Today on Sheffield Wire
Good morning and welcome to today's Sheffield Wire news coverage on Monday 28 April 2025.
Our top stories today include:
- The Bite Back 4 Trans protest took place on Saturday after recent news of the UK Supreme Court ruling on gender identity. Reporter Olivia Idle interviewed organisers and protesters.
- Inner City Healers are supporting people through nature-based therapy encouraging those from all backgrounds to reach out about their mental health.
- Sheffield Wednesday fans completed their final protest on Saturday against owner Dejphon Chansiri, marching from The Crucible to Hillsborough Stadium
EXCLUSIVE: University of Sheffield may be hit by strike action after Easter
Strikes are likely at the University of Sheffield after Easter, after ballot results showed that UCU members voted in favour of industrial action.
Sources confirmed that 74% of members voted to withdraw their labour, with 82% voting to take action short of a strike.
The turnout for the ballot was 57%.
The dispute relates to planned cuts worth £46 million by the university management, with staff redundancies of up to 600 projected.
Restructuring plans, if given the go ahead, will particularly affect parts of the university such as the Department for East Asian Studies and may lead to a number of courses being merged.
Ben Golding, a foundation year student, chose Sheffield because he wanted to study Physics with Philosophy. He was informed that the course would be cut after the UCAS deadline.
It comes as strike action took place last week at Sheffield Hallam University in response to a delay in paying staff the nationally agreed wage increase from the previous academic year.
Strike action at the University of Sheffield’s International College (USIC) was called off last Friday after management withdrew the last of the compulsory redundancy notices if had issued to staff.
Members of the University and College Union (UCU) had been involved in the long-running dispute
A meeting will be held tonight at the University of Sheffield Student Union Building at 6pm after students there voted overwhelmingly in a referendum to support staff strike actions.
Dates for any strikes are yet to be confirmed.
Sheffield GP surgery stops hormone therapy for transgender patients
A Sheffield GP surgery has announced it will no longer prescribe hormone treatment for adult transgender patients which could result in some being driven to the black market.
Far Lane Medical Centre sent a letter to all its transgender patients stating that they would no longer be prescribing hormone replacement therapy (HRT) or hormone monitoring from April 1 this year.
The Hillsborough-based GP practice said after an “exceptionally challenging” year they have decided to “opt out of the enhanced services” for transgender healthcare.
Sheffield resident, Cameron, 37, who has been receiving hormone treatment from the surgery since 2023, said: “I think the best word to describe it is panic. It wasn’t a complete surprise, but it was definitely a shock.”
Cameron received a letter on March 5, which has been seen by SheffieldWire, giving him just under a month’s notice to find an alternative care provider for the treatment.
He said: “I would probably want to go down the route of DIY if there was no other available option. If I go off Testosterone that will lead me to be misgendered more often and just put me at increased risk of violence.”
Cameron said that reaching out to other GP practices has been a real struggle with some in Sheffield saying that they are no longer accepting new transgender patients.
He has reached out to Councillor Minesh Parekh, who lives in Hillsborough, but represents Crookes and Crosspool.
Cllr Parekh said: “I completely support trans constituents in appealing against Far Lane Medical Centre’s decision.
“I have concerns that the decision could discriminate against trans patients, contrary to the 2010 Equalities Act, particularly because I understand that the surgery is continuing to offer HRT prescriptions to cisgender patients.”
In response, Far Lane Medical Centre said the provision of HRT specifically to trans patients does not form part of their ‘core contract’ and is an optional enhanced service with separate funding.
They added: “The prescribing of hormonal medication for adult transgender patients is almost solely initiated by specialist secondary care services, with the continued prescribing and monitoring undertaken under a shared care agreement, often with significant support from these specialist services.
As well as stopping HRT for transgender patients, the surgery is also cutting other services, including Anticoagulation Monitoring and Suspected Cancer Two Week Wait Dermatoscopic Imaging.
Earlier this year, several Nottingham GPs sent similar letters to transgender and non-binary patients stating that they would be ending gender-affirming care.
Gender affirming care can include hormone therapy or having surgery to make your appearance better align with your gender.
Stopping HRT can lead to many of the changes it instigates being reversed, such as hair growth or fat redistribution.
In order to be prescribed HRT by a GP, transgender adults have to be seen by a private or NHS specialist gender clinic.
The average waiting time for an initial assessment at The Porter Brook Medical centre in Sheffield is 71 months.
However a freedom of information request revealed the real-terms waiting time can be as long as 22 years at Sheffield’s only gender identity clinic, which forces many people to seek assessments at private clinics which can cost upwards of £500.
Chay Brown, director for health care at charity TransActual said that these actions are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to failings in trans healthcare in the UK.
He said: “It’s desperate. If you can't find a GP who's willing to prescribe, you’ve only really got a few options depending on how much money you have. You either go private and spend money that you probably don’t have and have to go short elsewhere, or, for a lot of people, if they can’t afford to go private, they’ll go on the black market.”
He added that there is no guarantee that medication bought online is not counterfeit, and if GPs are refusing to do blood tests to monitor hormone levels, there are serious health risks for patients.
Charlie*, a former nurse, said the risks of abruptly stopping HRT can also have serious medical implications. When trans people have had lower surgeries they will no longer be producing hormones of their own. Without hormone treatment this can lead to them developing conditions like osteoporosis.
They said: “The GPs are actually creating more work and expense because those people are going to get very very sick.”
Mr Brown added: “If your doctor stops prescribing you a medication that you need, for a reason that’s not to do with your health needs, then what does that tell you about your GP’s attitude towards you? What does that mean for people’s willingness to go back to their GP in the future when they’re ill?”
In the initial letter sent to Far Lane Medical Centre’s patients the surgery said: “This is not a decision we have taken lightly but due to the closure of NHS centres including the Tavistock, we feel we are not in a position to provide this additional service.”
The Tavistock Centre is a gender identity clinic based in London, which for adults is still operational.
Sheffield Wire has contacted Gill Furniss, the MP for Brightside and Hillsborough, who has also been in touch with the medical centre, raising concerns about discrimination, as the surgery confirmed that it will still be prescribing HRT to cisgender women going through the menopause.
Cllr Parekh has contacted South Yorkshire Mayor, who is also chair of NHS and South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board.
He said: “I hope that the GP practice will reconsider its decision and resume providing gender affirming care – and that the NHS and South Yorkshire ICB will consider the issue and work to ensure all trans people face no barrier to the gender affirming care.”
The NHS and South Yorkshire Integrated Care Board were contacted but said they were unable to comment due to the impending local elections.
In South Yorkshire, only Doncaster voters are set to go to the polls in May this year.
Cameron, who is very concerned about his future, said: “I would like to see Sheffield become a city of sanctuary for trans people. I would like to have care reinstated and a commitment from the ICB to ensure ongoing health care for trans patients, including shared care.”
*not their real name.
Sheffield students stand strong in denim against sexual assault
A Denim Day is set to take place tomorrow as students from the University of Sheffield pledge to wear their jeans as part of a worldwide sexual assault awareness campaign.
The annual event came about after a 1990s Italian Supreme Court overturned a rape conviction on the premise that the victim's tight jeans implied consent. The next day, women in parliament came to work in jeans to show solidarity with the victim.
Campaigners working on the project aim to combat victim blaming, support survivors and educate themselves and others about all forms of sexual violence.
Emilie Bonay, a student collaborating with the University of Sheffield Student's Union to organise the event, said: "I really wanted to make it a big deal this year.
"We wear denim to remind ourselves of the cases people go through every day and to remember this activism that was done in the nineties and to keep that ball rolling."
Profits from the event, gathered through donations, badge sales, and a toast bar in Roar, will go to Peace Over Violence, the charity which founded the movement in response to the original case.
Campaigners also urge people to donate via this page.
Sheffield bin strikes explained: recycling sites remain closed in face of ongoing dispute
Sheffield residents have voiced their frustration at the disappearance of recycling sites as industrial action enters its eighth month.
Workers for Veolia, a Paris-based corporation which provides the city’s bin and recycling services, have been on strike since August last year.
Their demand is simple: that their employer recognise their union, Unite.
The closed recycling sites are mostly located in supermarket car parks, and provide a place for people to recycle items which cannot be recycled at home, as well as excess recycling which they do not have space for in their own bins.
With tips being few and far between, and keeping limited opening hours, people have found themselves stuck with bags of recycling for months.
Residents have described the closures as "inconvenient and annoying", as they have found themselves with piles of excess rubbish.
Joel Mayfield, one of the striking workers, said: “I understand that people are frustrated but imagine how frustrated we are.
“It’s not easy, but the principle is too important to give up.”
Since 2004, Veolia’s Sheffield branch has recognised the GMB Union, but has failed to recognise Unite. A union must be recognised in order to negotiate on behalf of their members on matters such as pay and working conditions.
Unite general secretary, Sharon Graham, said: “Workers have a basic right to be represented by their chosen union, Veolia is very much mistaken if they think Unite and our members will go quietly into the night. Instead, we will be turning up the volume and targeting Veolia across its business.”
With a reduced workforce, the company has prioritised the collection of household bins, and has consequently closed all recycling bring sites across the city.
On 19 March, striking union workers were joined by their French counterparts, as well as the Birmingham bin workers, who made national headlines and are currently in dispute with their city council following pay cuts.
The protest saw French workers cross the Channel in solidarity.
Mr Mayfield said: “It was a massive morale boost to know that there is global support.”
The striking worker used to be a member of GMB but left because he was unsatisfied with its poor organisation and communication, and other workers have done the same.
However, Mr Mayfield emphasised that this does not absolve Veolia of responsibility.
He said: “Veolia is our employer and they alone have the power to grant us equal recognition. Veolia already has a national recognition agreement with Unite, and joint recognition in most places is the norm.”
Veolia claims they are in the "crossfire" of an inter-union dispute between the two bodies, but Unite has denied this.
The multi-national waste-management company has said it believes if it recognises Unite, GMB workers will retaliate with their own strike.
However, Unite has disputed this after 150 workers at the refuse depot, including GMB members and non-union staff, signed a petition calling on Veolia to recognise Unite. Unite says this shows strong support from staff across the board.
According to Veolia, over 80% of their Sheffield workforce are represented by GMB, although Unite says the actual figure is smaller.
Unite regional officer, Shane Sweeting, said: “Veolia could end this dispute tomorrow by doing the right thing and recognising the workers’ chosen union, Unite.
“It is treating both its own staff, on whose backs its business is built, and the communities of Sheffield it is meant to serve with complete contempt. We will be targeting not just its business but the political infrastructure in the city to make our members’ anger heard.”
A spokesperson from Veolia said: “Instead of negotiating with the existing union, Unite has chosen to protest at our offices and sites around the world for months; campaigning against our employees, customers and partners to bully us into breaking our existing agreement with the recognised union.”
In December 2024, the parties came very close to a resolution, but Veolia backed out of the recognition deal at the last minute in what Sharon Graham, Unite general secretary, called an "act of utter cowardice".
In the weeks before Christmas, Veolia had offered recognition to Unite, and the union had accepted, but Veolia went on to withdraw from the deal "at the 11th hour".
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “In all my years in the union movement I have never known a deal to be this close only for the employer to back out and betray the workforce at the last minute. Veolia’s management should be ashamed of themselves.”
A Veolia spokesperson said it delayed signing the recognition agreement because the GMB union raised a counter-dispute with both the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Veolia.
In February, Unite members at the refuse site voted to continue striking, and as of today, action is still ongoing.
Rotherham fans voice opinions on Steve Evans sacking and potential replacements
In the terraces of the AESSEAL New York Stadium, there were chants of "We want Evans out" and "You're not fit to wear the shirt" as The Millers faced a heavy defeat this weekend against Crawley Town.
Following the news of the Steve Evans departure from Rotherham United on Sunday, fans have had their say on the situation.
After being relegated last season with a total of just 5 wins in 46 games, and the club now sitting in the lower regions of the League One table, supporters hold strong views on the current struggles being faced.
The New York Talk Podcast that covers all things Rotherham United held an emergency podcast immediately after the sacking.
"It’s a real shame it didn’t work. But this is the right decision."
New York Talk podcast
There were loud boos of fan disapproval within the opening 15 minutes of the Crawley game.
Rotherham conceded their second goal just after half-time, causing what was already a depleted crowd to head to the exit of the stadium.
Sarah Ogden, a Rotherham fan, said: “Finally sat down to digest it all, I have to say I'm shocked. I didn't think Tony Stewart had it in him to let Steve Evans go.
“He'd have gone after Barnsley away for me and should never have come back. We'll see what the next chapter has.”
Evans has only lasted 50 games in charge of Rotherham during his second stint at the club, winning just 18 of them.
He has become the 15th head coach to lose their job in League One this season where managerial changes have been aplenty.
Matt Hamshaw is taking charge of the side for the remainder of the season but there are no long term plans in place regarding the managerial role.
Rob Stanton of BBC Radio Sheffield said: “Matt Hamshaw is an inspired appointment until the end of the season. He knows the club inside out.”
There have been rumours that former Rotherham manager Paul Warne could return to the club for a second stint.
He was head coach of the Millers between 2016 and 2022 before joining Derby County, but is no longer contracted to a club after his recent sacking from The Rams.
Michael Jennings, a Rotherham fan, said: “It took Warne four years to get a decent team together. Don't think he will get that time again. For me, we need a new manager with a different ethos all together.”
Other contenders for the managerial position include Damien Duff, Danny Cowley and Neil Warnock.
Whoever takes charge of Rotherham United will have a tough task on their hands to change the fortunes of a struggling team and a disillusioned fanbase.
“Everyone looks forward to Monday lunchtime”: Open Kitchen Social Club builds bridges for the refugee community in Sheffield
At Monday lunchtime at St Andrew’s United Reformed Church, there is a feeling of warmth and contagious energy, and the room is filled with lively chatter and aromatic scents wafting from the kitchen.
Young children run around the rows of tables where people share smiles and stories and a ping pong ball bounces on the table at the back.
In the kitchen, the volunteers laugh and chat as they prepare a menu of "Masoumeh's rice", "Luisa's mushrooms", "Nina and Luisa's aubergine", "Jay's roast vegetables" and "Oleana's chicken".
Running the Open Social Kitchen Club (OKSC), which offers free Halal lunch every Monday and welcomes a range of asylum seekers, refugees, and homeless people across Sheffield, is an enthusiastic and welcoming man, Firas Sharefy.
He co-founded OKSC in 2014 and his mission is to share cultures through food and build bridges between communities.
Since 2018, the volunteers also provide a second weekly lunch on Tuesday at the City of Sanctuary, a safe space for asylum seekers and refugees in the city centre.
In recognition of this work, Iraq-born Firas won the Lord Mayor’s Award for Oustanding Contribution to the local community, earlier this month.
Lord Mayor, Jayne Dunn said: “The event showcased people who would never normally have their voice heard.”
Running OKSC is his “dream job” but it has not always been easy.
After moving to Sheffield 16 years ago, Firas began his volunteering career at a local charity shop through Voluntary Action Sheffield and, at first, struggled with learning English and the culture shock.
“I came from a completely different background, different language, different culture, different system. So working at the charity shop was quite a challenge for me.”
"But I said to myself- I cannot escape just because everything is different. I need to stay there and face it."
On top of serving food, Open Kitchen collaborates to provide English classes, digital and employability skills as well as “away days” to the seaside and Peak District where Firas says he feels “free”.
Changing the narrative on migrants
During the disorder in South Yorkshire which escalated to riots in Rotherham last summer following the Southport stabbings, many larger organisations closed their doors as immigrants were targeted. However, Open Social Kitchen Club kept its doors open and Firas was determined to challenge the image of immigrants that was being painted in the media.
“We support a lot of people who are homeless and under the influence of drugs and alcohol and they often want to blame someone else for their problem and it is easy to blame migrants, particularly when the media shows them this way.
“When they see 90% of our volunteers are refugees and asylum seekers they start to see us a different way.”
“They are blamed for taking houses, for longer NHS appointments, and say they are taking the benefits. They don’t add any value to the UK/Sheffield.”
“Refugee and asylum seekers don't sit not doing anything, in my experience. They have this energy and they want to be useful and good about themselves. Despite the barrier, these difficulties they want to volunteer.”
Helen who came to Sheffield from Ukraine when Russia invaded three years ago, said: “I always want to be useful to society and help people and it is a good opportunity to do something kind.”
Nina, also from Ukraine, said: “It makes me happy and brings me joy. I do not only live for myself.”
Masoumeh, who also volunteers at City of Sanctuary, moved to Sheffield from Iran eight years ago. She said: “We smile at and respect each other here so emotionally, it’s really important for us.”
"The people here are like my family."
Travelling the world through different recipes
Unlike traditional soup kitchens, people who attend OKSC can get involved too, whether they are helping in the hall or helping with food preparation, setting the table, or cooking their own cuisine.
If someone wants to share a recipe from their culture, the volunteers will provide the ingredients, often donated from Beanies Wholefoods fresh on Monday morning, and help them make it. For many, especially those stuck in hotels, it is their only opportunity to host.
Ken, a volunteer, said: “They give you the recipe and you can easily travel around the world.”
OKSC also covers the costs for Food Hygiene Level Two training for those who lead the lunch service.
Firas said: “The volunteers cook food from scratch for 60 to 70 people in a really positive way. This energy comes from their hearts.”
OKSC runs a catering service under the same name which generates 50% of their income and allows them to provide lunches for free. They serve a unique style loosely based on Middle Eastern, South American, and West Indian cuisine.
Luisa, a Brazillian who moved from Soa Pualo to Sheffield two years ago said: “I didn’t know much about Arabic food because we don’t cook like that in my country, and I have had the opportunity to learn about herbs and spices from the Arabic community here.
“It’s an opportunity to get to know each other better and meet people from different backgrounds you would not meet.”
Giving people a sense of belonging
Chris, who has been homeless several times in his life, and volunteers at Andy’s Man Club: “I work with broken men and this provides a good place to talk.”
"Anyone that puts their heart and soul into doing something for people who are on the street, I think they deserve a medal."
“There’s no need for any street people to starve, or to be cold or lonely because there are places like this dotted about the city.”
In a classroom next to the kitchen, Caroline Bland, a smiley woman who puts you at ease, teaches a free English class alongside Monday lunch.
“We cover topics like transport, going to the doctors and the shops. Today we were learning how to describe people and what is polite and not polite in English.”
Hope English School has been collaborating with Open Kitchen for a year.
“It is confidence building for people struggling with their English. It provides a safe space to practice with native English speakers.”
“There’s a real sense of community built up by Open Kitchen. We have people here who come week after week and we can see great progress in them.
“It’s the companionship and delicious food and other services such as the hobbies and our English classes that keep people coming and gives them a sense of belonging.”
OKSC has recently launched its outreach program and last week volunteers helped new arrivals at an asylum seeker accommodation in a Sheffield hotel, for the first time.
They reached out to welcome them to Sheffield and tell them how they can access their services such as digital skills and employability courses that offer one-to-one interview preparation. And, of course, where they can come for lunch on a Monday.
Ken said: “I crack on with everybody that comes in. It is all about mutual respect and with that, we can easily get along.”
“I was very happy Firas won the award because it shows that we are doing is being recognised and appreciated. It gives us that zing to do more.”
Sheffield parents unite to protect children from social media
An increasing number of Sheffield parents are signing Smartphone free childhood’s pact to choose to “wait to give their children a smartphone until at least the end of Year 9".
According to their parent pact statistics, parents from over 149 schools across South Yorkshire have signed the agreement. The school with the most signatures is Hallam Primary School, where 158 parents have agreed not to get their child a smartphone until they are at least 14.
Last year, a Sheffield secondary school, Forge Valley, banned the use of mobile phones in school entirely. While another school, Firth Park Academy, introduced Yondr pouches to stop students having their phones out during the school day.
Smartphone free childhood was started in Suffolk last year by two mums, Clare Fernyhough and Daisy Greenwell, who were concerned about phone usage in young children and it is steadily increasing in membership across the country.
Despite parental concerns, however, last week, a report from youth parliament concluded that social media should not be banned for under 16’s in the UK. The investigation said banning teenagers from using any social media is neither “practical nor effective.”
Wania Eshaal Ahmad, the chair of the committee, said: “Social media companies should do more to protect young people from violent and harmful content. Tech companies must be held accountable.”
Despite the youth parliament’s conclusion, many parents do believe that children should not have access to social media until they are 16.
One parent, whose children go to Walkley Primary School in Sheffield, said that she “definitely” believes there needs to be a cap implemented by the government due to the countless online dangers to young people, especially “not knowing who is on the other side of the screen.”
She said that she will get her children “an old phone with no socials just to keep in touch with them” once they start secondary school, believing that the “risks [of social media] outweigh the benefits.”
Another 33-year-old mum said that she is “terrified” for her 10-year-old son to start secondary school since his peers will likely already be on social media.
She said: “Parents these days have no idea who their kids are talking to online, what friendships they’re making and what videos they’re watching. I think the only way to reassure parents is for the government to flat-out ban social media, then I’d be more reassured and open to my son having a smartphone. It’s difficult to balance the safety of being able to contact my child, but not wanting him to be exposed to Instagram and X.”
According to Ofcom, by the age of 11, nine in 10 children will have a smartphone, and 70% of parents have expressed concern about their child being bullied online.
Sheffield woman trekking 100km for breast cancer charity in memory of grandma
A Sheffield woman from Totley is trekking 100 kilometres across the Isle of Skye for CoppaFeel! in memory of her grandma who lost her life to breast cancer.
Hannah Catterall, 23, who lives with chronic back issues, will take on the arduous five day challenge in June in the hope of raising £2500 for the charity.
She said: “CoppaFeel! is the only charity in the UK that focuses on young people, which I believe is very important as I know someone my age has been diagnosed with terminal breast cancer.
“A lot of women in my family have breast cancer. My mum, my sister and I are very susceptible to getting it."
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and second in the world. In the UK, 1 in 7 women and 1 in 400 men are diagnosed with the cancer.
Coleen Catterall, Hannah’s mother, said: “I cannot be any prouder for her.
“She is a wonderful young woman who has developed such deep feelings about things and she is going to make the world a better place.”
Hannah is training to prepare herself for the challenge with yoga and walks, building her stamina and endurance.
Last Saturday, she set up a bake sale in a mental health support centre in Totley, Unravel, to further raise money and awareness for her challenge.
Her bake sale alone raised £400, bringing her closer to her fundraising goal, and one step closer to making a difference.
To help her with the fundraising, Hannah has been promoting her training on her Instagram account.
To donate to Hannah's cause, please visit her JustGiving here.
Mothers campaign for stricter measures: “People are being stabbed in schools and no one is seeing it as a crisis”
With over 40,000 signatures so far, two mothers have launched a petition for airport style security in schools across the UK.
Eileen Roche and Rebecca Phillips have started the campaign in response to the fatal stabbing of Harvey Willgoose on February 3 at All Saints Catholic High School.
Aiming to reach 100,000 signatures and take the matter before parliament, the petition calls for mandatory bag checks and bag scanners and the installation of metal detectors to keep weapons from entering schools.
The campaign pushes for greater transparency and immediate action from schools, requiring schools to inform parents of violent or weapon-related incidents promptly, and stricter policies on students caught with weapons so that they do not return without the necessary intervention.
Ms Roche said: “My son was in detention that day and thank god they were in detention, and he didn’t see anything. But there’s kids who have seen that young lad get stabbed, you know, they’d be traumatized for the rest of their life.”
The petition has seen many comments from those who have signed.
Eve said: “Earlier preventions need to be put in place to make a change.”
Wendy, from Rotherham, said: “Scanners could save lives of so many children and teachers. Parents, families should not have to lose loved ones in a place setting that should be safe.”
Laura, from West Yorkshire, said: “Our children need protecting and the fact that metal detectors haven’t been introduced to schools yet is mind blowing!”
Knife arches, or metal detectors, aren’t widely used in schools and small sample sizes mean that there is little evidence to indicate how effective they are at preventing knife crime.
However, Boyce Logue, Director of RISK Metal Detectors said: “Schools have doubled the amount of imports from us in the last year. Schools are now tied, I think they’re probably going to surpass the police pretty quickly in terms of who our largest customer is.”
Mr Logue indicated that knife arches can successfully prevent knife possession in nightclubs by 60-80%.
They work through different levels of sensitivity which sets off an alarm when metal is detected.
He added: “What a lot of schools do is they go for a portable knife arch which you can build and unbuild in five minutes, and they will put it up at random times.”
Walk-through metal detectors can be expensive, generally ranging from £2000 for a portable option and higher end detectors up to £8000.
Ms Roche raised that: “The only resistance is funding, but it’s also the school's choice if they want to put it [a metal detector] up or not. So it’s left on the schools shoulders to decide, whereas I think it needs to be a mandatory thing.”
Visit the Urgent Action to Combat Knife Crime in UK Schools petition at: https://www.change.org/p/stop-knife-crime-in-our-schools-security-is-needed?source_location=search
‘Lick of Paint Fest’: Sheffield’s first street art festival aims to celebrate local creatives
Two Sheffield artists have co-founded a street art festival which is launching this year and will include opportunities for local artists to work on murals in the city.
Co-founders of the Lick of Paint Fest, Megan Russel, 31, also known as Peachzz and Alastair Flindall, 33, are determined to “bring arts back to the forefront of Sheffield.”
Both artists are keen to share their expertise with local artists who want to break into the industry.
“I don’t think I’d be where I am without the people who shared information with me," said Megan. "Sharing is important to me, if it was all kept a secret, there would be no development in the art scene and everything would come to a standstill.”
Her mural Reverie, which overlooks Pound’s Park in Sheffield city centre, won runner up in the Street Art Cities ‘Best Mural in the World’ competition for 2024.
“The experience was overwhelmingly positive,” she said. “It was so exciting. Everyone’s buzzing now, it feels like the perfect time for the festival.”
The festival dates have not been confirmed yet, but will span over the course of a weekend. There will be a range of activities, including:
- Workshops, where people have the chance to get involved creating a mural
- Drawing sessions
- Film screenings showcasing Sheffield’s rich street art history
- Cycling and walking tours
- Pop-up events
The events will take place in and around the city-centre including: Fitzalan Square, Castlegate, Wicker, Five Weirs Walk and Kelham Island.
Community is at the heart of this project, and Megan and Alastair want to ensure that local artists are equipped with key knowledge and resources that will help them produce high quality art.
There will be applications sent out before the festival which artists can apply to, giving them the opportunity to work on permanent pieces that will add to the legacy of Sheffield’s art scene.
Megan and Alastair want the festival to be accessible for as many people as possible. All of the events will be free, but will be ticketed to ensure there is enough space.
The workshops will have accessible options for people in wheelchairs who may not be able to go high up.
“Their design could be painted by someone else, we can find walls that are more accessible, and they will be given more time to paint than those who are more able-bodied," said Alastair.
“We want the festival to be a stepping stone, rather than a barrier,” says Megan.
There will be partnerships with different community projects, like the Children’s Hospital, Art+ programme, The Becton Centre for Children and Young People and ArtWorks South Yorkshire.
ArtWorks South Yorkshire supports adults with learning difficulties and autism to thrive as artists and collaborators. They have creative studios in Sheffield, Barnsley, and Rotherham and produce murals, exhibitions, films and zines.
"We're thrilled to be working with Lick of Paint, a first-class festival that actively champions our artists who are autistic, have a learning disability, or both," said Kayleigh Cruickshank, the founder of ArtWorks. "Their commitment to inclusivity and breaking down barriers in the arts is truly inspiring."
Some of the workshops will focus on the use of technology, like augmented reality and projections, which will create conversations about how artists can make their practices more sustainable.
At the festival, Megan and Alastair will also share their advice on how to apply for a community project, how to upscale your artwork and share key business skills.
Alastair, who is an ex-teacher, said that he learns so much from teaching people.
“By sharing and bringing each other up together, there's more work for everyone because the more people see the art, the more they’re going to want to have it," he said.
Both Megan and Alastair have been building up partnerships for the last year and a half and have gained support from the public, Sheffield Hallam University and Sheffield City Council.
Alastair said that places like Bristol and Birmingham have huge spaces where people can paint legally.
“There’s so many wall spaces in Sheffield, it’s a no-brainer to have a festival here.”
Peak District visitors “shocked” as annual parking price rises by 95%
Visitors to the Peak District have criticised a sudden hike in parking prices, which has seen the cost of annual passes double for the first time in over a decade.
However, the Peak District National Park Authority has said the rise still represents value for money, with parking permits in the popular tourist destination among the cheapest for any national park in the UK.
The National Park Authority, which operates 31 pay & display car parks across the area, increased the cost of all hourly tariffs on 24 March, rising the price of an all day permit by almost 40% from £4.75 to £6.60.
Meanwhile, annual parking permits have soared by 95% from £40 to £78, prompting several angry customers to leave one-star reviews on the National Park Website.
One disgruntled reviewer said: “Putting the price up this much is really stupid. It just increases the number of people walking onto the footpaths from various grass verges and adds to the congestion in small village centres or laybys near the car parks.”
Matt Dearden, a commercial pilot who regularly visits the park to climb, said he decided not to renew his annual pass after the rise as “it just doesn’t seem very good value anymore.”
He said: “Whilst the price increase is frustrating and I cannot accept it, I do wish they would increase the amount of parking available for that extra cost. That would feel like you're getting something for your money.”
Concerns have also been raised that the increase will encourage visitors to park on road verges to avoid paying fees, which has become a growing problem in the National Park in recent years.
The issue made national headlines in January, when a jam of almost 200 cars parked at Rushup Edge blocked gritters from accessing the road, and hampered emergency services in rescuing an injured walker.
Zachary Louth, a 27-year-old climber from Sharrow Vale, said increasing parking fees would likely make the problem worse.
He said: “Personally I can see the value in the permit because I’m always out in the peaks and really appreciate when things are being looked after. So if I know that I’m contributing to that then that makes me feel good.
“But often you go to Burbage and the car park will be empty, but there will be cars all up the verges. So I hope they will make the car parks bigger and more accessible, and improve the services there.”
A spokesperson for the National Park Authority, which has faced a shortfall in government funding of around 50% over the last ten years, said the new fees reflect rising costs in maintaining its car parks and other facilities.
They said: “Our annual permit has remained at a very low cost of £40 since 2013 and the latest change reflects broader increases to day visit fees.
“The new annual permit still allows a regular user to pay just £1.50 per week; less than the cost of an hour’s visit at any of our Pay & Display locations, which we believe is excellent value for money for frequent visitors or residents.”
The spokesperson said funds from car parking contribute to maintenance across the National Park, including looking after public toilets and improving all-user trails which are free to visitors.
They added: "It is always the driver’s responsibility to park legally and not disrupt use of neighbouring land or restrict emergency access along roads in the Peak District.
"We are continuing to work with a range of local partners, the police and the highways authorities to understand the needs and potential solutions to parking capacity, but this must be balanced with the very same landscapes and views that people have come to enjoy – across all 555 square miles of the Peak District National Park.”