Yorkshire Foundation takes Santa to people’s doors this Christmas
The founder of a Yorkshire-based business has started a Santa Van initiative for those who cannot leave their homes to see Father Christmas this festive season.
Beverley Maw started her Occupational Therapy business this April after 23 years in the NHS, and just three weeks after starting up the business created the BMOT foundation to continue a lifetime of giving back to the community.
Ms Maw said: "I've done lots of charity work in the past, I've created charity evenings and always liked things like that.
"I almost felt guilty for not working in the NHS anymore, so I just wanted to give something back."
BMOT has a variety of patients and clients ranging from those with speech and language difficulties to children who are in palliative care.
The charity's Christmas initiative has seen Ms Maw turn her own Campervan into a mobile Santa's grotto to spread the festive cheer.
The Santavan will be making its maiden voyage today (November 28). The scheme which was initially established to spread the fun and festive joy across Yorkshire, has now expanded all the way to South Shields.
Ms Maw has said the initiative is just about "having some fun, and making people smile" but there is a greater impact behind the initiative.
The Santavan ready to spread festive cheer
Stacey Gorton, a support worker whose workplace is due to receive a visit from the Santavan this weekend, said: "It will give our individuals enjoyment seeing the Santavan as we can't always find somewhere to take all of our individuals as a group to see Santa as we work with autism and challenging behaviour.
"The impact this will have will be a massive achievement to our service and our individuals as a group and seeing their joy makes it all worth while."
The Santavan will also provide gifts to the people it visits. The making of the presents has been a real family affair.
Ms Maw's mother, who is 81 and recently took up knitting as part of her rehab after breaking her shoulder last year, has been knitting therapy BMOT bears as presents to help those who suffer from anxiety.
Sadly, while the initiative has received a lot of requests and applications, there have been insufficient donations so far, resulting in Ms Maw having to fund much of the project out of her own pocket.
If people wish to donate then they can visit the link: Meet Santa! - Beverley Maw Occupational Therapy
Supertram apologises to customers for recent delays and cancellations
Amid complaints about poor punctuality and suspension, Supertram has handed out apology leaflets to the passengers waiting for the tram at main stops around the network this morning.
The message acknowledged the poor performance of the tram system in the past few weeks and especially in the past few days, with cancellation to the Blue and Yellow line.
Many customers have had their daily activities and meetings interfered with because of the tram delays and disruptions, making the transport system the centre of debate on SheffieldForum.
The leaflet stated "We’ve got plans to invest over £600m to fix those problems over the next few years. But in the meantime, we’re going to do everything we can to fix what we can, hire more staff, freeze fares in the New Year, and communicate better, so when there are problems, we explain what’s happening."
In today's statement, Supertram attributed the continuous disruptions to a combination of two primary issues: substandard infrastructure following the public takeover in May and a spike in staff and driver sick leave.
But it is not all gloomy weather for the future of Sheffield's Supertram.
There has been efforts from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), including a current £110m investment, to improve the tracks and and add new stops. SYMCA is confident that will be more improvement to come.
SYMCA is determined to return South Yorkshire public transport and Supertram, in particular, back to a "world-class", reliable and, foremost, cost-effective system for the people.
South Yorkshire's Mayor Oliver Coppard said: "My mission is clear: to build a world-class, integrated public transport system and make sure it’s affordable.
"Public control means decisions that put people first. Whether you’re commuting, studying, visiting family or heading out for the night, we’re creating a transport network that works for all of us.”
Oliver Coppard is hosting a public meeting on Monday December 1st at the Showroom Workstation in Sheffield to talk about the current issues and future outlook of the Supertram.
People can join the session from 5.30pm.
Sheffield designer uses old climbing equipment to craft sustainable clothing accessories
A Sheffield designer is championing sustainability by making clothes from preloved climbing ropes.
Natalia Pearce, 38, founded Scavenger in 2012 after studying product design at Sheffield Hallam University. Her passion for both sustainable fashion and climbing led to her combining the two.
"I came across this bin for collecting climbing gear just after I'd graduated," she explained, "and I just wanted to see what the potential was for reusing the ropes and see what products I could come up with."
The wider conversation around sustainability has been rife following the Conference of the Parties annual summit, and more specifically in fashion after more brands are committing to using recyclable materials in their supply chains. Earlier this year, a report from Zalando confirmed that 74% of people want to wear clothes more sustainably.
“There’s a lot of climbing walls in Sheffield and a lot of climbers, so it’s nice to give people the option to dispose of their climbing gear in a sustainable way," Ms Pearce said. "People really enjoy seeing that their gear is getting a second life."
The unique process begins with a phone-call from a climbing centre to collect bins of used rope.
Once they are retrieved, the ropes are then sorted by colour and size, before being cut into 3-4m strips. After their cores have been removed, they are then sewn into fabric strips.
“The ropes are the building blocks for all the fabric and the products that we make,” Ms Pearce said.
It's a story that began in the attic of her dad's house, a curtain acting as the only divide between her work and home life.
Now she operates from a studio perfectly situated beside the Foundry Climbing Centre.
"I always looked across from my old studio over to here and thought it would be perfect to be here" she added.
The company also collaborates with local artists and businesses often, one in particular being Hunk Print who gives vintage shirts a new lease of life by hand-screen printing them.
Scavenger will soon host an Open Studio event on the 1st of December where attendees can enjoy free hot spiced apple juice, mince pies, and giveaways.
You can also browse their selection of sustainable gifts and accessories.
Second boy bailed after shooting on London Road
A second suspect in the shooting of a 16-year-old boy has been released on bail after his arrest on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder.
A 15-year-old boy was also released on bail yesterday.
The victim, also 16, remains in hospital fighting for his life.
Inspector Amy Mellor, of South Yorkshire Police, said: "We know that people within our communities will hold crucial information about the horrific events that unfolded on Monday."
Superintendent Martin Simcock added: "Gun crime, and violent crime has no place in South Yorkshire, and the fact that a young boy is fighting for his life is appalling and will not be tolerated.
"This boy and his family deserve answers, and we are committed to getting them," he said.
Contact police with any information on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Sheffield Wednesday Ladies take on Ilkley Town AFC
Sheffield Wednesday Ladies sit fourth in the North East Regional Women's Football League after a "really encouraging start to the season", and are looking to keep the foot on the gas this weekend.
The Owls have won four of their first six games, and are prime position to finish high in the table come the end of the campaign, should they keep up their impressive form they have shown in the early stage of the season.
Andy Gilligan, the manager of SWL, is delighted with how the team has performed so far as he said: "I've been really happy with how things have gone."
With a strong run of performances under their belts, Mr Gilligan's mantra of taking every game as it comes is how he plans to keep the team grounded.
He said: "We try to just focus on the next match and let 'runs' take care of themselves."
For the game against Ilkley Town, at the Jubilee Sports and Social Club, SWL will be without key players such as Jess Birtles due to injury.
However, with Amy Broomhead being eased back into the fray, Mr Gilligan has "a strong squad to select from".
Nicole Shaw joined the club in July 2024 from Barnsley FC, and has already scored seven goals in just nine games in the league, as she said: "I think I’ve had quite a positive start to the season".
Miss Shaw attributes her recent successes to that of her teamates, and how much it has helped to have a strong squad alongside her.
She said: "I am lucky enough to have a really good squad behind me that give the the confidence to play better and believe in myself."
Miss Shaw also sang the praises of the backroom, saying: "we are very fortunate to have such an encouraging and supporting coaching staff".
The team will need to be ready for everything that sixth placed Ilkley Town throw at them, but with their current form, and the team cohesion on display, all three points may just be coming back to S6.
Student cold water plunges in name of Movember campaign
In support of the Movember campaign, students are taking part in '30 days of 30 cold dips' to raise money for the Men's Mental Health Charity.
Various sporting committee's from the University of Sheffield have participated in a cold water jump at Crookes Valley Park on each day of November.
Women's Cricket Club Captain, Ria Gill, is one of the students taking part.
Ran by student Movember ambassador Joseph Skidmore, has helped raise funds for the charity.
Although anxious at the beginning, Miss Gill completed the jump feeling "exhilarated and thankful to support the cause".
The University of Sheffield have finished as the 5th highest fundraising University in the country and have raised over £74,000 in the 2025 campaign.
Movember are a leading charity who advocate for Men's Mental Health as well as raising awareness for Prostate and Testicular Cancer.
Money raised for the campaign has allowed them to run over 1,250 mental health projects, transforming the way in which men receive support.
The month of November allows for communities to come together and raise money for the charity.
Movember have highlighted the work of students especially: "As it stands we have almost hit £1.5m raised by UK universities this campaign, all of which will make a crucial difference in Men’s Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Prostate and Testicular Cancer".
When asked why Miss Gill was participating in this, she stated: "I believe for us as a club it is an important cause to raise awareness of as Men's Mental Health especially can be overlooked”.
Alongside the jump, Miss Gill also participated in a charity cricket match against the University's Men's Cricket Club earlier in the month, and all together, the University's Women's Cricket Team has managed to raise over £600 for the charity.
The most prominent campaign held by the University was their charity fashion show ran by the Sports Committee, the show managed to raise £2,103.50 and had the support of 26 companies who donated food, drinks and raffle prizes.
Although one of many campaigns ran by the University, the '30 days of 30 cold dips' campaign is a substantial insight into how students are actively participating in the Men's Mental Health Campaign.
Listen hear to gain an insight on a student's take on the importance of raising awareness for Men's Mental Health.
From score to stage: Sheffield panto Musical Director does it all
After winning Best Pantomime at the UK Pantomime Awards last year, the Sheffield Theatres panto is back.
Starring BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Kevin Clifton, CBeebies superstar, Evie Pickerill and Sheffield legend, Damian Williams, this year it is Aladdin that will be taking over the Lyceum Theatre.
We went down to talk with "the most enthusiastic man in show business" James Harrison, 32, who has been the Musical Director for the Sheffield pantomime for the past six years.
While most Musical Directors are confined to the orchestra pit, Harrison has campaigned for the show's music to be included on stage with the rest of the cast.
He said: "I think most Musical Directors would argue that that is harder, because you're technically doing more work, but for me that's what makes it fun."
Paul Hendy returns as the show's writer and stage production royalty, Evolution Productions are bringing the rest of the magic.
Harrison works with them to curate the show's soundtrack and "panto-ify" the songs, he told us how he incorporates popular music, such as songs from SiX the Musical, into the score: "Finding ways of making new songs work within the context can be a challenge, but sometimes it presents itself naturally.
"A bit like last year when I changed Six to be Seven for the seven dwarfs - it was perfect."
Harrison talked about how improvisation and comedic timing are also important parts of the job: "I love it when the audience member who Damian picks on has a name that I can work with.
"Last year a man was called Ross so of course I played the 'Friends' theme tune on piano."
Without giving any spoilers, Harrison described this year's show as "very interactive" and "the funniest one yet".
Aladdin opens next week, running from 5 December to 4 January. Tickets are on sale now.
Sheffield Theatres have already announced that Damian Williams will return next year for Cinderella, and this time he is bringing his sister!
Wilder calls for “consistency” as Sheffield United face Leicester amidst busy schedule
Manager Chris Wilder spoke today about Sheffield United's prospects for Saturday's game against Leicester City, a side they have not beaten since 2008.
Wilder interviewed unsuccessfully for Foxes manager last summer following their Premier League relegation, a point heavily laboured in this morning's press conference.
Despite being "disappointed not to get that gig", Mr Wilder said the rejection "worked out fantastically", as he is happy to be back managing United.
In answer to questions about the mood surrounding this personal 'grudge' match he said: "There's an incredible amount of respect, they're one of the strongest groups of players there's been"."
Sheffield United last played on Wednesday against Portsmouth, who they beat 3-0.
The Blades have played three games in the last six days, and when asked if his side was fatigued, Mr Wilder voiced some frustration, saying they "need to overcome a little bit of a juggling act".
We spoke to Mr Wilder more about the busy schedule:
The schedule gives Leicester a slight advantage, as they last played Southampton on Tuesday, a loss that saw them drop to 15th in the table.
Mr Wilder said: "We'd like it flipped the other way of course, any advantage you can get in this division you want to take."
The onslaught of fixtures hits harder as United are missing five players thanks to an injury crisis, but despite setbacks, Mr Wilder remained positive.
He spoke highly of the abilities of new signings Jairo Reidewald and Tahith Chong and stressed "consistency is really key".
This attitude has been seen in recent results for the Blades, who squarely beat Sheffield Wednesday and Portsmouth this week.
Mr Wilder said: "This is a big challenge for us, they can produce performances if they want to."
However he also said that for teams on a "downward trajectory" like Leicester, "winning games is tough."
The sides last played each other in the 2020/21 premier league season, when Leicester won 5-0.
(Coverage of the game will be shown from 11:30 on Sky Sports +, kick off at 12:30.)
Picture credit- Sheffield United
Founding Arctic Monkeys bassist launches book with Sheffield exhibition
Backstage photos, old guitars and a Brit Award went on display in Sheffield, courtesy of a former band member from one of Sheffield's biggest musical names.
Arctic Monkey's founding bassist launched a new book as a celebration of the 20th anniversary of the band's first album, at a Sheffield exhibition last weekend.
Andy Nicholson has released the coffee table book, I Bet This Looks Good On Your Coffee Table, in honour of the Arctic Monkeys' debut album Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not.
The book features photos from 2005 to 2007 as they dealt with rising fame and their first international tours.
"There was a long time where I didn't want to look at the photos or think about it but now it's started to be a real celebration of what we achieved on that first album," Mr Nicholson told Sheffield Wire.
The idea for the book started 10 years ago when he discovered a hard drive full of thousands of photos from the early years of the Arctic Monkeys.
"I just started digging," he said. "There ended up being thousands of photos that I'd taken along my time with the Arctic Monkeys when we were on tour, and dressing rooms, and sitting around."
The photos from the hard drive were then paired with cuttings from a scrap book and boxes of magazines and other memorabilia that Mr Nicholson's mum kept in the early years of the band.
Picking the idea for the book up eight years later he chose to honour the anniversary of the band's first album, calling it "a beautiful time to do it".
The book was launched with a Yorkshire Artspace exhibition in Sheffield, featuring images from the book alongside old guitars and amplifiers, awards, old magazines featuring the band, and the cameras that made the whole thing possible.
When asked about the launch exhibition, he said wanted to give fans a more three dimensional experience to complement the pictures from the book.
Mr Nicholson left the band in 2007 being replaced by Nick O'Malley.
While Mr Nicholson made the book without input from the other members of the band, they all received a copy once it was finished.
"They all really enjoyed it," he said.
The book, which costs £40, can be ordered from Mr Nicholson's website.
“This is about people’s lives”: Sheffield rallies against proposed changes to UK immigration policy
Enraged by the changes to UK immigration policy proposed by the Home Secretary last week, hundreds gathered on Devonshire Green over the weekend, hoping to consolidate Sheffield as a place of refuge for those who seek asylum here.
Addressing a packed House of Commons last Monday, Shabana Mahmood was clear in her conviction that the pressure being placed upon Britain’s borders was growing and could no longer be ignored.
The Home Secretary advised: “We must acknowledge that the world has changed and our asylum system has not changed with it.”
Perhaps the most contested of the government’s reforms, though, were those announced by Mahmood a week ago on Friday, which will look at altering the qualifying periods for indefinite leave to remain (IDLR).
According to the new rules, the default qualifying period for IDLR will be doubled from five to 10 years, with migrants who arrived on the health and social care visa being forced to wait 15 years before they can earn settlement.
Meanwhile, claiming benefits or entering the country by illegal means could extend this default period by a further 20 years.
Protesters gather in Tudor Square to demonstrate their anger at the changes proposed by Mahmood
(Source: Evie Wynne)
Attendees at Saturday’s demonstration, organised by Stand Up to Racism, expressed concerns about the potential impact of Labour’s rhetoric upon the refugee community here in Sheffield.
Emma Davis, 39, an activist for Stand Up to Racism, said: “This is not just about paper policies, this is about people’s lives.
“The idea that you could be stuck on indefinite leave to remain for 25 years if you claim benefits? That’s both anti-working class and anti-migrant.”
City of Sanctuary, an independent charity providing support to refugees across the city, was quick to second this anxiety.
Director, Tom Martin, said: “We stand firmly against reforms that erode protection and instead advocate for compassionate, workable alternatives including fair decision-making, safe routes, the right to work, and meaningful integration pathways.”
Mr Martin worries that, by conditionalising migrants’ right to safety in this way, the government will leave them at risk of further precarity, whether in the form of trafficking, coercion or abuse.
The Snowdrop Project, a Sheffield-based charity caring for survivors of modern slavery and exploitation, echoed these concerns in an article published to their website.
CEO, Rachel Medina, wrote: “The vast majority of our clients are third-country nationals who would be affected profoundly by these changes from both a modern slavery and immigration perspective.
“Survivors deserve to be safeguarded, not scapegoated.”
But while the fear and apprehension surrounding these changes are certainly palpable, so, too, is the hope.
Responding to recent demonstrations by UKIP, Harry Bracken, 26, said: "Sheffield clearly stated, when we outnumbered them 10 to one, that we don't tolerate that kind of behaviour in our city."
With its overarching message as one of community, tolerance, and, above all, peace, Saturday's demonstration was certainly a heartening example of grassroots organising in action.
Boost in support for Moor Market jacket potato stall after SpudBros hype
Jacket potatoes are having a moment in Sheffield, but instead of feeling defeated by the recent opening of a viral baked potato chain, a long standing Moor market trader is grateful for “a shed load of free advertising”.
The TikTok-famous SpudBros opened on the 12 November at 1pm to queues of 400 people, lasting almost 24 hours, according to the BBC.
But customers took to social media to celebrate a much more established jacket potato trader.
Nick Shepherd, 57, has run The Humble Spud in the Moor Market for 33 years.
He said: “I'm really happy they've opened in Sheffield cos it's given me a shed load of free advertising.”
He posted on Facebook that he would be open an extra day in the lead up to Christmas to Facebook and instead of receiving his usual ‘seen by 600 people’, this post reached 99,000, leading The Humble Spud to live up to its name.
Mr Shepherd said: “It's really humbling if I'm honest, straight away I looked at the comments, because they said 'which one would you go for?'
"I kept scrolling down and pretty much every one said The Humble Spud.
“I know I provide a good service, we wouldn't be here as long as we have done if we didn't, we're still serving people today that I was serving back then.
"People used to come here with their parents and now they're coming here and bringing their children, you know you're doing something right but then to see it, it really brings it home.”
It is a 10 minute walk across the city centre to SpudBros on Fargate, but Mr Shepherd wishes they had opened in The Moor.
He said: “All their customers would see me and think, you know what, he’s half the price.”
The Humble Spud serves oven cooked potatoes with traditional fillings like beans, cheese, tuna, coleslaw and cottage cheese and charges between £2.70 and £5.20 for a spud, whereas the SpudBros menu ranges from £5 to £10.50.
He said: “I've seen in the media SpudBros saying they're doing 'unique fillings' like cheese and tuna and I’m thinking we've been doing cheese and tuna for three decades!”
Pete Waterman OBE, Simon Kohler “Mr Hornby”, and Jools Holland attending Rails of Sheffield grand opening tomorrow
Industry legend, Pete Waterman OBE, will be cutting the ribbon at 10am on Saturday to celebrate the opening of Rails of Sheffield's second store at Sheffield Railway Station, that sells model trains and railways.
Mr Waterman, president of the Railway Benefit Fund and avid train modeller, has raised £2m and awarded over 3,000 grants to support railway workers who need help.
He also currently holds the Guinness World Record for the 'Largest Portable Model Railway', making him a perfect choice for the task.
Simon Kohler, affectionately known as Mr Hornby the ex marketing manager of Hornby Hobbies Limited, will be attending the event with model train enthusiast, Jools Holland.
After the ribbon has been cut tomorrow (29 November), the store will be open for the general public to browse and make purchases.
Richard Brighton, the retail manager, said: "We know our customers will love the location as so many of them arrive in the city by train.
"We are passionate about offering a real retail experience to our customers as well as a huger online offering."
There are many Black Friday deals on specific products over the weekend, as well as a 5% discount on new items and a 10% discount on pre-owned items bought from either the station or the flagship store.
There will be some exclusive models only available to Rails of Sheffield at the station which offer unique features and exceptionally high levels of quality.
Mr Brighton said: "It is phenomenally important for any hobby that people have the ability to look at, touch and feel the products that they are spending money on as well as the opportunity to talk with real people for advice, support or simply to share their love of the hobby!"
Throughout the day tomorrow, a free bus service will run between the Station store and their flagship store, allowing costumers to experience everything Rails of Sheffield has to offer.
You will be able to find the new store via the South entrance of the station, just off Cross Turner Street.
Picture credit Rails of Sheffield.