Rotherham United and Swansea City set for style clash in Monday night’s Championship fixture
Rotherham United manager Matt Taylor feels his side are in good spirits heading to Swansea City tonight following an impressive mid-week victory over Sunderland.
The Millers will be hoping to build on their first win since early January, but face a stern test even with the Swans being on a poor run of form themselves.
A win for the Yorkshire side will see them move eight points clear of the relegation zone, while Swansea will be looking to stop themselves falling further into the bottom half.
Taylor said: “There’s a bounce from both the performance and the points. We certainly feel better about ourselves going into this game.
“We’ve been playing football in the right areas, pushing the opposition backwards and going towards their goal.”
The game is set to be a contrast of styles, with both managers commenting on the way their opponents play in the build up to the match.
Swansea City head coach, Russell Martin said: “Rotherham are very good at what they do. They run and work very hard, they’ll be aggressive in their approach and make it as difficult as possible.”
Taylor equally believes the Swans will pose his side a tough test despite being on a poor run themselves.
He said: “We know how difficult it will be, certainly on their home patch at their stadium which really suits the way they play. We have to find a way of putting them under pressure with or without the ball, and that will be a process that we’ll go through over the weekend.”
Swansea have made a name for themselves under Martin by keeping the ball very effectively, and have both one of the highest percentages of possession while also making the most progressive passes. Rotherham are on the complete other end of the spectrum, relying on direct passing, combined with the physicality and work-rate, of striker Jordan Hugill.
This contrast is reflected in the quality of chances both sides have created and conceded. Rotherham have the worst difference between Expected Goals (xg) for and against in the division, while Swansea actually have the 6th best despite currently being in 15th place.
The Millers will have to hope they put in a performance similar to the 1-0 win against Sheffield United in November in order to add to their only two away wins so far this season.
Injury news:
Rotherham: Ben Wiles and Sean Morrison remain out, Lee Peltier could move into the middle of defence following an injury to Grant Hall. Ollie Rathbone could make a return depending on the status of his groin injury.
Swansea: Steven Benda remains out for the rest of the season with a cruciate injury, Luke Cundle and Jay Fulton could be side-lined after sustaining knocks.
Sheffield knit and natter group launch appeal for donations to help dementia and anxiety
A Sheffield knitting group is asking for materials to make 'twiddle mats' to ease sensory issues and stress.
The knitted creations are designed to help those who also suffer from dementia and anxiety by distracting them with something to fiddle with.
Knit and Natter community coordinator Emily Hearne, 30, said: "Given the cost of living crisis, there are lots of people struggling with their mental health so its really good to take part in something that can make people feel a bit calmer."
The group was formed as part of Zest, a warm community space in Upperthorpe which runs knit and natter for free on Thursdays between 1:30-3pm.
There are currently more than 25 people working on the project across the Knit and Natter group and the Monday arts and crafts session.
Isobel Beckitt, 53, who came up with the idea, said: "The social aspect of the group has really helped me. I wouldn't see anyone before and felt very isolated since I had to quit my job due to illness.
It allows us to all pass on our skills and stay active."
She originally found the idea on Pinterest, with the hope that it would improve other people's confidence.
Ms Hearne said: "People use arts and crafts for their own mental health as well, so the actual process of making the mat to help someone else's mental health might also help your own."
The group are hoping to make as many twiddle mats and fiddle mitts as they can, but their main obstacle is a lack of funding.
Anyone in need will be able to pick up a fiddle mitt from Zest for free.
If anyone has any enquiries they can contact Emily via email: emily.hearne@zestcommunity.co.uk
Apprenticeship event will offer nearly 100 places to Sheffield students
Opportunity Sheffield, run by Sheffield City Council, are ‘very excited’ to be running their annual apprenticeship event for the first time in person since the pandemic.
Apprenticeships: Be Inspired will be held at Sheffield Wednesday Football club on 9 March from 12pm-4pm.
Stephen Arundel, the Social Value Manager for Sheffield City Council, works for the Employability and Skills team behind Opportunity Sheffield.
He said: “Apprenticeships have been part of the fabric of working life in South Yorkshire for centuries, yet they are still viewed as a second class choice to Higher Education.
“Opportunity Sheffield understands the positive impact that apprenticeships provide for our city, and will always strive to support our local employers and the young people of Sheffield to get the best start into their world of work.”
Apprenticeships are paid opportunities which offer on-and-off-the-job training and lead to nationally recognised qualifications.
Aimed at teens in school Years 11-13, there have been over 20 Sheffield schools who have signed up to the event.
In 2021 and 2022, Be Inspired took place online and saw a lower number of students and employers attending.
Mr Arundel said: “It didn’t allow for the engagement that comes with face to face interaction.
“There’s a great sense of excitement within our team and with the employers knowing that nearly 100 students will secure an apprenticeship from this one event.”
Confirmed to be attending the event are 60 employers, including Forgemasters, Rolls Royce, and Sheffield Children’s Hospital.
Local employers who are interested in exhibiting at the event are encouraged to send an email to apprenticeshipready@sheffield.gov.uk by 28 February.
Sheffield schools to be hit by teachers’ strike
A National Education Union walk-out in the North, North West, and Yorkshire and the Humber regions begins tomorrow.
The teachers union, who had a national strike on 1 February and plan more national strikes in mid-March, want a 12 percent pay rise rather than the below-inflation pay rises that many teachers are being offered.
State school teachers are striking, but independent and private schools will not be affected.
Institutions such as Birkdale School and Westbourne School have confirmed to us that there will be no closures, and classes will continue as normal.
There is particular worry from parents of Year 11 pupils about how strikes may affect their children who will be taking their GCSE's in just a few months.
A letter from Mr Crook, principal of Penistone Grammar School near Barnsley, informed dismayed parents that the school would be shut for all year groups tomorrow.
For a group already hit by previous strikes and the COVID-19 pandemic, some parents are worried about the effect this will have on their exam preparation.
Other schools, though expecting strike action, have managed to keep Year 11s in class.
King Edward VII school in Broomhall has told pupils in Year 10 and below not to come into school, but that Year 11s on study leave must still attend their trial examinations.
Silverdale School, a comprehensive in South West Sheffield, and Sheffield Springs Academy in South East Sheffield, will both prioritise Year 11 pupils tomorrow.
Silverdale has told the children to come in as usual, and arranged for Year 10s and below to stay at home and learn remotely. Sheffield Springs is doing the same with their Year 11s and 9s at school, but Years 7, 8 and 10 at home.
Similarly, Astrea Academy in North Sheffield is closed for Year 10's and under, with Year 11's in for a shorter, non-uniform day.
The Birley Academy in South East Sheffield is closed for all pupils, apart from Year 11's who have mock exams.
However, some state-funded academies are not expecting disruption at all. Notre Dame High School, a catholic academy in Fulwood, has said they will be "open as usual."
Likewise, Chaucer School in North Sheffield is fully open, with all students expected to attend.
Police are investigating illegal raves in Sheffield after noise complaints this weekend
Police are investigating a series of raves which have kept thousands of Sheffield residents awake overnight.
There were allegedly two events which were thought to be in the Ringinglow and Darnall areas. These happened between Saturday night and Sunday morning.
Phil Howells on Twitter said: "It is concerning that even though the police have fitness assessments, it seems the whole of Sheffield police force seem to be hard of hearing and can not locate not one rave, but two raves, that disturbed thousands of people last night, as they are "still investigating"!"
There have been mixed responses from residents across the city, with both support and anger towards the raves.
Other residents have shown their sympathy for the music, believing there is no harm in a night or two of uproar.
One said: "At the end of the day, we were young once so if they are not harming anyone, let them enjoy themselves."
Others changed their mind after finding out this was not a simple house party.
One local of Encliffe Vale Road said he was angered at first, claiming he was woken up by the noise at two in the morning.
He could still hear the music as late as nine o'clock on the Sunday morning as he walked up to the Botanical Gardens.
Despite the rude awakening, he had no issues with the events. He said: "I respect that someone put a party on, I do not think there is enough of it these days."
‘Stories from the Pandemic’ exhibition opening brings tales of lockdown Sheffield to life
Diverse experiences of the pandemic are being showcased at Sheffield's Millennium gallery in an exhibition which opened on Friday night.
“Stories from the Pandemic” features endless tales of love, loss and solidarity which unfolded across the city during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Mike Fitter from Broomhall, Sheffield, who contributed his story of losing his wife Gina to Covid, said: “Some people think you have to get over grief, but someone very dear to you dies, they don’t just go away - that grief is always there.
“But the grief is not always depressing. I like to use the metaphor that the it will stay within me, but I somehow grow around it.”
The exhibition, which opened on 24 February, is a collaboration between Compassionate Sheffield, social enterprise Opus and Sheffield City Council.
Moving accounts of pandemic life are arranged across the exhibit, which is furnished as if it was a lockdown house, complete with hand sanitiser and a stash of toilet rolls.
Cllr Paul Taylor, Head of Customer Services at Sheffield City Council and coordinator of its Covid memorial activities, said: “It’s not just about loss, it’s about how the community came together and how everybody found a way through it, and all of that is captured here which is brilliant.
“We don’t want to lose the bonds the community formed with each other during the pandemic."
The masses of stories collected will be stored in the city’s archives, and some will be incorporated into a new memorial set to be unveiled on the second anniversary of the UK’s first lockdown (23 March 2023).
The sculpture, designed by architect George King, will be on display at Balm Green Gardens close to Sheffield City Hall.
It will commemorate the lives lost to Covid and the efforts of those who worked to keep the country safe during the pandemic.
Nick Deayton, Programme Manager at Compassionate Sheffield, said the pandemic may have faded from some of our memories, but the lessons learnt have changed society forever.
He said: “We’re stumbling into the next catastrophe with the cost-of-living crisis, and I don’t think people have properly healed from the pandemic.
“I hope people feel encouraged and inspired to do the small things that make a massive difference to people’s lives, and that sense of collectivism and compassion built in the pandemic will see us through.”
Sheffield City Council and Compassionate Sheffield’s joint Covid memorial work has so far included more than ten community exhibitions, film screenings and food events across the city.
It has also facilitated up to £2000 of grants made available to community groups and organisations.
‘Stories from the Pandemic’ is free to enter at the Millennium Gallery until Sunday 5 March.
Sheffield Clean Air Zone goes live today
Sheffield’s Clean Air Zone has come into place this morning, meaning that drivers of the most polluting vehicles will be required to pay a fare.
Certain polluting vehicles that drive in the Clean Air Zone, which covers the inner ring road, parts of the Sheffield Parkway A57 and the city centre, will be subject to a daily charge.
This means older taxis and vans will have to pay £10 to enter the zone, and £50 for older buses, coaches and HGVs. Private cars will be exempt from this daily charge policy.
Sheffield City council’s website states: “This is a class C chargeable zone for the most polluting heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), light goods vehicles (LGVs), vans, buses, coaches and taxis that drive within the inner ring road and city centre.”
The clean air zone was introduced in hopes to tackle the estimated 500 deaths per year that are caused by air pollution.
Signs have been in place around the city, warning drivers about the incoming rule change and marking out where the zone begins and ends.
The roundabouts at major junctions are not included, meaning vehicles travelling towards the city centre can circle around to avoid the charge.
There are some exceptions and extensions to who might need to pay the fee.
The council also said: “If you or your business is based in Sheffield or Rotherham, and runs LGVs, then you could be eligible to apply for a temporary exemption until 5 June 2023.
“If you own a Hackney Carriage taxi licensed with Sheffield City Council you will not be charged until 5 June 2023 – the exemption will be set up automatically.”
Sheffield becomes the ninth English city to tax drivers of older diesel vehicles to improve air quality, after the implementation of similar programmes in Newcastle and Gateshead.
With nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels in the city exceeding legal limits for years, the government urged Sheffield to install its new clean air zone to minimise pollution.
You can find a full, comprehensive list, of the vehicles which need to pay the daily charge here.
Morning Briefing – Stories to come throughout the day
Two illegal raves kept hundreds of people awake in Sheffield last Saturday
Police are investigating two illegal raves which left residents angry and awake until the early hours of Sunday morning.
South Yorkshire Police said they believed two events were held in Ringinglow and Darnall.
Teachers to strike in Yorkshire tomorrow
Thousands of children will face disruption over the UK as teachers strike over pay.
The first National Education Union (NEU) strike happened on 1 February, with more to come throughout March.
Sheffield City Council's Clean Air Zone goes live today
Drivers of heavy vehicles such as taxis, vans and lorries will have to pay a charge to drive on some roads.
The zone covers the city centre, including the ring road and parts of the Sheffield Parkway, A57.
More to come later today on Sheffield Wire
Petition demanding Sheffield City Council appoint ‘Migrant Champion’ gains over 200 signatures
A petition calling for Sheffield City Council to urgently tackle issues faced by asylum seekers has surpassed 200 signatures.
Started by South Yorkshire Migration and Asylum Action Group (SYMAAG) on 2 February 2023, it lists a number of demands, including the appointment of a designated councillor to lead action on migrant-related issues.
This follows clashes between far-right and anti-fascist protest groups outside a hotel housing migrants in Rotherham last Saturday (18 February 2023).
Emma Rattenbury, spokesperson for South Yorkshire Migration and Asylum Action Group said: “It is absolutely appalling that the far right are targeting places where asylum seekers are living.
“I certainly think that if Sheffield City Council had a migrant champion then it would signal that we were taking this issue seriously in Sheffield.”
The Migrant Champion Network is a national project initiated by the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants. It aims to help councillors across the UK take practical action to support migrants in their local area.
In the petition, SYMAAG said: “Sheffield has a proud history of welcoming people seeking safety from war and persecution, including being the first City of Sanctuary in the UK.
At least eight local authorities in the UK have appointed a councillor to act as Migrant Champion, tasked with leading actions on the rights of migrants, asylum seekers and refugees.
SYMAAG's petition said Sheffield City Council is yet to take these actions.
The national Migrant Champions Network will launch on 23 February 2023.
Sheffield trans activists call on government to urgently change Brianna Ghey’s death certificate
Organisers of a Sheffield vigil for a transgender girl found dead in Cheshire have said the government must honour her chosen name and gender in her death certificate.
The city's trans community came together at a vigil in Peace Gardens on the evening of 16 February 2023 to pay their respects to Brianna Ghey.
Avery, an organiser and speaker at the event who would like to remain anonymous, said: “Currently, she’s going to be sent to the grave with her deadname and her biological sex on the records.
"That’s one of my worst nightmares and I can imagine it was one of hers.”
The 16-year-old girl’s body was found in a park in Warrington on 8 February 2023.
Only those over the age of 18 can legally change their gender in the UK, so Brianna’s death certification will register her as male.
It will also refer to her by her ‘deadname’ - the name she used to use before identifying as a woman.
A petition was launched on 15 February demanding the government amend the Gender Recognition Act (2004) to allow families of dead transgender people to apply for a posthumous Gender Recognition Certificate.
The petition now stands at over 12,000 signatures, meaning that the government will respond.
Avery said transgender people across the UK need more support from the government.
“I want access to trans healthcare," they said.
“I want it to be easier to change your gender in the UK - it’s currently a five to seven year process and that’s discounting the fact you have to go through a full medical transition or a gender dysphoria diagnosis.”
Two fifteen-year-olds have been charged with Brianna’s murder and have appeared in court. Police have said there is no evidence to suggest the incident was a hate crime.
Rising council tax prices: what’s happening and how will it affect you?
Despite an ongoing cost of living crisis that has seen households across the country struggling to juggle finances, local governments have taken the decision to raise council tax by almost five per cent.
The maximum local authorities can raise council tax by is 4.99 per cent without holding a referendum.
Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley are all planning to increase the amount they charge for council tax, however Sheffield is the only region which has proposed increasing it by the maximum amount.
So why are council tax rates rising?
Council tax is a compulsory charge paid by anyone who owns or rents a property and is over the age of 18 in England, Scotland and Wales. It acts as the main source of income for local authorities.
These funds are used to pay for services including libraries, rubbish collection, police and fire services, and parks and recreation.
Historically council tax rises year-on-year to ensure these services are protected. However, the amount that local councils can raise the tax without requiring a vote has recently increased, despite the cost of living crisis.
Until last year, councils needed to hold a local referendum if they wanted to increase council tax by more than three per cent. However Jeremy Hunt announced in his 2022 Autumn statement that he would be increasing this to five per cent.
As published on the BBC website, Work and Pension Secretary Mel Stride said the rise in council tax would be "below inflation increase".
He said: "It is for local authorities who are elected by local electors to take those decisions to try and get that balance between the pressure they're putting on local tax payers, but also making sure they're able to continue to provide those services."
In Sheffield, cuts to government funding between 2010 and 2020 means the council has £856 less to spend per household in real terms than it did a decade ago. This has resulted in the City Council making the decision to make use of the full council tax increase.
As reported by the BBC, Tony Kirkham, interim director of finance and commercial services, warned that if it did not act, the authority would "become financially unsound from 2024-25 onwards".
How will rising council tax prices affect you?
Research from the County Councils Network (CCN) shows 84 of the 114 councils that have announced their budget proposals for 2023/2024 intend to raise council tax by 4.99 per cent, which roughly equates to three in every four.
As it stands, the only local authority which is not raising council tax rates at all is Central Bedfordshire council.
Each city council in South Yorkshire is able to set their own council tax rates, meaning that the increase will differ depending on which area you live in.
Sheffield
Sheffield City Council has proposed a 4.99 per cent increase in council tax in their 2023/2024 budget, which will be considered as a part of the draft budget proposal on 21 February.
This means the average household will see an increase of between £5 - £10 a month. The full council will vote on the final budget on 1 March.
Rotherham
Rotherham Council has approved a 4 per cent increase in council tax in their 2023/2024 budget.
This means the average household will see an increase of between £4 - £8 a month.
Barnsley
Barnsley Council has approved a 3.9 per cent increase in council tax in their 2023/2024 budget.
This means the average household will see an increase of between £4 - £7 a month. The full council will vote on the final budget on 23 February.
Doncaster
Doncaster Council has approved a 3.99 per cent increase in council tax in their 2023/2024 budget, which was considered as a part of the draft budget proposal on 15 February.
This means the average household will see an increase of between £4 - £8 a month.
The full council will vote on the final budget on 27 February.
Sheffield United Women first full-time head coach faces stiff challenge against Crystal Palace
Sheffield United Women are playing their first match under newly appointed full-time Head Coach Jonathan Morgan this Sunday.
This is the first time Sheffield United have employed a full-time coach for the women’s team, in what bosses call an “increased commitment” to women’s football.
The team will be looking for a win in their upcoming away game following a run of inconsistent form, having lost to both Durham and Manchester City Women in the past month.
Jonathon Morgan's side are playing away at Hayes Lane Stadium to Crystal Palace Women this Sunday.
Currently, the women's team sit at 11th in the Championship, and are one spot away from being relegated at the end of the season.
Sunday’s rival Crystal Palace Women are currently sit at 6th in the league, having won two of their last five games respectively.
Prior to joining the South Yorkshire team, recently recruited Head Coach Jonathan Morgan spent seven years as Head Coach at Leicester City.
Morgan will be the club’s first full-time Head Coach for the women’s team, showing an increasing dedication from the club to push forward the women’s side of the sport.
Speaking on Morgan’s arrival, Stephen Bettis, Sheffield United’s chief executive officer, said: “The fact that he’s our first full-time head coach affirms our commitment to women’s football at a very exciting time as Sheffield United look to enhance the club’s name within the women’s game.”
In a video interview, Morgan said: “[Being a full-time Head Coach] is a massive indicator of where this club is looking to go. Not just the players here now, but the future players as well and the younger generation. Momentum is growing amongst the women’s game.
“The Lionesses winning last summer was a phenomenal achievement, it was something that Bramall Lane was a part of. This is great for the club that they wanted to show some of the best football in the women’s game here.”
The game at Hayes Lane Stadium will kick off at the original time of 2pm and will be available to stream for free here.