Independent bookshop says Black Friday sales threaten our “magical places”
A small bookshop owner is encouraging people to support local businesses among the mania of Black Friday.
Kate Nixon, owner of Novel, an independent book shop on School Road, Sheffield, has drafted a digital manifesto to give people more options on how to shop.
The newsletter encourages people to "log off, touch grass/manhandle products, go to a real shop".
Mrs Nixon wrote: "It seems we've entered a new epoch as social media users and I don't think many of us are having a very good time over on the apps!"
Small businesses have traditionally struggled to compete on Black Friday, as large retailers like Amazon benefit from being able to slash prices even lower.
Mrs Nixon told us that local businesses can offer people far more than just low prices: "Bookshops are pretty magical places.
"You have to think of it as an experience more so than just a place you shop at."
Beyond just selling books, Novel puts on workshops, author events and is even organising a book festival with other independent retailers.
Mrs Nixon is keen to empower people to make "tiny tweaks" that result in "a massive difference to the local economy".
She said "I really appreciate having things that are at a walkable distance from my home".
Some local retailers have decided to not engage with Black Friday at all.
Nick Dutch, Director of the Real Computer Shop on Ecclesall Road, Sheffield, said: "Black Friday is just another annoyance to us.
“Unless you want an air fryer, or you want to get £20 off a Switch, then most Black Friday deals are a con anyway.”
He believes that customers are tempted by low prices from large retailers, who look only to make as much money as possible.
“They’re set up to crush us all out,” Mr Dutch said.
Mrs Nixon believes that paying a little extra is worth it for what independent shops can offer.
"We pay for the world we want," she said. “It makes a massive, massive difference.”
Doncaster’s first grief awareness event to address ‘how little support is out there’
An event to create awareness around how to navigate the process of losing a loved one is being held this weekend in Doncaster.
In the run up to National Grief Awareness week from 2 to 8 December, the event titled 'Coming Together Through Life and Loss' is taking place this Sunday at Memoria Doncaster in Barnby Dun.
The day will host a range of activities with attendees having the opportunities to speak to a variety of people who may be involved in the grieving process.
This will include specialist funeral directors, celebrants, and others experiencing bereavement.
Tracy Beavis, 61, set up the event as a Founding Director of the CIC (community interest company) 'Found My Niche' which has been offering help since May 2024.
When starting the peer support groups following the loss of her parents, she saw a significant gap in people being able to access affordable help and has since become a Certified Grief Specialist.
She said: "Every day it becomes more and more apparent just how little support there is out there, or if there is support people don't know about it."
The event is in collaboration with Be Well Doncaster, a community health and wellbeing organisation, so people can be reliably informed about both grief and the week of awareness.
It has been promoted to be a multi-generational, multi-cultural and multi-faith gathering so everyone is welcome and parents are being encouraged to bring children along.
Mrs Beavis said: "The sooner children learn about grief and dying, the more normalised it'll become and the less of a stigma there will be linked to it."
She highlighted the importance of people being able to talk about their loved ones in a space free of judgement and hopes this event furthers that message.
Talking about her work being a vehicle to bridge the gap of accessing support she said: "We're here to stay and we're not just a flash in the pan.
"What we're doing is making a difference and I will keep banging that drum."
Sheffield Wednesday sign England international Nathan Redmond
Sheffield Wednesday have signed ex-England winger Nathan Redmond on a short-term deal until January 2026.
This announcement follows a couple of weeks of successful training with the club for the 31-year-old, who left Burnley in the summer.
Redmond played consistently for England in all junior age groups, and made his only senior international appearance against Germany in 2017.
Wednesday sit at the bottom of the Championship and are on minus four points after entering administration.
This signing leaves ex-Sunderland and Millwall player Duncan Watmore, who has also been training with the Owls, currently without a club.
It is reported that Rotherham United are keen to enter negotiations regarding Watmore.
Picture credit- Sheffield Wednesday FC
Kneecap take Sheffield by storm ahead of city rally for UN Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People
Earlier this week, the Irish trio's "hugely exciting" performance at the Octagon Centre bought a display of their music, politics and culture to Sheffield.
The group, Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí, have become notorious for their anti-establishment and pro-Palestinian views and controversial methods of activism.
The concert in Sheffield saw examples of their outrageous demonstrations for example the group's chant, "Maggie's in a box, in a box, Maggie's in a box."
Earlier this year member Mo Chara, full name Liam Óg Óh Annaidh, faced terrorism charges although these were thrown out on the basis that the charge was not brought about in the six-month time limit.
Fans waiting to see Kneecap perform commented on the way that they advocate.
Georgia Jones, 18, said: "Obviously the way they go about it, you either love it or you hate it but I think the message that is getting spread, it needs to be spread."
Another, Emily Browne, 18, said: "You don't think about Kneecap and their politics. I think about Kneecap and their music."
The concert comes to Sheffield just days before the Sheffield City Council will be flying the Palestinian flag for the first time, on Saturday 29 November for the UN Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People.
One activist, Shimshun, 56, came to promote the rally happening in Tudor Square on the Saturday at 11.30am.
In regards to the performance he said: "It's a fantastic bit of theatre as well as great punk music and fantastic to see people revitalising a language that often gets written off."
Along with other activism the group are passionate about their roots and revitalising the Irish Gaelic language through their rap, for example song 'C.E.A.R.T.A' in English meaning 'R.I.G.H.T' about youth rebellion and identity struggles in Ireland.
Kneecap's politics are at the forefront for the group's fans, so it comes as no surprise that the performance presents a chance for local activism to advocate their cause.
Shimshun said: "Sheffield City Council after a lot of lobbying has decided to raise the Palestinian flag and show that in this city this is a city of refugees, a city of sanctuary and Palestinian people especially are welcome here."
Sheffield charity to donate football boots to under-privileged youth
A charity project has been launched in Sheffield to donate outgrown football boots to underprivileged children.
Niven Padgett was inspired to launch 'Football boots for Sheffield youth' after coming across children who could not afford appropriate PE equipment.
During a cost of living crisis, many families are struggling to keep up with household bills, meaning that providing expensive sports equipment can often be a bridge too far.
Mr Padgett acknowledged this, saying that for families: “A new pair of football boots once or twice a year comes fairly low down in the pecking order.”
He explained the project would work through schools to identify children most in need.
A child would be given a pair when: “A teacher has identified that a student is missing boots, and is not going to be able to get a pair.”
The football boots will be presented as if they are new, in cardboard boxes with paper tissue inside, along with a note from the sender.
Mr Padgett calls this a holistic approach where “the person who gave the boots knows they can be handed on and someone is grateful for them.”
The project was launched with the support of Rotary Sheffield, and an appeal was put out on three local Facebook pages to find people willing to donate unused football boots to those who need it.
So far, 12 pairs of shoes have been delivered within a week, with another 30 people agreeing to bring one or more pairs.
Faith Salih, who donated her son Nathaniel's boots to the project said: "Niven's project is a great idea. I hate to think of kids who want to play football not being able to."
The boots included a note from Nathaniel saying "I hope they can be enjoyed by someone else."
The project is gaining momentum and Mr Padgett hopes he will have enough boots to start donating them by the end of next week.
The Facebook page was launched last Thursday and it now has nearly 100 followers.
Worsbrough Bridge looking to extend unbeaten run
Three goals were enough to see a Northern Counties East League Division One side sail past a league-above opposition for their 11th game without a loss.
Worsbrough Bridge showed intent from quite literally the first minute after Lloyd Smith put them one up over Wombwell Town before 60 seconds.
The Briggers scored again through Juninho Blake just before half-time, before Smith grabbed his second with eight minutes to go.
Mark Booth, the chairman of Worsbrough Bridge saw on the night just how well his team played.
Mr Booth said: "It showed just how strong and competitive the squad is, every player in the squad is capable of putting in a performance that is a match for most teams."
Going 11 games unbeaten is no mean feat, and the team from S70 have worked hard throughout the season to keep this impressive streak going.
As chairman, it is Mr Booth's job to make sure the team has everything they need to perform at such a high standard, and when the fruits of his labour pay off, it is a sight to see.
The team is determined to not let this form slip away, and Mr Booth can see this attitude among his players.
He said: "It is a fantastic achievement and this group is so hungry for more."
The Brigger's determination was spurred on after Wombwell were down to 10 men just 20 minutes in after Jack Dando caught the back of Keelan Grist's neck with a horrific high boot.
Worsbrough Bridge's next game comes against mid-table Louth Town, who sit 24 points behind the Briggers with almost half the season played.
In non-league football anything can happen, and no team should be underestimated.
Mr Booth knows that the opposition could possibly cause an upset, and the team will have to be on top to get another result.
He said: "Any team on any day is capable of winning in this league so we have to prepare well, show the right attitude and do the right things on the day."
With half the season still to be played, Worsbrough Bridge sit third in the table, and are well within a chance of a promotion push.
The team will have to continue this fine run, with Mr Booth reminding the team that "there will be ups and downs along the way, we just need to stay united, stick together and keep taking every game as it comes".
,
Today on Sheffield Wire
Good morning and welcome to today’s Sheffield Wire news coverage on Friday 28 November 2025.
Our top stories today include:
- The council is borrowing £57 million to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport. Reporter Eve Hutchinson interviewed the public in Doncaster to get their opinions.
- An interview with Andy Nicholson, the original bassist of the Artic Monkeys, following his book launch featuring photos from his time with the band.
- The British figure skating championship is being held at iceSheffield this week. Reporter Max Carson will be on location today for the opening rounds.
England rugby coach Kevin Sinfield to run through Sheffield in his ultra marathon fundraiser
Rugby coach, Kevin Sinfield MBE will be running seven ultramarathons, in seven days, in seven different cities and regions to help raise money for the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) community.
Starting on Monday 1 December, the '7 in 7: Together' Challenge will be his sixth annual event, and his first time doing the challenge in Sheffield since 2021.
In his previous challenges, Sinfield has helped bring the community together and has raised a huge £10m for research and campaigning efforts to help find treatment and a cure for MND.
He will be in Sheffield on Thursday 4 December having chosen this location to highlight the work being done here to find treatment for MND and show support for the MND community in the region.
Starting at Bramall Lane, Sinfield will stop off at Abbeydale Sports Centre, Sheffield Tigers, Champs, the English Institute of Sports, Herries Road and The Wave at the University of Sheffield all before finishing at the Sheffield Institute of Translational Neuroscience (SITraN).
His final stop, SITraN has been the beneficiary of Sinfield's previous challenges and he said he was looking forward to coming back to Sheffield, "to shine a spotlight on the incredible work of the researchers there and the work they are doing."
SITraN, and other organisations that receive money from these challenges, are working to make the lives of people with MND better as well as conducting vital research into the condition.
Sinfield highlighted the message that together, with all these fundraising efforts, treatment will be created for MND and, "we will find a cure."
Sinfield and his team made it clear that these locations have been chosen for a reason and so that nobody in the MND community feels overlooked or alone.
He said: "We want to show them that people right across the UK and Ireland are passionate about the MND community and the best way to show that is by turning up ourselves."
Sinfield mentioned several times the emotional weight that this challenge has after the loss of his friend and fellow rugby player Rob Burrow last year.
He said that as well as pushing himself for the whole MND community he was also just "running for a mate" and that he expects that Burrow will no doubt be with him in spirit, spurring him on.
Sinfield encouraged people to come out and support the fundraiser in any way they could, even in the cold, wet and windy December weather as he prepared to tackle the hilly roads of Sheffield for such an important cause.
You can donate £10 by texting 'KEVIN10' to 70143.
MA Broadcast Final JUS News Programme (16 May 2025)
Join Cassidy Chan and Millie Park to deliver you the University of Sheffield MA Broadcast Final JUS News Programme (16 May 2025)
...and a very special surprise for Colin Sykes
“It’s a national systematic problem”: One charity’s campaign against birth trauma
After enduring a traumatic birth with her daughter, one woman “felt compelled to do something” to raise awareness about the scale and seriousness of poor maternal care.
Campaigner, Jo Cruse, who founded Delivering Better, helped write an open letter to Wes Streeting, the current Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in the UK, demanding changes including continuity of care and post-birth health check-ins.
Ms Cruse set up the charity following the difficult birth of her daughter and she discovered that other mothers had suffered “absolutely appalling experiences of care."
Delivering Better have revealed one in four women have negative birth experiences, and 65% of maternity services were rated as not safe for women to give birth in.
“I couldn’t believe how there was so much publicly available information on how appalling care was, or how harm had become normalised, and the way in which the issue had been positioned largely was that this is a case of a few bad apple trusts," said Ms Cruse. "It’s a national systematic problem.”
In addition to raising awareness, the campaign advocates for more compassionate care for women through political engagement.
Ms Cruse felt there was a gap for grassroots national movements of women and allies who could push this issue onto the national and political agenda.
In an open letter to Wes Streeting, Delivering Better demands changes, including continuity of care and post-birth health check-ins.
The NHS currently provides a postnatal check around six weeks after giving birth, where the mental health and wellbeing of mothers are discussed.
Post-natal care is "poor", said Ms Cruse. She added, "There is a cliff edge at six weeks as many mental health conditions that present in the first year, hadn't actually manifested in the first six weeks."
Responding to the Government and NHS England’s decision to cut ringfenced funding for maternity services in England from £95 million in 2024/2025 to just £2 million in 2025/26, Ms Cruse said:
“We're concerned about it in terms of its practical impact, but it also is deeply concerning in terms of the message that it sends, which is 'this is not a priority'.”
The charity also sets up workshops with midwives talking to them about experiences that women have had and how care could have been better.
Ms Cruse makes it clear that focusing on midwives is not the aim of the campaign, as “most women will have had an amazing midwife who did their absolute best, but were just let down by the system.”
However, she wanted to highlight ways in which individual midwives can do seemingly small things that can make a “huge” difference to the women they’re caring for, such as reading notes out loud.
Ms Cruse said that it is widely known what needs to be done to improve maternity care, as recommendations have been clearly outlined in previous public inquiries in maternal care.
After building up a community of advocates, the challenge that faces the campaign is "making this enough of a political priority that the funding and political leadership will take back these recommendations."
This week marks the first anniversary since the charity was founded.
Rising costs lead more women to work in the sex industry
The cost of living crisis and spiralling expenses have had far-reaching effects on society - including a rise in women taking on sex work.
Evidence submitted to parliament revealed 74% of female sex workers citing poverty and the need to support their families as the main motivation for starting in the industry.
The English Collective of Prostitutes (ECP) explained that “Most sex workers are mothers trying to do the best for their children.”
One woman told The Poverty Alliance why she works as an escort.
“It’s because I’m poor," she said. “I can’t live off of benefits.”
Through her work as an escort she says she is able to provide her children with the basic essentials including food, clothes, warmth and safety.
A report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation in the run-up to the 2024 General Election estimated that one in five people in the UK were living in poverty - a total of 14.3 million people.
And an article for Science Direct explained that “poverty and prostitution are inextricably connected.”
Data from the ECP predicts that there are around 100,000 sex workers currently in the UK, compared to 72,800 in 2021, although numbers are difficult to determine due to it typically being a hidden population.
These figures suggest that the number of sex workers in the UK has increased by approximately 37% since the beginning of the cost of living crisis.
Dr Fiona Vera-Gray, one of the UK’s leading feminist academics, said: “Economic inequality is a driver for violence against women and girls and it's a driver for women entering prostitution.”
For some women who start working in the sex industry, they can make more money than they would from a minimum wage paying profession.
One sex worker told the Open Democracy: “As sex workers we earn at least double the minimum wage. We make enough to support five other adults in our families.”
The average annual salary for a sex worker is around £33,020, compared to the National Living Wage which is approximately £25,374 per year.
Although many individuals are starting sex work as a means to make money during this crisis, much like most other industries, it too is impacted by the decline in spending.
Research by National Ugly Mugs, a national organisation providing greater access to justice and protection for sex workers, found that seven out of 10 workers were directly experiencing negative impacts as a result of the cost of living crisis.
This was not limited to the expense of work supplies and a decrease in clients, but a problematic power imbalance as clients demand more services for less money.
Dr Vera-Gray explained the bias of this transaction in the industry, she said: “It definitely comes from a place of ‘I’ve bought you, now you have to do all of these things'.
“To actually make a difference, we need to go right back to root causes and that's around value.
“It's around valuing people as people.”
Minorities and women have less chance of surviving heart attacks says report
Women and people from ethnic and lower-class backgrounds may be less likely to survive a heart attack outside of hospital, according to a wide-ranging report.
Less than one in 10 people in the UK survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest - a proportion lower than “comparable countries” - and a number of factors were found to reduce this rate even further for communities with limited access to defibrillators and a lack of CPR training.
The Every Second Counts report, published last year, also suggested that bystanders were less likely to come to the aid of women and provide life-saving support.
The report has put forward a number of recommendations aimed at addressing ethnic, socio-economic, gender and geographical disparities in the survival rate from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.
Last month, the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Defibrillators launched a National Call to Action and echoed one of the report’s recommendations.
The group, chaired by the Liberal Democrat parliamentarian Steve Darling, called on the Government to expand CPR training by mandating “age-appropriate first aid training in schools”.
The MP for Torbay said: “By ensuring every child learns CPR and defibrillator use, we can create a generation equipped to save lives. The Government must seize this opportunity to make lifesaving education a reality."
Since 2022, the Department for Education has encouraged the roll-out of defibrillators in schools, especially near sports facilities, some of which are also rented out by community groups.
Whether the defibrillators are made accessible to the wider public remains at each school’s discretion, although the Resuscitation Council has argued that more should place theirs in part of the premises that can be publicly accessible.
The impact of the roll-out was highlighted during one recent incident involving Meadowhead School in Sheffield, when a defibrillator located there was taken to a nearby house where it was used on a patient.
The school was also one among many which participated in the Restart A Heart campaign to increase survival rates among people who experience out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, and last month, the Resuscitation Council launched a petition to "ensure every student leaves school with CPR training".
Kevin Elliott, Meadowhead School’s business manager, said: “An elderly gentleman had collapsed and needed the help from the defib. We sent a couple of our first aid trained staff who took the defib and supported the individual.
“They stayed with him until the ambulance arrived. Luckily, he survived.”
Such instances were helped by registration drives to add defibrillator locations to The Circuit’s national database, so that ambulance crews can direct 999 callers to their nearest equipment.
Being predominantly located in residential areas, school-based defibrillators may go some way in addressing the imbalance identified in research, whereby devices are more likely to be located near urban workplaces with lower residential population density.
Research published by the European Resuscitation Council also notes that the UK does not have a “clear strategy” on the location of defibrillators, and that many installations are the result of “local ad-hoc initiatives” and “somewhat arbitrary”.
Data has also shown that the availability of defibrillators varies widely across the country, with the London borough of Waltham Forest hosting only four devices per 10,000 people, compared to the Outer Hebrides district of Na h-Eileanan Siar with an average of 56.3 defibrillators.
It also highlighted that 38 per cent of the most deprived areas have no registered defibrillators at all, as is the case in 56 per cent of the areas where non-white ethnic groups make up a majority of inhabitants.
That compares with 31 per cent of white-majority areas.
Part of the strategy to narrow the health inequality gap is to bring defibrillators and CPR training to local community groups, including places of worship and sports clubs.
The Community Grant Scheme is run by the Resuscitation Council and offers up to £1,500 for small organisations to teach about resuscitation in “underserved areas, where bystander CPR rates are lower, and cardiac arrest incidences are higher”.
One beneficiary of this was the Leeds-based charity, Purple Patch Arts, which put on a week-long programme of workshops last year to help tackle the "shortage of accessible information for learning-disabled people around cardiac emergencies".
Project manager Hannah Greenwood explained how the grant "enabled us to develop our participants' knowledge and confidence", which was an area for improvement also highlighted in the 2024 report.
"Through body percussion, electric circuits and relay races, our participants learnt how the heart works and what causes a cardiac arrest," she said.
"Participants sang along with ‘Help!’ by the Beatles to learn about calling for help, danced to songs which had the same beats per minute as recommended CPR compressions, and practiced deep breathing and mindfulness activities to remember to stay calm during an emergency."