People in Rotherham deny they’re the ‘unhappiest’ in the UK
A new report claims Rotherham is the 'unhappiest' town in the UK - but those living there disagree.
The town came last place, behind 210 UK areas, in a survey carried out by property buying website Rightmove's annual Happy Home Index.
Local resident, Louise Muirhead, 63, said, "I think the recession has hit everybody. The towns down South where I come from are struggling just as much, and I've found this is the friendliest and nicest place I've ever lived."
Student, Kade Vessey, 16, said: "It's not exactly the nicest place to be at times but I'm quite happy.
"I wasn't expecting it to be voted the least happy town and I've heard they're going to be building more parks, so we'll just have to wait and see."
In the survey 21,000 participants scored their local areas on things like community spirit, access to nature and green spaces, as well as artistic and cultural activities.
Cornish town St Ives was ranked the happiest town in the country and Harrogate, North Yorkshire, also made the top 10, coming in at number six.
Although Rotherham residents deny they're in an unhappy town, some people said they can understand the ranking due to the number of empty shops in the town centre.
Steven Wagstaff, 69, said: "Personally, I'm happy, but we do have a council with no business sense at all and they just don't have a clue what to do, apart from knock stuff down."
Another resident, 76, said: "I'm a happy person, but if the council stop spending money in the wrong places, reduce rent for businesses and bring a shopping centre back, we'd be a lot better off.
"I'm really wondering why they're doing all the block paving when there's not going to be anyone coming here," she added.
Many young people from Rotherham said they could accept the results as there was nothing for them to do in the town.
College student, Lily Wilkson, 18, said: "No one's really coming into town, and I know they're doing renovations, but I just feel like it's a waste of money."
Local resident, Josh Caswell, 22, said, "If you look around where we are right now, lots of places are closed and there's not really a great deal going on, especially for students, so I can understand why some people are quite sad."
To see the full list, visit Rightmove's website: Rightmove - UK's number one property website for properties for sale and to rent
Barnsley’s ‘How’s Thi Ticker?’ heart health campaign gathers momentum as more than 1,500 get tested
More and more Barnsley residents are taking free blood pressure tests as part of a new campaign focusing on heart health.
The 'How's Thi Ticker?' campaign is continuing through December, and residents are being encouraged to visit Goldthorpe Library on Tuesday 6 December to get checked.
So far across the sessions, more than 1,500 blood pressure checks have been completed, with 62% of people examined not having a previous diagnosis of high blood pressure.
Of those tested so far, 32% were referred to their local pharmacy and 6% were advised to contact their GP about their test results.
As the cost-of-living crisis continues, lower-income families are being forced to make cutbacks, prioritising household necessities, such as water and heating, over nutritious, healthy meals.
Foods high in Omega 3, such as salmon, are often cited as being good for heart health, however over the past twelve months, according to the Office for National Statistics, the average UK price of salmon per kg has increased by more than 26%, far exceeding the current rate of inflation.
Removing heart-healthy staples, such as salmon, from a typical diet can have devastating impacts on long-term blood-pressure health.
In 2021 alone, more than 4,000 people in England and Wales, aged between 25 and 65, died from heart related causes.
Dr Ceryl Harwood, chair of the Barnsley Heart Health Alliance, said: “Many people often do not know they have high blood pressure as they have no symptoms and may not have been tested. Identifying and treating people with high blood pressure is an important way to keep our community healthy."
Local businesses in Barnsley are being encouraged to come forward to run sessions for their staff by emailing KayeMann3@barnsley.gov.uk.
Further details about upcoming blood pressure check sessions can be found by looking at Barnsley Council’s social media channels.
City of Sheffield Swim Squad aiming high in Swim England National Winter Championships this weekend
The City of Sheffield swim squad is one of the teams competing at the Ponds Forge International Sports Centre over the weekend for the National Winter Swim Championships.
It is the largest swimming meet in the country for the winter season, with around 1,500 junior and senior swimmers travelling from all over the country to compete.
The squad, known as Team Steel, is a highly regarded competitive swimming team, ranking top in South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire.
Coach Dan Cocking has high hopes for his 32-strong squad, with this weekend being an important opportunity to mark progress and set targets for the more important summer competitions. The British Masters Championships, scheduled for June - also taking place at Ponds Forge - determines whether the juniors will be selected for the youth Olympics and the European championships. For the seniors, it will determine world championship selection.
He said: "Ahead for June, we want to see our athletes' enforcing changes in-between their races today and throughout this championship.
"For the ones going through to tonight's finals, we want to see swimmers make adaptations from their heat race, technically and tactically... especially for our older guys, we want them to be in contention for the medals.
"Ultimately, we want to create Olympians and Olympic champions."
Issey-May Reeves, a Team Steel squad swimmer, competed on Friday. She said: "I did 50m backstroke. I got a PB with 28.86 seconds, but I didn't get through. The final 10th place qualifying spot did 28.77 seconds. It's really close.
"You've got to prepare yourself for that though, you've got to come back from it the next day and try again. I have my 200m backstroke on Saturday and my 100m backstroke on Sunday, they're my best events. I've done everything I can in training so it will be good to see how much I can take off my time."
Live streams of each race taking place this weekend can be found on Swim England's YouTube channel.
Sheffield Steelers vs Cardiff Devils Preview: The Crunch Match
Sheffield Steelers face their fierce rivals, the Cardiff Devils, in a longstanding grudge match tomorrow night.
The Sheffield team are looking to continue their good form after an emphatic shootout win over the Nottingham Panthers last weekend.
Ahead of tomorrow's game, tensions could not be higher. The current head-to-head record is 110-109 in the Steelers favour.
Captain Jonathan Phillips said: "Cardiff for the last few years have been the top team and we want to knock them off their perch."
Sheffield are sitting at second in the Elite League standings. With two games in hand over leaders Guildford, they have the chance to close the gap.
Cardiff have the chance to overtake the Belfast Giants in the 4th spot. Last time out, the Devils were triumphant over the Steelers in the season opener.
Phillips spoke to Sheffielld Wire about this weekend's matchup and the current state of the team.
He said: "We've had a good week of practice. I think the mood has been good in camp, you always look forward to the Cardiff game.
"We're focused on ourselves, I think we've got an experienced group who know what it takes to win."
The game starts at 7pm this Saturday at the Sheffield Arena, with the Steelers looking to get one over on their rivals.
Residents anguish as pigs trample over graves of loved ones for two weeks
Residents have spoken of their anger at the damage escaped pigs have caused to a graveyard in Rotherham.
The council has put up fences around the graves at St Gerard's Church in Thrybergh which backs onto a local primary school, amid concerns the graves were being vandalised by “pigs that are fighting for survival”.
The pigs reportedly escaped a nearby field where they were being neglected and were digging up the ground looking for food.
One local resident who wished to remain anonymous spoke of how the situation caused upset and anguish in the local community.
She said: “I've seen people come to school this morning, where the loved ones are buried and cry, because they can't grieve for the relatives in peace. And it's not fair.
“There is disregard for the children's emotional well-being and education because, as you can see, the classrooms are there, they can see this. And before this fence which was put here yesterday, the pigs were trampling all over the graves.
"And some of these children their grandparents and relatives are buried here and they don’t need to be seeing that.”
Local residents also spoke of concerns about safety with the pigs wandering free.
Nicole Louise O'Halloran said on Facebook: "We are terrified of getting out of our cars in the car park in case the pigs attack. They are so close to the fence and just roaming free."
Another resident Maria Simpson commented on Facebook: “This has totally destroyed my neighbour who's got her brother and mum in the graveyard. It's hard getting over the death of a loved one, never mind watching it being vandalised by pigs that are technically fighting for survival."
Speaking to the Rotherham Advertiser, Rotherham Council’s acting head of community safety and regulatory services, Emma Ellis, said the pigs have been caught.
She said: “We have been working with South Yorkshire Police, DEFRA and partners to investigate this matter and locate the animals.
“This matter has now been positively resolved as the pigs have been captured humanely and they will be rehomed.
“We thank local residents for their patience while we resolved this situation."
Rotherham soap company launches £50k Crowdfunder to tackle homelessness
A Rotherham soap company has launched a £50,000 Crowdfunder in a bid to tackle homelessness across the region.
Labre's Hope are aiming to raise enough money to ensure they can carry on employing those who have been affected by losing their homes as well as ensuring their mental health support continues.
Director and founder, Aaron Probert, said: "It'll be used to continue employing people who experience homelessness. It may we extend our part-time program where we offer an additional 20 part-time positions."
Labre's Hope, which was established in February this year, also guarantees those they employ two hours of mental health support and two hours of employment coaching per week.
Referrals to Labre's Hope are made through their partner charities and organisations which includes, Crisis UK, South Yorkshire Housing Association, Rush House, and Rotherham Council.
Mr Probert, who's non-profit company, produces and sell luxury handcrafted cosmetics, said: "As we are start-up non-profit, revenue really matters in helping us get to the point where we are self-sustainable.
"The 50,000 pounds be split into a variety of things. It might be the case of where we look at providing people who are here currently with additional skills, which they really want to access to get to the place in their careers."
Donations to the Crowdfunder are being supported by the Aviva Cost of Living Boost, which will match donations up to the value of £250.
The company are offering rewards in exchange for donations, including a 'Seven Year Soap' prize for the value of £2,500 which will get you six bars of soap per month for seven years in a customised box.
According to Labre's Hope, currently 270,000 people experience homelessness across the country, with a further 66,000 people forecast to find themselves impacted in 2024.
Mr Probert explained the idea for the start-up was born out of his university dissertation on how to end homelessness and hopes the company will become a national organisation.
He said: "I got involved in charity and non-profits and realised very quickly this is what I wanted to do with my life. In my second year, I got to know a lady who was experiencing homelessness whose usual spot was across the street from me."
"I was 20 and I really wanted to do something about it."
Just seven months after opening their doors, Labre's Hopes have already transformed lives and helped reintegrate people back into society and the world of work.
Mr Probert explained that for every pound and every product Labre's Hope sell, the money is invested back into the organisation to provide the jobs, mental health support and the career coaching,
You can read about Labre's Hope success stories here and donate to the Crowdfunder here.
RivelinCo to hold festive maker’s market and repair shop in Hillsborough Park
With the cost of living crisis making Christmas a challenge for many, two free events for people to build, buy or repair gifts will run tomorrow.
Arts and community group RivelinCo has organised festive maker and repair shop events as part of the Gathering Ground Programme in Hillsborough Park.
Starting at 11am in The Pavilion, the festive market will have 20 stalls, while the repair shop will open at midday in the Bradbury Makers' shed, offering a chance to make gifts for free.
Emily Thew, programme manager of RivelinCo, said the market was the first in the organisation's history.
Ms Thew said: "There was quite a lot of consultation with the community about things we'd like to see in Hillsborough, and markets was one of them."
Each stall has also donated an item to the raffle for a chance to win several great items.
The repair shop is also looking to collect for the S6 foodbank.
Ms Thew said: "The idea of the repair shop tomorrow is mainly because the cost of living is so hard and things are so tight for people at the minute."
This is RivelinCo's third repair event which happens quarterly allowing people to get things mended and learn the skills to fix things for free.
Both events are part of the Gathering Ground Programme, a collaboration with Age UK Sheffield, Depot Bakery and the Friends of Hillsborough Park.
The Maker's Market finishes at 4pm while the repair shop closes at 3pm.
Memorial for Little Mester Stan Shaw unveiled
Outside The Cutler’s Hall in Sheffield, a plaque with the inscription “Stan Shaw, 2nd December 1926 - 26th February 2021” was finally unveiled last week.
The tribute to the much loved local legend celebrates his role as the last 'Little Mester' - a self-employed master craftsman that made Sheffield famous for handmade and finished cutlery and blades.
“If he’d been alive today he’d have been very shocked by this, and I don’t think he’d have wanted it,” said Jane Lees, 55, Stan’s daughter. “He was very quiet and unassuming - he’d just get on with things.”
After he died, age 94, the media clamoured over Stan's star-studded legacy; his clients included George W. Bush, Queen Elizabeth II, members of Elvis' band, and a list of other large names. "They all thought Dad was the celebrity," said Jane.
Stan's widow, Rosemary, was 19 when she met her husband, who was then 24. She claims he was quiet and shy, and took his time to finally ask to walk her home one night.
The unassuming, gentle man had spent ten years of his childhood in and out of hospital with hip issues. “He wouldn’t go out with anyone until he knew he wouldn’t be a burden,” said Rosemary. The couple went on to have three children, Andrew, Kevan, and Jane, during 66 years of marriage.
Stan always feared that due to his health, he wouldn’t live to meet his grandchildren - but four were born before his death in 2021. He made each a knife for every birthday and Christmas until they were 18; a total of 36 knives.
The Little Mester's career began at Ibberson cutlery in 1941, when he was just 14-years old. He had spotted handmade knives at Sheffield market and quickly fell in love with the craft.
“Dad worked for all the famous cutlery firms - he’d swap jobs every three or four months if someone wasn’t paying enough, he’d command his price. But I remember he was getting paid pounds and pence,” said son Kevan Shaw, 58. “He was really worried when firms were getting shut down.”
In his early fifties, Stan made the decision to go self-employed. On a government grant he established himself as the city’s most notable cutler and pocket-knife maker, working in the field for over 80 years.
He was made an honorary Freeman of the Company of Cutlers in 2003, with a unique collection of his knives (made for his fellow Freeman David Beevers) put on permanent display in the Hall earlier this year.
He worked until November 2019, and still had four years of planned orders on a waiting list when he died, which will remain unfulfilled.
After his death, fundraising by the Stan Shaw Memorial Appeal aimed to collect £10,000 for both the Cutlers Hall plaque and a planned heritage trail identifying all of the locations that Shaw had worked at during his lengthy career.
The Little Mesters Brewing company launched a special ale - the ‘STAN’ IPA - alongside the appeal to help their fundraising efforts. Ben Shaw, the company’s co-owner, previously told ShefNews: “When the Stan Shaw Memorial Appeal got in contact with us about crafting a beer for Stan, it was a no brainer, we wanted to do it.
“We thought about what he would like and what he would want to drink, and we came up with an IPA that was authentically him.”
The plaque’s unveiling last Friday (December 2) was a result of fundraising by the Stan Shaw Memorial Appeal, spearheaded by Councillor Anne Murphy, alongside a grant from the JG Graves Charitable Trust.
The cast-iron tribute in his honour, designed by sculptor Gordon Young, features emblems representing Stan’s knife-making skills. At the ceremony, speeches were made by Stan’s family and the Lord Mayor of Sheffield.
Councillor Anne Murphy, thanking all who had donated to the cause, said: "We want to have a lasting memorial to the men, women, and families that Sheffield's trade was built from.
"Stan was a lovely, humble man, and you wouldn't have know from talking to him that people all over the world came to see and purchase his knives. We're really fortunate that we can commemorate Stan in this way."
This recognition has not gone unappreciated. “It’s kept me going,” said Rosemary. “If I feel low I can flick open the photographs and I can reminisce, it’s lovely. I’ve got all the events recorded.”
Son Kevin added: “When I was a kid, he had a green shed at home - a proper workshop, green shed, workbenches with all my dad’s kit.
"The shed has been left untouched since Stan last worked there. Whoever buys that house - it’s a museum exhibit.”
South Yorkshire befriending charity b:friend launch their attempt at Christmas number 1
The befriending charity b:friend are hoping their single "Footprints in the Snow", will raise awareness of loneliness in the elderly this Christmas.
According to Age UK, 1.4 million older people in the UK are often lonely. B:friend's aim is to reduce loneliness and isolation in the over 65s.
CEO of the charity, Colette Bunker says, "we have about 750 volunteers who pop round to an older neighbours house for a cuppa and a chat to keep them company once a week.
The aim is the create meaningful and long lasting friendships".
The single has been written by Andrew Bradley, 39, who works as a Pre-Development Engineer for Strata Homes in Doncaster. The company chose B:friend as their charity of the year for 2022, and he was keen to put his 20 years of signwriting skills to use.
He said, "As a writer, I'm always looking for ways to be creative about the approach to songwriting and meaningful approaches that create a reaction in people.
Initially the idea was to do a Christmas carol concert which we decided against so we put forward a song and everyone at b:friend charity engaged with that and really enjoyed it".
When asked what the hope for the single was he said, "if we can get about 1000 downloads, we might be able to just about crack into the top 40 which we would class as a massive success, and raise near enough 1000 pounds for the charity as well".
The downloads will be priced at 99p, and Colette Bunker said "of course we need funds to survive as a charity but we're hoping to spread awareness about loneliness and isolation in the elderly particularly at Christmas time".
The single will be available to download from 8 December, but the music video is out now and you can watch this below.
You can find out more about b:friend at letsbfriend.org.uk.
Former Derby County man Darren Moore says he understands the “magnitude” of the club
Darren Moore's Sheffield Wednesday side are looking to break into the top two of League One this weekend as they travel to Pride Park to take on Derby County.
The Owls come into this game in fantastic form, having three straight league wins under their belt. Wednesday also secured a late 2-1 win against Mansfield in last Saturday's FA Cup clash, and will face Newcastle United in the third round.
Wednesday sit one point below promotion, just behind Ipswich Town and league leaders Plymouth Argyle. Their hosts are also enjoying a run of good form, with the Rams unbeaten in their last five league matches.
Manager Darren Moore said: "‘Irrespective of what game or team we play, we are always looking to win the game, it's always that mentality."
Speaking of his familiarity with Derby having played there in his professional career, as well as their manager Paul Warne, the Wednesday boss said: "I understand the magnitude of the club, I know every corner of the club, so I understand the size and task of the job there."
Cory, from the Derby County podcast Rams Review, said: "This is a massive game for Derby. A win would really serve as a catalyst for the next part of the season.
"I'd like to see Jason Knight start in midfield, as well as Tom Barkhuizen. They have both come back from injury and can be a real difference-maker for us."
Moore and Warne have faced each other six times in their managerial careers, with both having three wins and three defeats respectively.
Both Wednesday and Derby are struggling with some injures. For the Rams, Curtis Davies and James Chester are both side-lined, with Erian Cashin, Craig Forsyth and Jake Rooney likely to form the back three.
For the Owls, Moore reported that George Byers is still recovering from injury, but Akin Famewo is now fully recovered and back in the squad.
Kick-off is at 12.30pm tomorrow at the Pride Park Stadium. Highlights will be shown on ITV4 at 10pm.
Has train chaos hit the north the hardest?
It’s 4pm on Tuesday November 29, and there are no more trains from Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield.
I was left with no choice but to travel to Stockport - a station comparably well connected to the rest of the UK, thanks to the conditions in which it was built.
While no Act of Parliament exists to say it is true, every Stockfordian knows that the station was built on the promise that all trains going through must stop, and so it does.
It’s usually a fifty minute, direct journey, one which I, and many other Gen Z’s, require to link university to home.
Even when a scheduled train does turn up, a poll by Sheffield Wire revealed 90% of commuters from Stockport to Sheffield have been forced to stand throughout the 40 minute journey, despite having booked a ticket. This is due to reduced carriages, cancellations and overbooked trains.
While I take this as a given as I clamber into a gap between the loos and the emergency exit, the fumes an eclectic mix of Yorkshire dales and public toilets, I think to myself this can’t be the reality of Northern train services. Or is it?
Lynsey Hansley, a journalist and Northern-convert who has investigated Britain’s transport divide, said: “In Transport terms, the north really is a different country,"
The Government’s “Levelling up in the United Kingdom” report, published in February 2022, revealed 30% of all public transport infrastructure is spent in London alone. That being said, the government has also stated by 2030 the North will have a London-style transport system. However, with months of chaos and cancellations, currently costing the Northern economy £8 million a week, this seems unlikely.
So how does it compare down south?
Today, December 2, between 8am-6pm, there are 50 trains running between Brighton and London, a one hour journey. Comparably, there are 20 trains scheduled from Sheffield to Manchester, over a third of which are cancelled or even worse, rail replacement.
Eva Betts, who commutes to London from Brighton every day, said: “Even though the service is poor, with frequent delays and of course, strikes, it feels like the network and infrastructure is quite broad.
"There are always a lot of trains, and a lot of ways to get to different places - particularly getting into and around London.”
The Lord Mayor of Sheffield, Sioned-Mair Richards, is disappointed. She said: “There is far more spent towards infrastructure in the South than the North, and our links to Manchester have decreased rather than increased over the years. Sheffield has become the forgotten city.”
These sentiments do little to dispel the myths that the HS2 project is little more than a Tory vanity project. One year following The Integrated Rail Plan, the government’s plan for delivering rail investment in the North and Midlands, the Yorkshire mayors have criticised the lack of progress.
Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire, highlighted that the Transport for North’s route has been cancelled, re-announced and altered by the government over 60 times since it was first announced in 2014.
Ironically, Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire, struggled to attend a long-awaited meeting with the Northern Mayors and Transport Secretary Mark Harper.
Travelling from Leeds to Manchester on Wednesday, 60 trains were cancelled by Transpennine Express alone, with only half the train being sent to ship crowds of people waiting on the platform. This is by no means an anomaly.
In a joint statement, the mayors said: “We’ve made it clear to Mark Harper that he can and must step in and clean up this mess."
An investigation by PA using Office of Rail and Road data found that the majority of trains run by northern operators are delayed, with the Avanti West Coast stated the worst performing rail company for cancellations.
Interestingly, First Group - a £800m company listed on the London Stock Exchange - has a majority stake in both Transpennine and the Avanti West Coast main line. Despite the chaos that has ensued, the government extended Avanti’s contract for another six months in October.
Are politics and profit prevailing train efficiency? Perhaps, but it’s clear that the North won’t stand for it much longer.
Schools in Sheffield achieve national awards for commitment to healthy eating and education
Schools across Sheffield have attained bronze and silver awards as part of a national award scheme promoting nutritious school dinners and health-focused education.
Local schools won their Food For Life award, an initiative put in place by charity The Soil Association to encourage organic, healthy school meals and health-focused education across primary schools in the UK.
Lowedges Junior Academy (pictured) attained a silver award. Bronze awards were achieved by Lowfield Primary, Mansel Primary, Arbourthorne Community Primary , St Theresa's Catholic Primary, Oasis Fir Vale, Phillimore Community Primary and Wybourn Community Primary.
To attain these awards, these schools have had to prove that their school dinners use organic, healthy, locally-sourced ingredients.
It also involved incorporating nutrition-focused education into the curriculum either through gardening, workshops, or school trips.
The awards were achieved as part of ongoing work between local schools and Eat Smart Sheffield, a project commissioned by Sheffield City Council to promote healthy eating among children.
Recently, Eat Smart Sheffield revealed that over 40 schools across Sheffield have enrolled onto the Food For Life programme.
Lisa Aldwin, programme manager of Eat Smart Sheffield, said the project gives advice to schools about how they can prioritise nutrition in their teaching and practice.
Education around healthy habits and living has become a core part of the curriculum for many of the schools involved.
Jo Searle, a teacher at bronze-winning Phillimore Community Primary School in Darnall, said: “Food Education is now firmly part of the school curriculum. As a school we run family cooking days during school holidays which are highly popular.”
Children want to be healthy, they want to help the environment and they want a better future
Chermaine Samphire, trainee teacher
Chermaine Samphire, who is currently on placement with Firth Park Academy, explained how she helped a previous school she trained with to achieve its bronze award.
She said: “The school is making changes that benefit the children and their families through healthy lifestyle changes both in school and in the wider community.
“Children want to be healthy, they want to help the environment and they want a better future - you can see this when talking to the children and seeing them engage with the program.”
In addition to helping schools achieve the Food For Life award, Eat Smart Sheffield also delivers workshops and advice to local schools and parents about eating healthily and child nutrition.
They provide resources, such as a pamphlet about advice to eat on a budget amidst the cost-of-living crisis, and also liaise directly with headteachers about the importance of balanced school dinners.