
After qualifying as a chef, Tony worked in Surrey, before meeting an Australian girl and moving 'down under', but he soon discovered his real passion, and what would become his true calling in life, was photography.
Tony was introduced to what became his vocation by his childhood friend, Paul Mitchell, from Hackenthorpe, who worked on black and white portraits. He taught Tony how to process and print photographs, and this was the start of his lifelong love of the art.
Despite being born and bred in Sheffield, Tony has spent most of his life in Australia, admitting when he returned to the city in the late 80s, while working with the band U2, he got lost. “That period, when all those steelworks disappeared, Sheffield changed radically. When I left in ’76, people, including my dad, worked in the steelworks. That was the industry. So, it's a hell of a shot to just be wondering around Attercliffe going to myself, ‘where the f**** has everything gone? You’ve got to remember, when I left, there was no Meadowhall or anything like that."
Although Tony moved away from Sheffield almost 50 years ago and may have lost his Yorkshire drawl, he’s never lost that classic, old school Northern sense of humour. The anecdotes he has are endless, and his delivery when telling them is as magnetic and entertaining as the world's best stand-up comedians. Referring to the Arctic Monkeys, he says: "The first time I worked with them, they asked me, ‘are you United or Wednesday then?' As soon as I said United, that was sort of the end of that relationship really - I guess they’re all Wednesday”.
In the early years after moving to Australia, Tony would take his camera into local pubs and photograph local bands. This is how he stumbled across the rock band Divinyls, known for their hit 'I touch myself' and went on to be a big success in Australia and the United States.
"I got lucky that they got famous when I was starting and so I rode their coattails to certain extent", Tony says. “I never really ever meant it to happen, it just happened. Being a chef was bloody hard work, but taking photos of musicians was fun," he added, with a smirk.
In 1987, Tony got his self-confessed 'big break' in the industry, when Mick Jagger landed in Australia on a solo tour and asked him to be his photographer. He toured with The Rolling Stones three times as well as working with Fleetwood Mac, Iggy Pop, Blink-182, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Madonna and Paul McCartney just to name a few.
Tony once spent an afternoon in Sydney harbour with Paul McCartney. "I was told by my management that I had to go and photograph Paul on the harbour in his boat." says Tony, "So you immediately think, 'Oh it's going to be some f***ing great big luxury yacht. But he just loves sailing and I ended up having lunch with him, and he told me how he misses double-decker buses. He was a lovely bloke."
Tony has also witnessed some hilarious behind-the-scenes moments, including finding Travis Barker, the drummer of American punk band, Blink-182, in a bathtub. "I did a front cover for Rolling Stone magazine," he says. "But Travis wasn't answering the door and hadn't come out of his room. He was so hungover in the bathtub of his hotel room that he quite literally couldn't get out of it. He's still, p****d, so I said, 'let's shoot it in there', so I got them all in and just shot them in the bathtub."
Tony reveals, though, sometimes, he was the cause of the mishap, including a time he forgot to put film in his camera during a session with Guns 'n' Roses. The rock group were at the pinnacle of their popularity and Tony spent the entire session disguising his mistake before confessing his rooky error. After the session, Tony had a chat with their manager, forming a cunning lie to save himself, "It worked out alright because the next day, I said to the manager, 'I'm not even gonna show you. They're not good enough'. So I managed to con another session out of them, I suppose!"
After four decades, Tony has now hung up his cameras, and retired from what he calls 'rock and roll photography', and is working in Australian television production.
"I've been doing it for 40 years. The best 40 years of rock and roll photography. It's all been a joy. I feel I've been quite blessed because making money, and good money out of photographing musicians is not something everyone gets to do."
Purchase Tony's book here: Rock N Roll Gallery: A Journey from Sheffield to Sydney 1983-2023: Amazon.co.uk: Mott, Tony: 9781922810748: Books
Ukraine war anniversary: Sheffield’s Ukrainian community gathers for ‘precious’ commemoration
Over 100 people gathered in Sheffield Cathedral last night to commemorate the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine.
The event consisted of an evening eucharist with Ukrainian orthodox prayer and was followed by live traditional Ukrainian music. The cathedral is also hosting an exhibition of artworks created by wounded Ukrainian soldiers.
Organised by the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, the music was performed by Ukrainian refugees and included songs played on the Bandura, an ancient Ukrainian instrument.
Event organiser Tanya Klymenko said: “It means a huge amount to the refugees because despite the warmest welcome we got from locals who opened their hearts and homes, it is still important for people to have a sense of belonging and to speak their own language.”
According to Sheffield City Council, more than 800 refugees have arrived in Sheffield during the past two years as part of the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. Mrs Klymenko, however, estimates that there have been around 1,000 new arrivals, accounting for those with an extended family visa.
Anna Kovalenko, a Ukrainian refugee attending the event, said: “It is unfortunate that this is the second anniversary of the war but this was really precious for us. We try to keep together because it is really important for our people and for our children.”
Mrs Kovalenko came to the UK in 2022 with her two sons and had to leave her husband in Ukraine.
She added: “I think this is the best place for us to be in. I am really grateful to Sheffield and can say that our lives continue here.”
Many women refugees have had to leave their husbands behind and are counting the days until they are able to go back to Ukraine.
“I want to emphasise that the war in Europe is still raging and Ukraine needs your support as much as it did two years ago. Please don’t give up on Ukraine," said Mrs Kovalenko.
The event connected different communities, including the Ukrainian Society at the University of Sheffield.
Founder of the society Roksolana Rohozhynska said: “I loved it. I am so grateful that we now have a big Ukrainian society in Sheffield. It is great to see so much support from people from other countries uniting with us for one purpose.”
‘We won’t go away’ says anti-abortion group holding 40-day vigil outside hospital
An anti-abortion group holding a 40-day ‘vigil’ outside of the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield claim they are there to raise awareness, rather than judge women.
40 Days For Life is an international Christian organisation that claims it is ‘helping to end the injustice of abortion’. Its first campaign took place in 2007, and has reached over 1000 cities in 63 countries.
Rachel Wood, who organises the Sheffield vigils, told Sheffield Wire that the group has been in the area for three years and aims to pray outside the hospital from 8 am to 8 pm, seven days a week, which is when abortions are performed in the hospital.
Mrs Wood, who also assists in running two helplines that aim to end abortion, said: “We believe life is a gift. Abortion hurts women – they think it’s a right to choose, but it does hurt women.”
The group do not consider their actions to be a protest, with Mrs Wood stating that 40 Days For Life considers it a “peaceful prayer vigil.”
Another one of the vigil attendees, Andrew, declined to provide his last name due to fears surrounding his safety.
He said: “We’ve had vigils interrupted where we’ve just been praying, people have come along and smashed our signs up.
“An elderly gentleman had his sign ripped out of his hands and stood on and torn into small pieces – it was quite shocking, but it wouldn’t deter him from coming.”
Marie, who also declined to provide her surname, said: “People mention rape making it okay to abort, but it’s still a life.
“We speak up for the babies – they have no voice. We won’t go away.”
The group faces heavy criticism in Sheffield. Alexandra, 23, from Sheffield Solidarity Group, said: “We think that being harassed whilst undertaking one of the most difficult decisions a pregnant person can take is an awful thing and should not happen.”
Sarah, who declined to provide her last name, helped to set up the Facebook group ‘Sheffield Protecting the Right to Choose’ in September 2022, after reading about 40 Days For Life. The group aims to establish counter-protests and figure out how to support people in Sheffield.
Sarah believes there should be more buffer zones in place to protect people using the services.
“Everyone’s got a right to their beliefs, but I think there needs to be better securities and systems in place.
“It’s already such a stressful time, adding that stress and judgement on top – I can’t imagine what that feels like.”
Sarah also added that she doesn’t think there are a massive amount of people in Sheffield who aren’t pro-choice.
Vigil attendee Marie disagreed, saying she knows “plenty of people who are pro-life. Maybe they don’t see that.”
According to BPAS, 1 in 3 women will have an abortion by the time they are 45 years old.
Next month, MPs are expected to get a free vote on decriminalising abortion in England and Wales after 24 weeks.
Homeless people at risk of being criminalised by council plan, charities and public say
A draft proposal which would criminalise begging and loitering in the city centre has been criticised for marginalising the homeless by charities and the public.
The Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) has received backlash that it will drive homelessness into other parts of the city rather than addressing its causes.
The policy, which is open to public consultation, has been pitched by the council to tackle antisocial behaviour.
Benjamin Archer, a law lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University who specialises in anti-social behaviour and public space management, said: “PSPO’s are a tool to deal with symptoms of behaviour rather than addressing its root causes.
“They disproportionately target vulnerable groups through financial penalties and open them up to a cycle of criminality.”
The PSPO is designed to crack down on antisocial activities, but many issues such as drug-taking and public drinking are already covered by other laws.
This has led to the view that the policy’s only purpose is to tackle begging and loitering which are not currently illegal.
As part of the PSPO, temporary structures such as tents would be banned, while anyone sleeping rough could be charged for ‘loitering’.
The Archer Project, a charity for homeless people based at the Cathedral, said: “If people are without accommodation, excluding them from the city centre will only lead to homelessness elsewhere and the city doesn’t want that either.”
The PSPO will be enforced through fixed penalty notices, and would encompass everywhere within the ring road as well as the train station.
Councillor Ben Miskell, Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee, said: “I don’t think there’s necessarily any evidence that introducing PSPO’s moves the issue of antisocial behaviour outside of a city centre.
“We do need to take a very firm line on antisocial behaviour and make sure our city centre is safe for everyone.”
PSPO’s have been introduced in cities such as Doncaster and Barnsley since the government repealed the Vagrancy Act in 2022, which removed begging as a prosecutable offence.
Sheffield previously tried to implement one in 2019, but it was dropped after failing to gain public support and meeting similar criticisms from charities.
The council will be taking public opinions on the policy until 25 March.
Black animals are harder to rehome says Sheffield-based sanctuary
Black animals have a harder time getting adopted due to the superstition surrounding their colour, according to local North Anston animal sanctuary.
Based in south Sheffield, Thornberry Animal Sanctuary was founded in 1988 and rescues animals from abandonment, and neglect.
While the sanctuary have had great adoption success stories, and have strong support from their local community, at times they have struggled to find homes for black animals, specifically cats and dogs.
Dating back to the European witch craze, black cats have often been regarded as an omen of bad luck, deterring people from adopting them.
Cattery and Small Animals Manager, Courtney Berry, said: “They’re a lot like marmite – people either love them or they don’t. We get a lot of them and they are very difficult to rehome.”
Additionally, at this time of year, it is particularly difficult for animals to be rehomed and as Christmas is a high travel period, animals can’t be homed with those who have upcoming trips booked, resulting in animals staying in the centre for longer periods of time.
In the kennels, black Lurchers and black Greyhounds are notorious for sticking around.
Hannah Armes, Thornberry’s Kennel Assistant said: “It's just the colour – people are put off by black dogs. The other colours of Lurchers and Greyhounds usually go quite quickly, but the black ones are less desirable,”
Desirable dogs have also been sent to Thornberry due to owners not foreseeing certain characteristics of their animal, or their medical costs.
A misconception around animal adoption is the underlying costs of taking care of small animals. According to Battersea pets, cat care is roughly £1587 per year, and rabbits at a similar cost of £1550.
Thornberry Animal Sanctuary hopes to hold classes in the new year to educate new pet owners on caring for their animals.
Entirely run on donation, fundraising plays a big part in keeping the centre afloat. Thornberry regularly holds events to entice the local community to support the centre and the animals it houses.
In early November, the sanctuary celebrated its 35th anniversary with a dinner gala. Last weekend, they held their annual Christmas fair, where they promoted local businesses.
Thornberry invites the local community to volunteer to help them day-to-day. Anyone is welcome to volunteer and can find an online application form on their website.
Thornberry Animal Sanctuary will soon open up a charity shop in Crystal Peaks Shopping Centre.
Maddy Cusack “broken by football”: the women’s game in the UK remains an afterthought
Former Sheffield United player Maddy Cusack’s early death at 27 has spotlighted the ongoing struggle which still dominates women in football. The pressure of the game is growing but the money in the game is not.
Maddy’s family have criticised the “half-baked” nature of the women’s game. Players have no choice but to work multiple jobs due to the lack of funding for salaries, equipment and facilities.
There has been an increasing demand for the women’s game after the 2022 Euros, but the lack of commitment from clubs for the women’s game, shows the stark contrast between the women and men’s game.
Maddy’s brother, Richard Cusack, 29, spoke out on the pressures his sister faced during her career. He said: “Women don't get paid enough for the effort they put in. They've got to find a way of making the balance work in women's football.
“What you're asking players to do at the moment is live as a full-time, elite, professional athlete by eating, training, and then playing on a Sunday. You’re going out all day Sunday and then players have got to get up for work on a Monday morning and with some away games it’s a weekend-long event as well.
“We have got to find a way of making this work for everyone. At the moment, it feels a little bit half-baked.”
Mr Cusack emphasised the difficulty for players to fully commit to playing football when a risk of injury one game could impact their full-time job.
Maddy’s mum, Deborah Cusack, 55, claims her daughter, who also played for the Lionesses, was “broken by football”. She told the BBC: “Maddy worried about her career in football. Because football, to her, was everything.
“At Sheffield United, last year their players were part-time, which means that they all had full-time jobs and trained three times a week. They often travelled on a Saturday to play on a Sunday, for minimal amounts of money. I think Madeline was on £6,000 a year, last year, to play football.”
Mrs Cusack, from Horsley, Derbyshire, spoke to the Sheffield Wire about a campaign for Maddy to participate in the FA mixed gender trials held across the country, while she was still in secondary school. Unfortunately for Maddy the campaign was unsuccessful despite backing from “every manager and every team”.
Olivia Cusack, 24, explained her sister had a huge ambition to develop opportunities for young women who were pursuing football careers.
She said: “I remember at clubs she'd been in, some female clubs were completely separate from the men's and she could never get her head around why they weren't working together. It wasn’t just funding, but equipment too, and even general relationships between the men and the women. Why was it not more merged?”
After moving to Sheffield United, Maddy noted men and women were gradually integrated which Ms Cusack explained was good for Maddy as the absence of a gendered hierarchy allowed all the players to learn and progress more.
She said: “I think she wanted a level playing field for both men and women. She wanted young girls to be able to achieve what the men have in a way, or even, the females that are in the Euros now. I think she just wanted to make it not so difficult for women to be able to achieve in football and get as much out of the sport.”
The Sheffield Wire’s campaign last May on the retention of teenage girls in football showed a large spike in girl’s interest in football as well as the challenges the girls faced.
Data from Sports England showed that 777,000 girls at the end of the 2021 school year played organised football and a 200,000 increase in the numbers of girls playing informally.
According to FIFA, there are over 29 million women and girls playing football globally, which will be expected to increase to 60 million by 2026.
In school, Maddy participated in the Sports England’s ‘This Girl Can’ campaign, which aimed to challenge stereotypes of girls in sport.
Maddy became known as “Miss Sheffield United” and continued to encourage girls to play football. Throughout her career she participated in various events including multiple visits to Charnock Ridgeway Girls FC.
Olivia, social media manager for Derby Runner, who lives in Horsley, said: “The young girls and parents I spoke to, they believe it's really difficult for girls teams to actually have access to equipment or places where they can carry out training sessions.
“A lot of the time, it's already kind of reserved or bought for boys, men’s, teams. The priority is not the same for females.”
Hana Bhatia, 14, saw Maddy Cusack as a role model for her own pursuit into a football career.
She said: “There’s still stereotypes. I feel like getting on to a team is a lot more difficult for a girl than a boy, because there's so many more divisions for the boys than for girls. I feel like boys don't understand that girls know how to play football”.
Hana also pointed out discrepancies at a professional level. “The women only get one shirt for the entire season and the men get one every single game.”
Rachel Iball, Hana’s mother, explained: “There's a lot more opportunities for the boys to develop and be scouted and we've looked for more teams for Hana. It's just been really difficult to try and go to the next step.
“One of Hana's friends got scouted just so easily. Whereas for girls, it's a lot harder. And there's less teams around. So we end up travelling all over the place to go to matches for a Doncaster, Barnsley, all over.”
Brett Hawke, Barnsley Ladies FC Chairman for the Junior and Development teams, 43, explained that there is an increased pressure from clubs investing in the women’s game for teenage girl players to be elite despite the lack of funding.
“The problem I’ve got with it is, if you read the press, you’d think there’d be a lot of money going to the women’s game because they go on about how much funding has gone into it and how it’s going to improve it”, he said.
“But when you dig into it you’ll find that the funding’s there for already established men's clubs to bring women’s football in. So they go after that funding, bring one women’s team in, and spend the rest of the money on the men's team.”
Mr Hawke has been involved in the women's game for seven years but was originally from the men’s football background.
The financial constraint and overshadowing of the women’s game, as Mr Hawke explained, has risen with the introduction of the UEFA Financial Fair Play Regulations to clubs which has further limited their spending.
He said: “For me there should be a special kind of fund that is specifically for the women’s game and it shouldn’t be included in men’s Financial Fair Play Regulations, it should be rolled out to the women’s game and it’s got to start out at the grassroots.
“Because some of the facilities that we have to play on, if it were boys they would not be playing on that.”
As the number of women in football continues to grow, so does the financial pressure. This reinforces the importance of The Maddy Cusack Foundation that aims to provide funding and opportunities for young girls in their football careers.
#MarkedbyMaddy: The impact of Maddy Cusack on the next generation of players
"She helped so many young people. I was always really shy because I thought that if I said something wrong, then I would regret it but I think I should have spoke to her more because now I can't."
As soon as Hana Bhatia, 14, saw Maddy Cusack play the Sheffield United midfielder became her favourite player. Her passion on the pitch was mirrored in the generosity she gave to younger players.
Hana, who plays for Hallam Rangers Junior FC, recalled: "Anyone who came across Maddy could just tell that she was a really nice person, on the pitch and off the pitch. She treated me more like a friend than a fan."
Rachel Iball, Hana's mother, said: "Hana's dream was to play with Maddy on the pitch so to be able to talk to her and have a relationship was really meaningful. She was a really good role model.
Maddy gave so much time to her supporters. Every time Hana plays football now, she writes MC 8 on her hand and when she scores, she points up and says that was for Maddy."
Hana isn't the only young player or fan who has been impacted by the much loved player. The Maddy Cusack Foundation has been sharing stories using #markedbymaddy and highlighting her impact.
It's evident Maddy has inspired so many young players to want to go on to have a career just like her. However, it can be a hard path to follow.
Ms Iball explained the cost of playing football can make it difficult. She said: "I'm a single mother ferrying Hana around. I love that she's a footballer but the costs can add up."
With the lack of local teams girls have to travel miles to play matches. When they do get to play it's often with less facilities than boys teams.
It's these and many other barriers that The Maddy Cusack Foundation, created by Maddy’s family in October, seeks to address. Their hope is to continue Maddy’s inspirational legacy.
‘It was a privilege to have grown up around such talent’: Cusack family reflect on the fierce woman Maddy became.
Maddy as an adult mirrored her much loved childhood personality, she was fierce, determined and spirited – three words that would eventually become the slogan for The Maddy Cusack Foundation.
Her passion and enthusiasm on and off the pitch inspired many. During the footballer’s childhood, she crafted her talents under the guidance of her beloved teachers, including Anne Cox, and the support of her family.
After completing her A Levels Maddy enrolled at Derby University, so she could stay near her family, and was awarded a first-class honours degree in Marketing, Advertising and PR. By this point, Maddy was working part-time, studying full-time, and playing at Aston Villa on the weekends.
As Olivia entered adulthood, the bond between herself and her older sister strengthened. Maddy helped Olivia gain a job in marketing at Derby Runner, where she still works today.
“Towards the end of our teenage years, into adult life, we were always super close – we came together a lot more. I think it was because there were four years between us and during that time, you go on similar journeys,” she says. “We found a lot of similarities between us as we could open up more, and could relate to each other. I'd do her makeup. I think she liked to humour me in that way because it could bring us closer. At the beginning, she’d say ‘You’re making me look completely different,’ and I’d say ‘Maddy that’s the point in makeup so sit down and let me do your eyelashes!’”
It was the friendship of her family Maddy cherished above all else. “When Maddy had down days from football or work, she would be with me, my little sister and my mum – she and my mum were best friends. I’d always say to Maddy ‘Don’t you want a group of girls to go out with for a coffee or a night out?’ She’d always be mortified at the idea and say ‘You're my best mate – you, Mum, and Felicia are. I don't need friends,’” the social media manager recalled.
Maddy juggled a lot during her adult life. She had a full-time job as a Marketing Executive for Sheffield United, in which she would work Monday to Friday. On Sundays, she would swap the office for the pitch and turn her focus to her career as a semi-professional footballer.
The COVID-19 lockdown forced Maddy to break from her hectic lifestyle. She immediately moved back to Horsley and back into her childhood bedroom. “For the first time in 18 years, her fast-paced lifestyle had slowed down – not stopped because she was still working. I think she was quite annoyed she wasn't furloughed like everyone else,” says Olivia.
“Everything slowed down and that was really nice for her because we got to just spend time together – we were all just locked in the house together. We did a lot of walking, playing games and just messing about. She liked the simple things, I think because it wasn't an option for her all the time.”
Although Maddy loved being at home with her family, she was also eager to move back to Sheffield, with her flatmate and football captain, Sophie Barker. The Yorkshire city was not only home to her beloved football team, but also home to her father’s family.
Maddy’s brother, Richard, 29, recalls, “She instantly fell in love with the city – moving to Sheffield was quite a big deal for Maddy because that's where my dad's side of the family is from and all his relatives are up there. My dad was very proud of her for doing that. She always said the city felt so warm to her – just home away from home.”
During the footballer’s time in Sheffield, the siblings would often visit her and take a trip down Ecclesall Road to grab a drink from Pom Kitchen. Other times they’ve opted for a bite to eat at Kelham Island’s Cutlery Works.
Despite her love for a caramel latte, and obsession with Greek wraps, Maddy was strict with herself when it came to training, diet and work ethic. When she wasn’t working, a lot of the time she could either be found at the gym or training.
“She was like a manager's dream,” Richard says, “She was professional, she trained well, ate well. She was always on time. Last year, we had a Christmas dinner around my house and she bought her own – weighed out. She had football the next day and said ‘look, this is what I'm going to have to do’, but even that shows that she was so dedicated to football, and to her family as well. She wouldn't have missed out on the Christmas meal, she just had to make a few adjustments. She really was a marvel – an example of how to conduct yourself.”
Richard works as a sports journalist for Football London, and is based in Birmingham with his partner, Emily, who was also very close to Maddy. “She always welcomed me with open arms. We were quite different, but that didn’t stop us from having a brilliant connection. We got on so well. She'd always take the time to talk to you and get to know you. And she was like that with everyone.”
Emily witnessed the bond between Maddy and her siblings, as well as the mischief they caused. “They would always play football in the house. They'd break something, but no one would ever admit to it. Deborah was always finding something that was broken because they had kicked a ball around the house.”
Maddy never lost her cheekiness, nor did she ever lose the love and affection of her friends and family. “We're so lucky that we know how much she loved us, and she knew we loved her. I think that's very lucky because sometimes you can fall out with people and you might regret things. In this family, there was no question,” Emily says.
For the Cusacks, the festive season remains a very special time of year. Emily recalls a moment from their final. “It's so vivid. We were all just opening presents and Maddy disappeared, we thought she'd just gone to the toilet. Eventually, she came back down and was head-to-toe in a full Santa suit. She put on this funny voice, and she gave out all her presents. We were all laughing, and she was so happy. It was a really happy time,” the primary school teacher says.
Olivia, Maddy’s sister, added, “I remember looking at her and thinking, she was absolutely crazy.” The
Maddy’s love for the season was infamous but in contrast, she wasn’t typically overly sentimental about Christmas, but Olivia still has a card her sister wrote each member of her immediate family two years ago. “To have something that you could actually read and that she took the time to write meant so much. It was just so left-field for her, but it was so amazing.”
During Maddy’s memorial, Olivia read out a part of the note written inside the Christmas card her sister wrote. ‘Thank you for everything you do for me and for always being there for me. I love you so much and I don’t know where I would be without you.’
‘Madeleine displayed a unique spirit, an indomitable spirit’: A glimpse into Maddy Cusack’s childhood
Madeleine Cusack was a star in women’s football – hailed as Miss Sheffield United. Boasting an enviable, professional career, the star midfielder, who hailed from Derbyshire, went on to become vice-captain of Sheffield United.
It is easy for anyone to see why the athlete excelled exponentially in her career: according to her teammates and clubs, she possessed great talent, took any given opportunity to improve, and had unconditional love and support from her family.
But where did Maddy come from? At one point, she was simply a young girl from the small Derbyshire town of Shipley View, Ilkeston. She came from a tight-knit family, close to her parents, Deborah and David, grandmother, Judy, with unbreakable bonds with her siblings, Richard, Olivia and Felicia.
At Scargill Primary School in West Hallam, Maddy was a shining light with a special talent for sport. “She would spend all of her time playing football with the lads. Her school shoes had to be boy shoes, because they were the only ones that would last,” Deborah, 55, says. “Even then, she was very competitive. On sports day she won absolutely every race she ever entered. The school had a little marathon at the end of the year and she'd always win that as well.”
Maddy’s younger sister, Olivia, shared her mother’s sentiments about her competitive nature. “We learned very quickly to just let Maddy win, because she would win anyway,” she says, laughing.
Maddy also enjoyed horse riding and would often ride with her cousins. “When she was a child, her favourite film was Black Beauty and so her fifth birthday present was a horse riding lesson,” Deborah shares dotingly. “We also tried ballet as her grandmother wanted to take her, but that lasted about one week.”
This time of year is particularly hard for the Cusack family, as she loved Christmas. It was a time to spend with her family and take a break from the passions of the pitch. Deborah recalls, “She made an angel at school when she was little, and that goes on top of our tree every year. I've kept all the Christmas decorations from when all the children were five. The others used to get a bit cross when the angel went back up every year.”
Following Scargill Primary School, Maddy moved to Kirk Hallam Academy. Similarly to when she was a younger pupil, the football prodigy spent the ‘majority of her waking hours’ dedicating her time to sports.
“During secondary school, she was a part of the netball team. I went to watch every game she was ever in. On one occasion Maddy nearly went to kick the ball, and I had to shout ‘Don’t boot the ball!’ In netball, she was like a little Jack Russell because she wasn’t tall and lean, she was just on everybody like she was in football so it was funny to watch her play,” Deborah recalls, chuckling at the memory. “I'm very, very proud – I'm proud of everything she's ever done,” Deborah says.
Popularity came easily to Maddy, who was respected by the boys and idolised by the girls. She had a large group of friends throughout her time as a student and was still close to them years later.
She and her boyfriend of the time were crowned prom queen and king in her final year of school. Her ‘prom queen’ sash still remains in her childhood bedroom. It was the first, but by no means the last time she would be celebrated for her popularity and excellence. On the day, there were group pictures of Maddy and her friends taken outside West Hallam Community Centre. The park in the centre is the starting location for the foundation fundraiser, Miles for Maddy, on December 10.
At school, she impressed many of her teachers with her talents and fierce personality. One in particular was Anne Cox, her PE teacher and Key Stage 4 Head of Year.
She worked closely with Maddy on and off the pitch and recalls, as an athlete, she was impressed with her dedication and determination to her interests. As a pupil, she was also in awe of her selflessness, confidence and optimism.
“As a PE student in year seven, she was part of a very talented group of girls,” the retired teacher says fondly. “However, Maddy always just stood out that little bit more. You shouldn’t have favourites in school as a teacher – never. Having said that, there was a group of girls in that year, along with Maddy that were just outstanding beyond belief.”
Branded a ‘cheeky monkey’ by her former teacher, Maddy would often lead the group into mischievous fun which always left a smile on everyone’s face.
“In the early years, the children would perform dances to each other, Anne says. “Maddy would try to break into fits of laughter with her dancing. We once performed a dance to West Side Story and she loved that because it was full of strong, confident movements.”
When the athletic powerhouse wasn’t dominating her way through sport, her focus moved to her studies. Maddy received all A*s, As and Bs in her GCSE subjects, including Psychology and PE, and retook maths three times to secure an A. After GCSEs, she then went on to study English, Biology and PE for her A Levels. It appeared as though she shone as much when reciting Shakespeare, as she did when dribbling on the pitch.
A standout memory for Anne was when the school football team made it to the national finals. “Maddy led the girl’s football team to the National Finals. We had never made the finals before, and this was the only team to have ever done it. She was an integral part of that team with regard to raising motivation and getting everybody to train. She was an absolute star.”
It was while Maddy was at secondary school, the Cusack family moved from Shipley View to Horsley and moved next door to Zoe Stannard, who went to school with Olivia. “I was in year four at the primary school in the village when Olivia started,” Zoe says. “We became best friends that same day. Liv introduced me to Maddy and from then on, we were either always at my house, or theirs. Because I was best friends with Olivia, I always saw Maddy as a big sister. I was an only child and so I felt as though Olivia, Maddy, Felicia and Richard were like my siblings. She was the first person who bought me makeup, the first person to straighten my hair – she was a big sister. We looked up to her so so much.”
During separate conversations, both Zoe and Olivia agreed that once somebody befriended one of the Cusacks, that person automatically became friends with the entire family. Living within a close bubble of family and friends, the entrance to the Cusack house was a revolving door.
Zoe was present for many milestones of Maddy’s life, such as getting her first job as a waitress at the Horsley Lodge Hotel. During Maddy’s exam period, Zoe remembered watching Maddy revise so intently, that it inspired her to mimic her friend’s work ethic when it was time to revise herself.
By this point, Maddy was playing for Aston Villa and would have to drive from Derbyshire to Birmingham three times a week for training sessions. As her father drove her back and forth along the A38, Maddy’s head was in her books, revising for her next exam. Her dedication to ‘being the best’ is something that inspired all those around her.
“She achieved everything she set out to do. She did everything first and set the benchmark for the rest of us: GSCEs, Sixth Form, and even her driving test – She was the first one out of all of us to pass driving,” Zoe, a deputy safeguarding lead, recalls.
Some of her favourite memories of her time with Maddy centre around simplicity: whether it be going for walks with their mums, or going for long drives with Maddy and Olivia. “As she got older, she loved being in her car – she loved listening to R&B, and would literally blast songs in her car as loud as she could.”
Like Deborah, Zoe also cherished the memory of seeing Maddy at her secondary school prom. “It is probably one of my favourite memories. I just remember thinking, she looked amazing. Everyone thought she looked the best.”
Legendary Golf Club Closes After 122 Years
Renishaw Park Golf Club, established in 1911, is set to cease trading after ongoing financial hardship.
Despite club members raising a substantial fee of £20,000, it was not enough to keep the club open during the upcoming winter months when trade is slow.
Renishaw Park Golf Club has also confirmed that multiple donators have come forward to offer further payment, but they will be declining.
The club released a statement to members that said: "We are respectfully declining the very kind offers made and will not be using your money to prop up the club for the next couple of months with no future beyond."
Despite the situation, Renishaw Park Golf Club have stated that they will be exploring options so that a club may continue to operate on location, "in whatever form that may be."
On Sunday 3 December at 4.30pm, the club is scheduled to shut its doors for the last time.
Sheffield FC and Eagles RLC Join For Stadium Move
For the first time in over 20 years Sheffield FC are returning to the city with a brand new state of the art stadium.
The oldest football club in the country will share the site with Sheffield Eagles RLC.
The proposed stadium, which is aiming to be ready for autumn 2025, boasts a capacity of 5,000 and will be located in Meadowhead, on the same site as the former Sheffield Transport Sports Club. The proposal also includes a plan to include a club museum for Sheffield FC.
Richard Tims, Sheffield FC's chairman, said: “This is about being proud of the region’s sporting heritage and making it a hub for sporting excellence and community engagement in Sheffield and the South Yorkshire region."
Sheffield FC have been forced to postpone matches due to bad weather at their current ground in Dronfield, including a game yesterday, against Ashington AFC, following a waterlogged pitch.
Fan, Philip Staton, 70, of High Street, said: “The ground is always flooded. You wouldn't believe the amount of games that are called off."
The proposal for the new Home Of Football Stadium features artificial turf, which would make the pitch resistant to wet weather conditions.
The current ground is just south of Sheffield’s county border with Derbyshire.
Sheffield FC fan and club historian, Andrew Dixon, highlighted the importance of bringing the club north into Meadowhead, and back to the city.
He said: “Crucially, we will be back in Sheffield. I love Dronfield but it doesn't feel right for Sheffield Football Club to be playing in Derbyshire.”
Mr Dixon also compared the similarities between this stadium switch and a previous one made by the club, leaving their old site on East Bank Road.
“For well over a century, the club led a nomadic existence, playing at several grounds. So securing our own home was essential to the survival of the world's oldest club and I hope that the next move will see some success on the pitch. We're definitely due some after the last few years,” he said.
Sheffield Eagles will celebrate their 40th anniversary in 2024 which will coincide with the new stadium project.
The Eagles currently play in the Rugby League Championship, the tier below The Super League, which is the pinnacle of professional Rugby League and a division they haven't played in since 1999.
“There will be more facilities, a gym for players, an indoor supporters club and bar, the ground will be developed and it’ll allow us to push for the Super League. For us, there are no negatives. We’re beyond excited. It's something we've wanted for a very long time,” said Eagles fans, Kate Peat, 54 and her husband, Alan, 52.
Despite the plans for the Meadowhead site exciting some fans, others are worried about the travelling implications.
Mark Webster, 41, of Ellenbro Road, who believes having a ‘Super League standard’ stadium is essential, said: “There’s one negative and it's a strong one. The lack of public transport links to Meadowhead.
"As a non-motorist, it's going to be difficult to get home after games. It's ideal for motorists, and there are buses from the city centre, but they’re not very frequent, but I'm sure this is something the developers will address."
Sheffield FC and Sheffield Eagles have announced that full planning permission will be submitted early next year.
They have also invited the public to two meetings in which they will discuss the plans in more detail. The first on Tuesday, 28 November, and the second on Wednesday, 6 December: IMPORTANT: PUBLIC CONSULTATION EVENTS | Sheffield FC
Kameron Kielly Leaves Sheffield Steelers For More Ice Time
Sheffield Steelers player Kameron Kielly has left the team to return to North America after a short stint in South Yorkshire.
Kielly began his career in 2012 at the Gatineau Olympiques before spending time at the Charlottetown Islanders, Atlanta Gladiators, and eventually the Sheffield Steelers.
Kielly joined the Steelers in the summer of this year, making it his first season overseas.
After his initial signing, head coach Aaron Fox was sure of Kielly’s future success on the team.
He said: “Kam will start off in a bottom 6 role, but I feel he will be one of those guys that will be pushing that internal competition in our group for a bigger role as the season goes on.”
While playing with the Steelers, forward, Kielly, made six appearances and scored one goal on October 21 against the Nottingham Panthers.
The Steelers media manager, David Simms, confirmed that the Charlottetown native would be moving back to North America to secure ice time.
Kielly will be expected to pick up a new side in the East Coast League. It hasn’t yet been confirmed which team he will play for.
Following his departure, fans have shared words of support on X:
Other Steelers fans connected his lack of ice time to his reason for departure.
Kielly has not made a public statement, although he did repost the Steelers’ official announcement on X.
Barnsley apologise following FA Cup removal
Barnsley have apologised to everyone associated with the club following their surprise expulsion from this season’s FA Cup.
It was announced on Wednesday that Neill Collins’s side had fielded an ineligible player in their First Round Replay clash against Horsham last Tuesday.
In a statement released on the club’s website, the Tykes said: "We would like to apologise to our fans, players and staff for this regrettable error."
The player was not named, and the club are not expected to appeal the decision.
Barnsley cruised to a 3-0 victory against Horsham in front of the ITV4 cameras after a dramatic 3-3 draw at Oakwell earlier this month.
However, it is the Isthmian Premier League side who will now face Sutton United in the tournament’s Second Round next weekend.
Photo credit: 19andy76 (Flickr)
Sotona Loan Exit Confirmed
Doncaster Rovers winger Deji Sotona has joined non-league side Boston United on loan until January.
The Irishman joined the club in the summer from Burnley but has struggled to find his feet in Grant McCann’s side.
A product of the Manchester United academy, a 16-year-old Sotona was the fastest player at the Red Devils in 2019. He clocked a top speed of nearly 23mph, more than 1.2mph faster than the previous record holder Diogo Dalot according to the Daily Mail.
Sotona has featured six times under McCann this season, scoring on only one occasion. The Rovers boss confirmed a first-team player would be leaving the club at his press conference yesterday.
Photo credit: David Dixon
Emboldened Blades host Bournemouth in attempt to break free of relegation zone
Sheffield United host AFC Bournemouth at Bramall Lane tomorrow in a match that could see them finally break free of the relegation zone following Everton's points deduction.
After a disappointing start to the season, the Blades have been emboldened by a draw against Brighton and a win over Wolves in their past two fixtures.
With these four points and Everton’s 10-point deduction last week for breaching financial fair play rules, Sheffield United have climbed into 18th place in the table.
At yesterday’s press conference, manager Paul Heckingbottom said: “In terms of where we are, we want to keep momentum going.
“The message hasn’t changed. We’re going to have difficult moments but we have to ride them out and capitalise when we’ve got good momentum.”
Heckingbottom confirmed both Oliver McBurnie and Anel Ahmedhodzic have recovered from recent injuries and will be in contention for starting positions on Saturday, news that will bolster many fans’ expectations of success.
However, Bournemouth is riding its own resurgent wave after a shock 2-0 victory over Newcastle before the international break, paving the way for an exciting basement battle between the sides.
Sheffield’s propulsion out of the danger zone also relies on Crystal Palace beating or drawing to Luton at Kenilworth Road.
On the topic of Everton’s points deduction being to his advantage, Heckingbottom refused to be distracted, and said: “It’s not going to help us get the points we need.”
But he did fire a warning shot towards the Premier League over its investigations into other clubs, such as Manchester City and Chelsea: “You can’t punish one team and not others. There has to be consistency.”
The match will be played on the two year anniversary of Heckingbottom taking over as club manager, an appointment which saw the Blades dominate the Championship and regain their place in the Premier League.
It also follows an international break which saw several impressive performances for members of the squad, including midfielder James McAttee netting a superb brace for England in the U21 Euro Qualifiers against Serbia to help them claim a 3-0 victory.
Supporters have been invited to join a minute’s applause in the 37th minute of the game in memory of Blades fan Matt Hardy, who died aged 37 after a two-year battle with cancer.
Sheffield United v. AFC Bournemouth kicks off at 3pm tomorrow at Bramall Lane.
Bereaved families of students who died by suicide to give evidence at Parliamentary committee
Grieving parents are preparing to tell their stories to the nation’s MPs at a government committee next week in a fight to get a duty of care enshrined in law.
The evidence will be given to the Petition Committee, a parliamentary group which will go over the contents of a petition submitted by campaign groups #ForThe100 and The LEARN Network.
This is ahead of a debate at Westminster Hall on June 5 which MPs will attend and voice their support in order for it to be passed to the next stage of the legal process.
One of the families attending is Dr Mark Shanahan who lost his 22-year old son Rory while he was studying at the University of Sheffield in 2018.
“We want the law to have teeth,” Dr Shanahan said. “This is not something that is going to finish on June 5. Think of Everest. We've got to base camp so there is a long way to go.”
MPs who have spoken in support of the petition include Helen Grant, the MP for Maidstone and the Wield who joined The Learn Network in delivering the petition to Downing Street ahead of the debate next month. Conservative MP Caroline Nokes was also present.
Other MPs such as Darren Henry for Broxtowe, attended the event after the petition was handed in where the families of those who had lost their loved ones to suicide at university read out testimonials.
Sheffield MPs, Olivia Blake and Paul Blomfield as well as Andrew Western for Stretford and Urmston were also at the event.
A spokesperson for Matthew Western, the Labour MP for Warwick and Leamington, said: “Matt is aware of the campaign and has met both campaign groups in Parliament and elsewhere. He will be the Shadow Minister responsible for responding to the debate on 5 June.”
Professor Edward Peck, the government’s first Student Support Champion, said in relation to the time it would take to put the duty of care into legislation: “18 months to two years to do all of what is in training around student mental health, some changes much sooner.”
In response to the petition, the government said: “Higher education providers do have a general duty of care to deliver educational and pastoral services to the standard of an ordinarily competent institution and, in carrying out these services, they are expected to act reasonably to protect the health, safety and welfare of their students.”
Ahead of a debate next month, the Petitions Committee will hear from those involved in the petition, and representatives from charities such as PAPYRUS, Student Minds and Universities UK.
They have received more than 128,000 signatures for their joint petition which concerns the introduction of a statutory duty of care to be made a legal requirement in higher education.
Duty of care is defined by #ForThe100 as protecting students from reasonably foreseeable harm, caused either by direct injury or failing to act. It is already in place in employment law in the UK.
“We can’t sit around for ten years”: father of student who took her own life on the battle for a legal duty of care in universities
“Why is nobody listening? Why is nobody understanding? Perhaps it’s too simple and so fundamental no one believes we’re asking for it.”
These are the words of Bob Abrahart, the 67-year-old father of Natasha, a university student who tragically took her own life while studying at the University of Bristol in 2018. A member of Lived Experience for Action Right Now (the LEARN Network), he is campaigning alongside #ForThe100 for universities to have a legal duty of care.
Bob believes the whole campaign comes down to a fundamental concept: people should be cared about.
The LEARN Network and #ForThe100 are two campaign groups, set up by bereaved families, fighting for the introduction of a statutory duty of care to be made a legal requirement in higher education.
Their joint petition has received more than 128,000 signatures and debated at Westminster Hall on June 5.
The campaign groups estimate 100 university students a year take their own lives, with an estimated 319 in the period between 2017-2020 in England and Wales according to a Freedom of Information request.
Duty of care is defined by #ForThe100 as protecting students from reasonably foreseeable harm, caused either by direct injury or failing to act. It is already in place in employment law in the UK.
Natasha’s story
“We discovered after Natasha’s death that, in a second-year physics module, the students had interviews. All we know from the first one-on-one interview is that she ran out of the room,” Bob, a former university lecturer said. “We have never had any more detail on exactly what happened. That was followed by another failed attempt at an interview. We don't know what happened there either.
“Natasha was diagnosed as having social anxiety disorder. At home and amongst her friends, you wouldn't have noticed it. It's only when she was put in some stressful, performance situation such as a one-on-one presentation in class, when she went shopping, when she went out for a meal, that’s when it caused a problem.
“She only managed to be marked on two laboratory assessments. One at the beginning, which she ran out of and one just before she died. That did not go well either. For the rest, she just got zeroes because they failed to address the problem. Did they fail her? The judge ruled they caused her death. So yes.”
20-year-old Natasha took her own life on the day she was expected to participate in an oral presentation which would have taken place in front of 40 staff and students.
“They should not have subjected her to six months of non-stop, that was in effect for her, torture. It is this torture which caused her to become depressed and it's the depression that led to the suicide and they still did nothing. They carried on regardless.
“So why did they? The answer is that they didn’t have to stop.”
A civil court ruled that the University of Bristol failed to make reasonable adjustments for Natasha under the Equality Act 2010 and the Abrahart family won £50,000 in damages.
However, the judge refused to accept that the university was negligent under a duty of care - because Bristol University successfully argued that none existed.
Natasha’s father argues that if a duty of care had existed, the university wouldn’t have subjected her to the distress associated with the oral assessments that she was struggling with.
“Natasha was a wonderful daughter. She was methodical in everything she did,” the former associate professor at the University of Nottingham said. “She loved computer programming and was musical. She played piano and cello.
“She had one thing holding her back: her social anxiety disorder.”
The Abrahart family are prepared to go all the way to the Supreme Court, if that is required, to get justice for Natasha. This could take up to ten years and they believe other families should not have to go through the same process.
The University of Bristol declined to comment on the matter.
UUK response
Professor Steve West CBE, the President of Universities UK and Vice-Chancellor of UWE Bristol said every life lost to suicide is a tragedy but “although universities are investing in student support and developing partnerships with NHS services, their primary role is as settings for adult learning not health care.”
“We do not believe the proposed additional statutory duty of care, beyond the existing duties that already apply to universities, would be practical, proportionate, or the best approach to supporting students.
“We question whether a compliance-led approach will drive the cultural changes needed to promote awareness and disclosure, conversations, and co-production – all of which are needed to act on prevention and early intervention.
“We continue to work with the government, and its Student Support Champion Professor Edward Peck, on proposals to improve outcomes for students.”
Government response
In response to the petition, the Government released a statement that says higher education providers already have a general duty of care.
“This can be summed up as providers owing a duty of care to not cause harm to their students through the university’s own actions.
“Over the last decade, higher education providers have devoted considerable resources to their student support services, and a good deal of support is now widely provided to students who struggle with their mental health.”
They point to Office for National Statistics data that shows a significantly lower rate of suicide in Higher Education students compared to other people of similiar age.
Looking forward
#ForThe100 and Learn Network met with MPs in Parliament after handing in their petition to Downing Street last month.
Bob said the debate in Westminster Hall in June will need backing from them in order to get promoted through to the House of Commons.
“I think people are starting to understand that we’re not going anywhere. We’re only going forward.”
You can find out more about The Learn Network here and #ForThe100's campaign here.
Residents demand action as security crisis spirals out of control
Intruders, drug-taking and human waste are some of the issues tenants of a Sheffield apartment block have claimed are making them feel unsafe in their homes.
Since last November, some residents of Queen's House claim to have seen a constant cycle of homeless people unlawfully entering the building.
Initially, they would occupy the basement, where residents said they found human waste and drug paraphernalia.
However, since a new company, Watson, took over management of the property in December, some residents claim the situation has deteriorated further.
They said people began entering the main communal areas after an internal access keypad stopped working.
In subsequent weeks, some residents claim intruders were found in various shared areas of the building. In these places, residents again found discarded needles, as well as cigarette butts and even cups of urine.
Most recently, some residents have witnessed these individuals successfully managing to pry open the main door to gain access.
More recently, they claim to have witnessed individuals successfully managing to pry open the main door to gain access.
This has left some of them, especially women, saying they are fearful for their own safety.
One female resident has lived in the building for the past two years and said: "We cannot live like this. I'm really considering moving because it's not safe for me anymore.
The situation is out of control.”
She said she has felt so intimidated seeing homeless people taking drugs next to her flat, that several times she has walked out of the building to wait for police to remove them.
Katerina, 26, said she has been made to feel so threatened that she and her female flatmate have felt forced to temporarily leave their flat while still paying full rent.
Katerina said she has contacted the new management, but described the responses she received as "vague".
She said: "Instead of trying to do the best for the building, they don't even do the bare minimum.
"Do something, do the best that you can - that's what we deserve."
Since January 28, the building has also seen the fire brigade called out three times, with smoking indoors by the intruders being blamed.
On the final occasion, when the fire brigade entered the building, they reported that 11 of these individuals were found congregating on the fifth floor.
Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "That night, I felt anxious, upset, and frustrated - how could the conditions in this building have deteriorated so dramatically in just a few months?
"It is incredibly distressing to feel this way in the place that is supposed to be our sanctuary, yet I live with constant anxiety and the feeling that I cannot safely leave my own home.
"No one should have to live like this."
Watson Property Management said: "Watson took over the management of Queen’s House in December, and since then we have been working closely with the previous managing agent to obtain full and accurate handover information for the building.
"In parallel, we have been engaging with key stakeholders - including a residents’ group, the developer, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, the police, and the local council - to address the issues currently affecting the development.
"Our priority is to ensure that all residents feel safe in their homes and that the building is managed to the highest possible standard. We are committed to taking the necessary actions, in collaboration with our partners, to resolve the challenges on site and to deliver the best possible experience for residents.
"Protecting the safety, interests, and assets of residents, leaseholders, and our clients is - and will remain - central to Watson’s approach."
A night of culture celebrating Sheffield’s diversity at the International Cultural Evening
Sheffield hosted performances from cultures across the globe in their themed night 'The cosmos - time and space' at its student union.
This is the 53rd year the International Students Committee (ISC) has run the event.
Jia Cheng How, chair of the ISC, said: “the world is getting more international and it is important to know and understand where these people come from.”
He has attended the event in previous years and hoped the audience felt the inspiration he felt when he went.
There were 12 performances during the evening, an increase from previous years with around 700 people attending.
There were performances from both students and external dance groups, “bridging the reach across Sheffield” to share inspiring stories through music and dance.
The Nigerian society performed for the first time at the event.
Nick Oni, a third year student and the president, chose to perform afrobeats and wanted to bring some happiness during these difficult times.
Ore, a member of the Nigerian society, said: “These songs should remind us to love each other.”
While it was the Nigerian society that performed, they stated how they represented all African countries and cultures throughout the evening.
At the event, there were food stalls showcasing different cultural food.
Tendai Taruvinga ,35, founded Veafy, which provides African-inspired dishes. It included food such as Ghanaian-inspired jackfruit, akara skewers and a South African relish.
He said: “The food is all plant-based to make it inclusive and sustainable.”
The celebration highlighted the vibrancy of Sheffield’s diversity and how it strengthens the community.
University advises students amid meningitis outbreak
Following an outbreak of a rare invasive meningitis in Kent, the University of Sheffield reassures students there are currently no reported cases of meningitis on campus, and the risk of an outbreak remains very low.
In an email sent to all students, Vice-President for Education Mary Vincent encouraged students to familiarise themselves with the symptoms.
They should seek prompt medical advice if needed, as the disease spreads quickly.
The message follows reports of a serious outbreak at the University of Kent where 13 cases of invasive meningococcal disease, a combination of meningitis and septicaemia, have been detected.
The outbreak has resulted in two deaths, while 11 people are reported to be seriously ill.
In a statement, the University of Kent said: “We recognise that this is a very sad and worrying time for our community and we are doing everything we can to offer advice and support.”
Officials confirmed that known contacts of confirmed cases have been contacted and given guidance, while students considered at risk have been offered antibiotics as a precaution.
The University of Kent also announced that no in-person assessments or exams will take place this week, with students expected to receive further information about alternative arrangements.
Meanwhile, Sheffield students are being encouraged simply to stay informed about the symptoms of meningitis and seek medical advice promptly if they feel unwell.
Click here to learn more about meningitis:
https://sheffield.ac.uk/health-service/more-services/information-resources/meningitis
How is conflict in the Middle East affecting people in Sheffield?
The US war with Iran has caused fuel prices to spike, which is already having an impact on drivers in Sheffield.
Data from the RAC shows both petrol and diesel prices have risen steadily since the conflict began on 28 February, reaching an 18-month high.
The conflict has the potential to cause a bigger shock to energy prices than the Ukraine war, but at the moment the full impact remains unclear.
For now, the pence-per-litre remains well below the peak in July 2022 of over 190p for unleaded petrol and 199p for diesel.
Last week on Friday 13 March, the Government met with the fuel industry, after concerns they were profiteering from the crisis by hiking prices prematurely.
The Petrol Retailers Association denied the claims.
What is happening in the Middle East?
The US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran on the 28 February, killing the supreme leader Ali Khamenei in the capital Tehran. The conflict has since spread to Lebanon.
Iran has responded by almost completely blocking ship movements through the vital global shipping route, the Strait of Hormuz.
Nicky Robinson is one of Sheffield's drivers with increasing fuel prices on her mind. She said: “When we've had crises before it's always the fuel prices that are affected first.
"I'm looking at changing my car at the moment, so we have been looking at electric options instead of fuel."
People who drive to work, or as part of their work, are at the sharp end of the surge.
Ms Robinson added: "My son travels an hour and a half to work every day so he's noticed it in his fuel bill because it's now costing him £150 a week just to get to work. It would cost £100 before, so its increased quite a lot."
Petros is a delivery driver for courier service Evri. He has to cover his own fuel costs as part of his role.
"I'm self employed so what I used to get as disposable income has been significantly reduced by close to 5%, which is very much looking at the people that depend on me.
“It's affecting almost every sector of the economy, even in the retail sector we find out that fuel prices are also increasing. It's having an impact in the lives of many of us, especially those of low income."
Petros is originally from Zimbabwe, and told Sheffield Wire: "It's actually affecting us not only here in the UK but also back home in Africa, its having a very huge impact."
Gary Smith, General Secretary of GMB Union, said: “The escalating conflict in the Middle East shows it’s absolutely vital that the UK has a secure domestic oil and gas supply.
"Years of mismanagement from the Conservatives have left the country terribly exposed.
"The Government must grasp the nettle and act to ensure our oil and gas policy helps protect the UK from global turbulence."
Another driver, David, told Sheffield Wire he'd heard petrol station staff had been getting "hassle".
"You feel like they've gone up really quickly, and does that reflect the market? I know petrol employees are getting a lot of abuse, so that isn't great either."
The Government have today announced a series of supports, including £53 million for low income families who heat their homes with oil.
However, concerns are rising around the wider impacts of a global energy crisis, that so far are yet to come.
Helen Barnard, Director of Policy and Research at food poverty charity Trussell said: "Too many people are being forced to skip meals so their children can eat, or survive on cups of tea because they don’t have any food left in the cupboards.
"The pandemic and cost of living crisis have left deep scars. Severe hardship still weighs heavily on daily lives, leaving people feeling overlooked and left behind.
"As we face uncertain times again, progress can be too easily undone. We need the UK government to continue to take meaningful and lasting action so all of us have what we need to get by."
Council to decide if KFC branch can stay open until 4am after public objections
IMAGE: N Chadwick
Two Green Party councillors are arguing Ecclesall Road's KFC should be refused extended opening hours amid public health and residential disturbance concerns.
Sheffield City Council (SCC)'s Licensing Sub-Committee will decide tomorrow whether the fast food chain's request for an extension from its current 11.30pm closing time to 4am should be approved.
SCC's Public Health department recommended refusing the fast food chain's request for extended hours, citing the area as a "high-risk area for crime and disorder" and sharing concerns about noise, traffic disturbance and littering.
Public Health also presented evidence that the combination of takeaway shops and establishments serving alcohol contributes to disturbance, disorder and antisocial behaviour in the area.
It pointed out that the branch sits in an area of deprivation higher than the national average, and that high numbers of fast-food outlets in areas of higher deprivation can be associated with the rise in obesity.
"Extending this premises closing time to 4am risks exacerbating existing health inequalities," the recommendation read.
Green Party Councillors for Broomhill and Sharrow Vale, Angela Argenzio and Brian Holmshaw, also argued against extending KFC's opening hours.
In similarly-worded emails, the councillors asked the Licensing Committee to reject the application: "The late opening of licenced premises already affects local people, with an increase in antisocial behaviour, noise, and taxis waiting with their engines running.
"Also, extra litter has been reported, and more importantly there has been an increase in crime against women (sexual harassment), especially in the area near the botanical gardens, which are opposite the location of this business."
Gethin Spencer, 23, a student who lives on Ecclesall Road, said he would prefer for the establishment to remain closed after midnight, despite it being his favourite KFC in Sheffield.
"I don't want anyone on a drunken night out flocking past my house, loud and rowdy, and I don't want KFC to be the benefactor of why I'm losing sleep," Mr Spencer said.
However, KFC's representative rebuked these claims, calling the councillors' concerns "broad" and "area-wide", without "premises-specific evidence".
KFC also said the application was not objected to by South Yorkshire Police.
"The absence of a police objection is the strongest indicator that our extended hours will not undermine the crime and disorder objective," said the response.
It suggested that noise disturbances would be limited because of the premises' door closing mechanism, and that staff will conduct litter patrols within the precinct every 30 minutes after midnight.
"There is no evidence of safety concerns arising from this site," the representative added.
Sheffield screening of “No One Rides Alone” platforms rare disease
A veteran with a rare disease was joined by his friends to cycle the 1955 Tour de France route, making a sports documentary to raise money and awareness for his disorder.
Clive Phillips has Multifocal Motor Neuropathy (MMN), a rare disorder where his immune system attacks his motor nerves. This makes it hard for the nerves to send electrical signals that move the body.
One of his symptoms included having the hand strength of a healthy 90-year-old, prior to treatment.
Less than 1 in 100,000 people suffer from MMN and it is often misdiagnosed as Motor Neuron Disease (MND) or other similar conditions.
Flipping the acronym, Clive is also founder of Making the Most of Now (MMN), a healthcare and patient advocacy for people with rare diseases. He worked in partnership with Silvereye Films to make the film "No One Rides Alone".
The film sets out to prove that someone with MMN can take on such a colossal challenge.
Clive is joined on the cycle by fellow veterans, Jon Ager, Frank Culvervell, Steve Shirley and Dave Walker.
Along the journey they also had Paralympians Ben Watson and Ilaria Brugnoli cycle alongside the group.
The film is currently touring in the UK, to begin the fundraising for Inflammatory Neuropathies UK and GBS/ CDIP.
It showcased in Curzon Cinema, Sheffield on Thursday 12 March which fellow cyclist Mr Walker was able to attend.
Mr Phillips said that the best part of the tour so far has been creating a sense of community especially when 'having a rare disease can be so isolating'; one screening had three people with MMN present.
A major theme of the documentary was 'giving people the pleasure of being able to help you' this was something Mr Phillips clearly found difficult during the challenge and still after.
He said: "I don't want to be the first person going actually, I am struggling. Because naturally you don't want to slow everybody down, you don't want to be the weak link.
And I had to and that’s probably my biggest lesson, that I need to be really honest about where I am at.”
After the screenings, Q&A sessions were held giving the audience a chance to ask questions both about the rare disease and process of filming the documentary.
When asked about his initial reaction to Clive asking him to partake in the challenge, Mr Walker, said: "It sounds like an interesting adventure and what a great opportunity to support a mate.
Clive needed my help, so it wasn’t something I can say no to.”
The UK tour of "No One Rides Alone" comes to an end Wednesday 18 March, before the film begins screening in Australia and New Zealand and then the USA.
To watch a trailer of the film click here.
Starmer outlines key steps to protect Brits’ energy prices
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has offered reassurances to those most exposed to rising heating oil prices, by pledging £53m to "vulnerable families".
The PM outlined a five-point plan at a briefing this morning where he has promised greater government control of the oil market by capping and cutting energy bills and regulating the UK oil market.
The plan will fast track the government's clean energy plan of £90bn in investment for clean British energy, especially nuclear energy.
Sir Keir has also promised a swift resolution to the war in Iran and was damning of those who would follow the US into war with Iran.
"That is not leading, that is following," he said.
The conflict in Iran and the subsequent blocking of the Straits of Hormuz has meant the price of oil has sky rocketed, reaching highs of $120 (£90) a barrel last week which is a 66% increase from before the American bombing of Iran.
Consequently, the government has released emergency oil stocks at an unprecedented level, along with providing the £53m will helpfully curb these effects for those whose houses are primarily heated by oil.
The PM shared his own experiences of hardship growing up in a working class family in the 1970s, and said: "This government will always support working people."
In the long-term however, the governments plans to fast track green energy are crucial in combatting growing instability in the Middle East.
The PM was also keen to stress that the government were working with their allies to reopen the Straits of Hormuz and generally improve the stability of the region.
He said: "We cannot allow the war in the gulf to turn into a windfall for Putin."
Sir Keir has met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday morning, with plans in place to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in the afternoon.
Sheffield charity provides safe space and support for young asylum seekers
A Sheffield charity group is supporting young refugees and asylum seekers to settle into the city and make friends through a youth project.
The Happy Group, run by Chilypep, provides a safe space where young people can socialise, take part in creative activities and access support to help them adjust to life in Sheffield.
Chilypep is labelled to be a young people's empowerment project, with locations in Sheffield, Barnsley, South Yorkshire and beyond, with the aim to raise the voices of young people and aid them in staying connected.
The Happy Group runs regular sessions for those who have recently arrived in the UK, including activities such as arts and crafts, cooking and social trips.
The aim of the Happy Group is to give young people a sense of belonging and help them integrate into the local community in Sheffield.
The group also works in collaboration on various campaigns to promote the rights of young migrant people in Sheffield and across the UK.
If you wish to support the charity through donation, you can do so through visiting Chilypep's website here.
Sheffield protesters rally over Iran crisis
Iranians took to Sheffield city centre on Sunday to protest against the Islamic Regime in Iran.
Protesters gathered at Sheffield City Hall with flags and placards, singing national songs and chants to show patriotism while calling for political change in Iran.
One protester said: “We want freedom, we don’t want this government who has destroyed this country (Iran)”.
The demonstration was part of a wider wave of protests around the world as tensions surrounding Iran have grown.
In January, the largest ever protest took place in Iran calling for the removal of the current government, which led to thousands of protestors being killed.
On February 28, President Trump and Prime Minister of Israel, Netanyahu, launched surprise missile airstrikes leading to the death of Iran's former supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iranians in Sheffield took to the streets to celebrate his death.
However, as he has now been replaced with his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, they are calling for a complete dismantling of the government in support of a “free Iran”.
At the protest they thanked and celebrated the actions of President Trump and the Prime Minister of Israel, Netanyahu, for their involvement in the war and the removal of the former Ayatollah Khamenei.
Another protestor called for countries, including the UK, to remove their support of the Mullah, clerics who hold power in Iran, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps who are loyal to the supreme leader and have an enormous amount of influential influence beyond the military.
The protester said: “They are outsiders of Iran. We’re asking the UK government to not support the Mullah, please.”
The war in the Middle East has been ongoing for just over 2 weeks.
This protest is one of many and Iranians in Sheffield have stated they will continue to protest until they witness a ‘free Iran’.
Crookes councillor pushes for private landlords to improve housing standards across Sheffield
A local councillor has called for a licensing scheme, which holds landlords accountable for housing repairs, to be made city wide.
Two previous pilot schemes saw a total of £1.45m improvements of housing repairs. They forced landlords to fix £250,000 repairs on a small scale in Chesterfield Road, London Road, Abbeydale Road and Page Hall.
The Crookes and Crosspool councillor, Minesh Parekh, said the council has a tendency to deprioritise "student heavy areas" such as Crookesmoor and Broomhill.
Mr Parekh said: "I don't think anyone's housing quality should be left to chance, left to a lottery system."
The scheme in Page Hall saw the largest improvements of £1.2m which shows the potential of a landlord licensing in Sheffield.
Sheffield resident Abi Cowley, 20, lives at home, but she often witnessed her friends struggling with student accommodation as small repairs were often dismissed.
Nationally the Renters Right Act will be enforced in May 2026. This will change fixed term tenancies for private renters to a monthly rolling contract.
Initially, this will provide more security for tenants over their landlords.
Mr Parekh said: "In student heavy areas, you've got more transit to your population and therefore you've got people who are potentially less likely to raise issues with the council than other areas with large numbers of private renters."
The Labour government in December 2024 lifted the requirement of Secretary of State approval being needed for selective licensing schemes.
The previous restrictions in 2015 meant schemes required general approval and for at least 20% of the area had to be covered in the planning for it to be reviewed by the government.
The landlord licensing scheme motion is being considered by Sheffield City Council.
The councillor urged renters to contact councillors on the housing committee and to email phs@sheffield.gov.uk to show support for a landlord licensing scheme.
Student loan inquiry opens as average graduate debt reaches £53,000
The Government is calling for evidence from those with a "lived experience" of student loans, as the Treasury Committee opens an inquiry into mounting levels of graduate debt.
According to their website, the inquiry aims to find out whether current loan repayment agreements are fair for graduates, and to tackle "widespread dissatisfaction among graduates who may not have fully understood their repayment terms and the possibility they could change."
Student loans are offered to any student enrolled on a recognised full-time higher education course, and are split into tuition loans, to be paid directly as fees to the university, and maintenance loans, which change depending on the needs of the student.
According to the House of Commons Library, there is £267bn of student loan debt in the UK, with a new £21bn given out each year between around 1.5 million students.
Estimates suggest total student loan debt will reach £500bn by 2050 based on current repayment rates.
The average debt per person for those who left university in 2024 was £53,000, with many doubtful they will ever be able fully repay them.
In the 2025 budget, the Government announced it would freeze the loan repayment threshold for those with plan 2 loans, which is most people who joined university between September 2012 and July 2023 for three years.
This means that these graduates will begin to pay their loan back on any income over £29,385, paying 9% of anything earned over this threshold.
At the same time, those with plan 2 loans will get 6.2% interest on their debt whilst studying.
The freeze means that the repayment threshold will not increase alongside inflation as it has previously, with National Union of Students (NUS) vice-president Alex Stanley saying it is now "dangerously close" to the minimum wage.
A study by the Higher Education Statistics Agency found that the average graduate salary in Yorkshire and the Humber was only £28,165, meaning that the majority of people would not even reach the threshold to start repaying their loans.
On their website, the NUS have called the freeze a "stealth tax" on graduates, and called for better terms which allow graduates to pay their debt off faster than it grows.
At the same time, very few students appear to fully understand the terms of their loans, and how much debt they will have after they graduate.
The Government inquiry will aim to look at whether the student loan repayment system is currently unfair and, if not, how it should be changed to make it more equitable.
Potential measures being considered include scrapping interest on student loans, and altering interest rates depending on income.
You can submit evidence to the inquiry here.
Sheffield’s wood burning problem: How will one of the UK’s most densely polluted cities be affected by government consultation?
Wood burning stoves are a growing method of heating and Sheffield is no exception to this phenomenon, with the South-West of the city having one of the highest densities of wood burners in the north.
A two-month Government consultation ends this week, with new guidelines on wood-burning-stoves to be addressed, in an attempt to reduce emissions from homes.
Wood burning is one is the main sources of particulate pollution in the UK, and many residents have voiced their concerns over the impact. Between August 2023 and September 2024, 208 complaints were made to Sheffield City Council, who sent 135 warning letters, but issued zero fines.
One woman from Totley, who wishes to remain anonymous, feels the increase of people using wood burners has significantly affected her family. She believes that her mother developed respiratory problems due to someone's wood burner.
The occupants had installed a chimney, causing smoke to enter through her bedroom window. She said : "My mother was waking up at two in the morning with asthma symptoms.
"She had never had asthma before, but suddenly when she woke up she couldn't breathe."
Her mother was provided with a monitor to measure pollutants and particulates, but she claims the readings were inaccurate.
She feels this problem is part of a bigger issue around the need for cleaner air in Sheffield. "I can't go out running in winter because of the choking flames on my street, you're just not breathing fresh air," she said.
Sheffield City Council announced a clean air zone in the city centre in 2023, to reduce harmful emissions by drivers. Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs), vans, and taxis must pay a £10 daily fine, £50 per day for coaches, buses and lorries, if they do not meet Euro 6 diesel standards.
Despite these limitations, there is no legislation on wood burning inside the city. Our anonymous source said: "I'd like to move closer to the city, but I just don't dare, the smell (from wood-burning) is so much stronger."
"How is this in the spirit of the clean air act? It's not."
She called for stronger Government legislation and council enforcement to prohibit wood-burners. "The council have absolutely neglected this issue," she said. "They are neglecting communities."
Sheffield Wire has contacted Sheffield City Council for comment.
South-West Sheffield is one of the densest spaces for wood burner usage. Sheffield Wire travelled to Hunters Bar to discover whether people use wood burners and what their feelings on the heavily debated source of heating are.
Everyone we asked owned a wood burner, but they had differing opinions on their effects and whether legislation should be introduced.
Yannia, a local resident, said rising gas prices have made wood burning a much cheaper alternative. "It's the only way people will keep warm at this moment in time," she said.
"I'd cut down trees to keep my family warm, if it wasn't for a log burner what would young working families do?"
Matt, 32, shared concerns about potential legislation, believing it would be too controlling on individual's way of life. He was one of many residents who suggested alternate heating methods. "There are better ways to log burn ethically, if you're educated there's not much of a problem," he said.
"Burning timber is better than coal, if we can make timber readily available that's a better approach."
Matt said he was currently looking at buying a house, and due to rising energy costs, has decided to purchase a log burner. "I don't want to rely on the war in The Middle East for oil prices," he said.
Emma, 50, another resident also suggested alternate heating methods."We should move more towards a heat pump, it uses electricity generated from natural resources, it's less polluting to the atmosphere," she said.
"A cleaner air environment should be what we're aiming for, wood burners pollute the atmosphere, we should have some legislation."
"I do accept for some people it might be the cheapest option," she admitted.
Another resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said they ignore the environmental impact of wood burners because of their convenience. It's so expensive to heat the home, the convivence of a wood burner means she doesn't think about long term impacts, she said.
The Iran war has completely obscured oil prices with the price per litre of oil having doubled since the start of the conflict, many people may see wood burning as a much cheaper alternative.
Our first anonymous source disagreed that cost was an issue. She described wood burners as a 'middle-class phenomenon'. She said: "The vast majority of people using wood burners can afford it." She described them as a 'decoration piece', not a way of saving money.
But risks of pollution remain. Dr Maria Val Martin, a researcher at the University of Sheffield has published multiple articles on greenspace and air pollution disparities in urban Northern-England. Her research shows ethnic minorities in Sheffield face higher NO2 (nitrous oxide) levels and lower greenspace density exposure, with wood burning concentrated in colder, more deprived regions.
Charities have published significant warnings on pollution levels in the city. Mums for Lungs state fireplace usage leads to a 70% higher risk for lung cancer with air pollution in the home causing 2,500 premature deaths. They state an open fire emits over 4,000 times more than a particulate matter pollutant (PM2.5) than a gas heater.
Another charity, Clean Air for Sheffield, has been campaigning against wood burners since 2017. They have previously run art exhibitions in the Moor, to highlight PM2.5s and clean air awareness.
This week, both charities have expressed their concerns about lobbyist threats to anti-wood burning campaigns.
The Stove Industry Association (SIA), has threatened at least eight councils with legal action over public information campaigns which claim wood burners are "careless not cosy", stating this is in breach of UK advertising laws.
Mums for Lungs said this is even more reason for people to respond to harmful wood burning.
They have expressed worries about what the Government consultation will achieve.
Labour are set to introduce health warning labels on new wood burning stoves , with a sticker providing information on energy levels of fuel made mandatory. The Government has said this will: “provide customers with the information they need to make informed choices, including information about the health impacts of domestic burning."
Mums for Lungs believe this is not enough. "This might sound promising but actually this won't reduce the current high levels of wood burning pollution at all," they said.
Our main anonymous source agreed that this was not sufficient. "There should be annual MOT's on them, like we do on cars," she said.
Journalist Sam Gregory, who has worked with Mums for Lungs, feels the issue is awareness, and believes people are unaware of the dangers of wood burning. Mr Gregory claims the proposed Government reform is not enough. He said the Government is worried about it becoming a bigger issue. Mr Gregory said wood burners should be banned within five years, with a complete ban on wood burners in homes with children necessary.
The Government's full scheme will be revealed this week, but for now Sheffield residents are left unsure whether any further action to provide a cleaner, safer environment will be taken.