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?
University of Sheffield to implement first of its kind Ukrainian language course
The University of Sheffield has announced two Ukrainian language courses, one of which is a first of its kind in the UK.
Coming a year after the conflict started, the six-week courses are an attempt to show support, as the world worries about how Ukrainian culture will survive under Russian aggression.
Many believe the country's resilience will continue to shine through, especially regarding Ukrainian culture.
Elena Mandrik, a researcher at The University of Sheffield and former chair at the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB), said: “We understand that they are destroying our whole infrastructure and that there will be a huge economic cost to rebuild — you can destroy the building, but not the culture.”
Data from Duolingo, a language-learning mobile app, during the outburst of the war, showed the number of people studying Ukrainian increasing by 577% globally. Similarly, a Ukrainian study showed an increase in the usage of the language among the country's households.
Both courses are offering teaching of basic Ukrainian communicative skills, as well as exposure to the country's modern society and culture.
They will be separated into a beginners course, aiming to engage those interested in learning Ukrainian, and a conversion course targeting those who already speak, or are learning, the language.
Dr Laurent Semichon, director of the Modern Languages Teaching Centre at the University of Sheffield, said: “This initiative is not just about language; it is also about creating a space where participants can share their experience and learn more about Ukrainian culture.”
As interest in Eastern European studies increases with the prevalence of the war, the university hopes to encourage the pursuit of specialist knowledge, something which could be crucial in relation to the impact of the war in Ukraine over the coming years.
Courses will be open for students, staff, and members of the public for only £20. This is welcomed by those seeking sanctuary in the city of Sheffield, and who have continued to struggle since their arrival.
If you wish to apply, you can do so here.
Review of hotel housing asylum seekers in Rotherham confirmed for April
A Home Office review on the decision to use the Holiday Inn Express at Manvers as an 'asylum hotel' has been secured by a Sheffield MP.
John Healey, the MP for Wentworth and Dearne, said he will make a formal submission to Robert Jenrick as part of this review,
He said: "I will again set out our local concerns about Manvers being utterly unsuited for such accommodation and our wish to see our hotel being released back for ordinary paying customers."
This followed the events of last week, where the hotel was the site of outcry regarding the asylum seekers.
Anti-immigration protesters were met with resistance from hundreds of activists outside the Holiday Inn Express in Rotherham on 18 February.
Demonstrators from Stand up to Racism, Unite Against Fascism and Sheffield Trade Council turned up to oppose far-right organisations, Patriotic Alternative and English Constitution Party, which gathered outside the hotel currently homing more than 100 asylum seekers.
During this demonstration, young children inside the hotel were seen waving at the crowds and holding up posters with ‘Thank you’ written on them.
Robert Jenrick MP, the Minister of State for Immigration, has confirmed the Home Office review will be taken in April.
Mr Jenrick said: "We are continuing to increase the number of asylum decision makers, whilst improving
productivity, volumes and speed of decision making so that people spend less time in
asylum accommodation."
Sheffield Local Plan threatens city’s architectural heritage
The council’s plans for development across Sheffield put the city’s architectural heritage at risk, according to a local charity.
The Sheffield Local Plan will guide development in the city until 2039 and will have implications for how all residents will live their lives, according to Councillor Terry Fox.
“Our plans will enable more than 35,000 homes to be built, in the right places, with sustainability and affordability at the heart of development. 43,000 new jobs will be created, feeding directly back into our economy and our residents' livelihoods,” he said.
“We need this up-to-date Local Plan to ensure we are not conflicted between short term economic goals and longer term environmental and social outcomes. It will provide an important tool to honestly, properly, fairly and publicly, make the right decisions for this city.”
Robin Hughes, spokesperson of Hallamshire Historic Buildings (HHB), a campaigning organisation which seeks to preserve Sheffield’s historic architecture, said the plan has “gaping holes” which overlook key protections for heritage buildings.
“The council can do better than they have with the Local Plan,” he said. “If you want to have a reputation for looking after your heritage assets, you need the tools to do that.
“Things like conservation areas, local heritage lists and areas of special character are those tools. The council is either not deploying them effectively or not deploying them at all.”
An ongoing issue in Sheffield is the question about whether Castlegate should be made a conservation area. Conversation areas have special architectural or historic interest which should be preserved or enhanced, according to the Sheffield City Council website.
Mr Hughes said buildings in unprotected areas can be demolished with only two-weeks notice, but he does not see any efforts by the council to create new conservation areas, and this implies they are not looking for more heritage to protect.
New plans for regeneration in Castlegate costing £16m have recently been announced. Mr Hughes said these do not necessarily present a risk for the area’s heritage, but until it is made a conservation area buildings will be vulnerable to demolition.
“The threat is certainly real,” he said. "If a private developer owns a building of historic value in Castlegate, there is nothing to stop them demolishing it.”
Mr Hughes cited Kelham Island as an example of a conservation area benefiting from the protection of architectural heritage.
HHB has outlined another problem with the plan, as it will remove protection of “areas of special character”.
Since 1998, the policy on Areas of Special Character has protected around forty areas, including Mayfield Valley, Devonshire Green and Mosborough. One such example is Loxley valley, which according to Mr Hughes has been crucial in the history of Sheffield.
“Loxley Valley had iron ore, a river for water power, trees for making charcoal and wind for smelting,” he said. “Sheffield exists and became a world leader in steel because of its natural resources. They are crucial for the existence of the city and, in turn, critical to the modern world.
“We need special protection for those kinds of areas, either as an area of special character or by making them conservation areas.”
As the plans stand, these protections will no longer exist.
The third oversight in the plan is that it scarcely mentions Sheffield’s Local List of heritage assets, which protects buildings of local historical and cultural importance, according to Mr Hughes, who argued the heritage list should be a crucial tool in development.
He refuted the idea put forward by the council that conservation areas can be a “brake on development” and hinder growth, saying that preserving heritage offers many benefits, including to economic growth.
Research from Historic England has shown that many jobs and enterprises are dependent on, attracted to or based in historic buildings and spaces.
The study showed that heritage employment growth outstripped the rest of the UK economy, growing almost twice as fast between 2011 to 2019.
Sheffield City Council has been approached for comment.