The BRIT Awards to replace gendered categories with gender-neutral awards, in order to make the ceremony “as inclusive as possible”.
Will the decision to remove gendered categories help to promote inclusivity or does it further hinder the chances of equal opportunity?
Following the BRIT Awards decision to replace female and male categories with gender neutral awards, Artist of the Year and International Artist of the Year, we ask whether this will encourage true inclusivity within the music industry.
BRIT’s aim is to ensure the event should be as inclusive as possible and to celebrate artists’ music rather than how they identify themselves.
Tom March, BRIT Chair and Co-President of Polydor Records said: “It feels completely the right time to celebrate the achievements of artists for the music that they create, and the work that they do, irrespective of gender.”
MJ Olaore, Chief Operating Office BPI, said: “One of the things we all love most about The BRIT Awards is that they always stay in tune with the times, remaining relevant to both the artists and our audience.”
The change has not been without its critics. For instance, Piers Morgan tweeted: “What a load of woke garbage. Won’t be long before it’s illegal to call yourself a man or woman.”
However, for many this has symbolised a step forward in ensuring equality, enabling a more representative industry to evolve.
“A move in the right direction”
Gender Intelligence, a charity which works to improve the lives of trans and non-binary people in the UK, said they welcome the news that the BRITs have removed gendered categories
A spokesperson for the charity, said: “Not only do gendered categories move the focus away from music and on to the identity – or perceived identity – of the performers, they also leave no room for artists who do not fit within a gender binary.
“Removing binary gendered categories and welcoming a range of gender identities and expressions in music can only be a good thing, both for artists now, and the next generations of musicians that they inspire.”
Singer-songwriter, Scott Quinn, said: “For me, personally, I think it is fantastic. It is another step in the right direction. Those that aren’t very represented will feel that there are more opportunities granted.”
Pic: Scott Quinn. C - @scottpquinn
Mr Quinn stated that ensuring inclusivity is about levelling out the playing field and stressed that how you identify shouldn’t impact how well you do in the industry.
Similarly, Tom Warner, a drummer from Sheffield, believes we still live in a “musical society” in which gender is treated as musical ability.
Mr Warner hopes that the BRIT’s non-gendered categories will lead to musician being recognised regardless of how they identify.
He said: “It’s these larger scale industry representatives that that filter feed the toxicity to everything else lower down, and I feel that removing gender categories is like removing one of the drip feeders.”
The introduction of non-gendered categories at the BRITs, is perhaps the type of action that many have been waiting for from the music sphere, a place where a lot of us go to see ourselves being represented.
Although, this undoubtedly provides more space for non-binary nominees, there has been some concern that this may affect the number of female nominated at the annual awards.
“Having categories which aren’t gendered is a good thing, but it is only a good thing is the industry is equal”
Undoubtedly the music industry is still male dominated, with USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative report finding only 21.7% of artists are female and that there is a 3.6 to 1 male to female ratio.
But does this mean that BRIT Awards gender-neutral prizes will continue the underrepresentation of women in music?
Chardine Taylor-Stone, the vice-chair of the Musician’s Union Equalities Committee and drummer in the band Big Joanie, said that while the introduction of genderless awards is a positive move, the flip side is that it could lead to men being nominated disproportionately more than others.
She believes the main issue lies within the industry itself and it is the structural issues that need to be addressed first.
Ms Taylor-Stone said: “What can happen sometimes, is that you can have these surface token gestures which don’t address the structural issues and attitudes within the industry. So you end up with something that should be the end point, which is categories where anyone could be nominated being the final thing.”
Similarly, Adele De’Ath, a vocalist and songwriter, said: “I don’t think it is reasonable to overlook the fact that most musicians are white men – from what I have seen at least. I think there is a bigger problem to address at grassroots level to ensure barriers are removed to all everyone the opportunity to pursue music, and then to encourage participation.”
The music industry, despite being a place for expression, still others those that do not fit into a gender binary. Ms Taylor-Stone explained there are still may trans and non-binary musicians that struggle to get record deals or even get notices by companies as they do not know how to promote them in the categories available.
While she believes that the BRIT’s decision is a step forward in ensuring the industry is more inclusive for non-binary musicians, Ms Taylor-Stone stated that “it needs to be done properly”.
One solution she suggests, is that a cap on the number of cis men nominated in each category could be enforced, in order to level out the playing and giving everyone, irrespective of how they identify, an equal chance.
Alternatively, Ryan Adamson, who is a member of the alternative rock band, Bad Fettle, from Sheffield, said whilst he understand that many may not wish to be categorised into ‘male’ or ‘female’ categories, removing categories is not the solution.
For Mr Adamson having separate categories offer females a chance to achieve recognition.
He said: “I believe adding another category is the way to go, not removing one. I now fear that the Ed Sheeran’s of this world will gain more limelight by winning the single award and preventing other talented artists from gaining much deserved recognition.”
Changing perspectives
Although it is evident that some are in two minds about the BRIT’s new genderless award categories, it is clear that this move is definitely a positive one.
Despite concerns that without the insurance that the categories will include an equal representation of people, the new award categories may lead to further disproportionate amount of cis male winner, there is the hope that this is a step in changing perceptions.
Ms Taylor-Stone said: “If a move like this makes audiences, who haven’t even considered the gender binary in any way, to think about that, then that’s a good thing”.
Although a change such as this from a public organisation such as the BRITs, is likely to face its opponents, it certainly send out the message that the music industry is evolving into a more inclusive space.
As Mr Quinn said of the new change: “It isn’t going to be perfect, but it is a step in the right direction. I’d rather have people are imperfectly trying to get things right, then not trying at all.”
Transforming Broomhill Library and the wider issue of disabled accessibility
Broomhill Community Library is undergoing plans to make the library “more suitable for the 21st century”, with increased accessibility.
Kathy Harbord, a trustee of Broomhill library said: “It doesn’t have disabled access, it’s only got steps up to it so anybody with any mobility issues can’t get into the building. So, it’s not fit for purpose.”
The council planned to relocate the library to a more appropriate and inclusive location in Broomhill. The deliberation process lasted for ten-years with no progress. They had the necessary funding, but they never found a premise that was suitable.
Paul Turner from ENABLE Sheffield, who offer support and encouragement to people with learning and physical disabilities, said: “We don’t really use the libraries because most of the people we support can’t read. But we ran a trip a few years ago to the library near the Peace Gardens in town and they were very helpful, they put on extra staff and showed people where the books were. So, more libraries need to be more like that. And general things really: more lifts, wider doorways.”
The cost of the transformation project is quoted at around £900,000. The library trustees are set to go through the first application stage to the national lottery heritage fund.
The library received a grant from the government for refurbishing the garden but still has a lot more work to do.
Ms Harbord said: “The council still own the building so are responsible for the building and the health and safety. We are a co-delivered library. So, we don’t have to raise funds to actually run the library, but we do need to raise funds if we want to change things or make things better.”
Volunteers help run fundraisers including book sales and various events where people can give donations. This does not cover the amount needed for a full refurbishment, only small alternations such as redecorating.
The library has architectural designs and plans drawn up. They are now in the feasibility stage of the regeneration process in order to make the building accessible to people living with a disability.
There are plans to make the attic which is used for storage available for public use. If the library is awarded the funding, the attic will be transformed into a interactable space, such as a café.
The community library is one of the busiest libraries in the city according to Ms Harbord as it serves a catchment of around 45,000 people in Sheffield
According to Family Resources Survey (2019-2020), 19% of working age adults and 46% of pension age adults are living with a disability. A significant proportion of the 45,000 will be impacted by the lack of accessibility in Broomhill library and other libraries across Sheffield.
Organisation, BEBEST, which stands for all the sub regions in the area developed a neighbourhood plan and this plan has to go to council to then be voted on in an election. This organisation enables communities to make decisions before the council to.
The chair of BEBEST, Pete Marsh, is involved in the Broomhill development group. The library is mentioned in the neighbourhood plan and they support and recommend that the library be updated.
You can support the Transforming Broomhill Library project by joining one of the 70 volunteers, attending fundraising events, book sales or even by holding your own charity fundraisers as some Sheffield residents have chosen to do.
Switzerland follows Germany and Austria in imposing harsher restrictions to fight Covid-19
by Miriam Kuepper
Following the latest lockdown measures across Germany and Austria, the Swiss government has also been given the power to impose stricter Covid restrictions.
Unlike most countries, Switzerland needed permission from its voters to implement controls to curb socialising.
Last Sunday, the government secured power to keep and alter a Covid certificate, enabling only those who have been vaccinated or recovered to socialise in all public settings.
There were many demonstrations against Covid measures in Switzerland.
The referendum to remove restrictions, including the certificate, came after a series of demonstrations against measures and opponents of the law stating it was a restriction of their freedoms - violating their human rights.
Dr Thomas Milic, a senior researcher in Swiss politics at the University of Zurich, said: “It was so controversial because it was about a topic which concerns everyone directly and which had a permanent media presence.”
Dr Thomas Milic is a senior researcher at the University of Zurich who specialises in Swiss politics. Image source: Liechtenstein Institut
Under the Swiss political system of direct democracy, the power lies in the hand of the voting population, giving the government little formal power.
As Dr Milic explains: “Switzerland is the only country in which Covid-politics were legitimised directly by the population.
To move forward with restrictions such as the Covid certificate, which became mandatory in indoor spaces including restaurants, clubs and universities in September, the government had to balance introducing restrictions with getting the voting public’s approval in accordance with their system of direct democracy.
The election of the Covid-law showed three highly emotional aspects, according to Swiss politics expert, Dr Milic. He said: “Firstly, the election was about humanity’s most valuable good: health.”
A study by Swiss publisher Tamedia shows the older population, in particular, voted in favour of the law, while many younger people voted against it.
Data source: Tamedia
“The rift between the age groups most likely stems from young people believing that older people are more likely to suffer severe repercussions from the disease than they are,” said Dr Milic.
He also considers social isolation a possible cause for the approval of the law, as people who don't participate in public life would not care about restrictions on socialising.
Finally, there was what he calls an “age-old conflict between freedom and equality”.
Equality, as solidarity of getting both vaccines in order to achieve herd immunity, was put into question.
He said: “How far can the state go to restrict the freedom of an individual to achieve this goal?
"Opinions on this were widened and the issue is also emotional because the conflict is one of fundamental nature.”
A vaccine-critical country?Switzerland has one of the lowest vaccination rates in Western Europe, with only 66 percent of the Swiss population being fully vaccinated.
Similarly, low vaccination rates can be seen in neighbouring countries Austria, Germany and Liechtenstein.
Switzerland has one of the lowest vaccination rates in Europe.
There are various reasons for this trend, as Dr Milic outlines: “On the one hand, there is a general skepticism of the state and an emphasis on freedom as well as individual responsibility.
“On the other hand, there is a comparatively widespread acceptance of homeopathy in the German-speaking regions.”
Armanda Gruber, 31, a sales assistant, voted against the Covid-law because she believes in her natural immune system.
Armanda Gruber is a 31-year-old sales assistant.
She said: “When I got Covid two years ago and they wanted to take me to the hospital, I called my healer.
“I had it badly for three days already, but she told me which natural medicine I should take, and just after one hour I was already feeling a lot better.
“I stopped taking medicine completely in June.”
On the side of the supporters of the Covid-law is Michael Künzli, 32, a student who hopes that the certificate will get more people to get vaccinated.
Michael Künzli, 32, is a teaching assistant who experienced the harsher Covid measures first-hand in schools.
He said: “I want to be sure that small businesses get the help they need and because the certificate is the only that can give us a sense of normality.”
This notion of hoping to avoid another lockdown like it was announced in neighbouring countries Austria and Germany and hence trying to save small businesses is shared by Lia, a 23-year-old student: “I voted for the law because my dad is self-employed and it is important for him and our family to have that financial support by the government.”
Lia, 22, feared for her family's financial stability without the Covid law.
Finally, some voters voted against the Covid-law because they mistrust the government.
Severin Meli, 23, student, got vaccinated in the hopes of escaping restrictions.
Severin Meli, 23, feels betrayed by the government wanting to impose stricter Covid measures.
He said: “I voted ‘no’ to the law because in spring the government said if we are all vaccinated there will be no need for more restrictions and while we had a stable situation then, they didn’t remove restrictions like mask-wearing – and now we are facing harsh restrictions yet again.”
Stricter Covid measures plannedUnder the Covid-law passed on Sunday, the government plans to introduce stricter Covid-measures, among which could be introducing the mandatory certificate for all public events and meetings of 11 or more people.
An announcement about the concrete measures is due at 7pm tonight.
With the new omicron variant, the newly-acquired power given by the Covid-law enables the government to act quickly in imposing new measures to combat the spread of the new variant.
Fabio Neuhaus, 27, an architect, who voted no and is not concerned about the new variant, said: “I think we will only be able to live a 'normal' life again when we accept that this virus will be a constant companion from now on and new variants of it will be circulating all the time.”
Fabio Neuhaus, 27, feels that neither the Covid law nor vaccination will be the way out of the pandemic.
While the dangers of the omicron variant are still unknown, Switzerland announced this week that anyone arriving in Switzerland would have to quarantine and will likely tighten restrictions as the situation develops.
Racist Sheffield street names will not be removed
This week, it has been announced that street names in Sheffield linked to colonialism and slavery anti-abolitionists will not be removed.
A review has concluded there are various aspects of the city including public art and collections which “perpetuate racist, outdated and uncomfortable messages" but there are no plans to remove them.
The report, which was assembled by Sheffield Council, Sheffield Museums, the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University revealed that there are numerous streets named after people who were "heavily involved in slavery".
For example, Gladstone Road is named after the former prime minister whose father, John Gladstone, was one of the world's biggest slave owners alongside being a Chairman of the West India Association.
Canning Street in Sheffield is named after George Canning, another former prime minister who campaigned against freeing slaves.
Havelock Street is named after the general who commanded British Empire troops in India in the 19th century. He is known for his brutal suppression of the Indian Rebellion of 1857, with 800,000 Indians being killed by British troops.
The report revealed that there is a lack of diversity in the city’s monuments; out of 100 on the council’s register, none were dedicated to a BAME figure. Olympic athlete Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill is the only ethnically diverse individual in Sheffield's Walk of Fame, which is situated outside the town hall.
The review was conducted after the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020, which erupted as a result of the murder of George Floyd, an African-American man who was murdered by a police office in Minneapolis.
Large protests were held across the United Kingdom, and in Bristol protestors toppled a statue of Edward Colston, a 17th century slave trader. He was a member of the Royal African Company, which transported around 80,000 men, women and children from Africa to the Americas as slaves.
Photo creds: Simon Cobb
Hundreds of them were closely shackled together. They lay in their own filth and between 10 and 20 per cent of them died due to disease, murder and suicide during the voyage to America, which lasted six to eight weeks. As a result, many within the local community found it upsetting to have a statue of Colston inscribed as a "memorial of one of the most virtuous and wise sons of the city." Some noted, however, that upon dying in 1721 he gave his considerable wealth to charitable causes. The toppling of Colston's statue led to a nationwide debate over the maintenance of public items with links to such individuals. Even the Prime Minister's office weighed in; they said: "The PM absolutely understands the strength of feeling, but in this country we settle our differences democratically and if people wanted the removal of the statue there are democratic routes which can be followed." These incidents prompted a review of controversial public items within Sheffield. A consultation on the findings of the review took place between July and September of this year - it found that the majority of respondents did not want to see any changes to the street names. In response, a city council spokesman said: “We acknowledge this strong feeling and are not currently intending to change any of the existing street names or remove any statues.” Councillor Jackie Satur, from Sheffield City Council, spoke to Sheffield Wire saying: “It’s all about finance; we have no money. Over the past 11 years the government has taken millions of pounds away from councils. “We’re in a bad position because of the Tory government. The money has to be spent on children and young people and the elderly because that’s the need of the people.”
Sheffield Wire also spoke to members of the public, many of whom had diverging views on the issue.
A local resident, who did not wish to be identified, said: “I think it’s too complicated. I don’t agree with the slavery thing but it’s too complicated to erase history, where do you start where do you stop?”
Many people agreed with this line of thinking.
Sutapa Krishna, 40, a spokesperson from spiritual group Krishnawisdom.com said: “You can keep the street names there, but we should reveal to people and make people aware of what these views were and why they became so divisive in the world.
“Removing things from history doesn’t actually help. By keeping it in history but then giving it a perspective of how we can learn and develop from it, I would say that’s a much more progressive approach.”
Others, however, disagreed, claiming that the individuals named on the street signs no longer reflect modern values and should not be so public.
Another Sheffielder, Jodie, 19, said: “If they’re terrible people it should sort of be removed because even though they’re part of the history their foundations were also setting up bad views for the future as well."
Saffron, 19, and a member of the BAME community said: “I don’t know if it’s a history we want to remember. Choose new names that affect our history for good.”
Like Saffron, many believe that having someone’s name on a street implies that they are worthy of praise. When those people persecuted ethnic minorities, they believe it sends a message that society is willing to disregard traumatic incidents which left a legacy that many minorities still contend with.
Local resident, Trishna, 56, strongly disagreed with the maintenance of the statues. She said: “it’s a sign, it’s not going to cost that much so just get them done.
“This way, they’re showing that they do disagree with slavery and it shouldn’t still be going on.”
The council declared that a Race Equality Commission report will be published in 2022.
https://soundcloud.com/luke-gyesi-appiah/racist-street-names?si=5a5efb0e33d64779ad11e011a918e2e5
Pretty Little Thing are giving away clothes for free. What does this mean for the planet?
It was the sale thousands of young girls stayed up all night for in the hope they could bag a free wardrobe of clothes, but is the latest marketing ploy by Pretty Little Thing really what powerful brands should be promoting when looking after our planet has never been more prevalent? In the build up to Black Friday, loyal followers of the high fashion brand were bombarded with emails and hit with too good to miss offers across Instagram and Twitter, leading their customers in anticipation. The brand, who is supported by influencer, Molly-Mae, offered up to 100 per cent off in the 'Pink Friday' sale, encouraging customers to buy new clothes and stock up on the latest trends at little to no cost.
But what are the environmental impacts of this sale?
Pretty Little Thing is a company which encourages people to buy more than they need. With the help from social media influencers, they create and promote new trends to market to their customers at low prices, but what may be low cost for the consumer could be high cost to the planet. Overconsumption is one of the main contributors to climate change, as each item of clothing goes through a rigorous process before it arrives at our doorstep. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) found the fashion industry as a whole makes up a whopping 10% of global carbon dioxide emissions each year. Laura Young, a 25-year-old environmental influencer with more than 40k on Instagram, said: “First of all it's about the scale but also a lot of the clothes that we do buy is are predominately made of plastic which is a fossil fuel, plastic which has a lot of environment degradation through the manufacturing and production, but also at the end of its life, ending up in landfill, ending up as microplastics."
Laura also holds an MSc in Environmental Science. Image taken by Laura Young.
Pretty Little Thing limited customers to one free item per order. However, this didn't stop eager customers from making multiple orders of free items to get past the restriction. This has contributed to more plastic waste, as more packaging was used. This video has been trending on TikTok, of a young girl whose room is showered in Pretty Little Thing parcels, so much so that you cannot see the floor: https://www.tiktok.com/@olivia.kingx/video/7036382416222670086?sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=7020466655055267334&is_from_webapp=v1&is_copy_url=0 Laura said: “I was scrolling through TikTok and saw this room full of bags of stuff from Pretty Little Thing after the Black Friday sale. Linked to this individual’s TikTok was their Depop account. If you scroll through there are hundreds of new posts from the last 24 hours, all with the stuff that they’ve bought. Its people who are thinking I’m just going to buy all this tat and resell it on what is supposed to be a second-hand fashion app.” Mobile applications such as Depop, Vinted and Ebay have been flooded with 'like new' items of clothing- some still with the tags on. It appears that individuals do not see the harm in constantly buying new items, as they can just resell them on these platforms, donate them to charity, or recycle them. However, according to ClothesAid reports that in 2018 around 350,000 tonnes (30%) of unwanted clothing ended up in landfill. Pretty Little Thing has a section on its website where they speak about sustainability. The company has partnered with reGAIN, an app that rewards recycling. They say: "Did you know you can do your bit to prevent the unnecessary pile up of discarded clothing in landfills around the UK? Introducing reGAIN, the app that allows you to turn your unwanted clothes into discounts to get cash off your next PrettyLittleThing purchase." While it may seem that Pretty Little Thing is being progressive in its approach, we have to ask whether this is to capitalise on more custom and promote fast fashion further, as you use your reward to buy more fast fashion.Why do people buy from them?
Image taken by Lexie Majeed.
Lexie, a 19-year-old student, explained how she buys from Pretty Little Thing when she needs clothes delivered to her doorstep quickly.
She said: "I think people buy from Pretty Little Thing due to its convenience, their clothes are cheap and they have a range of sizes. It’s easier to online shop as well so it makes their website one of the first places you check when in need of clothes. Because of Covid, people haven't been able to go to actual shops, meaning the brand has gotten even bigger over the past year or two. It’s just the easiest option when you're in need of some clothes quickly and for a low price."
Image taken by Emily Tobin.
Emily, a 22-year-old bartender expresses how she struggles to stay trendy on her budget, and feels increasing pressure from society to do so. She said: "I work full-time I’m trying to save up for a mortgage, pay rent. It's ridiculous how much money we’re expected to put aside but also try to still be trendy and fit in with society. It's definitely aimed at people with student loans, who are on benefits, people who are just trying to make something of themselves." Pretty Little Thing's cheap clothing is a popular reason as to why people shop with them, but their clothing is mainly made from plastics such as polyester, nylon and acrylic. With every wash, these clothes release microplastics into the water, furthering the damage to the environment and wildlife, according to Greenpeace.
Lexie's Pretty Little Thing parcels. Image taken by Lexie Majeed.
When approached by Sheffield Wire, a spokesperson for Pretty Little Thing said: "Unique Black Friday offers are much anticipated by our customers and a planned part of our marketing strategy. The items on sale are carefully selected and discounting is a marketing investment that we make and is incorporated into our costing model, it does not in any way impact the cost price we pay to suppliers, or the way we value the work that goes into creating the garments. We use our discounting strategies to give our customers access to on trend items no matter what their budget."
South Yorkshire firefighters raise almost £70,000 for charity
Two South Yorkshire firefighters cycled 1,000 miles to provide the FireFighter's Charity with a new sensory garden.
Image: The garden to be renovated
Mark Peart, 35, Brompton and Paul Simmonite, 57, joined forces with the Suffolk Fire Service to smash their 50k fundraising target by cycling the length of the UK.
The funds are for a sensory garden at Jubilee House, a rehabilitation centre for fire fighters and their families.
Mr Peart said: "The charity took a huge hit during Covid.
"They have two rehab centres so anyone can go who is suffering from physical or mental illness. The facilities are amazing."
The renovated garden will provide a space for the charity to carry out training and rehabilitation outdoors.
Dr Jill Tolfrey, the Chief Executive of the Fire Fighter's Charity said: “Every pound raised will allow us to fund life-enhancing health and wellbeing support for members of the fire services community in need today.”
The organisation focuses on the physical and mental health of Fire Fighters, and the Longest Ride wanted to highlight this.
Every day, each rider shared a message talking about their mental health journey in order to combat stigma around mental health in the emergency services.
Mr Peart said: "‘As firefighters, sometimes you can be put on a pedestal and seen to be these hard people that can endure a lot.
But we have an opportunity to put a message out that everyone has these vulnerabilities as strong as everyone seems, most people are dealing with something."
Mark Peart, Fire Fighter for South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue.
The 10 day ride tested the team of 20 involved. Mr Peart said: "I enjoyed it but everyday was tough"
"The support we got was amazing, we knew we were gonna smash our target but we didn’t predict we would get as much as we did."
The South Yorkshire firefighter raised £2,577, more than double his target.
He said: "it drives you to do more and raise as much as you can"
Work on the sensory garden will begin soon. To find out more about the Fire Fighter's Charity click here.
Dealing with loneliness “should be a treatment prescribed by the NHS”: combatting isolation in South Yorkshire
A combination of poor transport links, dealing with winter weather and an unknown COVID variant have lead to heightened feelings of loneliness in South Yorkshire.
Within the region, several social groups have been established to make elderly people feel connected to their community.
Over the course of the last two years, the term isolation has been synonymous with having to shield oneself from the community. The term is most commonly associated with members of the elderly population, however loneliness effects everyone and the best way to overcome it is through communication and meeting people.
Upcoming winter months can often be the loneliest part of the year for some.
Owner of Home Alone, Gloria Stewart, offers Christmas lunches for the isolated, lonely and vulnerable in what will be her 14th consecutive year.
On their importance, Ms Stewart said: “People that attend are often people on their own, once you’ve lost a partner, life’s never the same. At the lunches people have a family for an hour, but there’s so many more hours in the week.
“A lot of isolated people don’t get outside unless they are attending a hospital appointment or going shopping, they haven’t got a lot to look forward to.
”If you don’t see anybody [daily], the only contact is with the television. When someone phones they will naturally want to keep talking and talking.”
Ms Stewart has been a shining light for those in the Sheffield community who would normally spend Christmas Day alone. In 2007, 87 people attended which rose to 500 people who attended the Christmas lunch last year.
“Everyone in their own lives is in their own little bubble, in everyday life people don’t think about the isolated and vulnerable.
“Depression is due to the isolation which can lead to suicidal thoughts. Put yourself in their position for a month, you wouldn’t want to carry on," she added.
Image: Gloria Stewart outside the BBC Studios, photo credit Michelle Rawlins.
The Christmas lunches occur at the Niagara Centre in Sheffield and rely on volunteers who will make sure that attendees receive regular phone calls and a present to open on Christmas morning.
Fundraising for the event occurs nine weeks before Christmas, offering a limited window of time for Ms Stewart to be able to improve the lives of hundreds of people each year.
Friendship lunches across South Yorkshire are another way of providing an opportunity for people to meet and they regularly attract attendances of over 50 participants. Aside from elderly groups, the lunches cater for dementia and family carer groups.
Freelance community consultant, Kathy Markwick, who has led friendship lunches in South Yorkshire since its inception five years ago, said: “It’s heart-warming to see. People with dementia might not remember the occasion, but it’s something for them to look forward to, to get dressed up for, and it gives them a sense of routine.”
The Great Get Together Superjam is held monthly at the Holiday Inn Barnsley, with November's special guests being Gordon and Jean Leadbitter, parents of the late MP Jo Cox.
Regular attendee of the friendship lunch Michelle said: “Loneliness should be the sort of treatment that the NHS prescribe treatment for.”
Clip: Michelle's testimony
The Superjam event, which often hosts up to 250 people, includes live music, entertainment and a two-course lunch. The next lunch will be on December 9 at The Ball in Crookes.
Christmas and community lunches serve as an important method of connecting the isolated and vulnerable. On a daily basis charities such as Age UK Sheffield and Letsbfriends are raising money to bridge the gap to connect the isolated in South Yorkshire.
Across Sheffield Age UK charity shops help raise money for the implementation of schemes such as People Keeping Well in the Community which include walking football and talking services that help to reduce feelings of isolation for elderly people across Sheffield.
In October, a new Age UK Charity shop opened in Broomhill after existing shops in Bradway and Abbeydale Road proved to have been a huge success for raising funds for the charity.
Kelli Diener, manager of the Age UK Broomhill shop, said: “The funds raised stay in Sheffield, donation levels are particularly high in Bradway.
“The shops also plan to run a combined fashion show event at Hillsborough in February 2022 to promote fashion trends.”
The charity shops help old people to access information on finances, local activities, non-material support services, and a source of comfort.
As a community South Yorkshire has a range of services and groups to make people feel connected:
Age UK Sheffield: https://www.ageuk.org.uk/sheffield/about-us/contact-us/ 0114 250 2850.
People Keeping Well in the Community: https://www.sheffielddirectory.org.uk/kb5/sheffield/directory/advice.page?id=XdHZvdjfM4E
For concerns related to the content of this article: https://www.samaritans.org/branches/sheffield/
HS2, Northern Powerhouse Rail and the North/South divide in rail spending and infrastructure
The decision to abandon the Eastern leg of HS2 and Northern Powerhouse rail ‘will create more inequality’ across the north of the country.
The decision was seen as the latest Government failure to deliver their promise to ‘level up’ the left behind areas of England. It comes despite the huge capacity constraints which limit the viability of commuter travel in more northerly areas and the historic difference between transport expenditure across the country.
Gareth Dennis, a railway engineer and writer, claims: “The plans will exacerbate the economic divides that already exist. They will create more inequality and prevent people from reaching their full potential.”
The difference in transport expenditure between the North and London is vast. Statistics collated by the Institute for Public Policy Research show that between 2009/10 and 2019/20 the transport spend per person in the North was £349 compared to £864 in London. The study also found that the transport investment gap is increasing, rising from £451 per person in 2014/15 to £523 in 2019/20.
While much of the coverage surrounding HS2 and Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) has focused on the missed speed improvements, for local businesses and commuters capacity is the biggest problem.
For Martin Hathaway, managing director of the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, this was a key problem.
He said: “Capacity is the major issue. It doesn’t matter if you can get between Bradford and Leeds six minutes quicker. The biggest problem is connectivity but this isn’t possible on a railway that is full."
Mr Dennis explains how this problem arises: “To improve the regional centres you need a high density railway service and the only way to do that is by segregating long distance services from local and regional services. HS2 was designed to release this capacity by sending the fast intercity services onto a separate line allowing more high density services to run on the existing network.”
https://twitter.com/PermanentRail/status/1218978778006917123
A statistical comparison highlights the stark difference in rail capacity between northern areas and the south east. Shenfield (population 10500) is 20 miles from London. It is served by 10 trains each hour in peak time meaning there is capacity for 15,000 passengers. In contrast the town of Belper (population 20500) is eight miles from Derby. It is served by just two trains during peak hours and hence only has capacity for around 296 passengers. This severely restricts the possibility of commuter travel and prevents further opportunities in the town.
The town of Marsden in Kirklees has capacity into Manchester of around 546 passengers per hour at peak time being served by two trains. It is situated on the mainline between Manchester and Leeds meaning its rail service suffers due to the presence of intercity services limiting the number of local services that can run.
“Marsden is one of biggest mill towns in the North and has huge development potential,” said rail expert, Mr Dennis. “There are a huge number of abandoned mills that could become apartments. NPR had the potential to increase passenger capacity here by a factor of ten but without it the development opportunities will be lost.”
The replacement of HS2 and NPR, the Integrated Rail Plan (IRP), could worsen this issue as more fast trains will be forced onto existing lines - further limiting the ability to run local suburban trains.
The HS2 and NPR decisions came shortly after the COP26 conference in Glasgow where a renewed focus was placed on cutting carbon emissions and bringing down global temperatures. The abandonment of HS2 and NPR sets back attempts to achieve these goals. According to a 2019 study by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy transport was the biggest sector for the emission of greenhouse gases in the UK contributing 27% of all emissions produced in the country.
Mr Dennis said: “The environmental cost could be catastrophic. People in suburban areas could become more reliant on their cars. There was an opportunity to start a rapid shift from cars to rail like what has been seen in London.
“Another knock on effect is on freight. Without HS2 and NPR less road freight can be transferred to rail due to the capacity constraints and the environmental benefits will be lost.”
For businesses in the North the overarching feeling is of disappointment about the message the decision sends out.
Mr Hathaway said: “The announcements from the transport secretary mentioned levelling up multiple times, however this is not how it feels for our region's businesses who see this as a significant downgrading of previously announced transport schemes.
“It does not send out a good message to companies wanting to do business in the North and is likely to put many of them off. It was the Government’s first opportunity to really start levelling up and they have done nothing.”
Retailers ripping off drivers with extortionate petrol prices, RAC claims
Despite wholesale petrol prices decreasing, supermarket giants are taking drivers "for a ride" with expensive fuel, according to the RAC.
A new analysis by RAC Fuel Watch revealed that drivers in Yorkshire and the Humber are paying on average 3p more for a litre of unleaded litre than at the start of November, and 2.47p more for a litre of diesel.
Global petrol prices plummeted with the discovery of the Omnicron coronavirus variant yet supermarkets continue to profit.
The wholesale petrol price dropped by 10p from mid-November, so the RAC sees no valid reason for a national average increase of 3p.
A RAC fuel spokesperson Simon Williams has criticised retailers for exploiting the least well-off in society with Christmas just around the corner.
He said: “Sadly, our data shows all too clearly that drivers are being taken for a ride by retailers at the moment. We can’t see any justification for the prices that are being charged at the pumps and are concerned that drivers on lower incomes who depend on their vehicles are being priced off the road altogether."
Ed Platt is a 23-year-old PHD student at the University of Sheffield who is furious about supermarkets' lucrative tactics. He drives on average 400-500 miles a week to see his girlfriend who lives on the other side of the country in Basingstoke.
It will cost him on average £8 more to fill his tank.
Ed pictured with his girlfriend Martyna
Mr Platt was outraged at the prospect of petrol companies exploiting people dependent on fuel to go about their daily lives.
He said: "if the increase in cost is not because petrol and oil prices are generally going up and it's just a ploy by transnational corporations, I find that quite disgusting.
"I'm surprised by the news but also not surprised at the same time. There should be stricter rules on price gauging if this is a collaborative effort with the sole purpose of making money."
Despite the increasing costs of travel, Mr Platt will continue to drive down south to see his friends and girlfriend. He added that it is still more convenient and cheaper to travel across the country by car.
A spokesperson for the British Retail Consortium on behalf of UK retailers has insisted that petrol prices are influenced by a variety of factors out of their control.
He said: “Supermarkets are keen to provide their customers with the best value for petrol through their forecourts, offering the cheapest petrol in the country. Supermarkets work hard to pass on changes in wholesale prices to relieve pressure on consumers, though prices at the pump will be influenced by various forces, including tax, oil prices and operational costs.”
Hallam Handmade market returns to celebrate Sheffield artists
After a break due to the pandemic, Hallam Handmade market has been set up once again in Sheffield.
Head Post Office and Hallam Pop-Up Shop have been filled with 34 stalls for the week, showcasing makers' artworks, from paintings to notebooks.
Most of the stallholders are illustration students from Sheffield Hallam University, seeking to build up their own small business and offer colourful Christmas gifts.
Olivia Tate, an illustrator and student, is one of many participating: “I am very grateful for experiences like Hallam Handmade as it allows me to showcase my business to new audiences that I wouldn’t necessarily reach online.
"I set my online store up in the first lockdown, therefore I haven’t been able to attend many opportunities like this before so being able to do in-person events is new to me but so far has been amazing,” she continued.
Tate has been running her own website olivia_tatedesign since 2020, and this is the first chance for her and her peers to watch people view their work in person.
She said: “One of the amazing things about Sheffield is the art scene and independent businesses.
"This city is full of small businesses and art students bursting with enthusiasm and it is events like Hallam Handmade that make it so clear just how many there are and also reinforces the importance of them as a community to not just the university but Sheffield as a whole. “
The event is open to all and will run until 5pm on 3 December.
HS2 South Yorkshire: ‘Not all residents are numpties’
In the aftermath of the government going back on their promises to level up the north and pulling HS2 from South Yorkshire, home owners across the region have voiced their anger over how their lives have been left in limbo.
For five years residents of an estate in Mexborough, near Doncaster, were told they couldn’t sell their homes or make any renovations as they were under a compulsory safeguarding scheme.
Even now, after the high speed rail network has been scrapped for the area, those living on the Shimmer estate are still unable to make any changes to their properties.
Linsey Hague, 41, who lives in the area and has owned her home for seven years, said: “The whole way HS2 dealt with residents has been shambolic.
“To make matters worse, insult has been added to injury, after an engineer told me: ‘HS2 have started to realise that not all residents are numpties.’”
The news announcing HS2 is no longer connecting Sheffield to Leeds had mixed reviews from many people in South Yorkshire. A recent council meeting addressed some of the issues.
"What do you think of the HS2 Eastern leg being cancelled?"
Cllr Shaffaq Mohammed Leader of the Liberal Democrats, who represents Eccleshall, said: “I am deeply saddened that HS2 has been derailed in our area, we don’t want to fall behind Leeds and Manchester who we should be competing with.”
Not everyone is disappointed with the result, though. Nicki Williams from The Wildlife Trusts and director for campaigning communities said: “We have long campaigned against HS2 because of the huge damage it will do to nature and communities along the route.”
Craig Parkinson, a resident from Doncaster, believes HS2 would not benefit the city. He said: “Residents and the environment in which they live, have been sacrificed for the economic gains that would be felt by Leeds and Sheffield.”
What is HS2?
HS2 is a high speed rail service originally announced in 2012 and set up by the government to improve train transport between London and the North. It is funded by the state and with estimated costs that started at £36 billion but have now increased to an estimated £106 billion, despite the Eastern leg (phase 2b) being cancelled.
Mexborough Cllr, Sean Gibbons, said: “It’s a waste of money and there were not benefits in our area anyway, all we were getting was complete decimation.”
photo by Peter Bray/2020VISION
What is the impact of the Eastern leg being cancelled?
Other than transport issues in South Yorkshire, cancelling the Eastern leg has had major impact on those living in areas where properties are affected. Cllr Gibbons stated the government are now Mexborough’s largest landlord and they own £12million worth of property.
Linsey Hague, 41, living on the shimmer estate in Mexborough spoke about her experience with being in the property zone for HS2 plans.
Ms Hague told Sheffield Wire: “We found out about the HS2 announcement back in July 2016, residents hadn’t been told anything prior to this. The Friday after the announcement all work on the estate came to a halt. We got an unofficial letter, something that looked fake.
“I looked at my husband and said, ‘is this a joke?’”
The Shimmer estate in Mexborough is home to a lot of young families. Linsey and her family moved into the property in March 2014. The homes have been safeguarded, meaning the government hold this land and everything on it until they decide what is going to be done with it, leaving many residents in a state of limbo.
photo of estate currently - taken two weeks ago by Cllr Sean Gibbons
In the first letter Linsey received she said she didn’t get sent a compulsory purchase order because the route hadn’t gone through parliament. When the route was revised planners looked at an old map from 2011 and didn’t realise they would be destroying a new build estate.
Ms Hague said: “We were gutted really, we had just decorated.
“We thought with the government it would be a fair deal. We would be looked after but we weren’t.”
She feels the residents were treated with a lack of respect. Ms Hague said a neighbour with a disabled daughter wasn’t allowed to do any work to her home, as this was banned by the notice served, so her daughter had to wash in a bathroom basin because she couldn’t make it up the stairs to the shower.
For any residents under a shared ownership scheme, they own a percentage of a house and resident owners own another percentage, these people were not eligible at all for any compensation schemes.
Homeowners didn’t know which houses would be knocked down but Ms Hague explained no one wanted to live by a large viaduct, which was planned to be installed in the centre of the estate. She explained homeowners were told they could sell their houses to the government and move but the problem was the valuations from the government were a lot less than market value.
Left: Andy Pickering, Centre: Sean Gibbons, Right: Bev Chapman
Ms Hague was offered a 10% compensation from HS2. Another neighbour had their house valued at the market value of £205,000 yet HS2 came in and offered them £130,000. It took two years to negotiate and she eventually had the offer increased to £173,000, but this was still too low to buy a like for like house.
“It was fraud. I know someone did have a breakdown,” revealed Ms Hague.
When asked about the future of the estate she said: “We have been told the estate will be finished but for four years nothing has happened. HS2 and Starta, had to go through the same communication but it was all kept quiet to residents. Starta told me they were going to do a final walk around and put plans in place, but we were under the impression this had already happened, again residents are being kept in the dark.
“No new builder will touch us either because they know the HS2 process is long.”
Ms Hague said a subcontracted engineer told her: “The rest of the HS2 route just isn’t viable. It’s not going to happen.”
“The whole thing has been disgusting.”
House prices have gone up 10% in Mexborough and councillor Gibbons said they are currently campaigning to get the extra £1 million the government have profited from this increase as compensation for residents.
British Figure Skating Championships take place at IceSheffield
Sheffield has seen a fourth day of action on the rink as Ice Sheffield has been hosting the British Figure Skating Championships this week. Sheffield Wire talked to PJ Hallam, 26, who is competing over the weekend to defend his Men's Singles crown from the last time he took part in 2019. Hallam said: “Training has been going very well, I have been feeling really good whilst I’m on the ice. "It seems like just each session I get on is running really really well.” The championships have made a return after being postponed last year. Wilf Reeves, the PR and Marketing Officer for the event, said: "Everyone is just really pleased to be back skating, back competing. “There are a few nerves around, it is the National Championships, but everyone seems to go out onto the ice really express themselves and really enjoy it.” A number of different categories mean skaters of all abilities can compete, from basic novices through to advanced novices who have already been crowned British Champions. Today has seen the junior skaters take to the ice in a bid to compete in free skating. At the time of reporting, Arabella Sear-Watkins is taking the lead in the Women's Juniors today, with a total score of 107.03 points. This is almost 20 points ahead of the second place competitor Taylor McLeod, who is currently scoring 88.63. The Junior Men are set to compete later this afternoon, followed by the Advanced Novice and Junior Pairs later this evening.