Foxhill Forum offer an “Essentials Pantry” in response to the cost-of-living crisis
Meet the Foxhill charity helping the local community afford essentials.
Miah Sanghera, 26 is part of a small team providing tinned food and toiletries to residents of Foxhill and Parson Cross.
The Essentials Pantry offers a variety of tinned items, as well as cereal, tea bags, long-life milk, and toiletries such as hand soap, deodorant, laundry detergent, and period products.
The new service has a steady group of users and has helped approximately 20 households and around 75 specific individuals so far.
The project was launched after the Forum noticed more people coming to their door asking for help amid the cost-of-living crisis.
Foxhill Forum describe themselves as "a charity organisation aiming to create a community where local people are involved and empowered to play an active role and make a difference."
As Project Coordinator, Ms Sanghera has previously worked on projects combatting holiday hunger, providing support to children on free school meals during the holiday period.
Ms Sanghera said: "Everyone’s feeling the pinch, whether they are employed or not.
"At the core of the forum, one of our main principles is to help local community," she said.
"We want to be able to help people where we can so that the money they have can go towards other, more expensive things like fresh produce."
Ms Sanghera said that they are not trying to be a foodbank. Instead, they provide people with the essentials to get them through to the next pay day.
The pantry is open to donations. Ms Sanghera said that the project’s aim is to be sustainable, and it will continue as long as it can.
The service is funded by Sheffield City Council community fund and Soar's Let's Build Health Grant.
According to Sheffield City Council, the grant giving team invests £2,985,372.53 annually into Sheffield’s voluntary sector.
To access the service, the only requirement is that you live in Parson Cross or Foxhill.
For more information about accessing the Essential Pantry, email miah.sanghera@foxhill-forum.co.uk or call 0114 231 5522/ 07817 658375.
Two troubled teams take each other on as Owls travel to Birmingham
Sheffield Wednesday travel to Birmingham City tomorrow, with both teams wounded yet determined to end their winless droughts.
To say it has been a disappointing start for the Owls is an understatement, having gleaned just one win in 16 league games since the season began and fans openly revolting against owner Dejphon Chansiri.
But manager Danny Röhl is hoping the international break has offered his side a chance to recuperate and recalibrate.
At yesterday’s press conference, he said: “I didn’t see it as a break - it was hard work for us.
“It’s a long way to go, we know this, and now it’s about getting closer to the line and starting to take points.”
The hiatus has allowed Wednesday’s squad to be given a clean bill of health, with all injured players now back in training.
It has also provided time to appoint a new goalkeeping coach, Salvatore ‘Sal’ Bibbo, whose impressive track record includes five years developing Arsenal’s shot-stoppers Petr Cech, Bernd Leno and Emi Martinez.
Speaking to swfc.co.uk, Bibbo said: “I’m ready for the challenge ahead, I can see the energy here and I want to be part of a real positive future for the football club.”
It will be tough for the good news to placate fans, however, who remain seething with the behaviour of club owner Chansiri.
The son of a Thai tuna tycoon, Chansiri’s actions have begun a civil war within the club, leading him to publish a lengthy tirade attacking fans and demanding they now fund Wednesday themselves.
In response, the 1867 Group of Owls fans launched a petition demanding Chansiri sell the club, which reached 2000 signatures earlier this week.
The 1867 Group posted: “Under [Chansiri’s] tenure, we have witnessed a series of poor decisions, mismanagement and controversies, which have brought us to the brink of financial ruin. We are staring relegation in the face yet again.”
Birmingham City are facing their own turmoil, with Wayne Rooney yet to bag a win after he controversially took over as manager six weeks ago.
Since his appointment, the Blues have dropped from 5th in the Championship table to 18th.
The two troubled teams will both be desperate to take the three points to strengthen their hand and give their restless fans a reason to cheer.
Kick-off is at 3pm tomorrow at St Andrew’s Stadium.
Frustrated residents call Fargate a “nightmare” after road blockages for multimillion-pound revamp
Shop owners and visitors have expressed frustrations after Fargate roads were cordoned off for construction.
Shop owners on Fargate claim business has been bad after the pedestrianised streets were blocked off for several months due to the ongoing redevelopment.
Visitors also said that the blockages have made it difficult to commute down Fargate, stating that the narrow makeshift pathways have caused jams.
"Fargate is a nightmare at the moment with all the construction," tweeted a Sheffield resident.
A representative at a High Street shop said that sales have plummeted because the scaffolding outside the store almost completely blocks off accessibility and makes commuting difficult for wheelchair users.
Ali, the manager of an electronics store added: “Sales have gone down almost 70%. Before we would receive around 70 to 80 customers a day but now it has gone down to 20.”
Another shop raised concerns about vans parking on the pavements and obstructing the entrances, and another owner complained of dirty shop floors from people tracking mud and dirt in from the construction outside.
A holiday shop on Fargate, which opens annually for the holidays, has seen sales dwindle compared to previous years, with a saleswoman stating: “Due to the barricades, people think that the roads are closed.”
Abdul, a salesman, said that the barricades get shifted around often and the side with fewer barricades receives more footfall - unfairly affecting shops on the opposite side of the road.
He added: “There is a bump on the road outside our shop that has been worked on three times. I’ve seen many old ladies, people with prams, and wheelchair users trip over it.”
Meanwhile, visitors expressed fears over colliding with delivery drivers going and down the narrow walkways.
Ian, a shopper, said: “Now that the roads are narrower, it has become more dangerous. I’ve witnessed several near accidents.”
Construction began in April after Sheffield City Council announced a £15.8m plan, spearheaded by Sisk, to revitalise Fargate, which was once a premium street. The plans feature fresh landscaping, green planting, outdoor seating and lighting.
Mum’s fury after ‘vulnerable’ autistic son is attacked with machete by teenage gang
An 18-year-old man with autism has been attacked by a gang of teenagers armed with a machete and knives in a Sheffield underpass.
His distraught mother has claimed that this type of gang attack is commonplace in the area and that police aren't doing enough to respond.
Speaking to Sheffield Wire, his mother, who wishes to remain anonymous, said her son is very vulnerable and has been bullied since secondary school for his race and learning disabilities.
She said her son was approached by seven boys, four with knives, who were originally coming to attack his friend. The group of boys circled and attacked her son after his friend ran away.
She said: "He put his hands out in self-defence and was cut on three or four fingers of his right hand. The nerves in his fingers were also cut.
"He was left very upset and was asking me 'why is it always me mum?'"
She added her vulnerable son, who has ADHD and autism, was “really struggling” since the attack.
The incident took place in Tinsley last Monday, and the victim's mother said there were gangs in the area who were “always bullying and always intimidating.”
She went on to criticise the police, which she claimed took an hour to arrive and were waiting on an ambulance which didn't appear.
She said the police ended up taking her son to A&E but have since failed to make any progress in the case.
“I am a very good citizen, but in return I don’t get help from the services I should get," she said.
South Yorkshire Police said that just after 5pm on Monday 13 November, a man was attacked with a machete on the canal towpath near to Tinsley tram stop.
The victim sustained minor injuries and was taken to hospital for treatment.
An investigation is currently ongoing, and officers are reviewing CCTV from the area.
South Yorkshire Police said: “The investigation officer has spoken directly with the victim’s mum and continues to provide regular updates on the investigation.”
If you have any information about the incident, or were in the area at the time, please contact South Yorkshire Police by using their online reporting tool or calling 101. Please quote incident number 715 of 13 November.
Call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit Crimestoppers-uk.org.
Sheffield Covid Memorial wins Keith Hayman award for public art
The Sheffield Covid Memorial and the mural on Pond Street have both been awarded the 2023 Keith Hayman Award, which celebrates public art in the city.
The award ceremony - which is organised by the Sheffield Civic Trust - took place on Tuesday at 5.30pm at Site Gallery, and gave out two awards: one for a mural and one for a sculpture.
The annual award was created in memory of Keith Hayman, a founder member of Sheffield Civic Trust, who died in 2013.
George King from George King Architects, who designed the Covid Memorial and attended the ceremony, said that winning the award was "a really lovely surprise."
He added: "I think it’s a wonderful award because it's chosen by the city itself, including the people who interact with the sculpture everyday."
The stainless steel structure, which was constructed by a local manufacturer, takes the form of a willow tree, creating a sheltered space for people to gather and reflect on their experiences of the pandemic or leave flowers for lost loved ones.
The tube-shaped branches of the tree join together to form the trunk, which symbolises how individuals come together to form a strong community that can withstand difficult times.
Each branch has long fabric ribbons attached to it, which are embroidered with different messages of peoples’ experiences during the pandemic, tributes to loved ones, and messages of thanks to the NHS and key workers.
The design was chosen by Sheffield City Council after winning a competition last December.
“We just felt really honoured that the city would trust us to do something really important," Mr King said.
The sculpture was installed in Balm Green Gardens this March, in time for the three year anniversary of the first Coronavirus lockdown.
The winning mural, which was designed and painted by local artist Megan Russell (also known as Peachzz) is located on Pond Street, opposite the Bus Station.
It was commissioned by Sheffield Hallam University, and incorporates symbols of peace with flowers, bees and the Yorkshire rose.
(Pond Street Mural, designed by Peachzz. Source: Sheffield Wire)
Peachzz has painted many walls across Sheffield and further afield, including the temporary mural of a Parrot on London road, which was created as part of an initiative to support local businesses.
Keith Hayman was a town planner, environmentalist and keen artist, who helped found the Sheffield Civic Trust after working for the council.
The award was created in his memory to celebrate outstanding contributions to public art in the city.
"It's a lovely thing that the city has this award," Mr King said.
"Public art is so important for exposing people to culture in a democratic way."
Although Mr King does not have any upcoming projects based in Sheffield, he said that he would love to do more in the city in the future.
Appeal to communities for help mapping Sheffield’s neighbourhoods
A new project seeking to create a citizen-led picture of Sheffield’s neighbourhoods is looking for people to help map the city.
Sheffield based organisation Citizen Network Research and NHS South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board have teamed up to create an interactive map which allows people to chart their communities and produce a defined picture of the city’s boundaries.
Local mapping expert Tom French - one of the founders of the project - believes the benefits will be wide-reaching.
He said: “Council wards have been one way of mapping areas and collecting data to inform service delivery, but when people don’t identify with that area they may not engage with the services they need. In theory if you create more definitive boundaries they can get better services.”
In particular there is a focus on improving healthcare services in the city’s neighbourhoods, as better defined boundaries will enable more meaningful healthcare to be delivered to communities.
Mr French said: “We need to ask how people can deliver healthcare with neighbourhoods to improve their lives, so by creating this map everyone can have goals to contribute to neighbourhood models of healthcare.”
As the NHS looks for better ways to deliver healthcare to people in Sheffield, focus has shifted to social prescribing, a form of healthcare that places greater emphasis on community based remedies.
Social prescribing is a means of enabling health professionals to refer people to a range of local, non-clinical services, which often include volunteering, sports, or arts activities. This form of holistic treatment can take pressure off the NHS and encourage community-driven solutions to improve the health of its residents.
An NHS study of social prescribing in Rotherham over a two year period between 2012-2014 found that 83% of patients experienced a positive change in their lives, while also providing a significant benefit to the NHS as inpatient admissions reduced by 21%.
By creating a fully accurate map of Sheffield’s neighbourhoods and their boundaries, it is hoped that greater citizen-led action can flourish, enabling better healthcare, community spirit, and connectivity.
Going forward, Citizen Network will be hosting in-person mapping events for those who may not have internet access or be fully computer literate, but if you would like to help build the map now you can visit https://citizen-network.org/news/mapping-sheffields-neighbourhoods.
Reclaim the Night returns to Rotherham for its ninth year
A protest to end violence against women took to the streets of Rotherham last night, with residents calling for better education and improved lighting to help them feel safe.
The Reclaim the Night campaign is all about empowering women and allowing them to reclaim spaces in which they feel unsafe.
This year’s theme of the march was ‘A Safe Night Out’. The Office for National Statistics 2022 found four out of five women felt unsafe walking in a park or an open space after dark on their own.
Jo Davidson, 62, from Rotherham, said: "I don't feel safe in the day either. I don't think it makes a difference. I think that's something that men don't understand and never really have to think about.
I walk the dog in the local wood and I'm constantly stopping, looking, listening because you feel that you have to be aware and I don't think men, even your husband, even your son, understands how that feels.
I pick a big stick up in the woods and just walk along with a stick just in case."
The movement originally started as part of the Women's Liberation Movement in Leeds in 1977, as a response to the 'Yorkshire Ripper' murders, where the police encouraged women to stay away from dark public spaces.
Danielle, 33, said: "I don't really go out much, but when I do, I don't really feel that safe.
We need to teach young people just to respect women when they're out at night."
Residents of Rotherham believe that, for women to start feeling safe at night, as well as more education, there needs to be improved lighting.
Mrs Davidson said: "We just walked around the town centre and there were bits of it that were okay, but there was a lot of it that wasn't very well lit and obviously there's a cost impact on councils to have to do that.
At the end of the day it's about people, it's about people looking out for each other."
Safer Rotherham found the highest crime types were sexual assault on females aged 13 and over and that 86.3% of victims of rape and sexual offences were female.
Angela, 66, from Rotherham, said: "Even with a man with me, I still don't feel safe."
I don't think anything will ever make a difference because we are the more vulnerable sex."
Elizabeth, 26, from Rotherham shared the extremities that women have to go to to protect themselves at night.
The trainee police officer said: "You start doing things where you brush up against things so if anything happens to you then your scent, if a sent dog, will be there. Or you always have your phone on you or your location on."
Sharon Kemp, Chief Executive of Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council shared some words. Source: Holly Phillips
The march started at The Ministry Pavilion and ended with inspirational speakers, including Karen from in2change, a Sheffield-based charity focusing on intervention and crime prevention, who shared her personal experience of spiking.
Counsellor Rukhsana Haleem for East Rotherham also shared her own experience of feeling unsafe when walking in the streets. She said: "The thought came across my mind that why am I changing my routine? Why, in today's day and age when there's so much safety out there, why is it me that has to change?"
Police Officers were on hand to ensure everyone had a safe night. Source: Holly Phillips
South Yorkshire Police recently launched the 'Do More' campaign, which encouraged people to call out their friends' inappropriate behaviour and look out for women on nights out. This comes after the launch of the 'No More' campaign, which focuses on microaggressions and acts of violence that women face daily.
DCI Aneela Khalil-Khan from South Yorkshire Police said: "At South Yorkshire Police... we are trying to put a stop to this, we are trying to overcome this and we're trying to understand the traumas that the young ladies and the women have had in the past and trying to make that right."
Rotherham Council set out food support plan after foodbank use rises 300%
A South Yorkshire council has taken action after food bank use in the area tripled in the last three years.
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council pledged to provide over £100,000 annually up to 2027 to local foodbanks in their three-year crisis support plan on Monday.
The measures come after it was revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic and cost of living crisis had resulted in the demand for food parcels rising from 3571 in 2019/20 to 12,408 in 2022/23.
£60,000 will be used for interest-free crisis loans from £40 to £120, while £34,000 has been allocated to fund foodbank infrastructure and food transport.
Victoria Roberts, Rotherham Foodbank manager, said: "We are working closely with Voluntary Action Rotherham and the Council to ensure an holistic approach is available to people experiencing poverty."
Part of this collaborative approach is the Food in Crisis Partnership, which will receive an additional £10,000 support per year to fund the organising of a network consisting of voluntary and community sector organisations.
A new four-tier model will now allow these groups to bid for funding to work alongside the council in delivering crisis support.
The proposed system is intended to flexibly fund local organisations to provide aid ranging from delivering food parcels to running 'social supermarkets'.
A spokesperson for the Council said: "Having no access to food is often a symptom of broader issues that people may be facing.
"The crisis food model and supporting people to avoid repeat crisis requires an approach looking at the whole person or family and their needs, linking them into the bigger network of agencies that can provide help."
It is hoped the creation of this community safety net will reverse the growing numbers of vulnerable families with children relying on foodbanks in Rotherham. In 2022/23, 4376 of those fed via crisis food parcels were under 18 years old, compared to 1696 in 2018/19.
Minimum wage increase seen as “not sufficient enough” for young Sheffield workers despite its benefits
The new minimum wage increase announced in Wednesday's autumn statement will see a sharp rise in young people's wages in Sheffield, but has been criticised for not falling in line with inflation.
Mason Oxley-Mark, a full-time worker at Sheffield Arena KFC, acknowledged the advantages of the increase which will take affect from April 2024 but questioned how much it will help those struggling due to the current cost of living crisis.
Mr Oxley-Mark, 21, said that the high price of bills is the issue he is most concerned with and the wage increase he is expecting in 2024 won't do much to ease these worries.
He said: "Many people are currently struggling because the government is putting caps on wages but refuse to put caps on the bills.
"It is not sufficient enough to live a comfortable life without having to worry about where your next meal is going to come from, or how you’re going to sleep at night in warmth. This is because many people can’t afford it."
The increase of the National Living Wage to £11.44 will see a rise of 12.4% for workers under the age of 23. However, official figures released in March show that food and drink inflation has reached 19.1%. Over the last two years price inflation amounts to 25% which is more than double the increase of the new minimum wage.
Lewis McMullin, 21, said that what is most important is the balance between inflation and wages as there would be no reason for the demand for wages to rise if everyday living wasn't so expensive.
McMullin said: "While the minimum wage increase has its benefits, there are also potential negatives. You could argue that it can lead to job losses, especially for small businesses with limited resources."
Ciara LeBeau, barista and waitress, described a more positive feeling towards the wage rise as she has worked from the age of 15. Due to her experience, she would be given heavy responsibility despite the fact that her payslip was inferior to those older than her. But the inclusion of 21 and 22-year-olds in the National Living Wage helps those who are working full-time.
LeBeau, 21, said: "I’d be trusted with the keys and the numbers for the safe on account of how long I’d been there for, but someone could just walk in who was 30 and they're paid double the amount.
"Now young workers in their early twenties will be rewarded equally to those who are older and doing the same as them."
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.”