England and Doncaster Belles legend Karen Walker reflects on her ‘golden’ career
When Karen Walker was asked by her neighbour aged 16 to play in a training match for Doncaster Belles, she had no idea it was the beginning of a journey that would see her name etched into the record books and inducted into the National Football Hall of Fame. “I didn't play football at all until I was 16, they wouldn't let me play at school,” said Walker.” I didn't even know about the Belles, because obviously, it was just different times.” When Walker was a teenager in the mid-1980s, the landscape of women’s football in England was unrecognisable compared to what it has become today. The same year which Walker was born, the Football Association overturned its ban on female teams playing on affiliated grounds, finally conceding that playing football was not damaging to women’s bodies. However, it was another 25 years before the FA incorporated the women’s game into its governance and the road to professionalism began. For Walker, the lack of infrastructure in the women’s game meant a rapid rise through the ranks of English football. “I went along as a 16-year-old, having never played and never been coached or anything, and when I got to Doncaster Belles, there were six, seven England internationals,” said Walker. “It was either sink or swim, really, and thankfully, it worked out. “They (Doncaster Belles) were the best team in the country. So it was a bit of an eye-opener for me because I didn't know girls played football. I didn't know there was an England team, I didn’t know that there was Doncaster Belles, I'd never heard of them. I didn't know anything.” After Walker’s trial with the Belles, she quickly became cemented into the first eleven after their striker became pregnant. “I was scoring five, six goals a game for Doncaster Belles every time I played. So by the time I was 17, I’d only played a year or a year and a half but I got picked for England. “My debut was away to Italy, and the manager said to me, I've just brought you along for a bit of experience. Then one of the girls collapsed because it was so hot on the pitch. I was asked to go on as an emergency sub and I scored with my first touch.
Karen Walker
Karen Walker
Families walk distance between Sheffield and Greek refugee camp for charity
A team of teachers, students, families and their dogs are walking the distance between Sheffield and a Greek refugee camp for charity.
The 2,214-mile challenge has been launched by Hope English School, a registered organisation providing language and digital skills training for asylum seekers, refugees and vulnerable migrants.
As well as raising money for classroom supplies such as laptops and books, the effort aims to increase awareness of those in Moira Refugee camp in Lesbos and further afield, said fundraising assistant Eleanor Milne.
Eleanor said: “We wanted to highlight the journey that a lot of refugees and vulnerable migrants have to undertake in order to find safety. We wanted to stand in solidarity with those people.”
Having started on Monday, the walkers have already covered 316 miles and they are hoping to raise £1 in sponsorship for every mile walked.
A sense of community is central to the campaign, according to Eleanor, who has previously organised tea parties and cultural events with the school.
“We’re trying to bring together our volunteers, participants and students from our classes. If you want to meet like-minded people who care about the same causes, you should get involved,”” she said.
The next walk is set to take place on 29 May.
For more information on how to get involved, visit: https://www.hopeenglishschool.org
Violence and sexual offences have become Sheffield’s most common crimes
Sexual offences recorded by police in Sheffield have risen to the highest level in the past 12 months, with violent and sexual offences the most common crime in the city. The figures, including rape and domestic violence, totalled 19,082 in December 2021, an 11% increase from 2020. The surge in recorded sex crimes came despite a drop in overall crime levels, driven by COVID-19 restrictions.
Over the same period, of all sex crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales, 37%, or 67,125 cases, were rapes. That is a 21% increase from 55,592 in the year ending December 2020. The number of other sex crimes increased by 22% to 116,462 from 95,156 last year, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). Sheffield Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre (SRASAC) works to support recovery from the emotional and psychological distress caused by trauma from rape, sexual violence or sexual abuse/exploitation whenever it happens in a person’s life. A spokesperson SRASAC said: "It is likely these figures reflect a gradual increase in survivors’ willingness to pursue criminal justice rather than an increase in the number of sexual offences being committed. The figures also reflect the growing number of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse who are now coming forward. "We still need to see better responses in both criminal justice and natural justice for survivors of sexual violence and abuse. That includes charge and conviction rates increasing so that women and girls are not going through the difficulty of reporting without a chance of justice. “As well as better treatment for women and girls who do a report so that they feel informed and supported throughout the process. It also includes access to support for all survivors of sexual violence and abuse, regardless of whether or not they report." Lauren Poultney, Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police, said in the Crime Plan for 2022: "Women and girls in South Yorkshire have the right to feel safe in public spaces and their own homes. Children and young people should also feel safe in schools and educational settings.
Lauren Poultney, Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police
Complaints from university students reach an all-time high
Complaints made by university students about their courses reached a record high in 2021, with over a third referencing the Covid-19 pandemic. The Office of the Independent Adjudicator (OIA) - the authority that handles higher education grievances – received 2,763 complaints from students last year. A report from the OIA said: “Many students continued to experience disruption to their studies and their lives” through 2021 and that “some have been very significantly affected, often those who were already vulnerable." Complaints came from across a range of subjects, but frequently came from more practical courses – such as science and design courses – where there were issues over access to facilities on campus. There were also concerns raised about changes to assessments and requests for consideration of personal difficulties. The number of complaints follows a growing trend, with a 68% increase since 2017.
Complaints from students are at an all-time-high Office of the Independent Adjudicator (2021)
“While we are concerned at the number of complaints taken to the OIA last year, Covid’s distorting effect on the student experience is clearly reflected in the data. With Covid-related complaints representing 37% of this year’s total, compared to 12% of 2020’s total, we are likely seeing some of last year’s effects in this year’s figures.
“The overwhelming majority of students continue to receive a world-class education, with the total number of complaints representing a small fraction of the total student population.”
The Yorkshire village being terrorised by vandals and arsonists
Appalled residents have spoken out following a spate of violent crime in a Barnsley village. Police are trying to tackle anti-social behaviour in Lundwood, which saw over 30 arson attacks reported last year. A police officer also suffered multiple injuries after he was set upon by a group while patrolling the area last month. Reverend Blair Radford, a parish priest at St Mary Magdalen church believes anti-social behaviour in the area is part of a wider issue. He said: "The village has seen an increase in ASB since the beginning of the year. "This sits in a context of similar circumstances in surrounding areas where young people are now unchallenged when behaving in this way. The recent hospitalisation of a police officer last week showed the level we have reached. We need to respond to the core reasons why this is happening."
His reaction comes as a children's playground was destroyed by vandals in a recent attack. Littleworth Lane's playground will now be removed, Barnsley Council has announced. The council said it will cost £20,000 to replace the play area as it is “beyond repair”, leaving them with no choice but to remove it.
The state of Littleworth Lane's playground in Lundwood after vandals attacked it.
Wendy Lowder, Executive Director for Communities, said: "It's very disappointing to hear that the playground at Littleworth Lane was subject to yet more vandalism on Tuesday 3 May. Sadly, this is not the first time vandalism has seen the play area needing removals and repairs in the last two years, with numerous incidents of small fires and other damage.
"We don't tolerate this sort of behaviour in our borough, and we're joining forces with partners at South Yorkshire Police and South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue to identify the offender. In the meantime, we will have to remove the play equipment for safety reasons as the damage is beyond repair, costing £20,000 to replace."
Several residents took to social media to share their dismay at the news. Mother, Sherry Fleetwood, said: “I take my two-year-old to this park because it is easy for him to get up the steps to both slides. It is usually covered in glass and once there was food thrown everywhere, but this is ridiculous. "My son will be gutted. Every time we drive past he says ‘slide’. It shouldn’t come out of the community’s budget to replace the damage caused by vandalism because it will only be ruined again”. Another Facebook user, Denise Sedgewick, said: “Appalling behaviour. They should be made to pay for the damage they have caused."
The recent vandalism attack on Lundwood play area
Sheffield primary school to teach pupils Latin in bid to improve literacy skills
A Sheffield Primary school has announced that they will start teaching their Key Stage two students Latin from September 2022. Woodlands Primary School on Norton Avenue in Gleadless will provide 30 minute Latin lessons every week to children aged seven to 11 in the hopes to improve literacy skills at their school. The Gleadless Primary will be one of two known schools in Sheffield to provide their pupils with Latin lessons. Arbourthorne Community Primary School on Eastern Avenue in Arbourthorne is the other primary school to do this and has been teaching Latin to their students since 2018. More than sixty per cent of the English vocabulary is made up of a combination of Latin and Greek origins. Assistant Headteacher, Sarah Bustamante says there are huge benefits to teaching children Latin at primary school. “We teach vocabulary very specifically at Woodlands but we know that this is not always enough. We want to give our pupils a real depth of understanding of vocabulary and language and we feel that comes from Latin. I really love all languages. In primary school we can choose a language that is right for our school. We want to give our children a real in-depth knowledge of an ancient language. “Learning Latin will help our pupils unlock the meaning and understanding of complex words preparing them for secondary school and beyond.”
Children learning Latin at Woodlands Primary School
Woodlands Primary School children
Long-distance cycle ride raises more than £1,000 for Sheffield charity supporting families in need
A local pastor has raised £1,450 following his 180-mile cycle ride from Bristol to Bakewell for a local charity that supports families in need in Sharrow, Nether Edge and Lowfield.
Giles Holloway, 47, completed this sponsored cycle ride for Family Voice on May 2. The charity, which is based in Nether Edge, aims to support and empower local families, provide advice and positive opportunities to those most in need. It helps to reduce social isolation through their various weekly activity groups.
Mr Holloway is a Sharrow resident and started volunteering for Family Voice during lockdown when he was on furlough. "I was so impressed with the work they were doing and the support they were giving that I thought I would do a charity bike ride."
Mr Holloway was accompanied by a different friends along the way and then met his family in Bakewell to celebrate. "We uncorked the champagne in Bakewell," he said.
Family Voice promotes happy and safe family life and work with around 300 people in the area. The community group supports families of diverse backgrounds in a culturally sensitive and inclusive way. The money Mr Holloway raised will help them to continue to do the work they do.
Nasim Begum, from Family Voice, said: "We would like to thank Giles for dedicating his free time with the cycle ride and raising a huge amount of money for us. This donation will help us support the vulnerable families that are facing so many hardships at the moment."
With free exercise classes, dance classes, art and relaxation classes, Family Voice aims to provide a hub for local families to bond with others who have shared experiences. Family Voice host celebrations for those they support to enjoy. They had a party for International Women's day in March. And they held an Eid celebration yesterday.
They also have more practical courses such as English for driving theory as well as food hygiene classes. Ammi's Kitchen, their small social enterprise, provides jobs for local mums, and a way to share their culture though food.
Kate West from Family Voice highlighted that the cost of living crisis has meant a rise in the cost of energy bills and food. "Families are under a lot more financial stress this stress often results in physical and mental poor health. We are busier than ever and really appreciate all the people that support us," she continued.
You can support Family Voice by making a donation to Giles's fundraiser:
https://localgiving.org/fundraising/GilesdoesBristol2BakewellonaBikeinaDay/?fbclid=IwAR25wWH4TCj8uuFIQYINrf0cX3CKCrhpVpMZTEFajzmougaNqvdJWeFLCt0
Local Elections Results: Sheffield throws a few surprises in a same-old election
The results of the local elections in Sheffield City Council came in thick and fast in the early hours of Friday morning, showing a city almost unchanged. Most wards remained exactly the same, with only four seats changing hands - Beighton, which switched from Labour to Liberal Democrat, Crookes and Crosspool, which changed to Labour from Liberal Democrat, and Hillsborough and Gleadless Valley, which both flipped from Labour to Green. The council still remains in no overall control for the second year running. The main story of the night was Lib Dem Mohammed Mahroof losing his Crookes and Crosspool seat, where he has been a councillor since 2018. All other wards remained the same, with some change in the vote share meaning Conservative candidates slipped into third place and Green candidates increased their votes. City ward's Green Party candidate Martin Phipps, for example, was re-elected with a 498-vote majority - an improvement from his 16-vote majority in 2018. Other wards such as Walkley and Mosborough saw a tight race, with just a 98-vote majority for Labour's Tom Hunt and a 126-vote majority for the re-elected Liberal Democrat Gail Smith.
Leader of the Council Terry Fox was standing in Manor Castle for the Labour Party and saw a slight decrease in his majority - from 1,118 to 1,077.
He told Sheffield Wire it is "humbling to have that opportunity to serve the good people of Manor ward". Cllr Fox said he was pleased to see vote improvement for the Labour Party both locally and nationally, saying "we are listening, we are delivering for the people of Sheffield and tonight's results reflect that". One seat where the race had looked to be tight was in Stocksbridge and Upper Don, where Conservative candidate David Chinchen was looking to snatch the seat from Labour. Mr Chinchen didn't quite manage it, missing out on the seat by just 151 votes. Labour's Janet Ridler held the seat for the Party instead, despite last year's elections seeing a 497 majority for the now Conservative councillor Lewis Chinchen. There was a delay in the counting process after a man threatened polling station staff in the Community Room on Westminster Crescent, Fulwood after voting closed. The police were called and the incident was resolved, with the box of votes arriving unaffected to the venue in the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield. Full ward results are as follows: Richmond - Labour hold, Mike Drabble Beighton - Lib Dem gain from Labour, Kurtis Crossland Burngreave - Labour hold, Mark Jones Darnall - Labour hold, Zaharia Naz Manor Castle - Labour hold, Terry Fox Birley - Labour hold, Karen McGowan City - Green hold, Martin Phipps Dore and Totley - Lib Dem hold, Martin Smith East Ecclesfield - Labour hold, Craig Gamble Pugh Firth Park - Labour hold, Abitsam Mohamed Gleadless Valley - Green gain, Marieanne Elliot Hillsborough - Green gain, Henry Nottage Mosborough - Lib Dem hold, Gail Smith Park and Arbourthorne - Labour hold, Nabeela Mowlana Southey - Labour hold, Jayne Dunn Stannington - Lib Dem hold, Vickie Priestley West Ecclesfield - Lib Dem hold, Mike Levery Stocksbridge and Upper Don - Labour hold, Janet Ridler Woodhouse - Labour hold, Paul Wood Beauchief and Greenhill - Lib Dem hold, Simon Clement-Jones Broomhill and Sharrow Vale - Green hold, Maleiki Haybe Crookes and Crosspool - Labour gain, Minesh Parekh Ecclesall - Lib Dem hold, Shaffaq Mohammed Fulwood, Lib Dem hold, Cliff Woodcraft Graves Park - Lib Dem hold, Steve Ayris Nether Edge and Sharrow - Labour gain, Nighat Basharat Shiregreen and Brightside - Labour hold, Garry Weatherall Walkley - Labour hold, Tom Hunt
Local Elections: Man threatened staff at polling station in Sheffield
Police were called to a polling station in Westminster Crescent, Fulwood, at 10:25pm last night following reports a man threatened staff after voting closed. The box was delayed in arriving from the Community Room venue to the counting hall at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield. Four hours after the verification process started, no votes had been counted. According to a statement from Sheffield City Council, it has now arrived and the incident is resolved. Follow our team on Twitter @Sheffield_Wire for live updates from the count throughout the night.
Local Elections: Liberal Democrats “cautiously optimistic” for Sheffield results
A Liberal Democrat councillor in Sheffield has said tonight he is "cautiously optimistic" for the Party to make gains in the city tonight. Cllr Kevin Oxley won his Mosborough seat in 2019, taking it from Labour's David Barker with a majority of 337.
When asked about the election, Cllr Oxley said he believes turnout will be low, fitting with a developing trend. In last year's local elections there was a turnout of just 34.3%. Cllr Oxley said the surge in Conservative support in Sheffield has decreased this time around, pointing to the cost of living crisis and the Prime Minister's fine for breaking lockdown rules. Out on the doorstep Cllr Oxley said the issues campaigners were hearing about were local. He said there is not much local councillors can do to help with the cost of living, and that support needs to come from government. Follow our team on Twitter @Sheffield_Wire for live updates from the count throughout the night.
Local Elections: Verifying underway in Sheffield
Verifying votes cast in Sheffield's local elections is underway at the English Institute of Sport after polling stations closed to voters at 10pm. There are 28 seats up for grabs at the election across every ward in the city, including in Manor Castle where Leader of the Council Terry Fox is standing for re-election. Other wards to watch overnight are City, where the Green Party's Martin Phipps is hoping to build on his 16-vote majority and Stocksbridge and Upper Don, where Conservative candidate David Chinchen is gunning to follow in his son's footsteps and become a councillor in the ward, ousting Labour. Walkley ward will similarly be a tight race between Labour's Tom Hunt and Logan Robin from the Green Party. Last year's elections saw the Greens' Bernard Little take the seat from Labour. Follow our team on Twitter @Sheffield_Wire for live updates from the count throughout the night.
UK is fourth-worst country in Europe for overweight adults, says report
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has named the UK as the fourth-worst country for obesity, in a report that revealed the disease leads to 1.2m deaths annually in European countries. The report also found that obesity is directly responsible for 200,000 cancer cases each year in Europe, saying it has reached “epidemic proportions.” It can be a cause of 13 types of cancer, including in the kidney and liver. “Obesity is a disease, not just a risk factor,” the report stated. It found that no single member state in the European region is on track to halt the rise of obesity and diabetes.
The UK
The UK has an obesity strategy to reduce the amount of overweight adults and children in the country, with it recently implementing a controversial law forcing large restaurants and cafes to include calorie amounts on their menus. However, the WHO report found that obesity affects 59% of adults in the UK, and 63% of adults were obese in 2018. The report’s data also showed that in many countries, including the UK, more boys under 18 than girls don’t eat fruit or vegetables every day.
Professor Jane Ogden, a health psychologist at the University of Surrey, said: “Obesity is a product of things in the environment that make us overeat and under exercise and the way that we think about food. I think what has happened in the UK is that we have an environment that encourages us to be sedentary, so we use our car, we don't walk, we sit at our desks. On top of that, the world around us encourages us to eat more.
“Throughout our childhood food is used as a reward, as a way of managing behaviour. There’s language around food that makes it either forbidden or a treat, and because of that we eat more.”
The report recommends a “high-level political commitment” to tackling obesity alongside sugar tax on sweet drinks and subsidies on healthy food.
In 2019/20, there was a 17% increase in hospital admissions for health issues relating to obesity from the previous year.
The WHO report also claimed that Covid-19 has had a negative effect on eating patterns and physical activities, saying: “It will have lasting effects on people’s health for many years and will need significant effort to reverse.”
It also placed emphasis on supporting lower socioeconomic groups because they face more constraints and limitations in eating healthily.
Dr Ogden agrees with this, saying: "There's a lot of issues around food poverty and people not having the money to buy the right kinds of food and that pushes people toward eating takeaways, which are high in fat, and although they cost more in the long term, if people don't have the right cooking and eating facilities then they can't prepare the food in the right kinds of ways.”
She also said that British culture isn’t great when it comes to buying and cooking food, leading to an “explosion” of food delivery apps.
“It’s all exacerbated in a kind of perfect storm.”The report also noted the contribution of meal delivery apps like Uber Eats and Just Eat to the rise of obesity, saying the apps often lead to overordering and overconsumption. This links to eating out, where the report said people who dine out eat 200 more calories than they would at home, on average. It also found that while active video games can help children get more active, they aren’t a substitute for physical activities. When asked what the UK could do to tackle obesity, Dr Ogden said a good way to combat this could be to stop the food industry from overloading people with food with buy one get one free deals, and to make healthy food cheaper. She said: “We need to work out a way to do this without stigmatising. It should be about everybody being more active and everybody eating well - creating that as a culture. “But a lot of it is a cultural thing. For a long time we haven't been big on cooking and we seem to have become more sedentary, perhaps more than other cultures.”