‘Worst places to live in the UK’ poll features various Yorkshire places – light-hearted fun or extremely damaging?
A poll has listed the worst places to live in the country, and the Yorkshire cities of Bradford, Doncaster and Hull are all featured, alongside a surprise appearance of York included in the ratings.
ILiveHere’s infamous poll, known for its satirical take, was created after more than 100,000 people expressed their opinions.
Luton took a beating and was ranked the ‘worst place’ to live in the UK, with Peterborough and Portsmouth taking second and third spot respectively.
Toby Wood, vice chairman of Peterborough Civic Society, believes the poll renowned for its questionable and comical views, are extremely damaging for the denounced towns and cities.
He said: "I wonder who actually completes their 'online survey' - I doubt whether that sample of respondents is very representative."
York has featured on alternate polls boasting of the safety of the area in contrast to ILiveHere, OneFamily naming it as one of ten safest places to live in the UK.
ILiveHere does label its opinions as 'satire' but are these polls more damaging than just an amusing analysis of towns and cities up and down the country?
People from Yorkshire have complained about the controversial survey online, stating that the 'crumby survey' is nothing more than exaggerated hyberbole.
It's not all doom and gloom for the town ranked the 'worst place to live' however, with the Luton community having a real-life superhero to rely on.
Affectionately known as ‘Luton’s Deadpool’, the masked crusader remains anonymous whilst he goes around the local community to help those in need.
Logging on to chat with Sheffield Wire this weekend, the mask was off but the reasons for why he dons the Deadpool costume did the talking.
He said: "I like to put a smile on people’s faces. More than that, when it comes to the kids, that’s what it’s obviously all for.
"The whole idea of the character is to surprise them, make them think, oh my God, there’s a real superhero that lives in the town. He knows who I am and he’s there for me. When I was a kid, I could’ve certainly used someone like that."
Peterborough and Luton will however benefit from a proposed levelling up fund from the government which will inject £2.1 billion into more than 100 projects up and down the United Kingdom, both areas in question receiving a combined £68 million cut.
Yet, with previous levelling up failures still in recent memory, these areas will be cautiously optimistic about the proposed funding and whether they will see concrete change.
For Luton's Deadpool though, even with this cash injection promised, attitudes towards the town in the media in the now are stopping Luton from reaching its potential.
King Charles III visited Bedfordshire recently but the royal occasion was lost to stories about a bystander throwing eggs at the King.
He said: "There was so much more to it, he (King Charles III) got to meet so many wonderful people in our community who raised money for charity, people who set up community events.
They report on false things, things that are quite small in respects of the entirety of the town. As you say, the ILiveHere poll, which I think is the biggest joke and waste of time that anyone in the media pays attention to."
Still, areas such as Luton, Peterborough and Doncaster have suffered in recent years to contribute to this recent media backlash.
Luton has significantly high levels of child poverty, with a recent This Is Luton census for 2021 indicating that half of children in the Biscot and Dallow wards in the Bedfordshire town are estimated to be living in poverty and deprivation.
The rate of homelessness in the town is also worryingly high, with Luton's rate of homelessness coming in at 14.16 per thousand which is higher than the national average in England at 6.34. This leaves Luton with one of the highest rates in the country.
There's improvements too however, Luton's crime rate has dropped from 100 per 1,000 people in 2019 to 85 when looking at CrimeRate statistics from 2021.
Comparatively, other notable names on the top 50 have alarmingly high crime rates - Doncaster ranks as the unsafest city in South Yorkshire, 149 crimes being reported per 1000 people.
Deb Ikin, a 49 year old gardener, has experienced both Luton and Doncaster first hand - having lived in the Bedfordshire town for over 35 years with her current work located in South Yorkshire's newest city.
For the 49 year-old, who also lives in Sheffield, both Doncaster and Luton suffer where the Steel City shines.
She said: "The pride everyone takes in being from Sheffield is much higher than that of Luton and Doncaster. Residents of the latter two would probably agree if you dissed their town.
Whereas, Sheffielders would leap to its defence. It's hard for outsiders to appreciate a place if everyone there tells you its rubbish!"
Regardless of naysayers and the unwanted negative media attention from ILiveHere, residents such as Toby from Peterborough, will continue to champion a City that recently had its Cathedral roof praised at the Cathedral Treasures competition.
He said: "I have always had a strong sense of place and contributing to that place - I was a primary school headteacher and I always tried to instil a sense of pride and belonging.
Yes, I think the future is much brighter for the City."
To work against this unwanted negative media attention conjured up from this controversial poll, places such as Doncaster, Hull and Bradford could well turn to their local communities to seek out their very own Deadpool.
New ring discovered in Solar System by Sheffield scientists
A new ring around a dwarf planet in our Solar System has been found by astronomers from the University of Sheffield.
The ring has been found using HiPERCAM, an extremely high-speed camera developed by Sheffield scientists, mounted on the world's largest optical telescope.
Professor Vik Dhillon, co-author of the study from the University of Sheffield's Department of Physics and Astronomy said: "It was very exciting to see the event happening in real time in the sky, it's really rare that this sort of thing happens in astronomy."
Scientists were examining the shadow of a dwarf planet known as Quaoar which is half the size of Pluto and orbits the Sun beyond Neptune.
What makes the discovery so unusual is the ring is much further away from the dwarf planet than what would be expected for it to be able to survive.
Normally when rings are this far out, we expect them to disintegrate into moons, as they do not orbit close enough to the planet for tidal forces to prevent the ring material from accumulating.
Prof. Dhillon said: "The whole event lasted less than a minute, but in that time we noticed the little dip in light before and after the main event which was the ring going across the star."
He said that this discovery would impact the ring formation theory and how we will look for these things in the future.
So far, only Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are known to have rings, along with another two dwarf planets.
The study involved 59 academics from all over the world, led by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.
It involved six UK Universities, including The University of Sheffield.
Children deaths to be remembered as Russia-Ukraine War reaches its first year
A project, which will commemorate the children who have died as a result of the war in Ukraine, is set to take place this Friday as the invasion reaches its first year.
The event will be centred around its 'tree of remembrance' which is to be decorated with handmade resin angels, symbolising the young children who lost their lives.
Anna Musiienko, 39, the Ukrainian lawyer and artist who created the event, said: "When a mother and father lose a child, it's a very big tragedy which lasts their whole life.
"So, I decided we must remember these children, and angels were what came to mind."
The angels, which have been decorated in blue, white, and yellow to reflect Ukraine's national flag, will be given to visitors to put them up on the tree.
The event, which has been sponsored and publicised by the council, takes place at the Winter Gardens on 24 February and will last for a week.
Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed, who has been involved in bringing the project to life, said: "I think it will foster better links and also send a message that Sheffield is a city of sanctuary.
"We will stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine as they continue their fight against the dictatorship and tyranny of Vladimir Putin."
War casualties, particularly among young children, have continued to rise as a result of the constant attacks by the Russian offensive.
The latest data from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), has revealed over 1,200 children have been killed or injured since the beginning of the war, with the real number estimated to be much higher.
Ms Musiienko, who fled the war with her 11-year-old son back in April 2022, added: "One day, I sat on the bus and listened to news about the statistics of how many children had died, and I cried for a long time."
Geraldine Sayers, 52, who has hosted the family since April, said: "We've been so impressed with Anna's determination to forge a life here.
"She is amazingly talented, creative, and artistic, and I think that art has been a way of expressing herself and find peace."
The event will also feature a map of Ukraine in which portraits of some of these children will be placed along with their personal story, highlighting the fact that children have died across the country and not just in cities.
Elena Mandrik, a researcher at The University of Sheffield and former chair at the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB), said: "People always think and talk about big cities but, in reality, there are many destroyed villages where children have died."
This project comes at a time where, as the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism's annual digital news report has found, people are increasingly selectively avoiding news such as Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This is something which is reflected in the sharp dip of news output relating to the war.
Ms Mandrik added: "If a year ago everyone was shocked, terrified and willing to stand for a good cause, then after a year, the war doesn't seem to be that shocking anymore.
"It's not only a war where the military take part, civilians and their children continue to die."
“The way I see it, books are a cheap night in” Crookes’ new cupboard bookshop on its latest pop-up and creating a community
Going from market stalls to a sell-out store in Crookes, a couples' bookshop dream has received a very warm welcome on their opening weekend.
Novel, a bookshop the size of a large cupboard on Conduit Road, is the passion project of Walkley couple Kate and Joe Nixon.
Located in the back of Crookes coffee shop Queen of the Suburbs, their first weekend open left them with empty shelves and a feeling that Crookes is the place for independent stores to thrive.
Kate Nixon, co-owner of Novel, said: "I'm really passionate about my area and have always wanted to be in a suburb for that community feel. The place where we've always had the best reception is Crookes."
The pair, who are also part-time teachers, curate a selection of 10 carefully selected books each month. They span across all genres, from the autobiographical fiction Fresh Water to a collection of short stories, Homesick For Another World.
She added: “People will come and see me to chat about the books they’ve read that we've chosen for them. Knowing this is on their doorstep, it really generates a community."
While everyone is leading their own busy lives, books are a way to easily connect with old and new friends, Kate told Sheffield Wire.
Keeping the cost of living crisis in mind, Novel owners are aware that people are spending less. "The way I see it, books are a cheap night in," Kate jokes. "I find reading incredibly mindful and it can have such a positive impact on people’s wellbeing."
The pair have purposely chosen shorter, more accessible reads for their new store. "We want to help people who haven’t traditionally been readers, or who’ve fallen out of love with it over time,” Mrs Nixon said.
Novel's current book of the month is On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong, a fictional autobiography about a Vietnamese-American boy and his relationships growing up.
Ms Nixon said: "He's a poet by trade and this is his first book - it's just gorgeous. I really love the way he writes, so I thought I've got to stock it here."
For more recommendations, visit Kate and Joe at Novel. They are open Thursdays and Fridays 7:30am - 3pm and Saturdays 9am - 3pm at the Queen of the Suburbs. You can also find them online here.
Birley councillors help expand Food Works’ ‘Just Meals’ scheme to Sheffield’s S12 area
A Sheffield food organisation has expanded their popular sustainable meals scheme to the S12 area from tomorrow thanks to a local resident and the Birley ward councillors.
The ‘Just Meals’ initiative was started by Food Works, a non-profit enterprise aiming to reduce waste, as a high-quality, convenient alternative to ready-meals.
When coordinator Jayne Mason, 47, from Frecheville, went with a friend to try one for herself, she thought people in her local area might benefit from having a ‘Just Meals’ hub closer to them.
Ms Mason said: “The meals are amazing and help on so many different levels from reducing landfill to supporting people during the cost of living crisis.
“This scheme is so good it should be in every postcode.”
After contacting Food Works to see if launching the project in the area was possible, Ms Mason realised she’d need a venue to store the frozen meals, so she approached the Birley councillors for help about 12 months ago.
Councillor Denise Fox said: “We were approached by a volunteer asking if we could help find a suitable place to store a freezer. We were happy to offer Scowerdons community centre and help pay towards the upkeep.
“This is a great initiative that we fully support. A homemade nutritious meal for one for £1. Supporting busy families that are struggling with the cost of living.”
The home-cooked dishes come frozen in 100% biodegradable packaging and are packed with vegetables and protein, so people don’t have to compromise price with nutrition.
Ms Mason said: “They’re not just your regular frozen meals and they’ll save residents so much money in energy too as they don’t need to put their oven on.”
The meals can be ordered online from Food Works, and collected on Tuesdays between 4pm and 5pm from Scowerdons Community Centre, who support the project.
The food is available from tomorrow and there’s a minimum donation of £1, or more for those able to.
The scheme is also open to everyone, not just those struggling, with no referral system to reduce potential stigma.
Ms Mason said: “This just wouldn’t have been possible without the Birley councillors and the response has already been so positive on social media.
“I’m so pleased people are taking to the initiative and even if it only helps the S12 area, it’s helping someone.”
To find out more or make an order, visit the Scowerdons Food Works Facebook page here or the Food Works website here.
BREAKING: Duo charged with suspicion of Sarah Brierley murder
By Yasmin Stretton, Lauren Chaloner, Hannah Jackson and Josh Barron
A man and a woman both from Woodhouse are due to appear in Sheffield Crown Court tomorrow after they appeared in the Magistrates Court on the 25th and were remanded in custody.
The duo are identified as David Scott, aged 39, and Zoe Clarke, 38.
Police arrested two more suspects last Monday but they were later released on bail.
Sarah Brierley, aged 49, was found dead after police officers forced entry to a flat in Skelton close shortly after 8am on 20 February.
An autopsy has since revealed the victim died of serious head injuries.
The pair from Sheffield were arrested on suspicion of murder on 22 February.
A spokesperson for South Yorkshire police said: "Our investigation is continuing at pace and we continue to urge anyone with any information about Sarah's death to get in touch."
South Yorkshire Police say an investigation is still ongoing, but anyone with information should contact 101 quoting incident number 145 or Crimestoppers.
More updates to follow.
“You will be wedded to it”: Sheffield school goes viral for controversial job advert
A Sheffield school has received backlash online for posting a job advert in which they said their assistant headteacher should work “ridiculously hard”.
Mercia School, an academy in Carter Knowle, Sheffield, has come under fire for the unreasonable expectations posted in the advert.
It said: “We want a like minded individual who will work ridiculously hard to deliver for our pupils.
“When I state ridiculously hard, I mean it.”
The advert has now been deleted following the criticism.
According to the job description, the new assistant head would be expected to come in on Saturday mornings to supervise detentions, as well as always being available between the hours of 7am and 6pm.
Simon Kidwell, the Vice President for the National Association of Head Teachers, said: "Sadly, I think many Teachers and School Leaders will recognise a similar working pattern.
"Working routines that put considerable pressure on family life are common in our sector.
"The working practices we currently experience will lead to poor long term health conditions."
The new assistant head at Mercia school will, according to the post, “feel the pressure” of the role, allowing it to “dominate their life on occasions.”
Toby Mallinson, the district secretary for the National Education Union, condemned the language used.
He said: "The attitude displayed in the advert highlights an approach that will likely lead to untenable pressures not just on the new post-holder, but on the people they manage.
"Unfortunately, some workplaces suffer from a culture of fear.
"One red flag in the advert is the use of the first person, as if the writer owns the school."
The headteacher of Mercia School has declined to comment at this time.
Sheffield United raise £5,000 for Prostate Cancer Research Fund
More than £5000 has been raised for the Sheffield Hospitals Charity and their Prostate Cancer Research Fund, by one of the city's football clubs.
Shirts worn by Sheffield United footballers, including Billy Sharp and Iliman Ndiaye, were placed into an online auction after their game against Swansea earlier this month.
Gareth Aston, CEO of the Sheffield Hospitals Charity, said: “It’s really great that the Sheffield teaching hospitals have the ability to conduct this pioneering research that could potentially change many thousands of lives across South Yorkshire and many thousands and possibly millions of lives across the world.”
The shirts from the auction have come from the charity’s United in Love for our NHS weekend, which took place during the Sheffield United vs Swansea match.
The charity's logo was displayed on the Sheffield United shirts for the game against Swansea.
Mr Aston said the funding was a necessity.
He added: “I think more than ever, it’s important that we are able to get behind and support the patients and staff at this time.
“It’s an extremely difficult time for everyone. So, if we raise a few pounds, that’s great.
“I want to say a massive thank you to all the Sheffield United fans and all the team at Sheffield United.
"We really couldn’t have done it without it being a big team effort.”
2023 marks 75 years since the NHS was founded and any contributions to the health service remain invaluable. As of November 2022, the waiting list for hospital treatment rose to a record 7 million people across England.
To represent the anniversary, Sheffield United published the names of supporters' loved ones in the celebratory edition programme after a £5 donation to the Sheffield Hospitals Charity.
The auction ends on the 22 February.
Popular Rotherham beer festival back for 2023
One of England’s largest beer festivals is about to open its doors after months of “hard work” from organisers.
The Rotherham Real Ale and Music Festival will start this Thursday at the Magna centre, with 8,000 people expected to attend.
Matthew Ridsdale, part of the event’s media team, said: “We’re hoping that it will be a memorable three days.
“A lot of time, love and effort goes into organising a festival of this type. It’s the culmination of six months of hard work by the festival’s organising committee, who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes.
“It’s always a great feeling when the doors of the festival open and the first guests walk through the door.”
The event, which began in 1992, has become a staple of the Yorkshire brewing scene, and helped to launch ale brands such as Black Sheep.
Activities at the festival include Championship Beers of Yorkshire, a taste-testing competition with winners in different categories.
One of the breweries looking for success is Abbeydale. Laura Rangeley, a spokeswoman for the brewer, said: “The festival not only allows us to showcase a wide range of our beers to attendees but also engage with and support the wonderful beer community.”
The event will also feature live music, with the ukulele band the Everley Pregnant Brothers headlining this Thursday.
For Mr Ridsdale, the wide range of activities is key to the event's success. He said: "From 18 years old to 80 there really is something for everyone.”
The festival will run from 23 to 25 February, with proceeds going to Rotherham Cancer Care Centre. More details can be found here.
Police release image of man connected to Rotherham bus interchange sexual assault
Rotherham Police have released an image of a man they believe may be connected to an ongoing sexual assault investigation.
A man in his 20s was reportedly sexually assaulted inside the toilets of Rotherham's bus interchange last month.
The alleged assault took place at approximately 7:25pm on Sunday 15 January.
The victim was able to push the suspect away from him inside the toilets but the attack did not end there.
Despite pushing the man away initially, the allegedly persisted with his attempted assault.
A Rotherham Police statement said: "It is understood the suspect followed him before leaving towards the train station."
Police are calling for anyone who can identify the man to contact them at 10, quoting crime reference 14/18487/23.
If you wish to remain anonymous, contact Crimestopper's UK Contact Centre on freephone 0800 555 111
Anti-immigration protesters face counter demonstration outside Rotherham hotel
Anti-immigration protesters were met with resistance from hundreds of activists outside a hotel in Rotherham housing asylum seekers on Saturday.
Members of far-right organisations Patriotic Alternative and English Constitution Party gathered outside the Holiday Inn Express in Manvers, which is currently homing more than 100 asylum seekers.
Demonstrators from Stand up to Racism, Unite Against Fascism and Sheffield Trade Council turned up to oppose the far-right groups.
Anti-racism protester, Rachel Harris, 43, said: "You only need to look back at history to know why it's important to challenge groups like those.
"We've seen a lot divide in this country recently. There's a lot racism and homophobia on the rise and it's just going to get worse unless people stand up to it."
Many of the protesters travelled by coach from Sheffield to spread the message that Yorkshire does not tolerate hate.
They chanted "From the Pennines to sea, Yorkshire will be fascist free!" while police escorted them away from the anti-immigration protesters.
The counter protesters engaged in a number of other chants throughout the day, including: ''Say it louder, say it clear. Refugees are welcome here'' and "No borders, no nations. Stop deportation."
During this demonstration, young children inside the hotel were seen waving at the crowds and holding up posters with the words 'Thank you.'
Phil Ward, activist, 70, said: "I'm here because I'm an anti-racist and I think it's really important to stand up to racism and combat both the fascists and the government.
"Fascism can only be stopped by active opposition."
The protests lasted for approximately two hours, as police presence increased when bystanders shouted at the anti-racism protesters from across the road.
A group of anti-immigration protesters spilled into the hotel car park to challenge the counter demonstrators, resulting in an exchange of insults between the two sides.
Ruby Midgley, 29, said: "I think everybody has the right to live safely and free of harm and injustice.
"We're all citizens of planet earth, not a nation or a country so I believe we should make these people feel welcome."
Two people were arrested during the protest, one of whom has been bailed pending further enquiry.
Steelers marginally snatch victory from Flyers to secure third place in league
The Sheffield Steelers secured a much-needed win against the Fife Flyers last Saturday, winning 1-0 in their second game of the week.
The goal was scored by Brandon Whistle in the 12th minute, which secured the Steelers an extra two points in the Elite Ice Hockey League.
The win moves the Steelers up to the third spot in the table as the Guildford Flames also won against the Cardiff Devils on Saturday.
This league game comes after the Fife Flyers knocked the Steelers out of Challenge Cup at the Semi-Final stages at Utilita Arena Sheffield on Wednesday 15 February.
Steelers' coach Aaron Fox said: “We needed a win tonight and that was the most important thing. I liked our start, but I feel as if we could have gotten another two or three [goals] after the first period.
“It wasn’t our prettiest effort, I actually thought we were better on Wednesday than we were tonight, from a scoring chance and offence-created side of things, but we did win and that’s all that matters.”
Fans roared with excitement after Whistle scored, giving them the much-needed morale boost after the Challenge Cup game loss.
Despite the Steelers attacking with full force, the Fife Flyers defended well, the second period was goalless, even though the Steelers had the opportunity for two goals while the Flyers were a man down.
The Steelers felt the pressure in the third period as the Flyers heightened their attack, but Steelers goalkeeper Matthew Greenfield made some impressive saves, stopping 19 goals overall with a 100% save rate.
Greenfield was named Man of The Match, skating the circumference of the rink in his celebratory parade.
The goalkeeper spoke to Sheffield Wire about the game and the Steelers performance in the league.
The Steelers’ next game is away against Manchester Storm at Altrincham Ice Rink, kicking off at 7.30pm.
Image credit: Dean Woolley