Doctors urge Covid-19 boosters to prevent Christmas infections
Covid-19 Booster Jab https://unsplash.com/photos/r2fqXao_z70
Dr Thushan de Silva Provided by respondents
Covid-19 Booster Jab https://unsplash.com/photos/-kW1TvBKk1s
Storm Arwen: “There will be more deaths”
The "danger to life" storm poses a significant threat to South Yorkshire's homeless. Amber warning winds are expected to reach highs and cause damage to buildings and transportation across tonight and tomorrow. Charley Fedorenko, 43, Deputy Manager of Emmaus Sheffield said: "It is hideous. Imagine if you are on the street with nowhere to go. Imagine the place where you go to sleep being full of wind. It is horrendous. There is money out there that isn't being used. There are people out on the street that don't have food and clothing. There will be more deaths" A local homeless man, who wishes to remain anonymous, stressed how dangerous the bad weather is. He said: "It's going to be freezing. It's not very nice at all. I don't have anywhere to go and I will sleep in the Peace Gardens tonight" Barnsley council warned via twitter to "take care when out on the roads or while walking". Barnsley Council and Sheffield City Council have yet have to release a statement on how it will help homeless people during this time.
The stigma on disabilities
(Caption: Lady wanders in the street with the Mobility Aids)
(Caption: Mobile Service is reopened for the public in the city centre)
Doncaster charity Food Aware left struggling after theft of van
An organisation that sends out food parcels to those in need across Doncaster and Rotherham has been left struggling after their main delivery van was stolen. Food Aware, who have been serving local communities for 13 years, have seen demand for the service quadruple since the start of the pandemic. Managing Director of Food Aware, Counsellor Sean Gibbons, said "when the van was stolen it ripped the heart out of our operation. "We’ve been struggling to keep going. But our team have kept delivering." The stolen van has come at the worst time for the group, as the lead up to Christmas is their busiest time of the year. Their ability to deliver has been ruined since the van was stolen, and they are now relying on the good will of volunteers to complete deliveries in their own cars. Two thousand pounds worth of food inside the van was stolen as well. "That van along with all the volunteers and the strong partnerships supports over 100 organisations every week and feeds four thousand people," said Counsellor Gibbons. The group has set up a crowd funder and are requesting small donations to help them get back on their feet following the theft. https://foodawarecic.org.uk/crowdfunding-a-new-project-operations-van-to-replace-stolen-one/
‘It’s the last resort’: University of Sheffield archaeologists join UCU strikes
University of Sheffield archaeologists will join the frontline of UCU strike action next Wednesday, as 58 universities across the UK brace for three days of industrial action. Union members voted across a ballot window of three weeks and delivered what the UCU described as a "clear mandate" for strike action, with 76% of members voting for strike action and 88% voting for action short of strike. One of the contributing factors for this industrial action in Sheffield is the closure of the University of Sheffield Department of Archaeology, announced back in July. This caused outrage domestically and globally, with over 48,000 signing the petition to “Save Sheffield’s Archaeology Department.” The University of Sheffield cited a '"significant decline" as one of the reasons for the closure – with only 10 undergraduate students receiving offers this year.
‘We don’t feel like we matter'
Although the closure of the archaeology department is not the main reason for industrial striking across the UK, for many at the University of Sheffield, these strikes will provide an opportunity to protest at the "cultural vandalism" impacting educational institutions across the UK. https://twitter.com/UAlbarella/status/1459384408012636160?s=20 Dr Angelos Hadjikoumis, a zooarchaeologist at the University of Sheffield said: “The decision to strike is not one that was taken lightly. We have taken this decision after months and months of effort to discuss with the university alternative options. “It’s the last resort. We have the public opinion which is shown by the tens of thousands of signatures and thousands of letters sent by many of our students and alumni.”
Dr Angelos Hadjikoumis, University of Sheffield zooarchaeologist at a Neolithic site in Cyprus
Some users took to Sheffieldforum.co.uk to voice their disapproval of the proposed industrial action
‘Is that going to happen to my course next?’
While there is growing frustration among students and parents about the growing number of teaching days missed, there are still many students who endorse the industrial action. Zac Larkham, a second-year politics and sociology student at Sheffield Hallam and member of the Sheffield Solidarity group expressed his support for those striking. He said: “These strikes will happen regardless of what students do, the question is what we do in the meantime, the more people we have behind the strikes, the less disruption it will cause students in the long-run. “Students should look at what they are doing to the archaeology department. It’s one of the leading departments in that area in the country, it brings in more money than it costs. So students should be looking at this situation and wondering, ‘is that going to happen to my course next’? “Lecturers and university staff are some of the only people at the universities that actually do give a s**t about the students. All students are doing by saying they don’t support the strike is playing into the hands of those at the top who don’t give a f**k about us.” When asked for comment, the University of Sheffield sent a pre-published statement: “The upcoming three days of strike action are unlikely to affect the majority of students at the University of Sheffield. Our priority is to minimise disruption for those students affected to ensure that learning and teaching continues to be delivered. Student support services will continue to be available and we will be communicating regularly with our students and staff to let them know about any changes that may occur as a result of the strike action. “We will continue to work with our local trade unions and encourage them to work with UCU at a national level to explore ways to resolve these disputes.”
Will a Christmas lockdown become a reality for Sheffield?
While the Government remains adamant a Christmas lockdown will not be ordered across the UK, rising Covid cases are becoming harder to ignore. With the festive period just around the corner, Sheffield’s fluctuating Covid cases are an unwelcome concern. This has left many people worried at the prospect of another Christmas lockdown and the effects it could have. For Mark Richardson, the owner of Sheffield city centre’s LP Record Store, another Christmas lockdown would prove a “disaster” for his small business. “Since the pandemic and the lockdowns we had, I haven’t recovered from it. The footfall is about 50% less.” Last year, the Government's business support grants were the only thing keeping him afloat and now, he fears the Government will not be able to offer the same level of support in light of a new lockdown. “If that was the case, It might mean the end, after a long time, after a lot of years, so let’s just hope it doesn’t happen.” For Mark, working from home is not an option with over 20,000 records in his possession. He must work in-store and sell his records online, which proved difficult for him during the last Christmas lockdown. “I sell online but where I make the most money is from passing trade and the public. I was putting stuff out, but very very slowly, I just lacked motivation.” While there hasn’t been any clear mention of a Christmas lockdown just yet, there has been some discussion around Plan B, which would see the reintroduction of social distancing and compulsory face masks. Even so, the Government has stated that at the moment, this isn’t on the cards. Instead, they are focusing their energy on the vaccine booster programme. In addition, this morning, it was reported that cases in the UK have jumped by 74%, another worrying pre-Christmas rise that none of us want to see.
What are cases like now in comparison to last year in Sheffield?
Speaking after a recent visit to a pharmacy in Old Sidcup and Bexley, Boris Johnson added to anxieties after he said: “I’m seeing storm clouds gathering over parts of the European continent. And I’ve got to be absolutely frank with people - we’ve been here before, and we remember what happens when a wave starts rolling in.” Christmas lockdown rules tightened suddenly on the 19th of December last year, the announcement of which came only days after Boris said that Christmas rules would remain relaxed. According to the UK’s interactive Coronavirus map, since last week, we have seen large case increases in specific areas like Sothall, where they are up 158.8% since last week. With 836.3 cases per 100,000 people, it far exceeds the UK’s average of 443.8 cases per 100,000 people. Other areas showing a sharp increase in cases include Fulwood and Lodge Manor, with an increase since last week of 41.4% and 586.7 cases per 100,000 people respectively. Across the city overall, the picture is not so bleak. Cases have decreased by -4.6% compared to last week, with 1,765 positive tests recorded by the Government’s Coronavirus Simple Summary for the 19 to the 25 of November. However, only 1,111 positive tests were recorded from the 19 to the 25 of November last year, which is a startlingly low amount in comparison to this year. But vaccines have meant that severe cases have become less of a concern, with countless lives being saved thanks to the rollout. Deaths and hospitalisations in Sheffield have seen promising change since last year. There have been 9 deaths reported by the Government’s Simple Summary for Sheffield from 19 - 25 November this year, whereas last year, 28 deaths were recorded in this same time period. In turn, between the 15 and 21 of November this year, 77 people went into hospital with coronavirus, where 240 were admitted during the same time last year. This means that both the number of deaths and hospitalisations have decreased by 68%.'Recovery only just beginning'
Councillor Barbara Masters for Eccleshall, where cases are currently lower, at 291.6 per 100,000 people, said: “I think it’s too hard to make a call at the moment" on whether Christmas will go ahead. "I think the Government will do everything they can to avoid a Christmas lockdown especially after last year and the disruption it caused to quite a lot of businesses. "We’re only just beginning to get some recovery, but the driver won’t necessarily be the Government’s views, it will be what’s happening in the NHS and whether it will cope.” For City Councillor Martin Phipps, Plan B should have been more of a priority, he said: “We need to still be guided by the science and what infections are looking like. "For me, really, I wanted us to follow Plan B much earlier, because actually that’s kind of the point of doing softer restrictions. Plan B wasn't a lockdown, it was facemasks being compulsory again and following social distancing etcetera, and those are the kind of measures that mean that infection rates go downwards and we avoid the need for any kind of lockdown. "Where we are now, I honestly don’t know, obviously infection rates are still high and people are still dying which is concerning and they’re starting to rise again and the Government tried to claim we didn't need Plan B and it would all just go down anyway and basically that's not worked out. Mr Phipps says he wants the Government to be guided by advice from experts in Sage and Independent Sage, "because not doing that has led us to where we are". But he adds: “It’s not particularly exciting. Nobody wants a Christmas lockdown two years in a row.”
Sheffield Professor develops flower project for Queen’s Platinum Jubilee
A University of Sheffield gardening expert is helping create a “Superbloom” project to celebrate Queen Elizabeth’s 70th anniversary.
Professor Nigel Dunnett is responsible for the planting and horticulture, which will involve sowing seeds into the Tower of London moat in the spring of 2022.
There are 15 different colour-themed seed mixes, and around 20 million of them are being sown in order to create a “wonderful impressionistic blends of colours” according to Professor Nigel.
He said: “it's both thrilling and exciting, but also slightly terrifying, to be involved with this transformation around the Tower of London - a building that is recognised around the world.”
Professor Dunnett trialled the seeds in parks and housing estates across Sheffield.
He noted the collaborative nature of the project, as the seeds were developed on Green Estate ltd, a Sheffield social enterprise organisation that will also be involved in the sowing of the seeds.
The project started at the Department of Landscape Architecture at the University of Sheffield, and Professor Dunnett’s work there has led to the creation of a highly successful company.
Professor Dunnett said: “Pictorial Meadows is a seed company that I set up as a University of Sheffield company to sell and market the seed mixes that I'd developed through my research - there was so much demand for them!
Pictorial Meadows is now the UK's leading supplier of designer meadow seed mixes, and is now owned by Green Estate.”
Professor Nigel hopes that the work he does will have a positive impact on UK gardening. He said: “We hope the Tower of London Superbloom will inspire communities and places around the country to make their own similar Superbloom transformations.”
He said: “Sheffield has developed a reputation, not just as the UK's greenest city, but also for its very innovative greening within the city. I hope Sheffield can build upon this reputation.”
Emergency Protest to demand safe passage for refugees into the UK to be held outside Sheffield Town Hall tomorrow
Stand Up to Racism have organised an emergency protest at Sheffield Town Hall tomorrow, following the death of 27 Asylum seekers in the English Channel on Wednesday night. The campaigners are calling for the Nationalities and Borders bill to be scrapped and for refugees to be able to enter Britain through safe and legal routes. In Sheffield, the protest will take place on Saturday at 1.30pm outside the Town Hall. Student Action For Refugees at The University of Sheffield said: “We greatly support the Emergency Solidarity Protest happening tomorrow outside the town hall. “We hope that it will send a strong message of solidarity for the people risking their lives to cross the Channel and be a symbol of objection to the government's continued hostility towards those travelling to the UK.” The student body, which aims to raise awareness about refugees and asylum seekers, also said: “It is an especially important time to push for change as we move into the colder months - it is vital to establish safe routes to the UK and build a fair asylum process for those in need.”
Sustainable Christmas market to launch in Sheffield this weekend
Can Do South Yorkshire is holding an alternative sustainable Christmas market in Shirecliffe this weekend. The event will be the first of two markets which hope to engage and unite people in climate action over the festive season. Emily Lewis of the South Yorkshire Climate Alliance which runs the Can Do project said: “We wanted to show that Christmas doesn’t have to cost the earth - it can be a very wasteful time of year but there are plenty of things we can do to move away from consumerism and have a positive climate impact.” The event will feature campaign stalls from organisations such as Greenpeace and Sheffield for Democracy, as well as craft activities from Craftivists of South Yorkshire. The organisers of the market want to focus on reducing spending this Christmas and buying recycled or upcycled gifts. Miss Lewis said: “People often get caught up in the excitement of Christmas and end up being wasteful with their money and our resources. We want to show people it is possible to have a conscious and thoughtful Christmas.” Dinah Ward, organiser of the campaign Future Friendly Christmas, will be hosting a stall at the market that will ask people to make a Christmas promise to do something different this year. She said: “It’s not trying to make people feel bad, it is trying to appreciate the fact that people have an emotional attachment to Christmas, to things that are good and positive.” The campaigner hoped the market and her campaign would encourage people to think about the ways in which their shopping habits impact the environment this Christmas. Ms Ward said: “It is best to buy less. The number one thing you can do is reduce. You can have a great Christmas without actually buying stuff.” The market will run from 11am to 4pm this Sunday at Shirecliffe Community Centre. A second market is planned at the Common Ground Community Centre on Sunday 5 December.
A new housing development once again poses the question, where is Kelham Island going?
Kelham Island is a tale of two cities. On the one hand, you have hipster-esque coffee shops, bars, barbers, and pubs - some charging a fiver for a pint, and on the other, you have buildings built in Sheffield’s industrial heyday that are now crumbling to pieces. It used to be home to Sheffield’s industrial prowess, immortalised with the Kelham Island Museum, but is now more known for bars, underground clubs, food establishments, and housing. The area has seen grand attempts at regeneration in the past decade, however after plans were recently announced to build a new seven-story flat building, the question of “Where is Kelham Island going?” has once again been raised. On a Friday morning in Kelham, watching young professionals grab coffees before heading to work, it does feel as if its development has been quite disjointed - with more focus placed on some areas. Parts of Kelham are neat, tidy, and welcoming whilst others are decrepit with smashed windows and an abundance of graffiti, where locals air their grievances at the development of the area. “This whole area has gone to s**t,” being particularly stinging.
Some of the graffiti to be found in Kelham
The new seven-story building has a design aiming at a net-zero carbon rating, and will also have a cycle shop, a hire & repair shop, a bakery, market deli, artists studio, and co-working spaces.
Katherine Jones, who lives in one of the flat buildings next to the museum, says it is a “lovely place to live” and she thinks the new businesses and flat buildings have been “great for the local economy”
Alp Ozan, a cafe and bar owner in Kelham, says he “thinks it’s obvious that this is designed to encourage the arts and cultural scene in the area because that’s what’s been missing in Kelham”
But Silas Hand, a Sheffield resident who often visits Kelham, disagrees and believes artists and creatives have been driven out of Kelham by developers.
“Artists and creatives move into an area because it’s industrial and edgy, developers see this and choose to swoop in, drive the prices up, and then those artists and creatives are forced to leave”, he says.
He adds that the artists and creatives “have been commodified.”
Mr Hand says that “the development has been useful in some ways, as it was quite a rejected area” but also that Kelham’s “usage has changed”.
He also highlights that prices have increased in recent years, and “everywhere is really expensive, apart from the Gardeners rest”.
A loving community
The Gardeners Rest is quite the hidden gem in Kelham, and a testament to the strength of the love for the area and local community. With an eclectically lit smoking area that looks out upon the Kelham Riverside, the community banded together to buy it after it was unofficially put onto the market for sale. A small number of regulars established the Gardeners Rest Community Society with the aim of inviting like-minded people to invest in the society so that it could buy the pub and bring it into community ownership. It raised over double its £100,000 target and ended with a total of 382 investors donating £237,600, their website says. Mr Hand continues that aside from the Museum, Kelham was never somewhere he really used to frequent until bars and cafes moved into the area, and he can “never really remember there being much residential space there”. Residential spaces being built in the area has been one of the biggest changes of the past 10 years, with one of the most famous developments being Little Kelham.
The entrance to the Little Kelham housing development
The Green Lane works clock tower
#WhatKeepsYouAfloat: the new campaign asking the people of Sheffield what keeps them going
A mental health organisation has just launched a campaign to discuss how Sheffielders stay afloat. The campaign #WhatKeepsYouAfloat, from Flourish Sheffield, encourages the community of Sheffield to discuss how they keep on top of their mental health. Jordan Brandon, a student at the University of Sheffield, founded the movement alongside designer Issy Alderton (@issylucydesign). The movement will run until 5 December and uplifting posters can be spotted in the city centre that will signpost onlookers to the Sheffield mental health guide. This contains be a variety of things that help improve mental health from hobbies and interests to friends and family. He said: “As a city we are a community of people that care. Sheffield is a city up in the North that has the stereotype of being super friendly. "I just want to get people talking and sharing their interests and the people that help them so they don’t feel isolated, and to get them working together to make sure that we’re all managing and looking after our mental health.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJUYl6XMt64 According to Flourish, around 20% of Sheffield are struggling with their mental health. 95,000 people have been diagnosed with depression or anxiety and over 5,000 people are living with a severe mental illness. Mr Brandon hopes to help Sheffielders recognise they’re never alone and are part of a wider community they can connect with. The creator of #WhatKeepsYouAfloat has stressed that we should seize the opportunity to get out into the city and do things that make us happy, now that we can after numerous lockdowns. Jordan emphasised the wonderful greenery Sheffield offers through its parks and its proximity to the Peaks. He said: “Now more than ever get out and go for walks and do things that fill your day with a bit of joy and make you want to get out of bed in the morning , to live every day to the best of your ability.” He also stressed that “there isn’t a one size fits all” fix for mental health, and it takes work, but that Sheffield Flourish aims to be there to help people find solutions. The inspiration for the designs came from the concept of a life buoy station, something that keeps us up. If you are struggling with your mental health or want to know more, visit: Local support for when you're feeling low | Sheffield Mental Health Guide.
Chinese students targeted by fraudsters
South Yorkshire Police have warned Chinese students about a new money-robbing scam. The scammers disguise themselves as employees of The Chinese Embassy, Immigration or Customs Services, the Chinese Police, or Royal Mail under the pretence of solving an international crime. Andy Foster, from the Fraud Coordination Team, said: “The criminals carrying out this fraudulent activity are very convincing and are using threats to frighten and trick innocent students, many of whom have only recently arrived in the UK, into transferring large amounts of money overseas. He then went on to say that fraudsters are believed to have access to personal information which belongs to the victims and encouraged everyone to spread the word on this scam. One student from The University of Sheffield, who wishes to remain anonymous, had money stolen for her bank account. She said: "One morning when I woke up I received a phone call, that claimed they were calling from the Chinese Embassy. They said I got involved in a money-washing case and two elderly were dead because of me. They urged me to find out what happened, got my identification card and showed me a warrant for my arrest. They asked me for 10,000 Chinese Yuan for bail. They then threatened me and said that if I did not cooperate with them they would extradite me to China". Police have urged anyone who has been victim you to report it to Action Fraud, the UK's national fraud and cybercrime reporting centre, by calling 0300 123 2040 or online at actionfraud.police.uk.