New Yorkshire charity supporting female talent launched for International Women’s Day
A new Yorkshire-based charity focused on ‘leading and inspiring female talent’ launched this weekend.
LIFT hosted their International Women’s Day launch event in Stocksbridge Library on Saturday 4 March.
Co-founders Chloe Wallace and Lynsey Rowe created the community interest charity after realising they had a mutual desire to create change.
Ms Rowe said: “It’s come about from chance conversations we’ve had about us both wanting to do something but not knowing how or who with.”
International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating women which is held on 8 March each year.
The day acts as a call to action to accelerate and improve on female equality in the workplace, sport and everyday life.
As Ms Wallace introduced the charity and explained why it was launching, it was clear why they had chosen to use International Women’s Day as a starting point.
Citing statistics from the Home Office, she said: “There is an epidemic of violence against women and girls.
“Men make up 98% of world leaders, 75% of high court judges and 61% of lower court judges. 67% of UK MP’s and 87.5% of police and crime commissioners are men.
“Equality doesn’t exist for women. Equity doesn’t exist for women.”
The conference hosted several female speakers who gave talks on topics regarding women’s issues and female empowerment.
Kay Degans R.N. spoke on female sexual health myths, creating an open dialogue about STI testing and female pleasure for people who may otherwise feel uncomfortable speaking about it.
Gemma Rose, a sex worker and activist, gave a seminar on why it is important to support strippers and provided a platform for women to ask any questions they had about sex work in a space free from judgement.
Chloe Wallace also gave talks on female success in the workplace and victim blaming.
A series of workshops were held as part of the event with the aim of teaching women who want to learn new skills but don’t know how to get started.
These included an aromatherapy workshop hosted by Fulham Ketch Fitness and a sugarcraft workshop with Hatfield Woodhouse Sugarcraft Group.
Ms Wallace said: “LIFT exists to provide women with opportunities that they wouldn’t otherwise have access to.’
The LIFT conference will become an annual event to provide a learning platform and allow women to speak out about issues that are important to them.
Tickets to the launch event were £22 and it was sponsored by Fulham Ketch Fitness, OneSource HR, TA Creative and McGilveray’s Restaurant Bar.
City Council budget unanimously approved despite initial failure
A unanimous decision was reached at City Council’s 2023/24 budget meeting despite an initial
failure to approve proposed amendments.
Wednesday’s meeting echoed a shared sentiment of continued budgetary pressures caused by a lack
of central government funding.
Cllr Terry Fox, the leader of the council, said: “Let’s not kid ourselves, every one of us has had to
make hard decisions, and compromises, to get ourselves into this position.
“We’ve never stood back from backing our communities and backing our local residents.”
This comes after the recent controversial increase of council tax to 4.99% - the legal limit
without having to trigger a referendum - and tight savings plans meant to boost a hole in
reserves created since last year.
In part, these pressures characterised the rest of the debate as all four parties failed to pass
any of the initial amendments.
Praise was given at the start of most of the councillors’ speeches, but it soon
became a contest of blame-shifting, with Labour and the Liberal Democrats in particular
going back and forth throughout the meeting.
Cllr Bryan Lodge spared no time in criticising both the Greens, with their tax-heavy approach to
parking and late-night levies, and the Liberal Democrats’ austerity-ridden policies.
He said: “The Green’s amendment seems to be a tax-everyone budget - it’s almost like the happy
police, they’re taxing everything.”
Cllr Lodge also addressed Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed’s comments on trade unions as a 'sacred cow that
has never been touched'.
These comments were followed by targeting Labour’s decision to include reserves as a part of last
year’s budget while leaving smaller businesses to suffer the consequences.
Cllr Mohammed said: “Last year was quite a shocking place to be. The fact that you set budgets using
reserves - that is how you go bust.
“The problem with this council is that it keeps looking backwards. Times have changed, and this
council needs to change and unfortunately, the labour party has to be dragged, kicking and
screaming.”
Cllr Jayne Dunn, who spoke in direct response to Cllr Mohammed’s comments, said: “We need our
doctors, we need our teachers, we need our nurses to have more money in their pockets, so they
use the small businesses.
“Businesses don’t fail overnight; they have been chipped away over 13 years and you have got blood
on your hands there.”
The decision was finally reached after the meeting was paused and the parties agreed to a 5th
amendment designed to incorporate the strengths of all its predecessors.
Morning Briefing – Stories to come throughout the day
Inquiry from ex-UN chief into Sheffield tree felling project set to be released today
An independent inquiry into the Sheffield Street Trees dispute led by former UN humanitarian chief, Sir Mark Lowcock, is set to be released at 10:30am today.
A livestreamed press release by Sheffield City Council will follow shortly afterwards.
The report will investigate the controversial tree-felling programme which in Sheffield which has been ongoing since 2012.
Northern Mayors set to hold meeting about rail cancellations
Mayors in the North of England are hosting a summit to discuss the TransPennine Express (TEP) cancellations after about a quarter of services have been cancelled so far in 2023.
More than 20,000 trains are set to be cancelled.
This comes after rail fares in England and Wales were increased by an average of 5.9% on Sunday.
Sheffield City Council's plans to improve transport, cycling, and walking in Neepsend met with controversy
The Connecting Sheffield: Neepsend-Kelham-City Centre scheme aims to improve pedestrian and cycle paths, making for an attractive and vibrant area.
An opposing campaign has emerged in the local area, naming the road scheme 'rediculous'.
Sheffield running group rewards members with free beer to support local pubs
A new running group has launched in Sheffield encouraging joggers to don their trainers with the offer of a free beer at the end of their route.
‘Run Dusty Sheffield’ aims to cater for runners of all abilities whilst supporting the city’s independent pub and brewery scene.
Organiser Alex Finch, 27, said: "Our runners will get to visit a range of venues that they might not have been aware of previously, and our collaborators will get exposure and help to widen their customer base."
The group’s first event set off from Heist Brew Co in Kelham Island on Thursday (2 March 2023) for a five-kilometre-long run, before finishing at the same pub.
Owner and co-founder of Heist Brew Co, Adam France, said: "It's been incredibly tough for us in the past few years, and since the beginning of Covid it has literally been one disaster after another.
"Run Dusty is a fantastic concept. Drinking can have a huge impact on health, and although our business relies on the sale of alcohol it's important we promote a healthy lifestyle through these kinds of events."
Runners at Thursday’s event praised the group’s friendly and sociable atmosphere.
One participant said: “I’m training for a half marathon at the moment, so it was nice to be out with people because I usually train on my own.”
Mr Finch, a structural engineer, explained the group tries to be as inclusive as possible and welcomes people from all walks of life to join in.
He said: “Especially coming out of lockdown, forming connections with people outside of work can be really difficult, so we hope to build on this sense of community.”
“Tonight we had people leading the run and someone at the tail end, so no one gets left behind."
Another participant added: “It was a good pace, and there were no hills, so it was definitely my level!”
The first ‘Run Dusty’ group was set up in Hackney, London three years ago, before Mr Finch was inspired to take the concept to Sheffield. A trial event was run in Sheffield in January 2023 which sold out all 130 tickets.
They define ‘running dusty’ as exercising despite feeling worse for wear after a night of drinking.
Run Dusty Sheffield’s next outing is on 15 March 2023.
Sheffield United v Tottenham: The Grudge Match 122 Years In The Making
Sheffield United will take on Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup this Wednesday.
The game will be the fourth time they’ve squared off in the cup, with the pair facing off in the 1901 final, the 1930s and the 1950s.
The Blades will be hoping to repeat the victories of the 30s and 50s on Wednesday and reach the Quarter Finals.
Find out more about the FA Cup history between the two clubs here.
Sheffield charity raises thousands in aid of Turkey-Syria earthquake
Mums United in Sheffield has raised nearly £4000 of their £5000 target in aid of the Turkey-Syria earthquake.
The fundraiser is being organised by its charity trustee Shahd Salha, a Sheffield resident and Syrian mother of three.
She said: "They are short of everything. There are severe problems for those under the rubble, their functionality is declining.
"People have lost limbs and are suffering heart attacks under the rubble as there are high toxic elements in the air that are entering the body."
Prof. Salha is in direct contact with those who are making efforts on the ground in Syria and Southern Turkey.
She is continuing to ask people to keep donating so they can reach their target of £5000.
The money raised goes to immediate aid such as food and tents, but is also allocating money to resettlements of people, helping families with costs of rent.
Alongside the donation page, Mums United is hosting a community fundraising event in Wicker, Sheffield.
Prof. Salha said: "The event is multicultural, involving food, singing, music, charity sales.
"It allows people to come together to donate food and clothes and for people to see what is happening in Syria.
"It will include a memorial corner where images have been made specifically for Mums United by those in Syria, describing their personal experiences."
The charity is also starting a project to make hats, inspired by the protection hats that Shahd saw children wear whilst studying during the 2011 earthquake in Japan.
Prof. Salha describes how the children started to develop phobias related to earthquakes, so the hats aim to give them a sense of protection.
As a graduate from The University of Sheffield, Shahd wants university students to get active in the cause.
She said: "One of the groups that we work with on the ground is the North Syria students’ union. This has been created by students from different universities across this region, who have suspended their studies to help those in need.
"These students, who have no source of income or support, are giving their time and energy and are allowing us to be able to distribute resources.
"If students overseas can give just some of their energy, time and income, it all helps to make a difference and shows international solidarity."
The community fundraising event is open to the public, and takes place on 11th March from 11am-5pm at the SADACCA community centre.
“It’s a bit mad”: Sheffield locals outraged as national energy bills to rise by a third this spring
Ofgem have announced they will drop the cap on the amount energy suppliers can charge households, yet the annual bill is still going up by almost £1,000 this year.
The average annual household bill will rise from £2,100 to £3,000 in April.
Sheffield resident Marwah Habib, 18, said: “I think this government is in shambles. Some people can’t buy a cheeseburger and now they are expecting people to pay another grand for their energy bills. It’s a bit mad.”
In January, the price cap was £4,279, but will now drop to £3,280.
University student Marshall Nixon, 20, said: “It’s just gone up too much. As students we can’t afford anything we’re doing. Rent is £6,000 for a student house, student loan is £9,700. £700 for food for a year is not reasonable or possible.”
With the cost of living crisis, some locals are shocked by the announcement.
One Sheffield man said: “Considering what they’ve made in profits it doesn’t seem right in this current climate. I think we should divide the wealth.”
Animal sanctuary relieved at Tyson the bulldog’s operation success
An animal sanctuary have shared how pleased they are after one of their dogs made it through emergency surgery.
Tyson the bulldog arrived at Mill House Animal Sanctuary with a retained testicle, which needed operating on urgently.
Kelly Simms, manager of the sanctuary, said: “We’re happy, very happy. If you don’t get the retained testicle sorted it can lead to cancer.”
Tyson was taken to the sanctuary after his owner had a motorbike accident, which meant he had to give up work and could no longer afford to feed him.
Ms Simms said she remembered seeing Tyson for the first time and discovering his condition.
She said: “I looked at him and said ‘oh, has he been castrated?’ and the owner said ‘no, he’s got a retained testicle.'
“And I was like, ‘oh my God, why haven’t you got it sorted’ and he said that he didn’t have the funds.”
Ms Simms set up a GoFundMe to raise money for Tyson’s operation, aiming for £500.
In the end, it raised £100, and the sanctuary had to cover the rest of the costs themselves.
Ms Simms said Mills House Animal Sanctuary is 'just a small charity,' and gets most of its money from donations and sales in its store in Crystal Peaks.
She said this support is essential: “It all helps. It all adds up in our eyes.”
But even if the cost of the operation was high, for Ms Simms it was worth it for Tyson, who has now gone to live with a new family.
She said: “He’s an absolutely beautiful dog, I’m just so happy that he’s gone to someone who’s going to love and care for him.
“It’ll be better for him after a big operation to be in a home environment instead of a kennel.”
For more on Mill House Animal Sanctuary, see their website.
Sheffield schools to take part in ‘biggest ever’ football session for girls
An upcoming nationwide campaign encourages girls at school to take part in football in an all-day event.
#LetGirlsPlay is spearheaded by the FA and Barclays, and aims for girls to have the same football opportunities as boys in schools and clubs by 2024.
Schools are encouraged to sign up for their next event on 8 March, the “Biggest EVER Football Session” 2023.
The FA said that only 63 per cent of schools currently offer girls’ football in PE lessons.
Over 90,000 girls from 1450 primary and secondary schools took part in last year’s instalment of the programme.
Former England international and Barclays ambassador Kelly Smith MBE told the FA: “When I started my journey in football, I had no other choice but to play in a local boys’ team and I wasn’t offered the opportunity to play football in school during PE lessons.
"The campaign is one that’s very close to my heart and something I am extremely passionate about when it comes to providing equal access to football for young girls.”
The campaign can be found on the FA’s website.
Vigil held in Sheffield Peace Gardens to mark one year anniversary of the war in Ukraine
Hundreds of people gathered on Friday in Sheffield’s Peace Gardens to mark the first anniversary of the ongoing war in Ukraine.
A ceremony in the Winter Gardens was held beforehand to commemorate the 487 children who have died in the conflict so far.
Ukrainian artist Anna Musiienko created hundreds of resin angel in the colours of the Ukraine flag which were hung on a Tree of Remembrance to symbolise the children who lives have been lost.
Mayna Krasnova moved to Sheffield from Kiev with her two children eight months ago leaving her husband behind to fight.
She said: “We could literally see and hear all the explosions in the South through our windows and from our balcony. It was too traumatising for my kids and for me as well. I wanted to save them and find a safer place for us. “
Mrs Krasnova said she is looking forward to the day when her family can reunite again. She said “You can’t describe with proper words how awful it is. It can’t fit in your brain, it’s really like a nightmare. So hopefully, fingers crossed, soon it will end.”
Labour MP for Sheffield, Paul Blomfield attended the vigil and gave a speech to those gathered.
He spoke of the longstanding relationship between Donbas and Sheffield, cities both built on coal and steel.
Mr Blomfield said: “As we remember the invasion a year ago we should also remember that the people of Eastern Ukraine have been suffering at the forces of Putin and his provocation within that area for over eight years now.”
Sheffield City Council were the first in the UK to declare themselves a ‘City of Sanctuary’ back in 2007 and they worked alongside The Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain to organise the memorial event.
There was music and speeches from several Ukrainians who have found refuge in Sheffield over the past twelve months which reflected the wide-reaching loss and devastation caused by the war in Ukraine.
Alongside the loss there was also celebration of the community and support which these refugees have found in Sheffield.
For more information on how to support Ukrainian Refugees visit the Sheffield City Council website.
Protestors to stand in solidarity with transgender author outside Sheffield Central Library
Protestors are set to demonstrate outside Sheffield Central Library tonight in solidarity with an international transgender author.
Canadian novelist and cartoonist, Sophie Labelle, is due to speak about her upcoming novel The Best of Assigned Male, a coming-of-age story about a young trans girl.
She told Sheffield Wire: “The hate and harassment that have surrounded my appearance in Sheffield is entirely a product of the current anti-trans climate in the United Kingdom.”
According to student campaign organisation Sheffield Solidarity Group, a counter-protest will show support for her following social media backlash and alleged threats of violence.
Calls for the event to be cancelled have grown after concerns were raised about fetish artwork that Ms Labelle has previously made.
She said: “The fact that this is the only place (United Kingdom) I've been in the world where my work is being described as unsuitable for children is symptomatic of the lies and rumours about trans people that British politicians and media have been feeding to their audiences.”
Some of her previous cartoons fall under a kink sub-genre known as “diaperfur”, involving human-like animals wearing nappies and behaving in an infantile manner.
Ms Labelle, who addressed the controversy in a tweet in 2021, said at the time: “I made some diaperfur art. I have a kink I indulge responsibly and I refuse to be shamed for it.”
Libraries Sheffield, who have organised the event, have defended their right to host the event, stating it is suitable for families.
Cllr Richard Williams, Chair of the Communities, Parks and Leisure Policy Committee, said: “Sheffield is a diverse and inclusive city and it is right that our programme of activity reflects that.
“The evening event is aimed at teenagers upwards, but we know that some families do attend Sophie’s talks and did not want to exclude them.”
South Yorkshire Police said they were aware of the event and encouraged anyone with concerns to report to officers who will be in attendance.
A venue in Manchester pulled out of hosting Ms Labelle last weekend due to safety concerns after threats were allegedly made.
MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge Miriam Cates wrote to Sheffield City Council criticising their decision to go ahead with the event.
She told the Express: "I can't understand how a council which has safeguarding responsibilities can allow this to happen.
“Why not put an 18 age restriction on this? It's not suitable for children."
The event is set to take place at 7pm this evening (27 February 2023).
The harsh cost of Sheffield’s bid to tackle the climate crisis
The Sheffield Clean Air Zone will come into force today to tackle the “invisible killer” of air pollution but small independent businesses and local artists have voiced their concern that the initiative will fundamentally damage their livelihood.
The controversial move will impact a huge sector of people who use a commercial vehicle as they will now be hit with a charge to drive into the designated zone.
Shop owners and musicians are worried the government scheme hasn't taken into account the financial strain this will have.
Lucy Savage, owner of the Savage Sister, said: “It’s £10 a day to travel in and the only vehicle I have is a transit van. If we were to drive in every day it would cost around £3500 a year."
The affected area covers much of the city centre, including the ring road and parts of the Sheffield Parkway. Lorries, commercial vans, coaches and buses that do not meet Euro 6 Diesel or Euro 4 Petrol standards entering the zone will now face a fee when they enter the zone. Larger vehicles including coaches will be charged £50 a day, and small vehicles will be charged £10 a day.
Ron Reynolds, 66, a former electrician and musician who has been performing since 1972 attended a protest against the Clean Air Zone in Sheffield on Saturday (25 February 2023).
The musician who keeps in contact with the likes of Pulp and Def Leppard said: “I'm 66 today and I'm not celebrating my birthday by coming along to support the movement against the Clean Air Zone.”
Mr Reynolds, now lives in Clay Cross in Derbyshire, which is 18 miles south of Sheffield, added: “I regularly play at the Church House which is just outside of the Cathedral. I run a transit van to cart our gear about. So I'm going to get charged 10 pounds for coming into Sheffield. And we don't finish until after 12 so I'm going to get charged again. Sunday morning, another 10 pounds.
“The venue is absolutely cracking. It's so well supported, but the point is, you get two or three transit vans that's loading cost against the owner, and he can't afford to pay all that sort of money out."
Mr Reynolds is far from the only person impacted by the introduction of the Clean Air Zone in Sheffield.
Small businesses have complained about there is a lack of support to help navigate the scheme as well as a need for a better equipped infrastructure to enable an easier transition to a more environmentally friendly way of travelling.
Miss Savage said: “To buy an electric vehicle would cost us between £15,000 to £20,000 a year and we’re just not in a position to be able to do that.”
Florist, Jill Winton, who owns Plantology and has been based in the city centre for 25 years, said: “The Clean Air Zone is a lovely idea and it’s high on my agenda for sustainability. It's just the timing is not ideal, we can’t afford to get a new electric vehicle. The infrastructure's not quite in place for electric vans just yet and it’s difficult for us as a small business to update our fleet of vehicles to be sustainable.
"I’d love to have an electric van, but we trialled one through the council’s scheme and there were problems with charging it and access to chargers as well as the mileage costs. So if I update my vehicle at the moment, I’d just be getting another diesel vehicle and then in a few years time I’ll probably have to update my vehicle again."
Sheffield City Council have implemented a funding scheme to help impacted businesses replace their vehicles with cars and vans which are classed as more environmentally friendly.
The government legally directed the council to introduce a Clean Air Zone in 2017 due to illegal levels of air pollution in the city. It is estimated that poor air quality is killing 500 people a year in the city.
Labour Councillor Minesh Parekh for Crookes and Crosspool said: “If 500 people were dying from polluted water or contaminated food, we would rightly be outraged.
“I think the fact that this is invisible, or people don't see it directly, maybe makes us a bit more cautious to take more measures. People often think air pollution is only an issue when you're near a car that is actively fuming. It's not, air pollution is an invisible killer. Living alongside a busy road carries the same risk as passively smoking 10 cigarettes a day.”
Studies have revealed high levels of air pollution has been linked to a range of lung conditions.
Other cities in the UK have also implemented similar Clean Air Zone initiatives to Sheffield which have significantly improved the air quality.
In Bath, a Class C Clean Air Zone was introduced in March 2019 and in June 2022 there was a 31.6% reduction in nitrogen dioxide levels compared with June 2019.
Alongside the Clean Air Zone, Sheffield City Council has implemented a range of measures to show that it is taking the climate crisis seriously. These include the Active and Low Traffic neighbourhoods to encourage people to cycle or walk when possible instead of driving as well as placing more no idling signs on streets to reduce pollution.
There is clearly the will at Sheffield City Council to tackle poor air quality however the question remains on what price will local businesses pay?