Increasing numbers of children across South Yorkshire fear rising living costs
Over a quarter of children in Yorkshire and the Humber are worried about their families having enough money to live according to a new report from Action For Children. The report surveyed three generations of families from across the UK in order to better understand how the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis is impacting children. 28% of children in South Yorkshire are worried about their family having enough money to live comfortably and nationally, 47% of children from low income backgrounds have the same worry. The study comes as the Humber of children living in poverty across the county is rising, with 33% of children in the region found to be living in poverty in 2020.
Jackie Sawdon, Project Manager of The Exodus Project which is a charity that works with young people around in Barnsley and Wakefield including young people from disadvantaged backgrounds said: “I just think we’re just typical of most other areas, families are struggling financially and that has an impact on children and young people.” The Exodus Project has been providing food parcels for families in need in the area since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic but has seen the number of families in need of support double over the last two years. Ms Sawdon said: “It’s things that are expensive like sanitary wares that tend to get pushed back when money is a priority. So we'll give them a pack of their basic needs but it's doubled the number of families that we're taking boxes to.”
Children were asked by the survey what they think is preventing them from fulfilling their potential, with children in Yorkshire and the Humber region identifying the impacts of school pressure, the Covid-19 pandemic and mental health as their biggest concerns.
Across the nation the report found that mental health is now a bigger worry for children than it was before the Covid-19 pandemic with 42% of children saying they are worried about their own mental health.
Fears of childhood getting worse were also recorded by the study with over half (59%) of parents in Yorkshire and Humber parents stating childhood is getting worse and over a third (35%) of children agreeing with them.
The report also highlighted concerns over children masking their worries with 63% of children admitting to hiding a worry from their parents and 70% believing their children keep worries from them.
Jackie Sawdon said: “The world situation at the moment is coming down and worrying the kids. That's something we've been talking to them about.
“Kids seem to be under more pressure at schools, with different exams and tests all the time which is something we didn’t have as much when we were kids. I don't think there is a quick fix answer to be honest.”
Human trials for new male contraceptive pill early as July
The daily non-hormonal tablet is 99% effective at preventing pregnancies in animal testing on mice. The new development has shown zero side effects which has sparked confidence across the male population throughout Sheffield. Nick Duffy, 23, Civil engineer said: “I still need some more information but from what I know already, I would be happy to take it. I would not necessarily be worried about it as long as there was thorough research. “It is still in early stages and it has not been tested on a wide scale in the public. Generally I have a positive attitude towards it." Robert Downer, 20, History student said: “I would be willing to take it but not as part of the first round of people to test it. I want to see how it would affect people in the long term first or if people have any difficulties with it. I am not opposed to it at all." This development has sparked great enthusiasm from the female population too as many believe it will help relieve the pressure on women for having protected sex. Lindsay Dower, 53, Air Traffic controller said: “It is a very good idea, the onus has been on women for far too long really and I think it should be equalled out as long as there are no longer term side effects then I think this is a really great thing.” During the trials 200 mice were tested. This resulted in two test subjects falling pregnant. The pill drastically reduced the mice’s sperm count making them infertile but once the mice stopped taking the drug their sperm count was back to normal within four - six weeks. https://youtu.be/41lG526vDRk Md Abdullah al Noman said: “The pill is non hormonal because unfortunately, men are less willing to take a birth control pill that has a side effect because they don't bear the consequence of pregnancy. “We cannot tell whether it will definitely go to human trials, no, because we have to file for a year and FDA will review all that data, and then they will give it the green light. “So far, everything looks really promising. Even when we went to even 100 times higher dose than the effective dose, the compound didn’t show any toxicity. But, you know, we cannot say much without a clinical trial. This is not a drug, this is just a drug candidate.” According to the researcher the mice played and had sex which indicates their libido was not affected and they did not suffer depression or low mood. Despite no previous treatments for effective and safe male contraceptives the researcher assured that once the drug has been approved after human trials it will be completely safe. He will even take it himself. But not everyone shares his confidence. Genetics researcher, Connor Ward said: “It is a brilliant idea and hopefully a great step in the right direction towards contraception. “I can’t say I am not worried about the potential human side effects but only the research will tell.” Abdullah is part of a large team at the University of Minnesota who has been working on this drug for over ten years and have spent multi millions in funding. Noman and his team have now licensed their drug to a private company, YourChoice Therapeutics. They are aiming to start human trials as early as July this year in the US. He hopes to see the drug available to the public by the end of the decade. So far no treatment for male contraception has passed human trials.
“To see everyone chatting, laughing and being together is amazing”: The return of Woodhouse Market
Woodhouse craft market made a long awaited return at the weekend with organisers looking to help bring back the community spirit to the village. Woodhouse was one of the recipients of Sheffield City Council’s Economic Recovery Fund, receiving a share of £500,000 alongside ten other areas of Sheffield. Some of the money was used to help set up the market. Organiser, Sarah Hobson said: “The people of Woodhouse told us time after time that they missed the old community spirit and we hope to bring that back. “To see everyone chatting, laughing and being together is amazing.” Richard Botham and Ms Hobson set up their shop, Changing Hands, during the pandemic to help people who were suffering from isolation. They helped organise the market alongside the Memory Lane Tea Room. Together, the businesses have formed the Woodhouse Traders Association. Mr Botham, 51, said: “The main aim is to create a local atmosphere and get people shopping locally again. “I think if we can even do this just once a month, which we're planning, it's going to get people out and bring the community spirit back.
Sarah Hobson and Richard Botham outside their shop Changing Hands.
There was also a stand to help raise money for 3-year-old Jude Mellon-Jameson’s recovery from Neuroblastoma.
With the council funding the Woodhouse Traders Association plan to run more events starting with a St George’s day parade next month. They also plan to continue running the market on a monthly basis.
Mr Botham said: “We've got a waiting list of about 40 stallholders, we're going to try and rotate and give everyone a chance to show their stuff.”
New series based on The Full Monty to be filmed in Sheffield with original cast
This morning Disney+ announced a brand new series, The Full Monty, from the makers of the original hit comedy film. The new series will be premiered on Disney+ globally, almost 25 years after the original film was released. It will follow the story of the original brothers as they navigate the city of Sheffield. Simon Beaufoy, Creator, Writer, Executive Producer said: “We’re chuffed to bits to get all the Monty Men back together again – now with a chaotic entourage of children, grandchildren, pets and assorted hangers-on – to see what life in Sheffield is like twenty-five years on.” The new series will be comprised of many of the original cast members, including Robert Carlyle, Mark Addy, Lesley Sharp, Steve Huison, Paul Barber, Tom Wilkinson and Hugo Speer. Lee Mason, Director of Scripted Content said: “Twenty-five years ago Simon introduced us to a group of funny, fearless and resilient unemployed working-class men from Sheffield and the world fell in love with them. We’re delighted to reunite the original cast for this brand-new series on Disney+ to catch up with these iconic characters and what they’ve been up to since we last saw them on stage in all their glory, and we can’t wait to introduce a host of exciting new faces and characters.” Sheffield Wire spoke to people around the city centre for their response to the news. There was a mixture of responses, some having heard of the new series, some not. One Sheffield resident said: "I was in Sheffield when it was being filmed, I was actually in Los Angeles when it was the Oscars, it was actually up for an Oscar. And of course the rival film was Titanic that year. It was quite amusing a film from Sheffield being up against a blockbuster. I worked out where most of these scenes were filmed, I thought it would be an interesting challenge to have a run around all of them".
Doncaster Rovers 0 – 0 Charlton Athletic: Desperate Donny edge closer to the drop
Doncaster Rovers' survival hopes took another hit on Saturday after a 1-0 defeat to a dominant Charlton. Donny did well to keep the Addicks at bay for most of the game, but Jayden Stockley's strike proved the difference. Jonathan Mitchell impressed in goal for Rovers with a number of first-half stops including a Conor Washington penalty. Johnnie Jackson's side dominated the majority of the game and could have been ahead in the 14th minute when Kyle Knoyle brought down Corey Blackett-Taylor in the box, only for Mitchell to save well. Mitchell was called into action again before the break, denying both Stockley and Washington. Rovers found openings hard to come by, with a Matt Smith strike and a blocked volley from Ben Jackson their only efforts of note. Charlton finally made their dominance pay in the 66th minute, as Blackett-Taylor cut the ball back for Stockley to find the far corner. Tommy Rowe almost snatched an undeserved equaliser at the death, but his drilled effort was saved by Craig MacGillivray. Doncaster remain in 23rd, four points from safety having played two games more than Fleetwood in 20th. Donny manager Gary McSheffrey admitted survival will be an uphill battle but that Rovers will keep fighting. He said: “Ultimately it’s not mathematically done so we have to keep positive and try to believe we can win the next game. “I can’t sit here and be negative. We won’t accept it until the proof is in the pudding. “We will keep fighting until it does.” Up next for Rovers is a trip to London to face play-off hopefuls Wycombe Wanderers.
The Government’s white paper schools report: What is it and how is it affecting South Yorkshire?
Today marks the day that the government are due to publish their updated white papers report on schools in the aim to level up education and make sure children are reaching their full potential in the classroom. The white paper for schools wants to encourage a 32.5 hour school week, an Ofsted inspection in every school before 2025, encourage a multi-academy trust for all schools and to give £100m to put the Education Endowment Foundation on a long-term footing. The updates to the white paper reports have caused some controversy nationwide. In a National Education Union (NEU) press release Dr Mary Bousted, joint secretary of NEU said: "Schools are being battered here and now by a storm of real problems." The NEU is an independent, registered trade union and professional association, representing its members in England, Wales, Northern Island, Scotland, the Isle of man and the Channel Islands. It brings together voices of more than 450,000 teachers, lecturers, support staff and leaders working in maintained and independent schools and colleges across the UK, to form the largest education union in Europe. Sheffield Wire spoke to Sadie, a teacher who is unsure about the government intentions for the white paper report. Sadie also added the papers feel really undermining because teachers are already doing the things outlined in the report. "How much more can we possibly do whilst we're in the classroom?" Toby Mallinson, 57, joint branch secretary for the NEU in Sheffield spoke to Sheffield Wire and said: "The government's plan is just more of the same failing efforts to improve education because they simply do not have a clue about what would actually genuinely improve education."
Toby Mallinson quote in relation to the White paper report. NEU logo taken from NEU Sheffield website
Sheffield City Council decision-making to become more democratic
A significant change to the way Sheffield City Council makes decisions will come into effect in May, a year on from a public referendum. The current system allows the Leader of the Council, Terry Fox, to choose councillors and make decisions with them without consulting the majority of councillors. While some say it is a faster and more efficient method for decision making, it also means that a small group of councillors have power. https://youtu.be/rfQIeqCFUbM At a full council meeting on March 23, councillors formally approved the change to the system, which will be implemented after this year's elections on May 6. In the council meeting on 9 March, the governance committee was asked: "What has the governance committee learned from other large cities in the Core Cities group that are already run using a committee system like Belfast and Glasgow? How has this influenced the design of the committee system you are proposing for Sheffield?" In response, Councillor Julie Grocutt, said: "We've been very transparent about what we have learned from other councils throughout this process, going back over several years with six case studies and the evidence pack in person witness statements from several of the councils and back in 2019, a site visit to Milbury Care Service as part of the scrutiny inquiry." Cllr Grocutt is Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Community Engagement and Governance, and chair of the Governance Committee. The decision follows the 2021 governance referendum. Further consultations with the public were not required as this counted as a democratic declaration by the Sheffield residents. The council stated in their Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) that their main focus is on transparency, diversity, inclusive participation, and equality. The goal of the move is to ensure the residents’ participation in decision making regardless of their background, as no specific community should control the lives of all communities. All citizens should be able to contribute to the meetings, unless they are closed to the public for privacy and security reasons.
What will change?
Under the new system, there will be eight policy committees which will be working with the Sheffield City Council on decision making, strategies and budget work. These include:- Strategy and Resources Policy Committee,
- Adult Health and Social Care Policy Committee,
- Communities, Parks and Leisure Policy Committee,
- Economic Development and Skills Policy Committee,
- Education, Children and Families Policy Committee,
- Housing Policy Committee,
- Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee, and
- Waste and Street Scene Policy Committee.
“Furious” Will Smith hit Chris Rock over alopecia joke at the Oscars
The Academy Awards aired last night, yet most people are not interested in who won the Best Picture. Will Smith garnered attention not for winning the Best Actor award but for hitting comedian Chris Rock on stage after the latter joked about Jada Pinkett Smith’s short hair. Many people were shocked, considering Pinkett Smith has been vocal about her alopecia in the past. We asked the people in Sheffield what their reaction was to the incident: https://youtu.be/8xrj9lW4K8o Dani Gilbert, an ambassador of Alopecia UK, also commented on the altercation and Chris Rock's joke about alopecia: https://youtu.be/XO--syTc8PA Another person impact is Kellie Scott. She is a journalist who was diagnosed with alopecia 10 years ago. When asked about her opinion on Chris Rock's joke, she said such jokes are "lazy and unfunny." She said: "To see one shared on such a large and influential platform was beyond disappointing." Jada Pinkett Smith has previously shared her journey with alopecia, as well as how painful and scary it was for her. The ‘Red Table Talk’ host pointed out a line on her scalp that appeared due to the disease. "Jada sharing her alopecia story has been empowering for the hair loss community, and I think we all felt the sting when Rock made his 'joke'." Smith apologised to the Academy Awards and his fellow nominees, but did not mention Rock in his speech. Ms Scott added: "I'm at peace with my hair loss now, but for a long time I felt unattractive and questioned my worth as a woman. "Our value in society is determined largely by our looks, and I struggled to reconcile this for several years. We need more representation in media; hire models with alopecia. Half of women will experience some kind of hair loss yet we don't see that on our screens or in our magazines." Watch the video of the whole altercation below:
Former Sheffield United skipper defends Will Smith Oscars slap
Former Sheffield United skipper Curtis Woodhouse has defended Will Smith after he slapped comedian Chris Rock live on television at the Oscars last night. Woodhouse, who first joined Sheffield United in 1997 before becoming a professional boxer, said on Twitter: "Will Smith just did what I expect any man worth his salt to do. I understand the world we live in now is all watered down and strong is no longer acceptable, but strip a man down and our basic instinct is to provide and protect for our family. "Big up Will Smith," he wrote.
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star left his seat to slap Chris Rock, who had made a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith. Rock made comparisons with Pinkett-Smith's hair loss due to alopecia and G.I. Jane, prompting the actor to shout "get my wife's name out your f***ing mouth". The pair have had a rocky few years in the public eye after Pinkett-Smith admitted to having an affair with August Alisna in 2020. But Woodhouse remained defiant in his defence, tweeting numerous times to support the star who went on to win the prestigious Best Actor gong.My dad use to slap me, he had hands like shovels and they were like leather! Trust me it hurts! https://t.co/kgl59MYxV9
— Curtis Woodhouse BEM (@curtiswoodhous8) March 28, 2022
I wouldnt take to kindly about somebody making a joke about my wife if she had an illness. Everybody is different I suppose but I wouldn’t sit back while somebody took the piss about my wife in front of the world. But again everybody deals with things differently. Just my opinion https://t.co/TM0iUNSqXx
— Curtis Woodhouse BEM (@curtiswoodhous8) March 28, 2022
I just think he crossed the line and got a clip. That’s what happens in the real world. It is what it is https://t.co/DnpWrVowxf
— Curtis Woodhouse BEM (@curtiswoodhous8) March 28, 2022
New landmark Pound’s Park begins construction in Sheffield City Centre
The construction of a "world-class" new public park has got underway in Sheffield city centre. Pound's Park, named after the city's first Chief Fire Officer, Superintendent John Charles Pound, is expected to officially open to the public in around nine months' time. Councillor Mazher Iqbal, Executive Member for City Futures: Development, Culture and Regeneration, at Sheffield City Council, said the park would provide an added vibrancy to the city centre. He said: "It’s beautifully designed and provides another world-class public space to further complement the Peace Gardens, Charter Square and improvements taking place in Castlegate. "Pound’s Park will provide a new focal point for families and will help improve both the physical and mental wellbeing of city centre visitors, workers and residents," Cllr Iqbal added.
Site plans for Pound's Park in Sheffield City Centre (Image Source: Sheffield City Council)
Tony Shaw, Managing Director for Henry Boot Construction appointed to the project, expressed his delight over his local firm's appointment to the project.
He said “With more people choosing to live and work in the city centre, we understand the pivotal role that public spaces and green landscaping play in enhancing wellbeing and sustainability.”
Sheffield United Community Foundation invested £1.5m in local communities last year
A new impact report from Sheffield United Community Foundation has showed how the charity has invested almost £1.5 million in local communities from 2020 to 2021. The report, published last week, listed tens of projects organised by the club, including disability football sessions for young people aged eight and above, LGBT+ empowerment initiatives, and Fans Fighting Cancer sessions for those over 16-years-old. Other sessions focussed on men's mental health and grassroots girls' football teams.
Chris Bailey, Head of Sheffield United Community Foundation, said: "If 2020 to 2021 has shown us anything, it is that regardless of the challenges we face, or the success we celebrate, if we share these with each other, not only will we be supported, we will become truly united." The report highlighted the story of Claire, a regular participant in the Fans Fighting Cancer programme after being persuaded to attend by members of another cancer support group.👧 Our brand new Girls Youth Club starts soon!
See below for all the details 🙌 pic.twitter.com/nWCTbznAd6 — Sheffield United Community Foundation (@CommunitySUFC) March 18, 2022
Photo: Sheffield United Football Club Community Foundation
Photo: Sheffield United Football Club Community Foundation
‘Speak their Name’ memorial quilt aims to tackle the stigma around suicide in South Yorkshire
Families of suicide victims in South Yorkshire will are creating a memorial quilt to commemorate their loved ones and tackle the stigma around suicide. Karen Sykes and Anna Scott, founders of the Speak their Name initiative who have both lost family members to suicide, will oversee the creation of the quilt which will be made of individual cotton squares created by others in the county who have lost loved ones. Ms Sykes who lost her husband and daughter to suicide said: “Every square is beautiful because behind it is actually a person that’s lost, and that remains very precious to the bereaved. “You don’t have to be a talented artist or an embroiderer, you can do anything in the square. People paint, people have a picture of their loved ones, and people use things like buttons, shapes, and sequins. “It also brings people together who are isolated. If you are bereaved to suicide it’s a different kind of grief. There’s a lot of guilt there.” The project follows a similar initiative in Manchester in 2020 and is being supported by the Southwest Yorkshire Partnership NHS Trust. It is hoped the project will draw attention to rising suicide rates in South Yorkshire as well as encourage those who are struggling with grief to reach out for help.
Quilt squares