Sheffield’s Chinese community celebrates resilience: “we’re still here and we do belong”
Generations of Sheffield’s East and Southeast Asian community stressed the healthcare challenges their older population face during a networking event last week.
The event was organised by Changing Seasons, a project creating a safe space for members of Sheffield's ESEA community experiencing memory loss and isolation.
Stephanie Chung, Founder of the Changing Seasons Project, said: “The Chinese community was very badly affected by Covid-19, especially in terms of stigmatisation and isolation.
“This event is to celebrate that we are still here and we do belong, as well to highlight our heritage and share it with the next generation.”
Approximately 15,000 people with dementia in the UK come from black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities.
Ms Chung said long working hours, language and cultural barriers, and fear of stigmatisation mean that many people from the ESAE community with dementia struggle to access mainstream health provision.
The event was hosted on 26 March in collaboration with the Chinese Community Centre who are celebrating their 30th anniversary this year.
Sarah NG, Chair of the Chinese community centre, made a speech highlighting the work they do to support the health and wellbeing of Sheffield’s Chinese community such as Tai Chi classes and health support services.
She also discussed the significant challenges the centre is facing, including limited resources and only one part time member of staff.
During the event, Ms Chung announced the launch of an exhibition at the Weston Park Museum that will run from September 2025 until 2028 to commemorate the Chinese community centre’s anniversary.
Ms Chung said: “The centre has been here for over 70 years and that’s not something that is often celebrated or recognised.
“That’s why I’m working on an exhibition to bring our history to life.”
As well as the Chinese community, the event was attended by people from diverse backgrounds across the city.
Sajid Rasul, an attendee said: “This event is brilliant because it's bringing lots of communities together and celebrating diversity, which is fantastic for our city.”
Ukrainian refugee-led boxing academy provides joy for Sheffield’s youth
A Ukrainian forced to flee to the UK has launched a boxing academy to provide joy and self-confidence for young people in his new home city.
Oleksandr Pohodin, 35, had his own sports club in Ukraine, and was a former amateur boxer with nearly 150 bouts to his name.
However, the life-threatening upheaval of Russia’s invasion on February 24 2022 prompted him and his wife to seek a safer life for their family in the UK.
Mr Pohodin teaches a variety of backgrounds and age groups six days a week.
“If people spend time at this gym, they are not spending time in the street or on their cellphone and I understand when children spend time here, it helps them develop new skills and feel more self-confidence,” he told the PA news agency.
“For me, I feel very successful when I know a child is happy to be here.”
Mr Pohodin left Chernivtsi in south-western Ukraine in 2022 for Sheffield, via the Homes For Ukraine scheme, alongside his wife Zhanna, 40, and their children – Nika, 15, Polina, eight, and Matvii, six.
In May 2024, he founded Pohodin Boxing Academy, operating out of Syd’s Gym in Sheffield, together with Syd Khaan and Benny Banaris.
He also received guidance and support from Brendan Warburton, the founder of Sheffield City Boxing Club, who was awarded an MBE in 2022 for his community work.
Mr Pohodin told PA that he made contact with Mr Warburton online before arriving in England, describing him as "a very great coach and a very good person."
He said: “Before I came, I started a conversation with him and said, I will be in Sheffield, and if he wants I will start volunteering in his gym and he agreed."
“When I opened this academy, he helped me a lot, he explained to me how all this works – 100%, I think he’s my mentor.”
He added he feels particularly happy to live in Sheffield as he considers it to be the “centre of boxing” in the UK.
Mr Pohodin also received an employment adviser and English language training through World Jewish Relief, which has helped more than 13,000 Ukrainians rebuild their lives in the UK since 2022.
Quinn, 14, is one of Mr Pohodin’s students.
Despite trying other sports, he said he has connected with boxing the most, and cited Ukrainian boxer Vasiliy Lomachenko as one of his sporting heroes.
He said: “It’s been really good training with Oleksandr. I’ve tried other sports like football and basketball but when I’ve put the gloves on, they’ve never come off.”
Many Ukrainians have taken the boxing world by storm, including Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko, and Oleksandr Usyk, who has held the unified world heavyweight championship since 2021.
Mr Pohodin said seeing Ukrainian boxers thrive makes him “very proud”.
“I remember when Usyk beat for the first time Tyson Fury, I am very proud he’s from Ukraine,” he said.
“I’m very happy Ukrainian boxing is successful.”
Katryna Stelmakh, 30, and Natali Pryima, 28, both came to the UK from Ukraine and attend sessions with Mr Pohodin.
Ms Stelmakh arrived in the UK in February 2022 from Kyiv, while Ms Pryima came to England in June 2022 from Poltava in central Ukraine.
Ms Stelmakh, who was a doctor in her home country, said adjusting to life here was difficult due to the language barrier and finding a job, but said British people she has met have all been “very welcoming”.
Initially joining boxing classes for her wellbeing, she said she was glad she then met fellow Ukrainians.
“I found our coach, Oleksandr, and then I came to the classes and met Natali here,” she told PA.
Ms Pryima added: “First of all, for me, it’s a full body workout, it’s a really intensive workout and it’s a stress reliever."
“It’s not just about punching the bag, it’s therapy as well.”
Schoolboy fundraises to represent Team GB in Australian Roller Derby World Cup
A Sheffield schoolboy is fundraising £5,000 in order to play in an international competition, in a sport described as "rugby on skates".
Tom Halsall, 17, from Upperthorpe was selected to compete for Team GB in the Junior Roller Derby World Cup, which is being held over 10,000 miles away in Brisbane at the start of July.
Tom said: “This is a truly-once-in-a-lifetime experience for me. Playing at the World cup is a dream for me, representing not only team GB but also Sheffield on the world stage.
"I am also really looking forward to playing against some of the other top tier skaters from around the world."
Roller Derby is a fast-paced, full-contact sport on quad skates, which has two primary positions: the jammer and the blockers.
A match consists of multiple rounds, called jams, in which the jammer scores points by lapping members of the opposing team, whilst the blockers stop the opposing jammer.
Tom has been playing alongside his siblings since he was eight-years-old.
His mum, Fay Kenworthy, who played in the adult league, introduced Tom and his siblings to the sport.
Credit: Fay Kenworthy
He now plays for both Team GB’s Junior Team, under the name 'Atomic Bomb', alongside the Sheffield Steel Roller Derby (SSRD) and the Sheffield Steel Junior Rollers (SSJR).
Tom said: “I would describe it as similar to rugby on skates, but someone is the ball.”
Roller Derby is unique in its inclusivity as athletes of all genders, body types and skill levels compete together.
Tom said: “Despite its tough image it is an incredibly supportive community and has been a huge part of my life for the last nine years, from playing with matching face paint to filling the car with team mates travelling around the country.”
Roller Derby Leagues in the UK started forming in 2006 but is still a developing sport, with no government funding, meaning that Tom and his teammates have to self-source the funding for training, travel and accommodation.
Tom said: “The main support they [Team GB] provide us is the training and the focus is just to make sure we are in our best shape when we are going into the World Cup.
“Even just a tiny donation can help massively and take me so far.”
Tom has set up a GoFundMe page to fundraise his goal of £1,500 to help with these costs and is hoping that a local business may be interested in sponsoring him.
He is also currently in his last year of college, studying maths, engineering and physics, and will be sitting his A-level exams less than a month before competing in Brisbane.
Tom said: “It is definitely a bit of a balancing act, just making sure that I stay on top of my college work whilst also keeping up with the rest of the team.”
Tom's GoFundMe can be found here: Get Tom Halsall to the Roller Derby World Cup in Australia
Rotherham United axe manager Steve Evans
League One side Rotherham United have sacked their manager following a string of disappointing results.
The club made the decision after Steve Evans led The Millers to a heavy 4-0 defeat to relegation rivals Crawley Town on Saturday.
This has left the South-Yorkshire club in 16th place after failing to win any of their last four outings.
First team staff Paul Raynor, Gary Mills and Ian Pledger have also been relieved of their duties with immediate effect.
Yesterday, a club statement said: “Everyone at Rotherham United would like to thank Steve, Paul and their coaching team for all their efforts and wish them well in their future endeavours.”
Evans was appointed as head coach last April on a three year deal after a compensation package was agreed with Stevenage who he was managing at the time.
After relegation from The Championship last season, The Millers have struggled once again with just 12 wins from their 38 games in League One this campaign.
Nine points above the relegation zone with just eight games left to play, there are fears that Rotherham could still face the drop and achieve consecutive relegations.
This has been Evans’ second stint at the club after the Scotsman took charge between 2012 and 2015, in which he won promotion to The Championship in 2014.
The club statement said: “The club can also confirm that Matt Hamshaw, together with Andy Warrington and other staff to be confirmed will take charge of first team matters with immediate effect until the end of the season.”
Hamshaw will speak to the media this afternoon to discuss his temporary appointment and the next outing against Northampton Town.
Here is the link to the interview:
On Sheffield Wire today
Good morning and welcome to today’s coverage of news from across South Yorkshire. It’s Monday 31 March 2025.
Our top stories today include:
- Steve Evans was sacked as Rotherham United manager on Sunday: Reporter Joel Cheshire spoke to fans to get their take on Evans axing after a run of seven defeats.
- Parking fees have risen without warning by 95% in the Peak District National Park (now £78 for an annual pass): Reporter Billy Clarke interviewed annual pass holders to see their opinion on this and he investigates to see if this will lead to illegal parking on road verges.
- Sheffield girl to trek 100k for breast cancer charity : Hannah Catterall to trek 100k in the Isle of Skye to fundraise for Coppafeel. Cassidy Chan reports on this.
Nigel Farage heads to Doncaster ahead of key local election
The Reform Party leader will be speaking in Doncaster tomorrow as his party is expected to take over the Labour-run council in May local elections.
Guy Aston, who is running as a candidate for the Wheatley Hills and Intake ward, said: “It’s a big day in the politics of Doncaster.”
The event comes as a poll undertaken by Electoral Calculus has predicted a huge swing to Reform in the local elections on 1 May.
Earlier this year, Reform announced 55 new councillors who will be standing for wards in Doncaster and, if the polls are correct, they are set to take 32 seats where they currently have zero.
Gaining control of the council, which has been governed by a Labour majority since 2010, would be a monumental victory for Reform who have had Doncaster in their sights since the last general election.
Mr Aston said: “The overall strategy is to get a good number of councillors across the country, establishing a base for Reform and focusing on the next general election in 2029.”
Farage is also set to announce the party’s candidate for the city’s mayoral election at the event tomorrow at Doncaster Racecourse.
The current Mayor, Labour’s Ros Jones, kicked off her campaign for what would be her fourth term this weekend.
Doncaster resident, Alan, 76, said he would be attending the Reform event on Tuesday.
A firm supporter of Farage, he said: “I think he should be Prime Minister. He says what he thinks and everything he says is true.”
However, not everyone in Doncaster was happy about Farage’s visit this week.
Darcy, 18, said: “I think a lot of the young people around here have strong opinions about him. I don’t like him. I don’t like anything he stands for. I think he’s ignorant to the way the world is now.”
Reform’s key campaign points include building affordable homes, slashing NHS waiting times and empowering the community.
Mr Aston said: “Our plan in Doncaster is to govern Doncaster for the town and for its people.”
The event is set to start at midday tomorrow.
Rotherham set for a Wilde rock’n’roll show this Thursday
An icon of the rock’n’roll era is back in South Yorkshire this week, as Marty Wilde takes the stage in Rotherham on Thursday.
Wilde, who’s been performing in the UK since the mid 1950’s, is making his one stop in South Yorkshire at Rotherham’s Civic Theatre as part of his current tour.
He said: “Touring is almost like a natural thing for me, I don’t work as much anymore, but it’s like a lifestyle.”
Wilde has regularly toured since the start of his career, with his first appearance in South Yorkshire being at the Empire Theatre in Sheffield in 1957.
The rock and roller’s audience have grown up with him over the years, and the Civic’s intimate set up provides the perfect place for them to interact.
He said: “In the old days you had thousands of screaming teenagers, and I don’t get them anymore.
“I talk to the audience and we laugh together really, the audience I think are much more appreciative these days, back in the old days they could barely hear you.”
Wilde’s hits include A Teenager in Love, Rubber Ball and Sea of Love, but he is also known for his song writing , having primarily written songs for other artists.
These include the song ‘Kids in America’, written for his daughter, singer Kim Wilde, who herself performed in Sheffield this weekend.
Wilde also spent plenty of time playing clubs in the North, at a time when smaller venues provided his career a lifeline.
He said: “I love working in the North, in the old days you found that Northern audiences were a lot warmer in many ways than others.
“The North also saved me, as there were dozens of clubs where I would play when there was none down South.”
Wilde’s current tour comes off the back of his first number one record, Two Eyes Streaming, which reached number one in the UK Heritage Charts last year.
This, along with the charting of his previous album Running Together, means Wilde has now made the charts in eight successive decades.
Marty Wilde and The Wildcats play at Rotherham Civic Theatre this Thursday, doors open 7:30pm.
Tickets can be purchased here.
“Nothing green or clean”: Yorkshire based activist group protest on Sheffield University campus
Protesters from the Axe Drax campaign set up on the University of Sheffield campus over March, following their disruption of the Labour party conference early this month.
The Drax group states the plant is “now the site of innovation for bioenergy with carbon capture and storage”, despite a flurry of accusations that the site is greenwashing and driving environmental racism.
The Drax Power Station burns millions of tonnes of wood pellets imported from protected forests in the US, British Columbia and Brazil every year. The Axe Drax group has called for an end to the government subsidisation of the plant, claiming the plant disproportionately affects minority communities, and students are showing their support.
Adam, a Geography student who gave only his first name, said: "The Uni needs to stop pretending that developing carbon capture technology is anything but a fantasy.
"Students don’t want to study somewhere which supports greenwashed carbon capture lies.”
Drax claims to be carbon neutral because they use carbon capture technology, but emit as much if not more CO2 than average gas or coal power plants.
Rachel Reeves announced new subsidies for the Drax plant from 2027 to 2031 at the Yorkshire Labour Party Conference in March, estimating a £2bn impact on bill payers.
The Axe Drax group disrupted the conference and were forcibly removed.
Rosie, an Axe Drax protester who only shared her first name, called the decision to extend subsidies for Drax “an absolute disaster” for bill payers, the environment and local communities.
She said: "Drax has already pocketed billions in government subsidies on the basis of it being a green solution to our energy problems, we were sold a lie."
The wood pellets that the plant burns for energy are detailed as ‘carbon neutral’ by the UK government, and are therefore tax-payer funded.
Drax Power Station is the world's number one tree burner and the UK's largest emitter of CO2, accounting for 5% of UK energy.
Sheffield University's Young Greens society pledged their full support of the Axe Drax campaign, labelling the pollution as "sickening".
we believe that the Government is only worsening the ongoing climate crisis by continuing to support projects like this
"The government has given over £6 billion worth of subsidies to Drax since 2012 and we firmly believe that this is a waste."
"Drax is the UK’s single largest carbon emitter. Rather than giving approximately £460m a year in subsidies, we must spend that money on renewable energy - on solar, wind, wave and hydro - to secure a safer and greener future for us all"
Axe Drax campaign leaders called Drax’s green credentials “based on dodgy carbon accounting”, stating that the future subsidies would lead to “business-as-usual tree burning, with no clear end date in sight".
“Drax’s operation model exploits and pollutes poor, black communities for profit and the UK Government is funding it via our energy bills.”
The group has accused Drax of subsidising environmental racism, both in the UK and in the US, with its Mississippi pellet manufacturer creating health issues for the largely black communities nearby.
Drax has been fined $2.5m for breaking emission limits over 11,000 times.
Maisie, another Geography student choosing to only give a first name, said: “Us, the student body, oppose the university’s support of Drax. The plant’s importing of wood from the US creates issues for the largely black communities there and for locals here in the UK.
“They say they’re being choked by fumes. We can’t allow this to continue. We must end university support for Drax now, action must be taken.”
Protests against Drax and the University’s support are set to continue, with Axe Drax at the forefront and the student body seemingly behind them in their efforts.
Drax Global has been approached for comment.
Sheffield student worries “financial lifeline” will be gone under PIP reforms
For Thomas Atkin-Withers, just getting through each day is a battle. They suffer from complex neurological conditions, are in constant pain, but to make matters worse, they are now frightened that the financial lifeline they receive is about to be taken away.
The 21-year-old disabled student diagnosed with autism, suffers from depression, chronic fatigue and hypermobile joints, and receives exactly £737.20 a month from their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) plan, which just about covers their rent, water and electricity bills, food and medical costs.
But they are worried the government’s latest overhaul of disability benefits mean they will be left financially destitute.
“As someone with a lifelong disability, this isn’t going to get better for me,” says Thomas, from Beauchief. “It’s only going to get worse, both for me and for my family.”
Thomas’ hypermobility is debilitating. It leaves them with severe pain in their joints, especially while walking or doing basic activities, including walking, cooking or even showering. Thomas needs their husband’s help to get washed and help putting their clothes on, because there are days they cannot even get their socks on.
“It’s not easy, and the fact that I’m even here is a miracle some days,” they say.
Thomas’ parents are also disabled and receive PIP. Their dad has Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and mum has debilitating chronic fatigue syndrome.
A PIP is a payment plan designed to help disabled people with long-term physical or mental health conditions or disabilities. It is based on a points system that assesses a person’s ability to perform daily living activities and mobility tasks, with a score of 8 or more points for either component leading to a standard amount (roughly £73), and 12 or more for enhanced amounts.
Thomas, who is currently studying an MA in Urban Planning Integrated at the University of Sheffield, has been able to manage their finances with the help of their husband, Avery, juggling the amount they receive from PIP and Universal Credit.
“At the moment, at least we don’t have to worry about getting evicted,” says Thomas. “My rent is covered, so is my water, electricity and travel costs.”
They strongly disagree with the government’s rhetoric that the current system is broken because of ‘overdiagnosis’.
“I feel like my body is constantly trying to kill me,” says Thomas. “It’s not easy, and the fact that I’m even here is a miracle some days. This isn’t an overdiagnosis. This is a crisis based on the conditions our current society inflicts upon people.
Thomas takes a mix of medication for their disabilities, including paracetamol, ibuprofen and voltarol. Without these, they say they would not be able to walk properly, would suffer from constant migraines and suicidal thoughts due to their depression and anxiety.
They believe it’s insulting that the general rhetoric around disabled people is that they are ‘scrounges’.
“We’re not spending thousands of pounds on holidays,” says Thomas. “We’re not jetting off to far flung destinations or buying luxury cars. We are living, we are scraping by - that’s what PIP allows us to do.”
In December last year (2024), after a fall, and because the texture of their connective tissue is so flexible - they tore all the tendons in their feet just by walking.
Thomas couldn’t even take a break from university classes afterwards as they were worried about falling behind. Instead Thomas returned to university the next day with their feet stuffed into crocs because they wouldn’t fit into their shoes due to heavy swelling.
Commuting is a huge issue for Thomas, just getting on buses is problematic. “If a bus is full, I have to wait for the next one, because going up the stairs on a bus has become risky enough to extremely injure me,” they say.
This is why they say PIP is essential for someone like Thomas. The PIP covers the cost of taxis to and from university when they cannot take the bus or if they feel unwell enough.
“Without PIP, I wouldn’t be here, without PIP I would not have been able to live,” says Thomas.
Thomas disagrees with a lot of things listed in the green paper which was released last week – such as face-to-face disability assessments– but there are a couple of things they think are essential, including the scrapping of compulsory work capability assessments, which they believe are dehumanising for disabled people.
They added that the move to allow disabled people to go back to work without taking away their benefits is also a very positive one.
“PIP cannot be touched,” in Thomas’ opinion, who feels strongly that the financial aid should not be taken away. “I say this as someone who gets that there isn’t that much money available, but the government has to find other sources of money. We need to tax the rich higher than the amount we do now so we can take care of our disabled population.”
Thomas also believes PIP barely allows some people to survive. “It isn’t enough,” they say. “There are people on PIP who still have to count pennies before they see their friends, who cannot afford basic necessities like food and heating. PIP is a baseline.”
Thomas also explained how difficult it is to navigate the current benefits system. They said that there is no easy guide to finding the right kind of benefits for different disabilities, despite several voluntary organizations trying their best to help.
“It isn’t signposted clearly,” they say. “It is like trying to find your way through a maze with a blindfold over your eyes and noise-cancelling headphones on. That is a symptom of a failing government and a failing nation.”
Thomas volunteers for a charity that helps young people and disabled parents with caring needs, but believes that in a welfare state, the fact that these organisations exist are the signs of a failing government.
Fulwood residents endured six week wait for leak to be repaired and now face an even longer delay
Residents across Fulwood are facing major leaks as they wait for Sheffield City Council and Yorkshire Water to decide who is responsible for the repair.
Martyn Holland, 63, lives in the house on Hillcote Close where the leak is coming from and has reported this to both Sheffield Council and Yorkshire Water but claims both are denying responsibility for the repair.
He said: “When I told Yorkshire Water, they told me that the pipes aren’t on their maps so they couldn’t do anything.
“Sheffield City Council told me that it’s not a highway, so they can’t do anything about it.”
Mr Holland said he knows of at least 12 residents who live around the area have lodged complaints as well.
He said: “It's horrid to look at, people have to walk through it, the water has turned children’s shoes, car tyres and dogs feet orange.”
Mr Holland gave credit to Yorkshire Water who he said were the first ones to send someone out to investigate last Thursday, but the leak is still on-going.
Yorkshire Water and the Sheffield City Council have both been contacted for comment but are yet to reply.
Thousands run Sheffield Half Marathon to raise funds for charity
Yesterday saw over 6000 runners take part in Run For All’s yearly Sheffield Half Marathon.
The 13.1 mile (21km) route began in the city centre, before runners ran to the Norfolk Arms in Ringinglow and returned back via Ecclesall Road. Overall the race had a 259m elevation gain.
Tommy Power, from the Hallamshire Harriers placed first this year, with a time of one hour and eight minutes. The fastest female runner was Claire Frankland, who placed 37th with a time of one hour and seventeen minutes.
Participants ran for a variety of charities, with over £17,000 being raised for St Luke’s Hospice.
Susan Glaves was the final participant to cross the finish line, she was raising money for the children's hospital.
She said: "Everybody in Sheffield knows how much the hospital [does] and what it means to everyone [in the city]".
While some sported their charity t-shirts, others went for a more high-profile outfit. A group raising money for the Golddigger Trust, a youth charity which runs wellbeing events for young people, opted for banana and minion outfits.
They said: “We really want to raise the profile of the charity, we wanted to do something that would mark us out and make people recognise the Golddigger Trust and the amazing work that they’re doing”
A group of teenagers also ran to raise money for the anti-knife crime charity Always An Alternative in memory of the Sheffield teenager Harvey Willgoose who was stabbed in school last month and later died in hospital. The group raised over £3,500 for the cause.
Speaking to the BBC, Caroline Willgoose, Harvey’s mother, said: “Harvey would be so proud of all of his friends getting the message across.
"Things like this are uplifting and getting us through this horrific time. I’m so proud of them. The kids are just amazing.”
Next years half marathon will take place on 29 March 2026 and you can sign up now.
Mobility scooter user hits out at train companies for adding unnecessary stress to his journey
A Sheffield-based mobility scooter user has claimed that he is not given the same access as wheelchair users on trains throughout the UK.
Jamie Clarke, 53, is a computer engineer who uses the train to attend meetings all around the UK for work, and feels that mobility scooter users don’t receive the same treatment as wheelchair users.
He would like to see something change in all 23 train companies throughout the UK.
Jamie said: “I need my scooter. Even though I can walk, I can’t walk for very long due to my condition. Nine times out of 10 there is no issue but on that tenth time I feel like I have to fight for my right to board a train with my scooter.
“My wife is in a wheelchair and experiences no such confrontations when boarding any train. I mean I get that some scooters are too big to find room, but for some people such as myself who need their scooter to get around I can’t just leave it behind. I just want to be treated equally.”
In addition to buying a train ticket, Jamie has to apply for a permit with certain train companies, and even then this is sometimes not enough.
He said: “Even though it doesn’t take long to apply, just an extra 5 minutes of my time, it’s the fact that there are too many train companies with their own policies and their own forms to fill in to apply for a permit. I just feel like there should be a single place to apply for a permit instead of going through all the individual companies.”
The Blue Badge Insurance’s website explains that even though most mobility scooters are allowed on trains, there are some instances when access for scooters might not be possible, for example, when the gap between the train and the platform is large, and there is a shortage of staff available to give assistance.
Most train providers in the UK have a weight limit of 300 kg which includes the weight of the user. Additionally, the scooter must be less than 1.3 metres long, and some train companies require users to apply for a permit.
Blue Badge Insurance have some helpful tips for mobility scooter users, including booking in advance, leaving plenty of time before travel, and having any relevant disability documents to hand.
The Department of Transport, which oversees all transport in the UK, outlines on its website: “All rail companies and stations must comply with the Accessible Travel Policy (ATP) that states that all stations should provide assistance when trains are scheduled, if a station is inaccessible then the person should be given assistance to the next available accessible train station.
“As a disabled passenger, if you are unsatisfied with the rail service provided, you should contact the train operator that you used. If you are not satisfied with the response, you can then contact the Independent Rail Ombudsman.”