Barnsley woman organises charity skydive in loving memory of sister
Jyneen Haughie, 37, from Barnsley, is coordinating a charity skydive of 19 people, to raise money for the epilepsy society and to commemorate her sister who died suddenly aged 22.
Clareese Haughie had suffered from epilepsy from a young age - among other undiagnosed conditions - but had been signed off by her doctor as perfectly healthy just a few weeks before she passed away.
Her cause of death is still unknown, but Jyneen said that, though epilepsy wasn’t what caused her to pass away it was a big part of who she was and so it was only right to honour her in this way.
The skydive will take place on the day of Clareese’s first "heavenly birthday" in May to celebrate her memory.
Jyneen said: "Clareese was an adrenaline junkie, we’re doing it for her because she would’ve loved it."
The family took part in a charity skydive last year, to raise money for Alzheimer's Society after their grandmother was diagnosed.
The pre-booked date fell just two days after Clareese’s funeral, but Jyneen insisted that it was important to go through with it: "Up until my sister passed, we were so nervous, but on the day it was so calm.
"We’d just been through the worst thing that had ever happened to us, whatever we did was nothing in comparison to carrying her coffin two days before."
This time they are raising the stakes by jumping from even higher, a soaring 15,000 ft in the air.
The 19 skydivers are made up of family members and close friends who spent lots of time with Clareese over the years.
This fundraiser is happening against the background of epilepsy awareness month, which seeks to raise awareness for cases such as Clareese's.
The family are still hoping for answers about the cause of Clareese's death, as her condition was an undiagnosed mystery.
Because of this and to help others they chose to donate Clareese's brain to science.
Jyneen said: "We will do anything to make sure no other family has to go through what we did."
When asked about anything she would like to say to other families with a disabled loved one, she said: "Keep doing what you’re doing, because it is making a huge difference to these kids".
As the owner of The Corner Pin pub in Barnsley, Jyneen has organised many fundraising events alongside the skydive, ranging from Sheffield to Preston.
She hopes this will help reach their target of £5,000, and make a difference for other families through Clareese's memory.
If you are interested in donating to Clareese’s memorial page for the epilepsy society, please follow this link: https://www.justgiving.com/page/jyneen-haughie-1698159235213?utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=page%2Fjyneen-haughie-1698159235213&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=pfp-share
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.
Scientists lobby MPs over climate change
This week scientists campaigned MPs at Westminster to end new oil and gas drilling. The question is - will their MPs listen?
On normal days, scientists are doing science where they normally do it - in a lab. But this week, a strong-minded coalition of them did something unusual: they left their algae specimens, ice experiments, and urban conservation projects behind to travel to the ornate halls of Westminster.
Their demands were simple: to formally request that their local MPs walk out of their offices, meet them in the ancient hallways of Parliament, and listen to them argue for an end to new oil and gas drilling in the UK.
The process is called “green carding,” because constituents fill out their requests on small green cards at the desk of Westminster’s vaulted Central Lobby.
On Tuesday, the group, which also included doctors and mental health professionals, came from as far afield as York, Cambridge, and Wales. They secured meetings with 12 MPs or their staff, including Conservative, Labour, and SNP party representatives.
Dr Abi Perrin, a 34-year-old algae microbiologist at York University who organised the action, explained: “I see it as my responsibility as someone who has the privilege to be able to study the world around me to also act on those findings.”
The International Energy Agency stated all new oil and gas field exploration must stop if humanity wants to limit global warming to 1.5C.
Last September, Rishi Sunak’s government approved a licence for the development of Rosebank, the UK’s largest untapped North Sea oilfield, which is projected to release as much carbon dioxide as 56 coal plants in a year and to produce 8% of the UK’s oil from 2026 to 2030.
Labour Leader Keir Starmer
One of the scientists, 70-year-old ecologist Dr Jeff Waage, of University of London, was so determined to speak about stopping the Rosebank oilfield to his local MP, Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer, that he waited four and a half hours on a wooden bench with no response.
Last Friday, Sir Keir Starmer was at a gas terminal in Aberdeenshire, discussing the future of UK oil. Speaking on The News Agents podcast from Scotland, he said: “Where there are existing fields, existing licences, we’re not intending to interfere with that in any way.”
Dr Waage, a former government advisor, spent most of his career avoiding political advocacy as an activist, something he now regrets. “I now look back at that as an abandonment of responsibility. My grandchildren will live to see the next century.”
His message for Sir Keir is simple: “Even assuming that Keir knows what the science is, the message I could give to him is that the evidence is being ignored in policy making. Why are you allowing Rosebank to go ahead if you become the next government?”
Even though Dr Waage didn’t see Sir Keir that day, he wasn't deterred by the Labour Leader failing to show, explaining, “It energised me to keep pushing. You build up a relationship over time through your MP. Now I’ve got one card up on this.”
The Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Net Zero Kerry McCarthy, and her take on fossil fuels
Environmental social scientist Dr Stuart Capstick, 48, of Cardiff University, took his eight-year-old son, Isaac, to meet his Bristol East MP, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Net Zero Kerry McCarthy, for an hour-long discussion.
Over tea and hot chocolate in Parliament’s ornate Pugin Room, Dr Capstick challenged Ms McCarthy. “I’d love to hear there is some openness in the Labour Party of rethinking issues like Rosebank,” he asked.
Ms McCarthy explained they are not going to put an end to pre-existing licences at Rosebank, but they will oppose any new applications. She went on to say, “We will have to compensate in other areas. Once Rosebank comes on one side of the balance sheet, the question is what are you going to do to counteract that?”
She went on to suggest solutions such as carbon capture, electric vehicles, and solar and offshore wind power.
Dr Capstick pushed back asking, “If there is a balancing act needed against Rosebank, where is the balance found, when you’re building airports?”
After the 60 minute meeting came to a close, Dr Capstick expressed his frustration at the lack of progress. “It’s very easy to feel disheartened,” he said.
However, he still sees his conversation with Ms McCarthy as an opportunity. “You never know, she might be sat in a meeting with Keir Starmer and Ed Miliband in a few weeks, and this issue comes up, and she says ‘oh I’ve actually had one of my constituents on at me about this.’ You never know what’s going on behind the scenes.”
Is there a climate for scientist activism?
In the last few years, there has been a massive surge in scientists becoming activists around the world, resulting in several being fired and arrested.
However, not all scientists agree they should take political action about the climate crisis. In the past, some have expressed concerns that acting politically would damage their reputation, but in the last 10 years opinions have begun to change. Recent research has found most people in the US and Germany now trust and support scientists who speak out politically about climate change, and scientists are still among the most trusted members of society.
Dr John Besley, an expert on public opinions around science at Michigan State University, still urges caution. He says, “Scientists aren’t inherently hurting the scientific community when they protest or advocate as long as they do so in a respectful way. The danger is alienating people.”
Open University astrochemistry PhD student Zac Amato, 25, believes political advocacy is a necessity. He explains, “We are the scientists that you trust to save your lives or to make all these things for you. Please trust us again that we need to do something about the climate crisis now, or it’s all going to go completely wrong.
“As scientists, it is now not just our responsibility to do the work, we have to bring that work to the seat of power.”
Police appeal after man assaulted on Abbey Lane
South Yorkshire Police are appealing for witnesses after a man was assaulted last month outside of a shop on Abbey Lane.
The suspect, described as being a white male in his early-20s, is 5ft 10in with dark brown hair and brown stubble.
He spat in the face of a woman before punching another man in the face.
The assault occurred after 2:10pm on 27 October.
Contact police at 101.
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)
“Speed limits are just that – a limit” Road Safety Week highlights dangers of careless driving
Five people die in road accidents every day in the UK, and 35 people have lost their lives in South Yorkshire in 2022, South Yorkshire Police have said.
Brake, a charity supporting people affected by road accidents and working to eliminate road deaths, is running the annual Road Safety Week campaign from 19 to 25 November. This year’s theme is ‘let's talk about speed’.
Last year, 1766 people were killed in road traffic accidents in the UK, and 28,941 were seriously injured.
A spokesperson for the South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership (SYSRP), said: "We fully support Brake’s campaign which ultimately comes down to saving lives on our roads.
“Our partners are proud to be part of the conversation and we encourage everyone to do the right thing and travel to the speed limit or conditions of the road.”
SYSRP, a group of local authorities, organisations, and emergency services are working together to raise awareness of the dangers of speeding and encourage schools and communities across the UK to get involved in the conversation.
Matt Duffy, Roads Policing Sergeant at the South Yorkshire Police, said: “Speed limits are just that - a limit. They are not a target, and you should always drive to the conditions.
Think about how you would feel if you killed or injured someone, the effects that would have on your life, or how your family would be affected if you were killed.”
Penistone Railway secures £48m to improve the line between Sheffield and Huddersfield
Councillors have described an ambitious plan to overhaul a key South Yorkshire train line as a "no brainer".
A £48m investment will be used to double sections of the track, allowing two trains to travel in both directions on the Northern section of the line every hour.
The project, led by Kirklees Council in collaboration with Barnsley Council and South Yorkshire and West Yorkshire Mayoral authorities, will also see new electric vehicle charging points, car clubs, cycle hire and parcel delivery lockers in stations on the line.
The Penistone Line currently only allows for one hourly train to go between Huddersfield and Barnsley, going 50mph or slower in some sections, and averages a 1h 15min journey time from end to end.
Councillor Cathy Scott, Leader of Kirklees Council and Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “It’s very exciting to see so much transformation across Kirklees and beyond.
“We not only have great towns and beautiful countryside, we’re also slap bang in the middle of some of the north’s most influential cities – and our rail links help connect us with those cities, with the rest of the north, beyond that, the whole of the UK.”
The funding comes from the £169m Yorkshire and the Humber secured from the government’s Levelling Up agenda.
Coun Graham Turner, Cabinet Member for Finance and Regeneration, has been campaigning for the line to be improved for years and said the plans will have a positive economic impact across the country, not just in Yorkshire.
He said: “It’s a no brainer, it will be more reliable which is great.
“It is obvious that linking two major cities in the north makes sense and it means people living in Huddersfield, Leeds and Barnsley will have better connections to travel down the country.”
Sheffield cyclists are being left behind in the council’s latest transport plans
Cyclists have once again been left behind after the leader of Sheffield City Council, Tom Hunt, announced his plans to improve both bus and tram routes in the city earlier this week.
There are a variety of difficulties that cyclists in Sheffield face when travelling around the city, including navigating the poor infrastructure and a lack of joined up cycle lanes.
Local cyclist, Becky Hammond, said: “The hills are not the problem. The existing cycling infrastructure is poor. There are a lot of ‘cycle lanes’ that are actually just painted gutters.”
Sheffield’s tram tracks are a particular problem for cyclists. The Cycle Sheffield campaign has created a crash map where cyclists can add the location of accidents they have been involved in.
An overwhelming number of cyclists have been involved in collisions or falling off their bikes when cycling on the tram tracks.
Becky said: “If you cycle down the middle of the tracks, drivers behind get cross because you’re not over to the side: but you can’t move across because there isn’t room to do so safely.”
In 2017, the council approved a Tram Cycle Safety Action Plan. To this day, the only item from that plan that has been enforced is the warning signs. Simple changes, such as the implementation of SafeRail, a plastic insert into the tram tracks, would make cycling safer.
Active transport advocate, Dr James Smith, said: "Sheffield feels a bit behind everywhere else, frankly, in cycling infrastructure. I can see work is happening in some places but it feels very minimal and most of it is orientated towards the city centre."
Becky told the Sheffield Wire that many schemes that would improve conditions for cyclists have already been funded, with little progress being made by the council to achieve their promises. She said: “Millions of pounds is sitting there, not being spent and losing value, and there’s absolutely nothing to show for it over two years after funding was approved.”
Dr Smith has been in contact with his local councillor for around seven months to get more cycle racks put on Sharrow Vale Road but has seen no tangible change.
Safer cycling routes would encourage more people to choose cycling over driving their car, which is better for both the environment and people's health. While the council have stated their ambition is to provide residents with facilities that are welcoming and inclusive, the unsafe cycling routes mean that many parents are unwilling to allow their children to cycle.
Ben Miskell, the Chair of Transport, Regeneration and Climate for the council, recently talked about how he wants to make it easier for cyclists at the Cycle Sheffield AGM.
Mr Miskell was approached for comment.
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
MOBO awards 2024: Excitement grows as the awards are coming to Sheffield for the first time
''Slambarz'', Sheffield black community music group, are ''gassed'' to welcome the MOBO awards to Sheffield.
The UK’s biggest black music celebration will be held in the Utilita Arena in Sheffield on 7 February 2024.
Dominic Heslop, otherwise known as The 1Devotion, said: ''I feel crazy, excited, gassed, happy, inspired. Especially for all the young people who have been waiting for something like this. With art or everything in life looks so far away from you, to know they’re going to be on your doorstep is truly inspiring.''
Mr Heslop is the organiser of Slambarz, a live performance and artist development group for young people aged 14-25. The group started in 2017 and have been performing at the Leadmill, and also performed at Tramlines in 2023. Mr Heslop described it as ''A community of creative young people who can vibe.''
The MOBO awards are likely to offer new opportunities to Sheffield's young artists. Mr Heslop said: ''I think it’s going to champion everything. Having the MOMOs is really going to amplify us into the realms of London and other bigger cities.''
Lavelle Daley, Sheffield singer-songwriter, said: ''I am always going to London to get opportunities. It’s so nice that for once something is coming here. It’s going to shed light and bring eyes to what’s going on in Sheffield. I feel like right now the black community in Sheffield is thriving.''
Ms Daley said that the MOBO awards will shed light to the talent that exists outside of London and represent Sheffield's black music scene.
Ms Daley said: ''With black culture everything runs into music, food, family, so growing up in and around Pitsmoor I’ve always been around music and black influence, Jamaican people. That’s definitely inspired me and made me want to be a pop star.''
Waiting list crisis – 200 volunteers needed for loneliness programme to support the elderly
Sheffield Churches Council for Community Care's (S&4C's) Good Neighbour Programme focuses on loneliness and isolation of people aged over 65 in Sheffield, and demand is high.
The charity supports people with health, physical and mental challenges but when asked what was at the heart of the service Tammy Wilson, Good Neighbour Scheme Manager said: "It is all about putting the world to rights with that person with a brew and being that friend, that listening ear for people who sometimes don't have anyone else to talk to."
Volunteers have told Ms Wilson it is the most rewarding volunteer role they've ever had, she said "It can be life changing to have even just one person visit for an hour. Someone who was actually given their time to spend time with you."
The programme also acts as a vital bridge to other services. Ms Wilson explained that the carer of one lady they support was badly injured and became unable to care for her. It was only through the conversations with S&4C's volunteer that they were able to find out she was living in damp, and couldn't get to the shop to get meds.
The GP and adult social care were immediately contacted. 72 hours after one conversation with a volunteer, the lady was in a completely different situation.
Ericka Hill - Volunteer Manager (Left) Tammy Wilson - Good Neighbour Scheme Manager (Right) (Source: Ollie Potts)
A lot of volunteers are students who miss having Grandparents or are retiring from jobs in health or social care and still want to do something. The only requirements are you have to be over 18 and have to have a DBS check.
S&4C's has been in Sheffield since 1966, is free to the end user, and currently has 167 volunteers supporting 270 people.
According to Age UK more than 2 million people in England over the age of 75 live alone. However, this issue doesn't just affect one age group.
Other spaces across the city focus on connecting the community such as the S12 community pantry. They focus on easing food poverty, while offering support through activities and advice.
We spoke with Nicolas Burke, 55, who was attending the social cafe at S12 community pantry.
Mr Burke said "having something like this where you can come and find out where you can get the help and support I think it's very important for people. Especially as they get elderly because you do get more lonely.
Having someone there to talk to its a big thing at the end of the day. It keeps your sanity. I'm only 55 that's not old. And I feel like I'm losing my marbles. God knows how someone in their 80s feels."
If you are interested in volunteering for S&4C's email: volunteers@scccc.co.uk or visit their website: www.scccc.co.uk
If you or someone you know is struggling with loneliness you can call 01142505292 to discuss a referral or head to: https://scccc.co.uk/get-help/good-neighbour-scheme
Autumn Statement: What you need to know
Jeremy Hunt made his much awaited Autumn Statement to Parliament this Wednesday, promising to reduce inflation, increase GDP and get more people back to work after the pandemic.
What are the key points from the statement?
National Insurance is set to be cut from 12% to 10% increasing take home incomes for over 27m people across the country. The tax cut will take effect on 6 January.
Class 2 National Insurance will be abolished, saving the average self-employed person £192 a year.
The National Living Wage is set to increase by 9.8% to £11.44, the largest ever increase, as Hunt claims that it will be worth up to £1800 for a full time worker.
The government will also commit £1.3b over the next five years to help nearly 700,000 people with health conditions and disabilities to find work.
However, Hunt also said that people who are not able to find work after ‘18 months of intense support’ from jobseekers will be required to take part in a mandatory work placement to increase their skills and employability.
Round 3 of the Levelling Up Foundation has been extended to include Doncaster, part of a $1b effort to upgrade socioeconomic area.
Other announcements include a 2% increase on duty for hand-rolling tobacco, alcohol duty freeze until 1 August next year and a £7m commitment over the next three years for organisations like the Holocaust Educational Trust.
What do the people of Sheffield think about the statement?
Vicki Wilson, 50, a small business owner from South Yorkshire welcomed the abolition of Class 2 National Insurance: “Times are tough and the cost of living crisis hits those who do not have a salaried job to rely on very hard. I welcome these tax cuts.”
Sara McConnell, a University of Sheffield lecturer and local Jewish community leader, believes that the government’s efforts to combat antisemitism falls short of making a real impact.
Ms McConnell said: “We [the Jewish Community] welcome anything that the government is doing to try and battle against antisemitism, but the reality is that we’re seeing a rise (in antisemitism) and this is going to look as if it’s a drop in the ocean.”
There has been concern that Hunt has failed to address the energy price cap increase. Sarah Champion, Labour MP for Rotherham, commented on X (formally known as Twitter): “Energy price cap will rise in January adding pressure on households. Didn’t mention that in the budget!”