Ex-Olympian Shauna Coxey wins last ever edition of iconic climbing competition
Ex-Olympian Shauna Coxey won Sheffield's international climbing competition last night, after coming out of retirement to compete in the last of its 20-year run.
The Climbing Works International Festival (CWIF) has been an iconic event in every Sheffield climbers' calendar ever since its inception in 2006, but last weekend saw its final hurrah.
The competition attracted climbers from all over the world, including Rei Kawamata from Japan, who took first place on the podium for the men's competition, and Sheffield's own Shauna Coxey, in her first competition since the Olympics in 2021.
Shauna said: "This event is so special. I'm absolutely gutted that it's the last ever CWIF but I think the buzz and the environment around this whole event is something so unique. That's why I wanted to come out of retirement for one comp only.
"The last competition I did was the Olympics, so it is worlds away from that being here with such a friendly buzz. It's really cool, I think they've done an incredible job to embrace the community."
The 33-year-old competed for Great Britain at Tokyo 2020, the first year climbing was part of the Olympics with lead, bouldering and speed events where she finished 10th place despite ongoing knee injuries.
Before her Olympic debut, Shauna won five CWIFs in a row, from 2012 to 2016.
When she announced on social media she was returning to competition climbing for this event, she said: "this competition has always held a special place in my heart."
Chloé Caulier, from Belgium came 2nd place behind Shauna, and Jenya Kazbekova from Ukraine took 3rd on the podium.
In the men's competition, Dayan Akhtar from Leeds came 2nd, and 19-year-old Sam Hammond from Mansfield was 3rd.
Toby Roberts, who won the gold medal for Team GB at the Paris Olympics in 2024, also made it to CWIF semi-finals. Credit: Rose Mason
After the qualification round on Saturday morning, Shauna spoke to Sheffield Wire about how she thought it went.
She said: "I have no idea how my climbing went today. I would love to know actually. I don't know whether I'll be in semis, I don't know if I've done well or not well. When you're in the CWIF qualification round, you have to do 30 boulders in three hours.
Shauna Coxey on the last move of one of the CWIF qualifying boulders. Credit: Rose Mason
"I say do, I definitely didn't do 30 boulders, I didn't even try all of them! I ran out of time and it felt very hectic and chaotic, but in quite a fun way. During it I was like 'what am I doing, this is so intense!' Being a mum, I'm quite used to hectic chaos, so I feel like that was in my favour a little bit."
Little did she know then, that she would come first in semi-finals, and go on to win the competition in the final on Sunday evening by topping one boulder in the first attempt and securing three 'zones', the half way point of the climb.
The Rab CWIF 2026 female results. Credit: The Climbing Works.
The Rab CWIF 2026 male results. Credit: The Climbing Works.
Sarah Moran is General Manager of the Climbing Works just off Abbeydale Road and has organised the CWIF for the last four years.
She said: "Because it is our last one, it is our busiest one yet. The spectator tickets for the final sold out in four minutes. Last year it was 20 minutes."
Big name athletes weren't the only people Sarah recognised trying their hand in the comp.
She said: "People have been coming to our kids clubs since they were tiny, and now they're old enough to compete here, because you have to be 14. There are kids I taught at eight-years-old that are here today."
Sheffield is known as 'The Outdoor City', given its proximity to the Peak District, home to a rich history of outdoor climbing.
Gritstone boulders in Burbage Valley Credit: Rose Mason
“Sheffield is such a good city to be into any outdoor activity because we are so close to the Peak District," Sarah says. "A lot of people do gravitate to Sheffield to live here because of the Peak District, because of the climbing.
"When I do job interviews it’s very common that people are like 'I’m moving to Sheffield for the climbing'. It’s why I moved for uni like 15-years-ago - because of the climbing."
The Climbing Works co-founder, Graeme Anderson, began the CWIF after organising other competitions and wanting to bring that to Sheffield.
Sarah said: "When we first ran this, it was the first of its kind in a climbing wall. It has grown and grown and a lot of other walls follow the similar format".
Graeme retiring this year means CWIF is coming to an end, but Sarah promises there will be more Climbing Works events in the future.
Though this is the final CWIF, Sarah says The Works will host more events in the future. Credit: Rose Mason
Sheffield council urged to end “pattern of failure” on race
The Race Equality Assembly was held this weekend at Ellesmere Children’s Centre, highlighting a "pattern of failure" in Sheffield City Council.
"There are people within the community who have seen the same pattern decade after decade, the same pattern of failure and the pretence of inclusion.”
This is the damning conclusion of city businessman, and former chair of the Burngreave New Deal for Communities, Ronnie Lewin, after a community event was held in Sheffield to tackle a perceived lack of action on racism.
This came as a result of a 2022 report from the Sheffield Race Equality Commission (REC), which highlighted a number of key recommendations the council could take to improve the lives of the local community, including empowerment for under-represented ethnic communities.
However, nearly four years after the findings were published, there is a belief that there has been very little meaningful change from the Council.
Mr Lewin said: "There are a lot of people who feel that the process is very tokenistic. It is not inclusive, despite claims otherwise."
The way forward, he believes, involves accountability from those in charge.
"You must have named accountable people, you have to have a budget, and you have to have inclusion reflective of the city to make sure that whoever is putting the strategy together is being held to account at key milestones."
Building on this, Lee Jasper, co-founder of Operation Black Vote and a key speaker at the event, said: “By the council’s own admission, from their own evaluation, they have not been able to implement all the recommendations.
"Given that there is a local election in May, this is the perfect time for the local community to come together, to see what has been delivered, what hasn’t been delivered."
The assembly aimed to tackle key areas which they felt had not been properly addressed so far by the council, such as health inequalities, policing and economic inclusion.
When talking about the Council's response, Mr Jasper said: “The danger is that it can become performative.
"The Council is missing an opportunity to co-produce a strategy with the community, which has a lot of knowledge, experience and wisdom, and if they only tapped into that in a co-productive fashion, then they could enhance their performance."
Moussa Sylla, a community engagement practitioner with Community Organisers who was also involved in the Assembly, said: "We want to enable people from the community to create a space where they can come up with solutions, which are from and within the community. And that was the first step.
"As a result of last Saturday’s meeting, I think we have achieved that purpose. There was a lot of enthusiasm, a lot of people feeling that something new was happening, and this is what we are looking for, to create a space of new hope.”
Sheffield Wire have contacted the City Council for comment.
Wildlife concerns grow over Sheffield green belt development
Environmental campaigners have raised concerns regarding the ecological impact of proposed developmental sites in Sheffield's Local Plan amidst an ongoing public consultation.
The Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust has stated that important wildlife areas could be put at risk without stronger protections, calling for a more robust approach to safeguarding nature.
The Local Plan sets out where new homes, businesses, and infrastructure could be built and aims to shape the city's development up to 2039.
Susan Davidson, strategic advocacy and partnerships manager at the Trust, said several of the proposed sites are located close to areas of high ecological value.
"These existing green areas have a lot of value and importance, the new sites will definitely have an impact on the local wildlife." she said.
One of the sites which will be affected by the development is Hesley Woods, a park in Chapeltown which is currently used as a scout activity centre, along with the Handsworth Green Belt area seen in the photo.
Davidson said the current Local Plan does not go far enough in recognising the complexity of these environments: "We're not opposing the Local Plan, but we are pushing for a better understanding of the ecological factors".
One of the key issues raised by the Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust is the use of buffer zones, which are strips of land intended to protect sensitive habitats from nearby development.
Campaigners argue that minimum buffer distances are being applied too broadly, without taking into consideration the site-specific conditions such as habitat type and pollution impacts.
Environmental guidance suggests that developments likely to affect wildlife should take a precautionary approach, including detailed ecological surveys and mitigation measures where necessary.
Critics say that without stronger safeguards, development could affect habitats, increase pollution and place additional pressure on already declining species.
The council has previously stated that site allocations have been chosen to avoid the most sensitive wildlife areas and the green belt, however conservation groups argue that these areas should be revised.
The debate persists as Sheffield continues to balance housing demand with environmental responsibilities.
The nine week consultation regarding the modifications to the Local Plan will close on Tuesday May 5, you can submit your comments on the Sheffield City Council to have your say.
South Yorkshire football players called up for March’s international fixtures
With the World Cup on the horizon, international coaches have announced their squads for the next round of fixtures, with debutants and stalwarts across the region making the cut.
Sheffield Wednesday are leading the way, with four players getting the nod for their respective teams.
Both Marvelous Nakamba and Sean Fusine were named in Marian Marinica's Zimbabwe squad for Botswana's Four Nations Tournament, while Pierce Charles and Devlan Moses will be going to Northern Ireland's senior and under 21s teams, respectively.
Doncaster Rovers' recent arrival Darren Robinson also made Tommy Wright's Northern Ireland U21 squad, with the youngster looking to make his 15th appearance for the side.
On the red side of Sheffield, the Blades' own Adam Davies was one of the goalkeepers in Wales' 26-man squad for the World Cup qualifying playoffs, starting with the semi-final against Bosnia and Herzegovina on 26 March, where the winner will face Italy in Cardiff on 31 March.
United starlet Sydie Peck received a call-up for England U21s, his fourth such call since making his debut for Lee Carsley's team in September, as England continue their 2027 U21 EURO qualifying campaign.
The Jamaican national team have called up players from both SUFC and SWFC, with Andre Brooks getting his first nod following his sixth goal of the season against Wrexham on Saturday, while the Owls' own Jamal Lowe will be joining him and the Reggae Boyz for their World Cup playoffs in Mexico next week.
Twenty-seven more 20mph zones come into force in Sheffield
New 20mph speed limits have come into place around Sheffield, with 27 new areas getting the restrictions, including several major roads.
Although the work will be funded by the government, there will be no measures such as road humps in place to enforce the restrictions, which has left locals questioning the effectiveness of new 'sign only' speed limits.
The Council have said having a maximum of 20mph speeds will make the city centre more attractive, and will help the city's regeneration.
They hope the plans, which include residential, commercial and retail areas with a lot of pedestrians and cyclists, will help people feel safer from the risk of vehicle collisions.
The newly announced 20mph areas will add to the 74 that have already been created in the city since 2011.
One social media user said in response to the announcement the added changes are "pointless if there's no way to enforce it".
As well as the centre, the new limits will also be enforced in the Crookes and Tapton areas of the city, including Crookes Road, which services many local businesses.
Emily Bidnell, 21, who is a student living in the area, said: "I understand the measures are being put in place for safety but Crookes road in particular is already so busy and this is just making it even more slow-moving.
"The fact it's not really enforced by anything is a bit annoying as not everyone will follow it."
New restrictions have come into place Sheffield City Centre, Charnock, Darnall, Firth Park, Fox Hill, Gleadless Valley, Greystones and Whirlow, Hackenthorpe, Heeley and Meersbrook, Hillsborough, Hurlfield, London Road, Longley, Lowedges, Meadowhead and Greenhill, Park Academy, Parson Cross, Sharrow Vale, Shirecliffe, Southey Green, Spink Hall, Stannington, Steel Bank, Upperthorpe, Wincobank, Woodhouse, Woodthorpe.
Penistone historian urges Sheffield Wednesday to recognise town’s influence on the game
A historian is looking to "piece together for people what actually happened" as he pushes for Sheffield Wednesday to revisit their heritage.
Kevin Neill, as part of Penistone Arts Week, took walkers on a historic trail around Penistone and Thurlstone, as he aims to spread awareness of just how much Penistone influenced the game.
The trail included visits to the graves of John Marsh and Reverend Samuel Sunderland in St John's Church, both of who were pivotal in transforming the early game, as well as the old site of Penistone Grammar School where Marsh was educated.
Also featured on the walk was Thurlstone pub 'The Crystal Palace', where Marsh was the landlord until his death in 1880.
Mr Neill recently attended an event in which Liam Palmer, Sheffield Wednesday's current captain, visited Penistone and Thurlstone, to pay respect to Marsh, who was one of the founding fathers of Sheffield Wednesday.
Marsh, who was born in 1842, was Wednesday's first captain, first secretary and played a vital role in the formation of the club.
According to Mr Neill, there are no references to Marsh anywhere within Wednesday's ground Hillsborough, something that Mr Neill feels "is a great shame".
However, this may be about to change, as Mr Palmer honoured John Marsh and unveiled a plaque in his memory during a ceremony at the Crystal Palace pub.
Mr Palmer received a photo of John Marsh during his visit, and those involved are hoping it, and the history behind it, can be integrated into the club.
Mr Neill said: "We are hoping that Liam will go back and try and persuade Sheffield Wednesday to do something more with the early history, which is what we want."
Mr Neill, author of 'Penistone Church Football Club 1906 : The inspirational story of a grassroots football club', shared with people who came on the walk just how much Penistone has influenced football.
With Penistone Church Football Club recently celebrating its 120th birthday, he wanted to share the history with those that came to the trail.
Sheffield celebrates Eid as spring arrives in the city
Sheffield's Malaysian community came together last week to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr, a festivity marking the end of Ramadan, a month of reflection, study, and fasting.
This year it was celebrated on the 20th of March and so Eid coincided with the arrival of spring and the blooming magnolias and cherry blossoms around the city, with many people decided to take their celebrations in parks and green spaces such as Weston Park.
Yusuf Rick, a Sheffield Hallam software engineering student, said: "It's beautiful. We're here for the background, to post on Instagram and let people know we celebrate this, in Malaysia we go all out for Eid-ul-Fitr instead of Eid al-Adha.
"It's a day for Muslims to celebrate after fasting for 30 days, but in Malaysia we celebrate for a whole month. The first two days are when you go all out with your outfits. It's a day where we come together and eat and just celebrate family".
In fact, a big part of this celebration is in the clothes being worn by those taking part in the celebrations.
Wanzafreennafissa, a second year business management student at the University of Sheffield, said: "For me it’s a celebration, that’s why we dress up so nicely and decorate ourselves. It’s like a victory because we have been fasting for 30 days and it's not easy."
She showed us her dress, a blush baju kurung, a traditional Malaysian dress and next to her Aufiya, a Sheffield Hallam computer science student, wore a burgundy piece known as a janggan kebaya.
Most of the men at the park were wearing baju melayu, a traditional Malaysian outifit, in an array of bright colours but they are not just decorative, as Lydia, a University of Sheffield accounting student explained.
She said: "The way you wear it is a message to the people that are looking at you. When you wear it above your knees it means you are single, if it reaches below the knees it means you are married or taken.
"It's the same as in the regency era, how they used fans to call other people to signal you are married or you want to meet someone."
Other celebrations include the food they have to break their fast, the most common dishes being lemang and ketupat, sticky rice cooked inside of either banana or pandan leaves for the former, and bamboo for the latter, as well as a dish known as daging dendeng, slow cooked beef with a gravy made out of soy sauce.
In addition, they receive money from their family, Yusuf explained.
He said: "After you are done fasting for 30 days you meet with most of your family. The people who have started working take a bit out of their pay cheque to give out to children and people who haven't started working will get the money."
The act of receiving money can turn into a competition of who has received more among siblings.
Despite this playful competition, Yusuf said: "Today, we are all winners".
Sheffield City Council to decide on £1m Sport England investment to tackle city health gap
A £1m grant from Sport England to tackle deprivation in physical activity in communities across Sheffield will be discussed by the council later today.
Sheffield Hallam University Services Limited (SHUSL), on behalf of the National Centre for Exercise Medicine (NCSEM) partnership, has successfully secured a two-year Sport England's Place Expansion funding from April 2026 to March 2028.
The application to Sport England was developed collaboratively with sport and physical activity stakeholders such as Yorkshire Sport Foundation, Sheffield United Community Foundation, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme, Sheffield Sharks and Sheffield Eagles.
This funding supports the delivery of the "Move More Sheffield" programme, launched in June 2021, which hopes to reduce deep-rooted health inequalities and physical inactivity.
In order to ensure delivery from April 2026, this proposal requires approval from the Sheffield City Council to become the "accountable body" for the funding and enter into a formal grant agreement with SHUSL.
Sheffield City Council will also provide operational management for two of the eight work packages as part of the Place investment project titled "Community Development & Services" and "Move Well".
If accepted, the Council will be given operational oversight and delivery of these projects in-line with the conditions set by Sport England.
The first of these work programmes, Community Development & Services, focuses on strengthening community delivery in five prioritised neighbourhoods in Firth Park, Woodthorpe, Arbourthorne, Batemoor & Jordanthorpe and Tinsley.
The focus communities include some of Sheffield's most diverse areas and some of the most deprived neighbourhoods.
The programme will address systemic barriers, such as cost, and build inclusive pathways for lower income households.
Around £220,000 is allocated to staffing and operational support with an additional £350,000 (£70,000 per neighbourhood) for community services, legal and financial input, support staffing and associated operational delivery costs.
The council already operates and coordinates Move Well, a service supporting residents, especially those with long-term health conditions.
An allowance of £420,000 will enable the opportunity to strengthen and expand this delivery by providing increased capacity to support disabled people and people with terminal health conditions.
Through these programmes, the council hopes to create "great neighbourhoods that people are happy to call home" and "a place where children belong and all young people can build a successful future".
The final decision on whether the £1m grant will be accepted will take place at the Communities, Parks and Leisure Policy Committee meeting at Sheffield Town Hall at 2pm on March 23.
“Shank your opp – 30 points”: How are schools and parents dealing with school wars trend?
Content Warning: Strong language included
Schools have faced safety and security concerns over the past month, as a national social media trend focused on attacking pupils from rival schools has hit South Yorkshire.
The 'school wars' trend has seen arrests made across the UK, including in Sheffield and Rotherham, as teenagers are encouraged to carry out different targeted attacks for a sliding points scale.
The schools are grouped into 'red' and 'blue', who are pitted against each other for organised fights and random attacks, which gain more 'points' if they are recorded and posted to social media.
One TikTok post reads: "Rules: if u see another opp it's on sight weapons: ruler, comb, compass n punchs" (sic).
Each 'weapon' carries more points, with a compass's sharp point scoring higher than a simple punch, as the same post says: "Shank your opp - 30 points".
Many schools have sent out information, leaving many parents to turn to Facebook to air their concerns and opinions.
"She's not leaving my sight," said one parent, Mary Gonnelly, who kept her daughter at home because of the circulating rumours of a scheduled fight.
Whilst this opinion was echoed by many on Facebook, some parents were far more dismissive with John Michael referring to the concern as a "bullsh*t rumour", despite the fact that South Yorkshire Police increased patrols around local schools.
According to an update from Inspector Richard Mangham, officers have been active in monitoring social media and carrying out intelligence checks to identify those behind posts encouraging violence.
Another local parent, Alison Beverley, said that she was not keeping her children at home or making changes to their routines despite the threats
She said: "This is all scaremongering and social media related, we all had school rivalry it was just never broadcast anywhere.
"Half of the parents are to blame for not monitoring what their children are doing on social media."
Penistone Grammar School forwarded a letter to all Barnsley parents from Inspector Mangham which outlined that along with Barnsley Council wardens, officers were carrying out high-visibility patrols.
As well as identifying and shutting down responsible accounts, it is hoped these measures will help to put an end to the "irresponsible and dangerous trend."
Sheffield pickleball company hosts first ever all-abilities community festival
A Sheffield indoor pickleball centre ran their first ever Pickleball Festival which saw players from across the city and South Yorkshire participate in one of the UK's fastest-growing sports.
Peak Pickleball Sheffield in Attercliffe hosted a five-hour-long pickleball festival on Saturday 21st March between 9am and 1pm including a Challenger court, social play and a DJ.
Pickleball is a sport which combines elements of badminton, tennis and table tennis. It can be played indoors and outdoors with two or four players using solid paddles to hit a perforated polymer ball over a net.
Points are won if the defending side does not return the ball, hits the ball out, does not let the serve ball bounce, volleys in the non-volley zone, or is hit by the ball.
Pickleball players mid-game at Peak Pickleball Sheffield Festival
The game ends when one of the parties reaches 11 points, with a 2-point lead.
Peak Pickleball Sheffield was founded in November 2025 by Gina Floyd and her partner Anna when they quit their jobs and went travelling and discovered their love for the sport. Their mission is to grow the pickleball community in Yorkshire and share their sporting passion across Sheffield.
Gina Floyd, owner and co-founder of Peak Pickleball Sheffield, decided to put on the festival to get people playing each other from across different skills and bring the community together to have fun. She said: "It's been so nice to see such a variety of people playing together across different ages and abilities.
"Pickleball is a real leveller and that is what makes it really special."
Pickleball England has seen a boom in recent years and reported in 2025 during their English Open Tournament that they had a record 2,350 players and 4,321 registrations.
Steve Chan began playing pickleball a year ago and loves being able to play with different types of people. He said: "It's an addictive sport.
"If I come on a Friday night and there's 12 people and I only know six of them then we have a good chat then a couple of weeks later we have a catch up. It's really nice."
Mel Harbour moved to Sheffield for a job in Computer Science and found pickleball through social groups. She said: "I love pickleball, I can't stop coming back.
"It's such a friendly community and I keep going back to the same place, the same event and see lots of familiar faces."
If you are interested in trying out pickleball, you can find out more about Peak Pickleball by following this link: Peak Pickleball | Join the Action Today
Son raises £4000 for cancer charity that supported his dad through brain tumour
A father and son duo have raised £4000 for Weston Park Cancer Charity (WPCC) this weekend, after walking 23 kilometres from Silkstone to Sheffield, with the funds going to make major differences in patients' lives.
Jenson Beever was joined by his dad Andrew Beever on the colossal challenge this weekend, as they looked to give back to the charity that supported Andrew and his family through Meningioma, a type of brain tumour, for almost a year from March 2025 to January 2026.
After a combination of radiotherapy and gamma knife surgery, Andrew was given the all-clear earlier this year, and wants to support the charity in any way he can.
Andrew said: "Weston park make so much difference to people's lives, it is only right if possible to give something back to say thank you."
The charity also supports families, as well as patients, and Jenson knows that the money raised can continue to impact those affected.
Jenson said: "To cross the finish line was amazing knowing how much of a difference the money we have raised can change someone's situation at the hospital, it was truly remarkable."
An initial target of just £350 was set, however many people have gotten behind the charity and the walk, contributing more to the fundraiser.
Jenson said: "Unbelievable the amount of money raised, I never thought we'd get there.
"£1,000 was amazing, £2,000 I was gob smacked, £3,000 shocked me, made me realise how big of an impact this is making on people's lives.
"£4,000 has been achieved and honestly I am so proud of everyone that took part in the walk and anyone who has supported us in any way, shape or form.
"Inspiring to say the least."
Knowing how much this support means to those suffering, Andrew believes that: "No matter how big or small, every penny counts".
Vicky Stead, the senior fundraising manager at WPCC said: "We are deeply grateful to Jenson and his family and friends for their outstanding fundraising efforts.
"Taking on a 23km walk from Barnsley to Weston Park is an extraordinary achievement."
Mrs Stead sees first hand the impact that money raised will have day to day, and knows how important events like this are to raise vital funds.
She said: "From vital support services to treatment enhancements and life-changing research, their efforts and their supporters’ donations will help bring hope, comfort, and progress to so many people who need it most, thank you.”
The fundraiser can be found here
“There needs to be some recognition”: Sheffield charity launches initiative to commemorate women’s football history
A Sheffield charity is hosting guided walking tours to celebrate the wealth of contributions made by women towards the city’s footballing history.
The initiative has been organised by Sheffield Home of Football (SHOF) to coincide with the showing of ‘The Ladies Football Club’ at the Crucible - a play that centres around a group of 11 ‘munitionettes’ and their developing obsession with the game while their husbands are away at war.
Walks coordinator for the charity, Steve Ingle, 66, explained this is a project he has been eager to start for a while: “We’ve been trying to work out how to do a women's football club tour, but most of the places are quite disparate around Sheffield.
“The Crucible gave us an anchor from where to lead our walks.”
The walks start at the theatre, which, sitting on the historic site of the Adelphi Hotel, is where members of Sheffield FC met to agree on the club’s rules and regulations over 150 years ago in 1858.
Attendees are then invited to explore various other significant locations around the city centre, before finishing at the ‘Women of Steel’ statue next to the City Hall, erected to honour women’s involvement in the city’s steel industry during both the first and second world wars.
Building on the work of local football historian Martin Westby, SHOF is a registered charity, whose primary aim is to raise awareness around the rich football heritage found here in Sheffield.
It runs several walks around the city and out to Penistone, looking at the people and places who helped shape modern association football as it exists today.
More recently, the charity has set its sights on a Walk of Fame star dedicated to England footballer and local girl Millie Bright.
“I think there needs to be some recognition,” said Mr Ingle.
"We feel as though the city should celebrate everything that Sheffield women are bringing to the game these days.”
While it is clear the Football Association has come a long way from its controversial ban on women’s football in 1921, Mr Ingle was keen to reiterate that change begins at a grassroots level.
The notion of football as a ‘boys’ game’, while steadily evolving, is yet to be eradicated completely.
Mr Ingle said: “Sheffield invented the game, we set up the rules of football, so we really shouldn’t be on the second platform when it comes to women’s football.”
SHOF will be running its third and final 'Origins of Women's Football in Sheffield' walk from the Crucible Theatre on Thursday 26th March. Click here for details.