Colourful bins designed by local artist appear across Sheffield
A series of colourful new bins have been revealed across the city encouraging people to dispose of their litter.
The new scheme is part of the Streets Ahead programme, which aims to keep Sheffield a clean and tidy place to live.
The bright new bin wraps were designed by local artist Luke Horton, featuring Yorkshire slang like ‘Chuck it in’ & ‘Purrit int bin’.
Mr Horton said: “It’s been an absolute pleasure creating these designs for Sheffield City Council, to help spread the important message about people using bins to get rid of their rubbish.
“I hope it makes a real difference and gets people thinking about chucking their litter in the right place.”
Following last year's successful Tek It Ome campaign, which aimed to tackle littering in parks and green spaces in Sheffield, the new bin wraps are appearing in several locations across the city.
Councillor Joe Otten, Chair of the Waste & Street Scene Policy Committee at Sheffield City Council said: “We have over 3000 litter bins on Sheffield’s streets that are maintained and emptied by Streets Ahead and it’s been great to work with a local designer to make some of these bins brighter and more visible.
“Nobody wants to see litter on the streets and I’m hopeful that these new bin stickers encourage more of us to purrit int bin!”
Environmental secretary criticised by Sheffield green group and former Lib Dem leader for Tory climate change ambitions
Thérèse Coffey has faced criticism for what she has written in a letter, highlighting her views on the ambitions and achievements of her party.
In her letter, she describes the Energy Company Obligation Plus (ECO+) scheme and highlights some of the work it has achieved.
The ECO+ scheme is a grant targeted at homes with a low energy efficiency rating in lower Council Tax band areas.
However, in response to her claims, sustainability group, Friends of the Earth, Sheffield said: "The current government is not acting with anything like the required urgency to combat the climate and nature crisis."
In Coffey's letter, she said: "Over 3.1 million home improvements have been made through the ECO Scheme since 2013 and the ECO+ is set to increase the total amount of insulation and other improvements across the country."
Coffey went on to highlight some of the efforts made by the Conservative party to help reach a "nationwide carbon net zero by 2050".
She said: "Each household is expected to benefit from £1,500 of spending on improving energy efficiency measures.
"Currently, only 42 per cent of homes in England are rated Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) C or higher, making this new scheme an essential step to ensure energy independence."
Her launch of the Environmental Improvement Plan was highlighted in her letter, designed to restore National Parks, clean up the country's rivers and plant more trees.
Despite Coffey's ambitious plans, she has been heavily criticised in a statement released by the environmental group.
"While they can point to isolated pockets of practice, such as some additional funding for insulation of homes, the spending on this is tiny in relation to the scale of the issues at hand and the required funding for the necessary skill development is non-existent.
"Spending on energy supply remains fixated on supporting fossil fuel development when renewable electricity is four to five times cheaper, insufficient investment is being made in alternative forms of energy generation such as tidal and battery capacity development is also under-funded while the false solution of hydrogen as a replacement fuel is being advocated.
"The targets set by the government are nowhere near being met and we are not on course to do so. Fine words may be being uttered but much more needs to done with much more energy, urgency and vigour."
Tim Farron, former leader of the Liberal Democrats and shadow Environmental Secretary, echoed the sustainability group's criticism.
He said: "We have known for some time that the Conservative Government have no intention of helping people with the energy crisis.
“They have shown time and time again that they are completely out of touch.
“Whilst Rishi Sunak is upgrading the electricity grid to heat his personal pool people are choosing whether or not to feed their children or heat their homes.
“The Liberal Democrats want to tackle this crisis head on which is why we have passed new policy this weekend at our Spring Conference to do so.
“The Conservatives decision to continually underinvest into renewable energy and insulating our homes has directly led to the crisis. We plan to change that.
“Under our plans we will boost our investment into renewables, remove the restrictions the Government have placed on new schemes, and give local authorities the power to build renewable energy sources to serve communities.
“Not only will we cut energy bills back to the levels they were in April 2021 but we will also build a social tariff to care for the most vulnerable within our society whilst working to insulate all UK homes by 2030. The effects of this will be enormous and cut our emissions and fuel bills.
“The Liberal Democrats want to solve the energy crisis by building a sustainable future for this country, which is fair to everyone."
Despite the ambitious climate goals across the political spectrum, it is clear to see that there is heated debate and considerable discourse over the UK's environmental future.
Thérèse Coffey's full constituency letter can be viewed below:
SACMHA to open new wellbeing hub for members in Sheffield this April
A health and social care charity supporting African and Caribbean communities in Sheffield is set to launch a new wellbeing hub next month.
SACMHA is a city-wide organisation which started in 1988 in response to the health and social care needs of people from African and Caribbean descent. They provide culturally responsive support to people within these communities by offering a range of services from mental health support and counselling to social cafés and digital inclusion.
The charity hopes the new hub will be a safe and welcoming space for the community to enjoy.
Service director, David Bussue, 60, said: “After the pandemic, no organisation could ignore the health inequalities compounded by the social inequalities after the murder of George Floyd.
"I really hope a lot will grow out of the hub and organisations who want to hear the authentic voice of people in our community will come and engage with us. The main goal is to improve the mental wellbeing of the community in Sheffield."
The hub grew out of a partnership when the charity were based at SADACCA with Sheffield Flourish and Andy Freeman's Space to Breathe.
It has been gratefully funded by the Tudor Trust and will offer a range of activities including a tasty Caribbean meal provided by two of SACMHA's volunteers for £5, but the organisation accepts more or less depending on what members can afford.
Mr Bussue said: "The hub is really about people with a diagnosed mental illness coming together and having that space to take part in activities and have a hot meal.
"If anyone has a specific need like applying for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or any other digital support then we're here to help them with that too."
The wellbeing hub will be open from 11am until 3pm, with the last admission at 11.30am, and is going to be located on SACMHA’s new campus on Pitsmoor Road, which has been part of a fantastic partnership with Arches Housing Association.
Mr Bussue said: “The benefits of the hub will be two-fold. It’s an early intervention approach which can help prevent someone’s mental health deteriorating and it's also an aftercare resource as even if someone has already been through the system, they still need support."
The organisation are very collaborative and love partnering with other organisations, which include but are not limited to The Health and Social Care Foundation Trust, Voluntary Action Sheffield (VAS), multiple black-led churches such as the Church of God of Prophecy on Duke Street, Health Education England and Weston Park Cancer Charity.
The charity hope to develop more partnerships in the future and are encouraging organisations to reach out to them.
Mr Bussue said: “We love forming strong and productive relationships that I hope will continue to grow."
The hub will be open to those with either a full membership who engage in activities and have a meal or those that have associate membership and come to the organisation with a particular need like digital support.
Alongside helping with research, the charity is very inclusive and whilst their primary beneficiaries are those from the African Caribbean community, they also help those from any other communities of colour and anyone in Sheffield happy to receive support from a black led organisation.
Mr Bussue said: “There’s a cliché that says if you find something that you love, you'll never work a day in your life. But I've found it to be true.
“This is honestly the best job I’ve ever had and to be able to work in and with my community has really dove-tailed so well.”
To find out more about SACMHA or receiving support visit their website here.
The charity also welcome donations and more information can be found here.
Dismissal, debt and delayed diagnosis: the “unbearable pain” of endo
Despite one in ten women living with the condition, endometriosis is under-researched and frequently misdiagnosed, say those who are currently suffering from it.
Christina Paraug’s journey with endometriosis began when she was just eight years old. Suffering severe chest pain, her doctor in Canada dismissed her concerns as growing pains, or an allergy, or maybe something in her stomach – they didn’t really know.
She was then misdiagnosed with a hairline fracture on her hip, despite never having fallen. “At that age, you're not going to question your doctor, you know?” Christina explained.
Endometriosis is a condition where tissue grows in places other than the womb, commonly the ovaries and fallopian tubes. As Christina experienced, it can also be found elsewhere. Symptoms range from stomach pain, heavy periods and nausea, to infertility, and can have a devastating impact on the lives of those who experience it.
Though Endometriosis Awareness Month is now recognised around the world, first established in 1993 in the US, there is still minimal awareness of the condition. One in 10 women suffer from endometriosis between puberty and menopause, yet 54% of people don’t know what it is, according to Endometriosis UK.
As she got older, Christina would vomit in bathroom sinks at her high school. Her friends joked about a possible pregnancy, but Christina knew something wasn’t right.
“I would be rolling on the floor crying in pain with pain in my thigh, back and stomach, yet nobody could really tell me what was wrong,” she said.
Misdiagnosis is rife amongst those who later discover they have endometriosis. This was the case for Louise, who wishes to keep her surname anonymous out of fear her diagnosis may affect her employability.
Her twenty-year experience of endometriosis was initially put down to perimenopause – the transitional time before periods officially stop.
“It’s considered something you get early in your life – not when you’re 47,” she said.
Louise considered it “luck” that she was finally diagnosed after visiting a private endometriosis specialist. Upon visiting this gynaecologist, they said: “Sh*t, we should have been seeing you a long time ago.”
“Everyone feels like a medical anomaly,” she told Sheffield Wire.
Twenty years prior, Louise was told she couldn’t have endo because she’d previously had a baby, but as she explained, it’s not that simple. Though the chance of postpartum endometritis is low, it is possible, with the risk doubling for those who have undergone a C-section.
Back in Canada, one doctor eventually told Christina that based on the multitude of symptoms she experienced – including passing blood in her stools and kidney infections – that endometriosis could be in her lungs, which may be causing the infection. “Someone’s finally taking me seriously,” she thought.
The specialist she was then referred to thought otherwise – they told Christina that the state of her lungs was a condition of laziness, and perhaps she should start running. At the time, Christina was running track for her college.
Another doctor concluded her mother must’ve been a smoker when she was pregnant; her mother had never smoked in her life.
The alleged widespread dismissal of female pain by medical professionals adds another layer of difficulty to getting a diagnosis. A 2022 Nurofen study revealed a “gender pain gap”, where 56% of women felt the pain they experienced was ignored or dismissed. Fifty per cent of these women felt dismissed when seeking support from their GP.
For Izzy Ferguson, 27, from Manchester, a lack of awareness regarding endometriosis has made suffering with the condition even worse.
Much like Christina’s misdiagnosis of “growing pains”, Izzy was told by doctors her strong stomach cramps were “just period pains.”.
A year later, a stranger was calling an ambulance for her at a metro station in Madrid, after Izzy had fallen to the floor in pain.
“The man tried to tell me that the pain I was experiencing couldn’t be from my period as I was curled up on a bench.
“I was in unbearable pain, so much so I couldn’t talk or move, and all I wanted to do was scream. The way he spoke about it made me want to scream even more,” she said.
Dr Edi-Osagie is a gynaecologist working in Manchester. As someone in the industry, he admits that both the wait time before diagnosis and the suffering women experience during these periods are “unacceptable”.
He said that even amongst gynaecologists, there are still very few practitioners who understand endometriosis and how to treat individual cases.
“Back in the olden days – thirty years ago – the only thing I could offer them was a hysterectomy (a surgical procedure to remove the womb) and removal of their ovaries,” Dr Edi-Osagie explained.
Crucially, there is no known cure for endometriosis, but there is an increasing number of routes to go down; including painkillers, contraceptives, and surgery.
Before considering these treatments, the only way to be officially diagnosed is by having keyhole surgery, which itself can take over a month to fully recover from.
If the endometriosis is confirmed, one potential next step is excision surgery. This involves cutting or burning off visible areas of endometriosis – which could be from the uterus, ovaries, fallopian tubes or even the bowel and the bladder.
The pain doesn’t necessarily stop there. According to GYN Surgery, 40-80% of women will have a recurrence of pain within two years, as it is possible for the tissue to grow back.
After Louise went through excision surgery, her doctor told said: “Sometimes it will grow back a little bit, sometimes it will grow a lot. It’s a bit like mould in the wall that way.”
Cheers, she thought.
For Christina, finding the correct surgery was a long and expensive ordeal. At 27, she had no choice but to move back in with her parent's home because of staggering medical bills. In Canada excision isn’t funded properly, she explained.
With no other choice and dozens of dismissals, she set up a GoFundMe, which raised the £20,000 needed for surgery from a London-based endometriosis specialist. This isn’t an option for everyone; some take out second mortgages to fund a surgery which might not even work, Christina said.
Endometriosis can affect the whole body. Christina suffers from thoracic endometriosis, a rare form where tissue is found in the chest and lungs. Whilst undergoing the surgery, Christina’s doctor found that she had stage four endometriosis. She lost part of her lung and diaphragm during the surgery. Organs were glued together and it was starting to infiltrate her bowels, having already completely covered her bladder.
Thankfully, since the surgery, her pain has dramatically decreased.
The condition forces some to make severe changes to their day-to-day life, and sometimes these changes are out of their control. When researching the condition, Christina met people who had lost their jobs, partners and income because of the devastating impact of endo.
For Louise, packing an extra outfit to work in case her bleeding leaked through her clothes became the norm.
Izzy has adapted to a way of living which involves not making any set plans with friends or family just before or during her period. “At first having to do this felt extremely frustrating, but it’s the only way I feel I can live my life,” she said.
To ensure nobody goes through the same experience, endometriosis should become a key part of medical education, Christina told Sheffield Wire.
Waiting times also need to change. For the NHS, the current wait time for endometriosis patients to be seen in an outpatient clinic is over a year. Surgical wait times can be well over two years, Dr Edi-Osagie explains.
In the time Christina had to wait for the correct surgery by flying across the world, she lost function in some of her organs, formed permanent nerve damage and lost part of her lung.
Dr Edi-Osagie urges women to seek medical help as soon as they begin to feel period pain that stops them from doing their day-to-day activities. Though they may have been previously dismissed, feeling this level of pain “is not, and should not be part of being a woman”, he said.
Half of the battle is being acknowledged, it seems, so seeking out endometriosis specialists can dramatically accelerate some form of solution.
Christina’s final thoughts turned to the staggering number of doctors she had seen over the years. “Maybe if you just knew that a really painful period was possibly endo, you could have helped me a little bit better.”
Sheffield Sharks take down London Lions in double winning weekend
Sheffield Sharks became the first team this season to inflict two defeats on the London Lions after defeating Surrey Scorchers on Friday night.
The Sharks beat the Scorchers 75-70 on Friday night before seeing off the champions elect 82-80 yesterday afternoon.
South Yorkshire's premiere basketball team's success against the Lions is their 13th of the season, with a team high 22 points for point guard Devearl Ramsey.
The team entered the fourth quarter 11 points behind the Lions, but were inspired by uncharacteristically excellent three point shooting and aggressive defence. They were led through the comeback by their captain, Rodney Glasgow Jr. He recorded 10 points in the final quarter as the Sharks secured a win against the nation's best side.
Saeed Nelson, who plays point guard for the Sharks, expressed his desire for the team to keep their streak intact going forwards.
He said: "It means a lot, we have to start climbing up this ladder. We've been talking about that as a team and we just have to keep chipping away.
"We've shown great attitude in the last few weeks but we have to build on it."
Sunday's game was an extremely physical encounter, with the Sharks feeling hard done by for the lack of foul calls throughout the game. Marcus Delpche, who plays centre for the Sharks, recorded his 1000th rebound for the team in Sunday's fixture. He spoke about the physical nature of the fixture.
He said: "Mentality wise you have to think about the bigger picture. You aren't going to get all the foul calls you want and things aren't going to go your way. You just have to focus on being successful."
Their centre was a difficult match-up for me but I was able to get the job done. We just have to keep winning"
Sheffield Sharks next game is against the Leicester Riders on March 24 at Ponds Forge.
Tickets now available for Karl Marx Memorial Lecture screening in city centre
Tickets are now available for a Karl Marx Memorial Lecture screening at a city centre venue in Sheffield, with the viewing focussing on a renowned 1983 talk by famous sociologist Stuart Hall.
The event will take place at the Union Street venue in the heart of Sheffield, which champions all sorts of events from woodworking workshops to yoga classes.
Now, the Union Street space will host a screening of a newly obtained, digitised lecture of Stuart Hall from all the way back in 1983 discussing the late Karl Marx.
This original talk was organised by Sheffield City Council to commemorate 100 years since Marx's death and celebrate the philosopher's life and works.
Joe Brindle, a student at the University of Sheffield and organiser for this new screening, has taken inspiration from Sheffield's radical past.
He said: "I've been working with a few Sheffielders to put this together, we had the idea after learning about some of the really interesting things that Sheffield City Council did.
"It's pretty inspiring that the council once stood firmly against Thatcher by encouraging public education, declaring a nuclear-free zone, building a mass council houses and much more. I guess our goal is trying to bring back a bit of that radical spirit to Sheffield."
In today's political climate, Minesh Parekh, Labour councillor for Crookes and Crosspool, argues that these talks are needed more than ever.
He said: "This isn't simply about history or heritage however: in the forty years since the last lecture, climate degradation has accelerated at an unprecedented rate, and inequality is spiralling to new levels.
In that context, Marx's ideas are more relevant than ever as we look to identify routes out of our current crises."
The talk, which is free to attend, will take place on the 30th of March - the screening occurring in the same month as the 140th anniversary of Karl Marx's death.
For Mr Brindle, once this Stuart Hall speech on Karl Marx has been seen by the public, similar talks in memory of the German philosopher should follow suit.
He said: "I really hope that we can bring back Sheffield's radical tradition of open and interesting debate on these really key issues, it would be great if we can persuade the City Council to allow us to do an annual lecture with guest speakers... We'll see.
You can pick up a free ticket for this Karl Marx Memorial Lecture here .
10-year-old boy with Crohn’s disease raising money for Sheffield Children’s Hospital
A 10-year-old boy with Crohn's disease is aiming to raise money for the Sheffield hospital that supported him through his years-long ordeal.
Willis Gosling wants to raise £600 by Christmas, which will allow him to have his own light up snowflake at Sheffield Children's Hospital, where he spends a large amount of his time.
The family have previously raised over £6,000 in 2018, to help raise funds for children with Crohn's and Colitis, its treatments, Willis’ well-being and to raise awareness about the disease.
Willis is asking for raffle prizes from Sheffield businesses, having already secured several such as tickets to Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United games.
He was diagnosed with Crohn's at two years old, after his mother found "large amounts" of blood in his nappies.
Mother Emma Gosling, said: "For the first six years of diagnosis, he had been really unwell. He was in and out of hospital and steroid dependent for four and a half years.
"He was the worst he had ever been in Year One at school, being told the only option was to have a permanent colostomy bag."
Willis is the youngest child to have been diagnosed with Crohn's at Sheffield. They told Mrs Gosling it was one of the worst cases they had ever seen, before referring them to Great Ormond's Street for genetic testing of children under five.
The youngster is local to Chapeltown, and is a pupil at St Mary's Catholic Primary School in High Green, frequently having to miss classes because of his illness.
Mrs Gosling said: "The people that live in Chapeltown have been really good. We have had loads of people coming forward with donations.
"People think Crohn's is just having diarrhoea and going to the toilet all the time, they don't understand the implications. Anything that raises awareness of the condition is enough."
Donations can be made on the family's JustGiving page.
Peak District hike will raise money for vital cancer-detecting ultrasound scanner
A massive fundraising effort is taking place to raise money for cancer-detecting ultrasound scanner.
On June 24, a charity hike organised by the Brown Dog Cancer Charity aims to raise funds for a potentially-lifesaving £50,000 scanner, which will be installed at Leicester hospital.
The trek will cover the most picturesque parts of the Peak District such as Mam Tor, Win Hill and Toadhole-Cote.
Dr Ram Vaidhyanath, a consultant radiologist for the Leicester Royal Infirmary, believes the new equipment will be vital for fast-tracking cancer diagnosis and improving patient outcomes.
He said: "Everybody's worried about a diagnosis of cancer. If they do have a diagnosis, they can be fast-tracked with this new equipment. That's a big plus for us."
The hospital currently has to share crucial cancer detecting equipment around several departments, potentially increasing the waiting times patients face and reducing hospital efficiency.
If enough money is raised for this equipment, patients can save vital hours between visiting their GP and receiving a diagnosis, which could change a patient's outcome on their cancer journey.
The a 24-mile hike costs £55 to take part, with a three-course, silver service meal included for hikers to enjoy whilst they rest their feet. For participants on a tighter budget, they can take part in the hike only for £25.
There is also the option to purchase a Brown Dog t-shirt to remember the day with.
The Brown Dog Charity is aiming to raise at least £47,000 in total, with remaining £3,000 needed coming from the Leicester Teaching Hospital.
Amy Barnes also works in the Radiology department at Leicester Teaching Hospital.
Dr Ram Vaidhyanath and Amy Barnes both highlighted the need for a new ultrasound scanner for the hospital (video below).
Ms Barnes expressed her support for the Brown Dog Charity, praising the crucial work does to help organisations purchase vital infrastructure to improve the detection or treatment of cancer.
She said: "Although we have a process of renewing machines, without the support of the charity, this is not something we could do."
More information on the charity's efforts can be found by clicking here.
Popular thrift store fails to meet fundraiser goal threatening closure
The Thrifty store has sadly failed to reach their fundraising goal needed in order to keep the store open.
The store, which can be found on King street, has blamed a multitude of issues for the reason they may have to close such as COVID-19, Brexit and Sheffield City Council’s Grey to Green scheme reducing their visibility.
Bally Johal, owner of the store said: “The Pandemic was two and half years lost when it comes to our customer base. Students during that time left which lost our community and 60 percent of our trade.”
Mr Johal also stated Sheffield’s Grey to Green Scheme which aimed to re-connect the Castlegate area with the city centre hid them behind fencing, making it hard to find them.
This comes as Sheffield high street is seeing numerous closures with shops moving to other areas of the city which was led by Primark in 2019.
According to Mr Johal, this has had an affect on the area, who said: “When Primark was there we used to do quite well now we’re just a lone crusader sat with nothing around us”.
Having six months to decide what to do with the store, it is now only run by Mr Johal who had to let go of his staff which he paid £15,000 over the last year out of his own pocket.
Importing from America and Europe in the past, the store has struggled post-Brexit and pandemic to do so, claiming that the costs to do so from America has risen to £6,000 for minimum orders.
Mr Johal said: “It’s difficult because it is part of me, you put your energy into something, build a brand for nine years and then you hand it over to people and it doesn’t quite work the same way, which is not their fault and I can’t pay them a lot”.
Mr Johal owns multiple businesses in the city including Bal Fashions, a club which recently saw itself named number nine in TimeOut Magazine's '25 most banging night's out in the UK'.
He also stated anyone who mentions this article when visiting the store will be offered 20 percent off.
“It’s twice we’ve gotten away without anyone being killed”: café owner’s bollard plea rejected by council
A local café owner has slammed Sheffield Council’s decision not to put bollards outside her café after her shop front was smashed twice in four years due to car accidents.
Totley Deli and Café owner Sheri Haslehurst has criticised the council after they rejected her proposal to install bollards or raise the curb edge on Baslow Road.
Ms Haslehurst said: “I think it's waiting for somebody to actually get killed and I don't think you can put a price on that.
“The first time it happened, I was told that it was very unlikely it was going to happen again, but it has happened again and in only four years so the possibility of it happening again is quite high.
“It’s twice we’ve gotten away without anyone being killed, maybe the third time we’re not going to be so lucky.”
The most recent incident took place on 29 December and caused emotional and financial distress for Ms Haslehurst.
She said: “It’s devastating because you’ve been through it once already and you put everything that you've got into trying to make a business work and then something like that happens.
“The whole front of the shop was demolished, there were three fridges that were smashed, the counter was smashed, the shelving was knocked up, the walls were boarded up. So you look as though you are closed.
“At that time of year, it was absolutely freezing so we were all freezing in the shop and you try to get cleared up and get open as quick as you can, because it's your livelihood.”
“Emotionally, it's been horrible, because I’ve been trying to deal with an insurance company and I still haven't been paid out in full.
“I've had to put my savings in to get in that shop back up and as quickly as possible.
“It’s been really stressful and to do it twice is more than anybody should be expected to do.”
The council rejected the idea of installing bollards due to accessibility issues.
Councillor Mazher Iqbal, Co-Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee, said: “The response is it’s not possible for us to install a bollard or pedestrian railing, both must be installed a certain distance from the curb edge and there is not enough pavement width to allow the installation of these structures while maintaining the pavement width to ensure that all users so that’s mobility scooters, pushchairs and prams can still access the area.”
However this rejection was met with scepticism from Deborah Leonard, a member of the public, who witnessed the event and started the petition to raise the curb or install bollards.
Ms Leonard said: “There is a substantial litter bin on the same stretch of pavement so I don’t accept that bollards which are a lot less voluminous in size than a huge litter bin on the same stretch of pavement.”
The idea of raising the curb was rejected as it would cause water run-off into the shops on the road, however the council has said there will be a budget of £10,000 to resolve the issue.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Andrew Sangar said: “It’s not easy and we are going to work with you to find the right solution because clearly we don’t want a situation where cars end up in the front of shops.
“It’s terrible, it happened twice, I don’t know what the solution is but there is a sum of money that we’re passing over to next year and we are working with council officers to get the right solution.”
The Divine Collective to run its first men’s writing workshop to support mental health in Sheffield
A Sheffield-based publisher has announced the start of its new men’s writing group on Wednesday to support those struggling with their mental health.
The Divine Collective, a non-for-profit organisation, is offering the group for men to be creative and share their experiences in a safe and supportive space.
The organisation also wanted to open up their services to men due to the statistics on men's mental health.
Men are three times more likely to die by suicide than women according to the Mental Health Foundation with the Priory Group which found 40 per cent of men don’t talk about their mental wellbeing.
Founder and creative wellbeing coach, Siobhan Louise, 34, from Hillsborough, said: “The organisation was started as a platform to give people a voice and offer a message of hope and empowerment to others.
“I want this new group to give men an opportunity to express themselves and heal through writing as a creative outlet.”
The organisation believes writing is a powerful tool to connect with yourself and overcome trauma as well as benefiting the immune system by reducing stress.
Having worked specifically with women, including when publishing the Amazon bestselling book ‘Words of the Wise’, Ms Louise wanted to extend the opportunity of writing to men due to the lack of gender-specific spaces available to them to discuss their mental wellbeing.
Ms Louise said: “There’s still a culture for men of bottling things up and I want to help overcome that stigma.
“This group isn’t just about sharing experiences. It's also about learning from others and realising you’re not alone as that can be a great weight off your shoulders.”
The workshops will be fluid in structure and plan to offer a range of written activities to tailor to individual needs.
Ms Louise has stressed that people shouldn’t worry about their writing ability as the exercises aren’t designed to be challenging, they’re just a tool for sharing thoughts.
She said: “A lot of people haven’t written since they were at school, so there’s absolutely no pressure to have existing writing experience.
“We want the group to be accessible for everyone and we will also cater for any additional needs anyone might have including spelling.”
In the future, the organisation hope to offer men in the group the opportunity to write a book like ‘Words of the Wise’, which was an anthology written by women who have faced trauma and other struggles.
The first men's writing session will start on Wednesday evening at The Rutland Arms and will hopefully become a monthly event, but people are urged to check the Facebook page for when and where the next event might happen.
The workshop will be co-hosted by David Heimerdinger, who has a background in somatic therapies like breathwork and supporting men through trauma healing.
There’s a suggested donation of £8 but the organisation runs a ‘pay what you feel’ system.
To get involved or find out more about the writing workshops, follow the organisation on Facebook or contact The Divine Collective.
“Too many people are held back by poor health in South Yorkshire”: £5.9 million pledge tackles work inequalities
A £5.9 million grant has been announced to help thousands of people with health conditions find or stay in work by South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard.
Following discussions with the Government to stop the trailblazing Working Win scheme from being scrapped, it’s expected that a further 3,000 people with physical or mental health conditions will be supported until March 2025.
Mr Coppard said: “When I was elected as South Yorkshire’s Mayor, I said I’d do what I could to make South Yorkshire the healthiest region in the country, and Working Win is a great example of how we’re working to tackle health inequalities.
"Too many people are held back by poor health in South Yorkshire, and are unable to stay in work or find new jobs. Working Win has been genuinely life-changing for thousands of people here, so I’m so really pleased our campaigning efforts have paid off and it’s been given further funding to keep going, and will now help thousands more people.”
Working Win supports people aged 18 or over, who live in Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster or Barnsley, and who have a health condition, to find and stay in employment.
The programme has already supported more than 6,500 people, and the funding will mean that the current instalment can continue to benefit participants until June 2023.
The new funding, secured by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), is part of the Individual Placement and Support in Primary Care (IPSPC) initiative.
The aim of the IPSPC initiative is to promote inclusive growth by helping to achieve a reduction in health inequalities through supporting people to access employment.
Richard Stubbs, Chair of the South Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “Fifteen million days of work a year are lost due to stress, anxiety and depression alone. This leads to businesses losing productivity and causes reduced quality of life for individuals.
"Working Win can help by supporting those out of work or off sick with free coaching to get them to a better place in their employment journey. This brings benefits to them, to employers and to the wider community.”
For more information or to register for support, visit the Working-Win page.