Sheffield students respond to new government “free speech champion”
Sheffield students are calling for balance after a new government role with powers to fine student bodies over free speech infringements was reported last night. A "free speech champion" for English universities is due to be announced next week as part of the Government's ongoing agenda against "cancel culture", according to The Sunday Telegraph. Jamie Fennell, President of the University of Sheffield History Society, suggested protecting free speech should be left to the Students' Union. He said: "To just appoint one person seems like a performative gesture. “It’s important to strike a balance between free speech and giving rise to hatred and animosity between different groups." Mr Fennell, 22, also works with the Holocaust Educational Trust, which works with schools and universities to provide teacher training and outreach programmes. Mechanical engineering student, Michael Lauble, 22, also questioned the effectiveness of a single, government appointed role. He said: "A centrally appointed arbiter of free speech surely can't be a good idea. "It shouldn't fall to a single person to decide what can and can't be done on campus." Jimmy Ball, a 23-year-old medical PhD student, maintained the role could benefit the way free speech is handled at university. He said: "I think it's a good idea if it can encourage free speech without encouraging hate speech." In 2019, Sheffield Students' Union drew criticism for holding anti-racism meetings which only BAME students could attend. They responded by saying there was no ‘ban’ on white students contributing to race equality work. A spokesperson for the SU said: “What is important is that, as part of this work, we really listen to the voices of those who statistics tell us are likely to have experienced racism in their lifetime - our black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) community.”
Serene Strokes: How Wild Swimming Became a Lockdown Stress-buster
Clammy tiles, stifling changing rooms, the echoes of screaming children and the stench of chlorine. Maybe if you’re lucky there’s a stray plaster lurking in the shallows. Love it or hate it, the public swimming pool is a landmark of British culture. But where do you go for your fix in a national lockdown when pools are closed and you’re restricted to one outing for exercise a day? For a growing number of Brits, the answer lies within the calm – but freezing – waters of lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. A surge of wild swimmers have taken the polar plunge in lockdown. The magazine Outdoor Swimmer estimates public participation in outdoor swimming has multiplied by between 1.5 and 3 times over the past year, with 4 million people swimming outdoors annually, according to the Guardian. Many are going in search of inner calm, with nearly three quarters of outdoor swimmers claiming outdoor swimming is essential or very important to their mental health. Last weekend, when MyLondon reported South Londoners are spending their weekends in wheelie-bin ‘pools’ to chase the natural high of a ‘cold shock’, the reaction was overwhelmingly one of bewilderment. But for Timothy Ridgway, a 29-year-old support worker for adults with mental health and learning difficulties, freezing dunks in the water help to draw a line between work and personal life. He says on a really bad day, getting in the water is like a reset button. He understands why people are baffled: “When I first got in the water I thought this is absolutely bonkers.” The first venture left him hankering for more, and as for many other wild swimmers, the "wild" activity quickly turned into everyday routine. “It does something to me. I start getting withdrawals if I miss a few days.” Mr Ridgway’s first successful swim was on a biking trip to the Lake District with friends. They arrived at Buttermere Lake and he decided to go for a dip. “The next thing you know I’m lying on my back in the middle of this huge lake, surrounded by mountains and I just found it so zen. When I got home I thought I’d try the local reservoirs.” He kept it up, and has been going two or three times a week throughout winter, feeling safer on a swim than he does at the supermarket. He says snow swims are the most surreal of all. He purposefully opts not to wear swim shoes so he can feel the crunch of the snow under his feet before he gets in. “It adds to that crazy element, like, it’s snowing, and I’m swimming in a reservoir.”
Timothy Ridgway gets ready for an arctic dip.
Lindsay Cook takes an icy dip
The legacy of Sheffield’s oldest Indian restaurant.
Ashoka has been on a journey to the top. From being a small curry house on Ecclesall road in the 60s, to ranking sixth on the Times' best Indian restaurants list last year, its trajectory has been impressive. Only five restaurants separate them between the number one place, with the top spot currently occupied by The Chilli Pickle in Brighton. Hospitality businesses have been faced with a worrying time during a bleak winter lockdown. However, current owner, Rahul Amin, 40, is relaxed about the Indian cuisine and looking into Ashoka's history, it’s clear why. In the 60s, Ashoka founder, Kamal Ahmed, arrived in England from Bangladesh at the age of 18. Richard Jones, 54, one of Ahmed's former employees, noted that his passion for food was there for everyone to see. Jones said: "He started off with three pounds in his pocket after arriving in England from Bangladesh. He got a job, working in Indian restaurants across London, spending five years learning his trade. Ahmed used to sit for hours in the Savoy Hotel, monitoring how the waiters laid tables and what they wore. His love for royalty and etiquette stemmed from this period. Ashoka dictated high standards and quality, aiming to appeal to the more discerning individual. Jones claimed: "It managed to keep beer-swilling customers away through pricing", and this was the result of the owner wishing to distinguish his restaurant from the dozens of other Indian restaurants on Ecclesall Road. "These were sub-standard and cheaper, something Kamal wouldn't entertain", says Jones. When asked about the previous owner, Amin, 40, said: “He was a peculiar man, obsessed with a ‘royal-style’ service. All the menus were handwritten in calligraphy. There was nothing but silver cutlery made in Sheffield. He also used to import specialist wine from independent vineyards in France. At the time, no one did that. It’s fascinating”. Kamal went on to found Mogul Foods, a curry factory making frozen and chilled pre-packed curries to sell to supermarkets such as ASDA and Waitrose, based at the Parkway Industrial Estate in Sheffield. The business later went into liquidation. Ahmed also sold a share he had in Mogul Rooms, now known as Dore Grill, Sheffield.
Ashoka Restaurant
Ashoka's well known slogan #Reytgoodcurreh.
Ashoka owner, Rahul Amin (left) next to Alex Turner (right) (@ashoka1967)
Left to right: Arctic Monkeys tour manager, Steve Chapman, Ashoka owner Rahul Amin and Matt Helders, drummer of the band (@ashoka1967)
Rahul Amin with Nick O'Malley (@ashoka1967)
Sheffield schoolboy raises £714 for the NHS in a walk honouring Sir Captain Tom Moore
An inspirational schoolboy has raised £714 for the NHS after completing a 100-lap walk inspired by the legacy of Sir Captain Tom Moore. Jamie Ashworth, 8, from Frecheville, challenged himself to walk 100 laps around the field - known to the community as 'The Triangle' - near his home as part of a '100 challenge' set by his school, Birley Primary Academy. With the help of his Mum, Dad, Nan, brother and dog, Jamie completed his final lap this morning as he pushed his donations above the £700 mark.
“I was so happy for him that he had stuck with it until the end, because I think it would have been easy for him to have given up or decided it was too far - especially with the cold," said his mum, Suzy Ashworth.
"We really had to layer up. We live quite high up in Sheffield, so it was -4°C at some points. So, for him just to see it through to the end - I am just really, really proud of him."
Jamie's walk began on Friday after school, his schoolmates and teachers beeping their horns and waving him on as they left for half-term. For Mrs. Ashworth, what was so heartening about the reception from Jamie's walk is the support he received from members of the community in Frecheville."On the second day we were walking round, a gentleman was just out for his walk in the evening and just handed us £20," she said.
“A lady pulled up yesterday in a car and asked if it was Jamie, and told him ‘well done - it’s fantastic what you’re doing.’ The postman this morning, when he was doing his final lap, was stood cheering him on. It’s been really lovely.”
When Jamie and his family decided to turn the walk into a fundraiser, they had set their sights on gathering just £100 from friends and family."When it took off and reached £700 is was absolutely amazing. He’s just over the moon and really grateful - he just kept saying how thankful he was for all the donations,” added Mrs. Ashworth.
“I am very proud of him and I think it’s wonderful that Sir Captain Tom Moore’s legacy is inspiring the next generation."
Sheffield readathon encouraged children across the city to be involved in a mass poetry reading
A mass reading of a poem by author and Writer in Residence for Sheffield Libraries has started off a readathon week in Sheffield. The readathon was organised by the volunteer-run libraries in Sheffield and it was based on the theme “Our City Reads”. Children aged 7-15 were encouraged to get involved during half-term week in the mass reading of a poem today. Nik Perring, donated the poem Mrs City and encouraged people to get involved in the read. Mr Perring, said: “It is another really brilliant thing people in Sheffield are being offered. It is something positive that people can focus on in a time where there is not a lot of positive things happening." The Volunteer Library service in Sheffield usually do a mass readathon where a group of people read along to a story or a book, but because of lockdown measures, they have not been able to do it as normal, added Mr Perring. He said: "They asked me if I would help them do it digitally so I donated the poem and we have a whole week of cool stuff happening for young people in and around Sheffield." The poetry reading is set to be followed by free creative workshops with Mr Perring and CHOL Theatre and Arts Company, and there is lots happening on the site over the week. The week is set to end in a live streamed performance called, Readathon Live! There will be an open mic where anyone interested in writing can come along and read their work, other people's work, or anything they might have written or read over the week. The workshops will be held over Zoom and they will offer a unique opportunity for children aged 7-15 to get involved in fun and creative to make their half-term week a little different. As well as this, Site Gallery will be running a free workshop for 14-18-year-olds called, New Tricks: Home Studio Recording Workshop. Mr Perring said: "The idea is to get everybody involved and celebrate Sheffield and what makes Sheffield brilliant." For information about the readathon, visit: https://greenhill-library.org/readathon-live/.
Sheffield’s ‘I Love You’ Bridge: The Link Between Graffiti and Community
When Jason Lowe sprayed his unconventional proposal to then-girlfriend Clare Middleton across a concrete walkway 130 feet in the air, he probably didn’t expect that it would still be provoking passionate debate almost two decades later. But Lowe’s public display of affection – the straightforward yet powerful message, ‘I Love You Will U Marry Me’ – has become firmly embedded into Sheffield’s cultural tapestry since it first appeared in 2001. From its spot overlooking the city on the Park Hill estate, it has inspired several musicians; Alex Turner of the Arctic Monkeys has performed live wearing a T-shirt bearing the message, whilst Doncaster artist Yungblud and Sheffield band the Crookes have both paid tribute with their songs ‘I Love You, Will You Marry Me’ and ‘The I Love You Bridge’ respectively.
Flickr: Lotte Worthington
“Graffiti messages are from peasants, essentially,” said an anonymous source involved in the South Yorkshire graffiti scene who did not want to be identified. “Government messages are from the rich. Their goal down the line is to make money. A peasant’s message is to spread just that.”
The crucial point here is authenticity. “Graffiti writers are in it for the buzz of being anonymous,” the source explained, suggesting that not only was this the source of their appeal – anonymity forefronts the message and side-lines ulterior motives – but also threatens the dominance of the Powers That Be in public spaces. He recalled his time in New York, noting that adverts only started appearing on the sides of trains after graffiti artists began spraying them.
The anonymity (and, therefore, sincerity) of graffiti was, for him, key to its value. Artists who sprayed to make a public name for themselves – abandoning anonymity – represented to him the all-important distinction between graffiti and street art. He was highly critical of the latter; “street art is mostly pretty pictures that are deemed acceptable by Karen who works a 9-5 at the opticians.”
Precisely what prejudice my source had against opticians is not clear, but the basic sentiment certainly is. By invoking the popular Gen-Z insult ‘Karen’ – a small-minded, pro-establishment, middle-class suburbanite – he suggests that graffiti can influence communities by providing an authentic counterpoint to the corporate and governmental messaging with which public spaces are otherwise littered.
Knapple is a prominent graffiti artist from Norwich with direct experience of her art contributing to community wellbeing. Last year, she created a Black Lives Matter mural which was painted over by the local council, apparently due to a clerical error. Did she mind?
“No. It got people talking,” she said.
“There was a family who moved from London to Norwich, and they asked someone I know to tell me thanks for doing the BLM graffiti, as it really helped them to see that people in Norwich cared about the movement.”
Authenticity cropped up again as Knapple praised graffiti’s ability to give a voice to people without access to traditional methods of displaying their work.
“It’s such a good platform for getting out your thoughts and feelings – anyone can do it.”
She recalled the first piece of graffiti she ever saw sprayed on a wall – the curious allegation that ‘S.Hewitt is a hour.’ Despite the incorrect spelling and grammar (she suspects the author may have meant ‘whore’) Knapple still found it intriguing.
“It’s raw,” she said. “It’s done with passion.”
Knapple’s own graffiti has a very clear mission statement.
“I want to spread something positive – let’s focus on the good stuff, the positive stuff, the self-love.”
The ‘S.Hewitt’ message may have been formative, but she rejects the idea that graffiti should be used as a way of attacking something.
“I can’t stand that,” she said. “It’s just spreading hate.”
“You know what you’re against – what are you for? Get some vision. What do you want? That’s how you change the world,” she said.
Instagram: knapple_
Council approves council housing investment plan as new modular builds are hailed a success
Sheffield City Council has approved a new business plan to build or acquire 3,100 new council homes by 2028, costing around £500 million in the next 5 years. The council have already built 631 homes, most notably 4 modular homes that were created using modern methods of construction. The new homes on Knutton Crescent, Parson Cross, were part of a small-scale trial. They were engineered in a factory in Yorkshire using a light gauge steel frame, before being lifted into place on site. Councillor Paul Wood, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Community Safety at Sheffield City Council, said: “As a small-scale trial, we’ll be learning from this project, assessing what these homes are like to manage and maintain and how we would do things differently if there are further phases. "We look forward to asking people what they think of how these new homes look and, importantly, what it feels like for the families living in these homes.” As well as the construction of new builds, the council have plans to make improvements on existing properties and communities based on feedback received from around 700 existing tenants and residents. The business model being developed by the council includes plans to improve local environments with more maintenance and cleaning, to improve security and to put a new emphasis on correcting maintenance issues and completing repairs faster. The council also plans to improve the thermal comfort of homes while reducing the carbon footprint of new builds. As a part of the pledge to spend £500 million in the next 5 years, thousands of tenants in the city will get new roofs and kitchens. The new developments are also expected to create hundreds of new jobs in the city. The council have also been given an extra £2 million in order to address the backlog of repairs that have stacked up as a result of the pandemic. These planned developments come against the backdrop of a new increase in rent for council homes. From 1 April there will be a 1.5% increase in the rent for council homes, garage plots and garage sites. Moreover, the community heating standing charge is set to increase by 60p per week. Cllr Wood said: “We welcome the White Paper that sets out the standards that all tenants living in social housing should expect. "We have a track record of engaging with tenants to make sure that they live in safe, well maintained homes with good services and we will absolutely continue to do this.”
Historic milestone for Sheffield with 130,000 vaccines administered
Sheffield has reached a historic milestone as 130,000 people have received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. Farana Akhtar, who got the vaccine at her local mosque on the day it became a vaccination clinic, said: "I had my vaccine at a pop-up clinic in my local mosque and I'm so glad that I did. I've had the virus, and it's scary because you are worried that your health will worsen at any moment and you will end up in the hospital. "I did have side effects from the vaccination but not everyone does. I was achy and shivery for about 24 hours but it's nothing compared to being ill with the virus." She was in one of the four priority groups of people to receive the vaccination. This included people over 70 years old, notably medically vulnerable people, older adult care home residents and front line health workers. Michael Lewis, a medical student at the University of Sheffield, said: "I am very grateful to have received the vaccine so soon. I volunteer at a local hospital, but also live in student halls where the covid clusters are abundant, and the thought that I might be asymptomatic between covid tests and unknowingly spreading the virus was terrifying." NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and GP practices worked together to establish 15 community vaccination centres across the city. Alun Windle, Chief Nurse and Covid Vaccination Lead at NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "All of our efforts have gone into protecting those who are most vulnerable to becoming seriously ill from the virus and our frontline health and social care staff. "We are so pleased that we have been able to vaccinate so many people in a matter of weeks. Thank you to the hard work of everyone involved and our primary care networks who have worked tirelessly to vaccinate patients." People from the next two priority groups, people in the 65 to 69 age group, and people aged 16 to 64 with an underlying health condition, will be offered the covid jab from this week. Alun Windle added: "If you are invited for a vaccine, it's really important that you take up the offer. "If you have yet to have the vaccine or have changed your mind and you are over 70, clinically extremely vulnerable or a frontline health and social care worker, you can now book a vaccination appointment online, there is no need to wait to be contacted." People can book a vaccine if they are in any of the priority groups by registering online https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-vaccination/ or calling 119.
Portugal: the only European country on the government’s red list
All Portuguese citizens will be forced to pay a quarantine package of at least £1750 to enter the United Kingdom from today. The government announced the new restrictions last week and Portugal is the only European country on the red list. Its alleged connections with Brazil and South Africa, with their new variants of the virus, are a possible explanation for these new requirements. Travellers are expected to complete a 10-day quarantine in a designated hotel. The quarantine package takes into account costs of transport, food, accommodation, security and testing. For Portuguese citizens living in the UK, these restrictions are harsh. Claudia Moutinho, 31, a nurse based in Manchester, said it may be hard for people having to travel back to England after an essential trip to their home country. Ms Moutinho said: “I am here in England and I am pregnant. I will have my baby in March, and I am always thinking about how and when my family will see my baby. And if I go back to Portugal to have my kid, when I come back, I will have to pay those sums of money for me and my boyfriend. It is difficult.” For Pedro Gomes, a 22-year-old student who had to stay in Portugal because of the restrictions, the problem is the price. He said: “I have my belongings in England, and I want to retrieve them, but I cannot do that because then I would have to pay 100€ for a test and then almost £2000 to stay there. I am paying rent in an accommodation that I cannot be in." Anyone who breaks the quarantine rules faces a penalty of up to £10,000 or, in the most serious cases, 10 years in prison. Bruna Gonçalves, 19, believes the fines are too high, but reckons that something had to be done. She said: “They need to put something in place to contain the virus. We are living in a critical moment.” The countries on the red list have specific points of entry in the UK. Currently, these are Heathrow Airport, Gatwick Airport, London City Airport, Birmingham Airport and Farnborough Airfield. Quarantine hotels have to be near to those airports, which may present an additional cost for people based in South Yorkshire because, after the quarantine, they will also have to pay to get to their destinations. The hoteliers are also not comfortable with this solution. In an interview with The Guardian, an industry figure said: “Hotels may not want to be known as the quarantine hotel.” The number of daily cases is decreasing in Portugal, and all the interviewees are confident the country will leave the red list soon. Mr Gomes does not feel like the restrictions implemented by the UK government are unfair. He said: “We were considered the worst country in terms of new cases, so if we cannot do the minimum to contain the pandemic, like putting a mask, we cannot be upset about the measures that other countries have to take.”
Expectant mothers relieved as Jessop Maternity Wing finally overturns ban on partners at routine scans
Sheffield mothers are happy now that pregnant women can take a partner with them to 12 and 20 week scans. Since last year, women have had to attend scans at the Jessop Maternity Wing of Sheffield Teaching Hospital without a supportive partner due to coronavirus restrictions, leaving many expectant mothers feeling worried and disappointed. The announcement, made on Thursday, has been widely welcomed, with mothers who had to attend scans alone speaking out about the fear they felt. Prior to the new rules, many mothers worried they would find out something was wrong at their scans and then have to hear the news alone. Single mother, Hollie Parker, 23, who gave birth to her first child in October, said: "It was scary thinking if something goes wrong I've got to be there by myself." This view was echoed by other mothers who said they felt more anxious and stressed about attending scans on their own in case they were given worrying news. Victoria Cobley, 34, who had her second child in November, was admitted to hospital immediately after a scan showed her baby's growth had slowed. Being alone made the process more stressful than it usually would have been. However, Mrs Cobley praised the staff at Jessops saying: "The care and support from Jessops was amazing and that made me feel less apprehensive." Other mothers who were disappointed by the lack of support they could have at scans have also praised the maternity staff for the extra care and attention they received. Charlotte Buchanan, 33, said: "The stenographer took a bit longer to show me my baby and tried to spend a little bit more time to reassure me." Despite the level of care they received, women still feel that their partners should have been included in scans, and felt the change in policy in the past week showed the previous rules should not have been so strict for so long. Miss Parker said: "When pubs reopened and people still weren't allowed to go to scans, that was a bit unfair." Hannah Raine, 31, a first-time mum said: "It's completely ridiculous because nothing has changed between then and now with regards to the infection risk. They were unwilling to see the importance of partners being there." Mrs Buchanan added: "I'm really pleased they've got around to doing it but I feel my partner would have felt more involved if he was allowed to come with me. In the long term it would have been nice to have been able to share that lovely experience with him."
Hollie Parker with her daughter Ada
Sheffield City Council plan to unify city’s museums
A report seeking approval to create a unified Sheffield Museums Trust was presented to Sheffield City Council on Wednesday 17 February. The proposed trust will cover several sites, including The Millennium Gallery, Graves Gallery, Abbeydale industrial hamlet and Weston Park Museum. Rebecca Maddox, Head of Business Development (Culture) for Sheffield City Council and author of the report told Sheffield Wire: "This is a really good news story for the city and is something that has been going on for quite some time." The report plans to merge Sheffield Industrial Museums Trust and Museums Sheffield, which have been separate since the 1990s. The new trust will receive £1,741,200 a year in council funding, for the first two years. It will also receive funding from the Arts Council and the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Ms Maddox said the forming of the new trust will allow all of Sheffield's historical sites and museums to be found easily on one website instead of several separate ones, making it easier for people to discover more about Sheffield City's history. The report says: "In resolving to become one new organization, Trustees believe that the museums will be stronger, more resilient, and better placed to develop and share Sheffield’s extraordinary collections into the future." Ms Maddox said to the council: "It feels like, within the context of COVID, it makes even more sense to do this now to help attract people back to the city centre.” The report has been 5 years in the making, and the goal is for the trusts to merge and operate as one in April 2021. Support for the unification was strongly voiced by councillors in the meeting. Cllr Mary Lea said: “Merging these two museums, which hold such a large amount of the heritage of Sheffield, will make them more resilient and more stable.” The recommendations seeking approval were all approved by the council members present. Over the next five years, the new Trust will work to develop relationships with specialist networks, communities and volunteers to collaboratively explore, challenge and inform the way the collections are used.
These Sheffield-based Businesses Might Never Have Existed if not for Lockdown
As we sprauchle on through the third national lockdown of the last year, many of us look back with sadness at what the pandemic has taken away from us. While the setbacks and heartbreak are overwhelming, it is important to celebrate the gifts that lockdowns have given us, too. For some young Sheffield creatives, lockdown gave them the gift of time to launch their own businesses. The lockdowns and varying national restrictions have brought with them a growing demand for online shopping. According to research by Growth Intelligence, more than 85,000 online businesses were launched in the UK during the first national lockdown. LINK While millions of us have enjoyed buying from various independent virtual stores, scores of Sheffield-based entrepreneurs have equally reaped rewards throughout lockdown. Lara Curtin, 22, who completed her MA at Sheffield University last year, hadn’t had the time to do any art since leaving school. She decided to pursue art again in her free time evenings and weekends in this third lockdown, leading her to launch her Etsy shop Art by Lara. “If Covid didn’t exist, I think things would still be busy and I would have never nailed any time to get back into it”, she said. For Lara, this lockdown has given her the opportunity to do something she's "always wanted to get back into."
Image credit: Lara Curtin
Image Credit: Lara Curtin
One OLCY t-shirt. Image credit: OLCY
One of Grace's illustrations. Image credit: Grace Burrows
Grace Burrows. Image credit: Grace Burrows
Image credit: Caragh Green
Image credit: Caragh Green
Olivia Quinn. Image credit: Olivia Quinn.
A coffee table upcycled by Olivia. Image credit: Olivia Quinn.