Sheffield to host Cultural Programme for WUEFA EURO Cup
Sheffield will be one of the cities in England to host the cultural programme for the Women's UEFA EURO cup this summer. Many projects have been launched in Sheffield recently aimed at the regeneration of the city. Councillor Mazher Iqbal, Executive Member for City Futures: Development, Culture and Regeneration at Sheffield City Council, said: “Sheffield is a city full of creative talent and ingenuity, which is reflected in our strong cultural sector so I know this exciting programme will be a huge hit alongside UEFA Women’s EURO 2022. Bringing sport and culture together means we can really put on a show for all our visiting fans, inspire more local people to get involved and more women and girls to take up a long term interest in football.” The Arts Council England granted them £800,000 for the commissioned projects through the National Lottery. Art Council's North Area Director, Sarah Maxfield, said: “We know the huge difference that taking part in arts and culture makes to people’s lives and so I’m delighted that the Arts Council is supporting The Football Association’s first cultural programme through our National Lottery Project Grants fund. “I’m looking forward to seeing how the combined forces of culture and sport inspire audiences during the UEFA Women's EURO 2022 and I hope it will encourage people, particularly women and girls, to get involved with both the competition and the different celebratory cultural activities on offer.” The three commissioned projects will be led by the artist Emma Smith, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Idle Women. Such artwork will celebrate women football's history to encourage young women and girls to be inspired. The Arts programme is managed by the Football Association. Chris Bryant, the tournament director, said: "We are delighted to be working with such prestigious artists and organisations on bringing this programme to life. As we work towards tournament kick-off on 6 July we will be reaching out to local artists, musicians and community groups via our host city partnerships to share in the moment and deliver a programme of events in each region."
Yorkshire Silent Film Festival returns to Sheffield for 2022 season
Abbeydale Picture House will become Yorkshire’s Silent Film hub this March, showing thrillers, comedies and westerns until July.
All the films will be accompanied by a live orchestra, who will improvise their scores alongside the films.
The event will be held at venues throughout Yorkshire and beyond, with showings in Leeds, Hull, York and Manchester.
Event organiser Jonny Best said: “We’re bringing films to Sheffield that you can’t see anywhere else.
“Seeing live music with film is a really immersive and enjoyable experience, especially when you’re somewhere as atmospheric and interesting as the Abbeydale.”
This year, urgent repairs in the main auditorium has led organisers to convert the picture house stage to a cinema, but Mr Best says this should not deter audiences.
He told the Sheffield Wire: “It’s a unique experience in a place audiences don’t get to see ordinarily.
“It’s an absolutely beautiful space.”
The smaller auditorium will create an intimate atmosphere between the audience, the film and the musicians as they create “a bridge between the audience and century old films.”
The festival is also offering free tickets for under 18s, and organisers are encouraging people unfamiliar with the genre to try it out. Mr Best said: “It’s a lot of fun. A great way to get started is to see one of the comedy shows.
“They are still every bit as funny, clever and ingenious as they were when they were made.”
To see the full line up visit the Yorkshire Silent Film website here.
Romanian miracle dog survivor raises money for wheelchair to start a new life in Sheffield
Miracle dog Ayla will finally be able to make friends at the park after her owner raised enough money for a wheelchair following a tragic car accident and freak dog attack. Charlotte Morgan rescued the 10-year-old dog from Romania. It fell victim to a random attack in the centre of Wakefield from a homeless Staffordshire Bull Terrier in August 2021.
Ayla after her leg amputation.
Home sweet home after her surgery
Ayla in her harness
Ayla during her hydrotherapy session
Ayla playing with her physiotherapy ball
Ayla acclimatising to her car journey
Ayla fully recovered
Ayla ready for a cuddle with Charlotte
Monday Morning Briefing: No War in Ukraine protest and the latest sport
Good morning from Sheffield Wire, here's what you need to know to start your day. The 'No War in Ukraine' protest took place yesterday outside Sheffield Town Hall following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. It was attended by around 100 people and featured speakers from the council and local organisation groups. A Romanian 'miracle dog' survivor that fell victim to an attack in Wakefield, has raised enough money for a wheelchair to start a new life in Sheffield. Sheffield United have been knocked out of the Championship top six after suffering a 0-1 defeat from Millwall over the Weekend. Keep checking the website for updates.
Millwall 0 – 1 Sheffield United – Blades suffer play-off setback in the capital
Millwall made it an impressive four wins from four to revive their play-off hopes and knock Sheffield United out of the top six. Jake Cooper’s towering header at the back post in the 63rd minute marked a frustrating day for the away side in a game of little quality. The win puts Millwall within five points of the play offs, in which the Blades have been replaced by Luton, following their first defeat in nine games. The Lions suffered an early setback, with Mason Bennett forced off with a hip injury within the first quarter of an hour in a half of little action. Jack Robinson’s cross-cum-shot just after the break was the first time either keeper was called into any real action, with Bartosz Bialkowski needing to be alert to tip over. At the other end, Wes Foderingham was less than convincing in dealing with Danny McNamara’s deflected, long range drive, which the Blades' defence managed to scramble away. A dull afternoon at The Den finally burst into life, after Cooper peeled away unmarked at the back post and was able to powerfully head home Jed Wallace’s dinked free-kick. The visitors attempted to hit back and largely dominated the rest of proceedings but struggled to create anything clear-cut. Some Blades’ fans were left bemused at the decision to leave midfielders Sander Berge and Morgan Gibbs-White out of the starting lineup, after their recent positive form. Both Berge and Gibbs-White did come on in the second half but failed to make an impact. A rare positive on a disappointing day for the Blades was the impressive league debut of 19-year-old centre-back Kyron Gordon. “I support Sheffield United, I support Sheffield, so when I knew I was starting I was buzzing,” Gordon said. “We didn’t get the result we’d have liked, but for me personally, it’s a massive achievement. “Hopefully I can put that shirt on every week”. Millwall manager Gary Rowett was delighted to complete the double over the Blades and was full of praise for away team after the game. He said: "Sheffield United are a good side.” "I have watched a lot of them recently and I think they are probably as good as any other team behind Fulham in this division. "I expect them to be challenging come the end of the season, probably even for the top two positions.” Sheffield United had 62% possession and more shots on goal, which left manager Paul Heckingbottom lamenting the fine margins of the contest. “We probably shaded it in terms of chances, efforts and possession, but we were not at our best,” he told SUTV. “It was a nothing game, so that’s the frustration, it looked like two teams who had played Wednesday night”. Heckingbottom will be hoping his side can bounce back on Friday night, when they host fellow play-off hopefuls Nottingham Forest.
Sheffield United face Blackburn Rovers in battle for Championship play-offs
Sheffield United are facing Blackburn Rovers in their second meeting this season. The Blades are hoping to continue their campaign, after an impressive 4-0 thrashing of Swansea City that saw them climb to sixth in the Championship. Manager Paul Heckingbottom gave his assessment of Blackburn’s performance this season, saying: “They’re a really dangerous team, they’ve scored goals and have a clear way of playing the way Tony [Mowbray] sets them up. They’re very forward thinking and dangerous when they regain the ball, which is where most teams are at their most vulnerable. He continued: “We know they’re going to be a threat and very well organised, it’s going to be a tough night for us at Bramall Lane, but we’re ready for it. We know how we want to play and we just have to bring our best game, while obviously respecting the threat Blackburn bring.
Image from Sheffield United FC
Students in Sheffield evacuated overnight after Storm Franklin causes fire hazard
Students living in The Derwent apartments in Endcliffe village were told to leave their residencies at 10.30pm last night due to heavy flooding. The flood was labelled as a potential fire hazard by the university as it caused severe damage to the building's electricity supply. One Sheffield student, Ellie Fletcher, 19, labelled the incident as scary. She told Sheffield Wire she arrived home after cheerleading practice at 8pm to find a crowd of people standing outside in the rain. She was then informed by university officials almost three hours later that she had to stay elsewhere for the duration of the night and if she had difficulties, the university would assist her in finding temporary accommodation. "Luckily my boyfriend lives in Sheffield," she said, "so I decided to leave because I thought that even if they did let us in to get our valuables, it would be hours before they did. And in the end, they didn't let anyone in. My flatmates never got their things". As a result of not being able to collect their personal belongings, many did not attend university today. Reports of smoke exiting the basement last night were also made, though this has not yet been confirmed by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue. A spokesperson for the university said students are can now re-enter their accommodation following checks to the power supply. They added those affected by the incident will receive a three-night credit to their accommodation. If you or anyone else has been affected, get in touch with @sheffield_wire on Twitter.
Sheffield Steelers looking to bounce back after Cardiff defeat as they prepare for Challenge Cup
The Steelers lost 2:3 to a penalty shootout to the Cardiff Devils at Sheffield Arena on Sunday.
This comes after an injury to one of their top players, Marco Vallerand. If he cannot play on Wednesday, the Steelers would have to replace him and bring in another player, which is not ideal.
Steelers Head Coach Aaron Fox said: “I thought, arguably, that was one of the better sixties we played all year. We didn’t find a way to win it which is disappointing, but at the end of the day we can all look ourselves in the mirror and know we played a heck of a game tonight.”
The team are gearing up to versus the Devils again on Wednesday, as part of the Semi-Final.
The winners of this game will either play the Nottingham Panthers or the Belfast Giants in a bid to win the Premier Sports Challenge Cup.
The 2022 Premier Sports Challenge Cup Final will be played as a one-off event in March.
Photo credits: Kieran Morse.
Free taxi rides to vaccine centre in new Sheffield scheme
A local cab firm, City Taxis, have launched a new scheme this week, giving free taxi rides to people going to get their Covid-19 vaccination.
The initiative, named Sheffield JabCab, was set up by Sheffield City Council and City Taxis, to encourage people to get their 1st, 2nd and booster vaccinations.
Sacha Skinner, a spokesperson for City Taxis said: "We believe Jab Cabs are a really positive way of supporting those in our community who are restricted from travel, either financially or accessibility, who would otherwise not be able to get the Covid-19 vaccination."
People from certain Sheffield postcodes will be able to get a free taxi to and from Longley Lane Vaccination Centre, which is near Northern General Hospital. All cabs will then be paid for by Sheffield City Council.
The centre is open every day of the week from 8am to 7pm, and vaccines are available on both an appointment and walk-in basis.
To claim a free taxi, people must call City Taxis on 0114 235 8997 and reference ‘SCC vaccine'
Three reasons why university staff are striking
“Staff have been worked to the bone, trying to prepare modules for changing conditions, with the same levels of pay. We are now in a position where we believe that’s completely untenable. People have had enough." Joe Hill, 36, is a researcher at the University of Sheffield who is participating in strikes this week. Drenched from the rain as Storm Eunice tears through the UK, he is only one of many university staff members protesting changes to their pensions, pay inequality and working conditions. This is the latest in a long-running dispute with universities over pensions and pay. Members of the University and College Union (UCU) began their latest wave of strike action on Monday, 14 February. Over 50,000 members of the UCU are striking, demanding employers reverse cuts to staff pensions. They also want a £2,500 pay rise for all staff and employers to take action to address unmanageable workloads, pay inequality and the use of unsafe and exploitative contracts. Matt Robson, 56, a teacher in the Department of Journalism Studies, said: "I’m on strike today because I want to protect my pension, but I’m also worried about the kind of workload issues, gender pay gap, and a whole bunch of things."
He continued: "I understand it's inconvenient. I understand it's possibly upsetting for some students. I fully understand that. But I've also got to look after myself. And would you want someone teaching you who was worried about their pension, who was worried about whether they're going to have a contract next year, was worried about whether they're going to be able to pay the bills at the end of the month?" There are three main reasons why the strikes are taking place:
- Pension cuts
- Working conditions
- Inequality and the pay gap
This week, 68 universities are participating in strike action on 21 and 22 February.
Pension cuts:
The staff are striking because of a dispute over the guaranteed pension staff receive. According to the UCU website, they did a study and found that university staff’s pensions have been cut by £240,000, and now there are proposals to reduce this further by 35%. This deduction is set to be formalized on 22 February. Tom Stafford, a lecturer at the University of Sheffield’s psychology department, said: “If we treat staff unfairly, we overwork them, we don’t pay them properly, we don’t allow them to retire in comfort, then we’re going to massively impoverish the kind of person that works at the university, and that’s going to make education worse, it’s going to make research worse. That’s not visually the university that I want to be behind.” The pension dispute focuses on the financing of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS), which provides the pensions of staff at older UK universities, research institutes and academic think tanks. Last week, the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) recommended that employers dock the pay of staff who work to rule as part of the strike action. ‘Work to rule’ is a form of industrial action when staff follow official working rules and hours exactly, resulting in reduced work efficiency. The UCEA recommended that employers dock 100% of pay, but so far, only six universities have implemented this, while others are warning deductions of 25%, 33% or 50%. According to the union, the universities that have threatened to withhold 100% of pay are:- Queen Mary University of London
- City University of London
- Manchester Metropolitan University
- Newcastle University
- Bristol University
- Bradford University
Working conditions:
A lot of staff are striking about the working conditions, including Dr Stafford. He said: “They’ve let people work in unsafe conditions, working themselves into ill health, keeping the university going during the pandemic. And then this is how they treat staff and the students by letting the strikes go ahead. It’s shocking. Why are we not seeing some leadership from the university?” Alison, a 20-year-old English studies student at the University of Sheffield, supports the strikes. She said: “The reason why I’m out here - I feel like it is demonstrated by the sign - working conditions are our learning conditions, and I don’t think teachers and academic staff should be treated the way that they are. It’s not right.” Alexandra, 21, a sociology student, said: “I feel like university management are really weaponizing the disruption to the student experience to get students to be against the strikes, but I think that the more students come out in solidarity, the more I think the university won’t get away with it.” Alison agrees with this, saying: “I think students do know it’s not the lecturers and aren’t blaming academic staff, but they’re directing anger at management quite a bit more. So I think students need to know who to “scare” and whose fault this is. That is really important.” Joe Hill, 36, a researcher at the University of Sheffield, said how staff have been working 50 and 60 hour weeks while on 35 or 40 hour contracts regularly for two years, because of Covid-19.“People have had enough. They've had enough of two decades of austerity, lack of support. No pay increases attached to their pensions. What does this mean for students? What does this mean for staff? We’re all supposed to be in this together, creating an environment where we are proud to be here. How can we do that when we can't afford to eat? When our disabled members are being paid less than us?”According to a 2021 report on university employment contracts by UCU, Black and Asian staff are less likely to be on a permanent contract than white staff, meaning their employment is less secure.
Inequality and the pay gap:
Data research agency Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) shows that among academic staff, 72,610 (32%) were employed on fixed-term contracts in 2020 and 2021.
Compared with white employees, Black, Asian and ethnic minority staff are more likely to sign more unstable and insecure fixed-term contracts.
According to UCU’s 2021/22 pay claim, the report said 3545 academic staff are on zero-hour contracts around UK universities.
Zero-hour contracts are widely considered a poor employment practice as staff lack the right to a contract that guarantees their work hours. UCU is anti-zero hour contracts.
Black staff are 50% more likely than white staff and three times more likely than Asian staff to be on a zero-hours contract.
Inequality is not limited to ethnicity, but it extends to gender and disability in the workplace.
The average gender pay gap in the UK higher education sector was 16%, the gap between black and white staff was 17%, and the gap for people with disabilities was 9%.
UCU says employers must give men and women equal treatment in terms of the conditions of their employment contracts.
Joe Hill, 36, a researcher of the University of Sheffield, said: “We are currently on strike for the full fight, which is a session or linked debate about a casualization workload and the disability and gender pay gap.
“Before covid, we were negotiating with UCS, which is a group that represents the universities across the UK.”
Joe added: “We were having really good movement and positive discussions and getting close to kind of making some really solid agreements on how to move forward to eliminate what is a 9% pay gap for disabled colleagues.”
Next week, strike actions will focus on pay and working disputes only, protesting on Monday 28 February, Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 March. The final day of strike action will coincide with the student strike on Wednesday, 2 March, organized by the National Union of Students (NUS).
by Lauren Kelly, Emily Davies, Safi Bugel, Anastasia Christodoulou and Summer Ding.
NHS waiting times soar in Sheffield: City ranked amongst the 30 worst in the country
NHS waiting times in Sheffield are amongst the 30 worst in the country.
At the end of December 2021, 63,936 people were on the waiting list at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Trust.
According to date from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Trust, 1,149 people had been waiting for more than a year for an appointment and 20 people have been waiting more than two years.
Infographic showing Sheffield Teaching Hospitals Trust waiting time in 2021.
27-year-old Joseph Morris works in digital marketing in Sheffield. He is just one of the statistics sat still on a waiting list.
He has been awaiting an ADHD screening for eight months. He said: "in terms of waiting lists and diagnosis and assessments, there is generally an uncomfortable feeling of being forgotten."
When he asked his GP for an ADHD assessment, they warned that there is a really long waiting list. He was told he would be referred to the Sheffield Adult Autism and Neurodevelopment Service (SAANS).
SAANS informed Mr Morris that his referral had not yet been screened, after the screening process there is a two and a half year waiting list for an assessment.
This could quickly add up to a four year wait just to be seen by a professional. He often wonders why he is bothering.
He said: "I think what's frustrating is that I am one of many, many people in this situation who have no idea what's going on or what to do."
He describes the situation as a crisis, he added: "we are being told that the services are there and available to us, but in my experience I think many have given up hope of ever receiving the help they need."
Mr Morris has looked into private healthcare but it is extortionate, especially on top of rising costs of living and an energy crisis.
After having various brief telephone consultations, he is unsure if he will ever find out if he has a serious condition. Undiagnosed neurodivergent conditions can have detrimental impacts on mental health and wellbeing.
Olivia Blake, MP for Sheffield Hallam said: "People in Sheffield are being forced to wait months and even years for treatment, often in pain and discomfort.
Now the Government is telling them that waiting times won’t start going down until 2024. It's unacceptable."
Campaigners, MPs and the public gathered outside Parliament with a banner and placards
© photograph by David Sandison
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Sheffield’s Kell Brook claims ‘King of the North’ title in a dominant win over Amir Khan
An electric atmosphere at the Manchester Arena promised box office entertainment as two experienced boxers went head to head in a hugely anticipated fight. Saturday evening’s premier event, started with Brook setting the precedent by totally dominating the first round, who looked to be the more composed of the two fighters. Brook and Khan, both aged 35, had been labelled as evenly matched fighters prior to the game. The result was far from close as Brook emphatically emerged as the victor in the sixth round. Speaking to the media after the fight, Brook said: "I can live at peace with Amir Khan on my record, "My mojo is back and I love this game. We will listen to loved ones and see, but I'm back, baby." After a barrage of direct hits onto Khan, Brook gained control of the fight as Khan wobbled through the opening exchanges. During the second round, Khan momentarily began to grow into the fight. The Bolton-based fighter’s best trait was arguably his speed as he managed to negotiate the second round by avoiding some of Brook’s direct hits. Normal action was shortly resumed, as Brook continued to prove his worth as the more dominant fighter, looking to deliver the match-winning blow as Khan suffered heavy facial damage. A composed Kell Brook looked certain to supply the knock-out blow in the fifth round, but Khan was saved by the bell. An end to the so-called contest came in round six as the referee, fearing for the safety of Khan, called an end to the fight after a dominant Kell Brook performance. The Sheffield fighter said in a post match interview: "I can live at peace with myself, with my career now." Saturday's fight was Brook's 40th victory in his 17-year career as a professional boxer. Meanwhile the fight at the Manchester Arena represents only the sixth defeat in Amir Khan's illustrious boxing career.