“We do not want our money invested in these companies”: Protesters angry at South Yorkshire Pensions Authority over links to war in Gaza
A protest has taken place in Barnsley outside the South Yorkshire Pensions Authority, as demonstrators called for the organisation to divest from companies linked to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Chants of “South Yorkshire Pensions, you are complicit” were shouted as the quarterly meeting of the Authority was conducted.
Some of the companies the protestors took issue with include aircraft manufacturer AirBus and defence company BAE Systems, which has recently announced a £25m artillery production facility in Sheffield.
Sue Owen, member of the group South Yorkshire Pensions Divest For Palestine (SYPDP) said that organisations like BAE Systems are culpable for devastation in the region.
She said: “BAE Systems is the 4th largest arms producer. Its portfolio includes aircraft, warships, and artillery."
“We are involuntary being involved in this when we do not want this, we do not want our money invested in these companies.”
Representatives from the group were allowed into the meeting to question the committee and raise their concerns.
SYPDP member June Cattell asked an audience that included Lord Mayor Jayne Dunn and leaders from major trade unions if they had a responsibility to investigate the companies they put pensions funds into.
In response, the South Yorkshire Pensions Authority emphasised that they cannot change its investment mandate without the approval of its other partners.
“The Authority is not, nor can it be an ethical investor."
“[Our] fiduciary duty is to act in the best interests of scheme members, which is primarily defined in financial terms. Disinvesting from large multinational companies with marginal exposure to Israel which provide strong capital growth and dividend flows is unlikely to be seen as acting in line with scheme members best interests.”
Cattell said that they will continue protesting, and that they will “find all sorts of ways to question how they do business.”
University of Sheffield students protest against funding cuts
Students have taken to the streets to protest following the announcement that the University of Sheffield are making £46 million worth of cuts.
£25 million worth of cuts will be made this academic year and an additional £21 million will be made next year. This year, £9 million of these cuts will come out of staff.
Societies from the University of Sheffield gathered on and off campus this week to publicly protest against the university’s funding cuts. On 10 December, they brought their banner to the university concourse to build the anti-cuts campaign.
Students voiced concerns about the reduction in academic resources and the impact on student welfare, urging the university to reconsider its financial decisions and prioritize student needs.
One of the protest organisers, Charlie Thomas, said: "The university’s funding cuts have directly impacted our learning environment.
"As a master’s student, I’ve noticed that many resources in the library are no longer available. Staff redundancies could also affect our dissertation progress. For example, if our supervisor is replaced midway through our work, we might have to start over. We need more support, not fewer resources.”
Protesters displayed banners and gave speeches across campus, highlighting how the cuts could lead to a decline in teaching quality, fewer library resources and inadequate mental health support, arguing that they have the right to expect higher standards of education and services.
The protesters also said that they hope the university will stop spending funds on superficial projects, such as the external construction of The Wave. They also suggested that the university should focus on enhancing its reputation and influence to attract more international students, as their tuition fees are double those of local students.
The protests are ongoing, with organisers encouraging more students to join the movement to protect the University of Sheffield’s academic reputation and student interests.
“Once an owl, always an owl”: SWFC Supporters’ Trust sends message of support to former star after devastating car crash
Footballer Michail Antonio was airlifted to hospital following a serious road traffic accident, prompting a heartfelt response from a Sheffield Wednesday supporters' group.
Ian Bennett, the Trust Chair, said: “The SWFC supporters' trust wishes all the best to our former player Michail Antonio after the sad news this weekend. We wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him playing again in the not too distant future. Best wishes to both him and his family."
The winger-turned-striker played for Sheffield Wednesday on 84 occasions in his three year spell at the club between 2011 and 2014, scoring 18 goals.
The accident happened on Saturday 7 December as the Jamaican international lost control of his Ferrari in Epping.
He was trapped inside the car for 50 minutes until emergency services were able to reach him.
Further updates have now reported that Michail Antonio is in a stable condition after undergoing surgery.
Medical professionals have not disclosed the specifics of the procedure, but sources close to the player have confirmed that his recovery is progressing positively.
It is understood that the 34-year-old suffered a lower limb fracture in the aftermath of the collision.
His playing career is now in jeopardy following the serious injuries he sustained.
Antonio was a favourite of the Hillsborough faithful during his time in South Yorkshire as he played a key part in Sheffield Wednesday’s promotion to the Championship in the 2011/12 season.
Fans and members of the football community continue to offer support as Antonio begins his rehabilitation.
Sheffield Wednesday, via X, said: “Our thoughts are with Michail, his family, friends and everyone at West Ham.”
“We need to keep fighting against gendered violence”: UN Campaign takes to Sheffield’s streets to tackle gendered abuse
As the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence came to an end earlier this week, Sheffield University’s Women’s Officer Eloise Taylor, 19, reflects on their message.
The UN campaign, originally created to challenge violence against women and girls, ran in Sheffield from 25 November to 10 December this year.
It began on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and ended on Human Rights Day.
Activities ran by the Students' Union ranged from the annual “Reclaim the Night” march, to self defence classes and film screenings.
SU Women’s Officer Eloise Taylor helped organise the events.
She said her aim was “to spread awareness, because there’s a dark figure around the crime of gendered violence”.
She said that the students who attended the events found them to be impactful, but that the university needs to boost its resources and information around gender-based violence, as “certain students may have a skewed perception of violence and its effects”.
Statistics from 2023 show that partners and family members intentionally kill a woman every 10 minutes, and that globally, 70% of women in conflict, war or humanitarian crises experience gender-based violence.
This year, national levels of gender violence has prompted the issue to be labelled a ‘national threat’, with a woman being killed by a man every three days in the UK, according to UN reports.
The same report claims that one in every 4 women will experience domestic violence at some point within her lifetime.
Eloise explained that she wanted to reassure students that “there are still people fighting, we need to keep fighting”, and that large government bodies must be held accountable in the wake of ongoing campaigning both nationally and internationally.
Sheffield charity Support Dogs saves the NHS and other health services £19 million a year
A recent survey has revealed that 100% of Support Dog clients see a reduction in the their use of NHS and private healthcare.
Support Dogs, located in North Sheffield, help people with epilepsy or other disabilities and children with autism. Dogs are taken in at age 2 or 3 and are trained by a dedicated team to cater to the needs of their clients.
Jancis Taylor, a dog trainer at Support Dogs, explains that the dogs help people with disabilities by fetching items for them, fetching help, or bringing people to assist them over.
She said: “You find that being able to complete those things without having to go to other people for help just gives them that independence of being like ‘I can ask an animal to do this for me and it’s no problem'."
The survey also shows that 100% of Support Dogs clients have seen a reduction in their NHS and private healthcare services and 82% have seen a decrease in the amount they are spending on carers, medical appointments, and treatments.
95% of Support Dog clients reported increased their confidence in looking after themselves.
Speaking about how the dogs help people with epilepsy, Mrs Taylor said: “Being able to have an alert as to when a seizure is coming means that you can just get about day to day without worrying about whether a seizure is coming.”
Dogs are trained to alert their owner of any seizures, in some cases giving them as much time as 50 minutes to find somewhere safe.
Mrs Taylor added: “We have people that come in and they can’t even make a cup of tea, can’t even make food, can’t have a shower, or a bath or anything like that because of the constant fear of having a seizure or a drop attack or something like that.”
Sophie Bambrook is another dog trainer at Support Dogs. She has been training Mason, pictured above, since 2 October. Mason is due to go out next March or April.
He will be an autism assistance dog and is being trained in deep pressure therapy and to fetch keys.
The autism programme which Mason is part of is for children up to 10, and is aimed at developing their confidence and providing a source of comfort. The autism programme is available for children in South Yorkshire and a 2 hour catchment area is put in place.
Local Community Hub granted £1600 to boost services
A Sheffield Community Hub will receive a £1600 grant from the council to support local residents in the new year.
Chapel Green Community Hub, based in High Green, runs a Community Fridge which works to distribute food to local residents and raise the importance of not wasting food.
The North Local Area Committee grant of £1600, taken from the Great North Fund, will go towards the running costs of the Hub and more services to local residents.
Angela Woodward, lead of the Community Hub and Fridge, said: “The funding will allow us to extend our services and continue to support social isolation and vulnerable families in East and West Ecclesfield."
“On a weekly basis we save at least one ton of food going to landfill.”
The food is collected by a team of volunteers who take it from local supermarkets to distribute to local residents.
The Community Fridge also works with a company called ReFood, who collect any food they don’t give away to turn into fertiliser for farmers and electricity.
There are also other initiatives run by the Community Hub and Fridge which will benefit from the grant money.
The Community Fridge currently runs a ‘warm space’ for members so they can wait to collect food in a warm space, something that the Community Fridge hopes to continue.
Mrs Woodward said: “Members waiting can have a warm drink and hot food while they wait.
“This ensures they can have at least one hot snack and drink on Saturdays.”
The Hub also wants to reinstate the ‘Warm Coat Initiative’ they started last year, where people can swap or donate their old coat for a new one.
Mrs Woodward said that when this initiative was launched last year, 52 coats were redistributed in the first two weeks.
The Hub also has a shop for clothes next to the fridge where people can donate clothes. It hopes to encourage members to adopt more recycling with an ‘upcycling sewing initiative.’
Mrs Woodward said: “Our members can be taught how to sew and adapt old clothes, to be fashionable again with minimum or no cost.”
Sheffield Steelers dominate in 9-0 win over Guildford Flames
It was a statement win for the Steelers in their game against the Guildford Flames this week.
The teams ranked second and third in the league table collided, with Steelers solidifying their position on second, while Guildford Flames’ slipped down to fourth.
Steelers’ Ivan Björkly Nördstrom got his professional debut goal during the game in front of 6,000 fans on Wednesday night at the Utilita Arena. He also recorded an assist to add to his notable performance for the Steelers.
Brandon Whistle’s performance on the night stood out as well as he grabbed a hattrick, while Joona Huttula, Mitchell Balmas, Kevin Tansey, Sacha Guimond, and Cole Shudra all found themselves on the scoresheet alongside Ivan.
Finlay Ulrick took on the playmaking responsibilities for the team, as he grabbed two assists.
Curtin Warburton got a bit of game time with 10 minutes left on the clock as he replaced goalie Matt Greenfield.
Sheffield Steelers are closing in on league leaders Cardiff Devils who currently have a five-point lead.
Steelers have two games in hand, and could potentially close that gap down to a single point.
Sheffield Steelers plays its last game before Christmas against Glasgow Clan on Saturday at the Utilita Arena.
Bole Hills BMX track: How the local community keeps the club going
Bole Hills BMX track is a volunteer-led club which is “continually evolving” through the support and fundraising of the local residents.
The track in Bole Hill park was originally built by the council in 1983 and continues to thrive through community support.
It is currently run by six volunteers who give their time and money to keep it going.
Dave Camus, President of the club, said: “It’s continually evolving."
“The ethos of the whole place is that everyone gives a little bit and everyone is rewarded for it.”
The track is seen as a safe space for young people to go to.
Many teenagers ride on the track but also take pride in contributing to its development.
One young rider, who has been going there for the past three years, said: “Getting to ride on what you’ve built is quite satisfying, and it brings something to the community.”
The club receives no funding from the council, instead raising money by holding events throughout the year.
Last month, they put on a film festival followed the next day by a D&B rave, where all ticket sales went straight into funding the club.
Ruth Crawford, girlfriend to the Club President, who is heavily involved in supporting the club, said: “The fundraising is really important for the track’s upkeep and equipment.”
It costs around £1,000 per year to maintain but the local community is keen to keep improving it.
Riders can come and use it for free, unlike most other BMX tracks.
Mr Camus said: “It’s not a money-making scheme, it’s a passion project.”
The young people who go there are grateful for its existence and preservation.
One young rider said: “It’s basically my whole life.”
It is not just the community that benefits from the track, people come from all over to use it.
Mr Camus said: “It’s definitely one of the best places to go and ride in the UK.”
Mother and son duo launch Sheffield’s first special educational needs friendly train club
A train club which will welcome children with special educational needs is set to open in Sheffield this weekend.
Nicola Fletcher and her son Jude will open the doors to the first of these clubs on Saturday December 14 in Oughtibridge.
The idea from the event started in June after Mrs Fletcher tried to find clubs that supported her six-year-old son's autistic needs.
She explained Jude loves trains and wanted to join a relevant club, but the only suitable ones are based in the south of the country.
Mrs Fletcher said: “At the end of July, Jude and myself, started to collect all the pre-loved tracks, which is something that is important to me. We wanted to recycle unwanted but well maintained trains and tracks for us to use at the club and be continually loved by loads of children.”
The train club is open for everyone who loves trains, of all ages, and children with special educational needs are welcome.
Mrs Fletcher continued: “Jude and I understand the importance of making this train club sensory safe and open to all. There will be plenty of activities to do during the one hour session and plenty of friendly faces.”
The first club is set to start tomorrow morning (December 14) at the Chapel Hall, on Church Street, in Oughtibridge at 11 am and the second one will be on Sunday at Broomhill Scout Hut.
Mike Cassell, head of the Scout hut in Broomhill, said: “This may be the first of its kind around here and it seems to be a really great idea. I wish Nicola all the success with it. We have told our Beavers and Cubs about the event, so, maybe this club can have a mutual benefit for both parties.”
Sheffield hosts Winter Olympics Women’s Ice Hockey qualifiers as Team GB triumphs against Latvia
In a strong start for Team GB at the Winter Olympics qualifiers, the team defeated Latvia 3-2 on Thursday at IceSheffield.
Sheffield has become the centre of women’s ice hockey as it hosts the Olympic Qualifiers, where Team GB faces Latvia, Spain, and the Netherlands.
After winning friendly matches against Spain and the Netherlands, and a narrow 3-2 loss to Latvia earlier this year in the IIHF Women’s World Championship, Team GB was determined to rise to the challenge.
Team captain Jodie Alderson-Smith buried a rebound just three minutes into Thursday’s match, setting the tone for GB’s hard-fought 3-2 victory.
Before the tournament, Alderson-Smith said: “It's kind of like our revenge time."
“We're on home ice, and we don't like losing, so it's definitely one that we want to get back.”
Team GB’s preparation has been about more than just skill. Players have built a strong sense of solidarity through weeks of intense training and bonding activities.
Alderson-Smith said: “We all get along really well and the togetherness around the team is really good.”
The qualifiers have also marked the debut of three new players, including 20-year-old Emma Nichols, who replaced injured netminder Nicole Jackson.
Nichols, who has played in the under 18s and now in Sweden, called the experience an exciting opportunity.
She said: “The level of competition is very high, but playing in Sweden has definitely helped me prepare.”
For Team GB, Sheffield’s home support has been invaluable. The team has trained in the city for over a decade, and the local fans have embraced the tournament.
“It’s really nice to have the home fans cheering us on," Nichols said.
“It gives us a huge boost.”
Beyond their Olympic ambitions, Team GB hopes to grow the game for women and girls in the UK.
Alderson-Smith said: “We want to inspire the next generation, and seeing the amount of girls that are playing around the UK now is really good.”
Team GB’s journey continues this weekend, facing Spain on Saturday and the Netherlands on Sunday, as they aim to secure their Olympic dream.
Today on Sheffield Wire
A campaign to bring free bus passes to asylum seekers is being launched by ChangeLab Sheffield with the City of Sanctuary.
Net4All, an inclusive netball team, is a first of its kind to provide a safe space for women and girls with SEN to participate in sports.
A celebrity-backed campaign spreading awareness of modern day slavery has been launched in Sheffield. Edwin Buckley’s campaign Stand With Survivors is teaming up with the likes of Eastenders’ Masie Smith, comedian Kerry Godliman and actor Derek Riddell.
Plans allowing £100 on-the-spot fines to be issued in the city centre were passed by Sheffield City Council this week. The new Public Space Protection Order aims to tackle anti-social behaviour.
More to follow.
Starmer’s ‘Plan for Change’: Milestones or millstones?
Yesterday, the Prime Minister stood at a podium in front of six brightly coloured banners emblazoned with short and sweet slogans, each representing a milestone for the Labour government to achieve by the end of the decade.
This was received with a mixed response from commentators and came on the day that a new poll suggested Reform UK had overtaken Labour in voting intentions for Parliament to grab second place to the Tories.
Fast forward to today and the PM found himself on BBC Breakfast answering the question, "Why do you think you are so unpopular?". Starmer could have been excused for wondering how it had come to this so soon into his premiership. His response was that voters would pass judgement "at the end of the five-year term on whether we delivered what we said we'll deliver" and that tough decisions had to be taken.
From the cut in winter fuel allowance and increase in tuition fees to the removal of the £2 bus fare cap and the early release of prisoners, much has been heard about the tough decisions, but what should voters expect to be delivered as a result?
Raising Living Standards
Economic growth - or the lack of it - has proven to be a major stumbling block for governments worldwide and in a year of elections like 2024, it has fed into anti-establishment sentiment which the UK has not been immune to.
It is not without reason that the term 'vibecession' has done the rounds. Coined by the American writer Kyla Scanlon, the term refers to the gap between how well an economy might be doing and voters' perceptions of how well the economy is doing for them.
It goes some way in explaining why Donald Trump defeated the Democrats despite the US having the strongest performing economy in the G7, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) among other metrics. It also goes some way in explaining why Keir Starmer has shifted language from relying on those metrics - "We will deliver the highest sustained growth in the G7" - to more people-focused measures so that workers "have more money in their pocket".
How would the Government prove that they achieved this by the next election in 2029? They could point to disposable income - the amount of money people have to spend after tax - which would explain the reluctance by Labour to increase employee National Insurance contributions, but not the freeze on income tax thresholds.
Ultimately, by setting the bar against other developed capitalist economies, the end result may be quite relative and down to whether workers are able to fully taste the fruits of their labour.
Building homes under Labour
There are two words in the English language which can be relied upon to trigger a wave of NIMBYism: planning permission. NIMBYs - in effect, the sentiment that cries "not in my backyard" when new building proposals are laid out - have been blamed for the slow process from proposing an infrastructure project to finally cutting the ribbon.
Deputy PM Angela Rayner overlooks the housing portfolio and has already experienced a backlash from local authorities of different political stripes over the setting of targets that are seen to be overly ambitious. Planning is also expected to be "fast-tracked".
By doubling down on the targets, the Government is signalling its determination and hopes to hit two birds with one stone: improving infrastructure and raising productivity for economic growth. The plan will not be without its challenges though, as experts argue about the impact of factors such as affordability and the provision of social housing.
Building an NHS for for the future
Waiting lists were also on the lips of many voters at the last election and as an issue that tends to hit home for people, be that a niece in need for mental health support or a grandad whose routine knee operation has been postponed, noticeable improvements will strengthen the perception that things are getting better.
The Government's target is to ensure that at least 92% of patients receive treatment within 18 weeks. If this is achieved on a national level (and Westminster only manages England's healthcare system), then attention will turn to regional disparities that exist between and within counties, including across Yorkshire.
Currently, over 3 million patients are waiting for more than 18 weeks and much weight is being put on technology to reduce this number. However, the plan stresses that "investment alone is not the solution" and that additional money needs to be twinned with "reform".
Will Labour make our streets safer?
By calling for "safer streets", Starmer put forward a safe plan that is hard to argue with. The number behind this is 13,000. That's 13,000 new officers, with a "named officer for every neighbourhood" in an attempt to tackle insecurity and crime.
The Police Federation, a body that represents police officers in England and Wales (policing, like health, is also a devolved matter), welcomed the PM's announcement but also highlighted long-standing funding issues that may throw a spanner in the works for this particular milestone.
A law-and-order agenda may also appear as a sop to floating voters, without energising parts of Labour's traditional electoral base. Allegations of institutional racism, sexism and homophobia still linger and it will take little reminding to voters that policing is only one part of the equation. The remaining components - court backlogs and prison over-crowding - will need to be resolved for the wheels of justice to once again grind on.
Breaking down the barriers to opportunity under Labour
"Giving children the best start in life". This is what Starmer is promising. Uncontroversial enough, but what does this mean in practice? Critics will point to Labour's maintenance of the two-child benefit cap - which the SNP-led Scottish Government commits to ending by 2026 - as an obstacle to relieving child poverty, while supporters reminisce over Labour's pioneering of Sure Start centres in the 2000s.
The education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, has made clear that early-years provision will be a focus of her term in office, but some in the sector worry that this may be to the detriment of other pressures such as SEND provision and university finances, without even fully addressing the causes behind the childcare crisis.
The Department for Education will hope to raise the percentage of five-year-olds who have a "good level of development" from its current rate of 67.7% to 75%. The level of development is decided by teacher assessments.
Daniel Kebede, the general secretary of the National Education Union, said: "Successful reception into school or nursery year is the right goal but targets around the idea of ‘school readiness’ are not actually helpful. Talking about children as ‘ready for school’ or not, is hurtful to children and their families and we’d rather see detail about support and capacity building."
Reacting to an earlier government announcement about increasing state-funded childcare provision, Purnima Tanuku OBE, Chief Executive of National Day Nurseries Association, said: "We support the government’s commitment to investing in our youngest children’s futures. This is something that families really need in order to give their children the best start in life and also enable parents to work".
Make Britain a clean energy superpower
Much had been said about GB Energy in the run-up to the election and its lead champion, energy secretary Ed Miliband, has not been afraid to make a name for himself at home and abroad on the topic of net zero.
Setting a goal for 2030, the government aims for the UK to source 95% of its power from clean sources, with a particular emphasis on "homegrown energy" to avoid the sort of reliance that countries like Germany have on imports.
The Green Party co-leader and MP for Waveney Valley in Suffolk, Adrian Ramsay, however has pointed out what he sees to be a flaw in the plan: how to climate-proof Britain's vulnerable communities.
That was it for take two and Starmer's first reset, only days after the Sheffield Heeley MP Louise Haigh had to exit stage right from the Department for Transport. In a week when Labour also named the first few rail operators to be renationalised - South Western Railway, followed by c2c and Greater Anglia - there may be hopes in Downing Street that Thursday's speech will set the scene for a rebound in the polls.
While government ministers console themselves with references to "the mess we inherited", there will come a time when such deflection will be given short shrift (in some quarters, it has already). Great expectations can too often be a precursor for greater disappointment.
In an age of political distrust and instability, this 'Plan for Change' risks being seen as simply a plan on paper, unless Starmer puts his money where his mouth is. For Labour supporters - not least Labour MPs themselves - they will hope that these milestones do not become millstones around the Prime Minister’s neck.