Sheffield Wednesday feeling “confident” ahead of this weekend’s fixture against Oxford United
Sheffield Wednesday winger Anthony Musaba has spoken about the team's form this season ahead of their match away to Oxford United tomorrow.
The Owls currently sit 12th in the league, six points off the playoff spots that they are fighting for.
Opposition Oxford United will be desperate for a win, having lost four of their last five games, and placing just one point shy of the relegation zone.
Speaking about tomorrow's fixture, Anthony Musaba said: "We are confident. With away games we are strong at the moment.
"When playing away, you need to try and find the moment to score, and then their fans will be quiet and you can start to manage your game as if you are playing at home. I think we are doing this well at the moment."
The Owls can expect to come against former Wednesday midfielder, Will Vaulks, who won Sheffield Wednesday's Player of the Year award last season before moving to Oxford United.
Speaking about Vaulks, Musaba said: "He was a really good guy in the dressing room. He was always active and brought positivity."
With double the points tally they had after the same number of games last season, the team has reason to be feeling positive.
Musaba said: "I am happy with where we are at the moment, it shows an improvement in our team and that's the most important thing at the end of the day.
"Obviously we want to fight for the playoffs. But it doesn't need to be a pressure thing, we need to manage each game by game, focus on getting three points, and then we will see how we are standing in the table."
Historically, Sheffield Wednesday and Oxford United have faced each other 34 times, with the Owls winning nine of those.
Both teams lost their mid-week fixtures as Blackburn Rovers managed a 1-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday, and Oxford lost 2-0 to QPR.
Speaking on the Blackburn result, Musaba said: "It was a game based on one moment. I think all game we were good in our shape but it was the one chance they got that they scored."
Fire Safety Dance by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue has viewers dancing to their beats while raising money for charity
Local artist Big Shaun has teamed up with firefighters attempting to top the charts for Christmas number one this year.
The South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue completed 50 years of service this year, and they decided to celebrate with a catchy tune and groovy moves. The ‘Fire Safety Dance’ music video was released on Monday and has brought over 200,000 views across social media, making their way to the top charts for Christmas number one.
The upbeat music, with drummy beats and choreography by INK dance create the perfect hook step to have viewers dancing to the tunes. The music video shows firefighters all geared up grooving to the beats of the song, along with Big Shaun, and the teddy bear mascot has been the cherry-on-top.
The lyrics, while catchy, also deliver an important message of awareness about the mental health of firefighters. Big Shaun and the Steel People in collaboration with the Fire and Rescue service have aimed to raise money for the Fire Fighters Charity, and support the firefighters’ mental health.
The department has also encouraged teenagers under 16 to recreate the fire safety dance with their unique moves as a part of their campaign.
Deputy Chief Fire Officer Andy Strelczenie said that societal taboos around mental health still exist in the fire department. The song is just another medium to help residents and other firefighters offer a safe space to start a conversation around mental health.
He said: “New support like this is extremely valuable and this is why we want to raise as much as we can to help continue developing new ways for fire service personnel to get support.
“If we get to number one", he continued, "we will celebrate with South Yorkshire and all those that have helped us get to number one! No matter where we place, the money raised for the Fire Fighters Charity will mean we are all winners anyway.”
Big Shaun, who believes that he was “born to be a performer,” has struggled with mental health issues, and believes that “if you’ve got a talent, then you should use it to get a message across, and entertain people.”
He said: “If we can get any kind of chart position and raise some money, then I’ll be more than pleased with that.”
The Fire Safety Dance has brought festive cheers, while supporting an important cause. The song is officially released today, and the Christmas No.1 will be announced next Friday.
Featured image (Source - South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue).
Stream the song here
Ecclesfield Parish Council hold cost of living events in run up to Christmas
Residents of Ecclesfield got the chance to find out how best to keep warm and keep the cost of living down, with event organisers saying it was their “best turn out of the year.”
The events were held on 30 November and 4 December at Café Hug in High Green and Ecclesfield Library, and featured advice on benefits, pensions, and cost of living, as well as giving out free warm packs which had scarves and hot water bottles in them.
Organiser Mark Hible, who is a Community Development and Cost of Living worker, over 30 people in the north of Sheffield this year received warm packs.
Mr Hible said that the events have been especially important this year following the cuts in winter fuel payments in Labour’s first budget, and that they had a “great” turnout with around 50 people attending the High Green event, and around 20 in Ecclesfield.
Mr Hible, alongside organising the events and offering advice, also works on training library staff or volunteers to be able to give advice on benefits and pensions so that as many residents as possible can be helped.
The events can also give company to those who are lonelier in the winter month, with Mr Hible saying that some come for “a cup of tea or a chit chat."
The next cost of living events will be in mid February, and will be posted here.
Sheffield goes Dutch with accessible West Bar roundabout
After a series of unexpected delays, a famed Dutch-style roundabout on West Bar opened earlier this week.
The roundabout was due to open in late October, but after facing a number of delays, was pushed back to Monday.
It contains additional cycle lanes and pedestrian crossings to give them priority, but motorists believe it will cause confusion and more accidents.
Rebecca Hammond, a cycling instructor and pharmacist, uses the roundabout frequently.
She said she felt it filled a gap in the infrastructure. She said: “The old roundabout had poor sight lines that made it difficult for drivers entering the roundabout from some directions. The new design helps with that, and will also improve safety for cyclists too.”
Ben McGarry, Chair of the Kelham Island and Neepsend Community Alliance (KINCA), said: “I think it’s going to be a big success … it’s great to go across if you’re a pedestrian, because it’s all zebra crossings, and you don’t have to wait for grumpy drivers."
The roundabout is meant to make it easier for people to cycle and walk from the city center across to Tenter Street and Kelham/Neepsend.
This brand new Dutch-style roundabout has opened, here's how it works... pic.twitter.com/0RoD3zNEdK
— BBC Sheffield (@BBCSheffield) December 9, 2024
Many cyclists feel that cycling infrastructure in Sheffield needs a big upgrade, especially due to the hills and upward climbs.
Isaac Hammond, who lives in the western end of Sheffield but uses the roundabout quite frequently, thinks that the roundabout is a step in the right direction to encourage more “active travel” in the city.
He said: “Because the roundabout allows a completely separate, more accessible route for cyclists and pedestrians, I think it will take a bit of getting used to, especially for drivers. As long as it encourages more people to travel actively, then it’s only a good thing."
The roundabout is part of Sheffield's initiative to become a cleaner, greener city - which hopes to achieve net zero emissions in the city by 2030.
Sheffield to Sheffield: Charity campaign challenges locals to walk 4,200 miles
This Christmas, Mind Sheffield is calling on locals to come together to collectively walk the 4,200 mile distance from Sheffield, South Yorkshire, to Sheffield, Alabama, without leaving the country.
The mental health charity are aiming to raise £4,200, matching the miles they would like supporters to cover by Christmas Eve as part of their "A Walk Across the Pond" fundraiser.
Lindsay Doyle-Price, 52, Business Development Manager at Sheffield Mind, said: "We wanted to create a festive fundraiser that would capitalize on the city’s love of walking, while also setting locals a real challenge."
Over a third of the UK's greenest city lies within the Peak District National Park, making it a hotspot for climbers and ramblers alike.
Those who have signed up for the event have been getting creative with their fundraising efforts.
Lindsay said: “I took advantage of a weekend away in Norwich with my old uni friends to go to a Martin Kemp 80s DJ extravaganza. Bopping away all night, I managed to accrue a lot of steps and miles.”
Other fundraisers have been walking to work, taking lunch break strolls, and, in one instance, somebody who fell asleep on the bus ended up walking an extra three miles home, which they added to their tracker.
Mind’s Operations Manager, Edyta Bancer, joined the Mental Elf 5K fun run with her husband and their dog, Denver.
Denver the dog, getting in the fundraising spirit at the Mental Elf 5k run
She said: “It helped having Denver along with me, he gave me the motivation to carry on through the wind and the rain.
"I will be adding daily doggy walk miles to the total throughout the month - Denver has never been so fit!”
So far, fundraisers have covered 1,801 miles, placing them virtually in the middle of the North Atlantic.
All funds raised will be invested in the delivery of services, such as therapy sessions and the charity’s 'Here 4 You' telephone support service, which offers a free helpline for those who feel isolated and lonely.
Lindsay said: “It’s amazing how quickly miles add up, even if you’re just walking to the shops or skipping a mode of transport once a week. Get yomping.”
Campaign promotes bus consultation to address “deadly” air pollution in Burngreave
An air pollution campaigner from Burngreave said carbon emissions are “destroying our world” and has encouraged residents to participate in the South Yorkshire Mayor’s bus consultation.
Graham Jones of the Burngreave Clean Air Campaign conducts his own tests of the air quality around Burngreave, and the latest readings from January-August 2024 found the majority of levels were above the legal maximum.
Mr Jones blamed the pollution problem on the high level of cars that travel down Spital Hill and Burngreave Road, due to its proximity to Northern General Hospital and the closing of alternate routes.
He said: “Improving our buses is not only a social imperative, it is necessary to reduce car use and thereby reduce carbon emissions that are destroying our world before our eyes and also the deadly fumes which are destroying our health worldwide, not least in Burngreave.”
He has encouraged all Sheffield residents to participate in the consultation which was launched by the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority as part of the statutory process to bring the buses back under public control.
South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard said on the launch of the consultation: “Today, we’re taking a big step towards fixing public transport in South Yorkshire as we consider going back to the future.”
South Yorkshire Buses were under public control until the 1980s when the Transport Act 1985 introduced privatised and deregulated bus services across Great Britain.
Maria Neira, Director of the Public Health, Environment and Social Determinants of Health Department at the World Health Organisation, told the International Association of Public Transport in 2023: “Pollution is killing us. A suitable transport system is a critical part of public health. It reduces air pollution, it reduces road traffic deaths, it reduces non-communicable diseases.”
The Burngreave Clean Air Campaign has drawn attention to the health risks associated with high pollution levels.
Air pollution has been linked to up to 500 premature deaths in Sheffield per year, and statistics show that life expectancy in Burngreave is lower than other areas, at 75 for men and 77.8 for women, compared to 83.8 for men and 89.2 for women in Ecclesall.
A University of Sheffield study from December 2024 also found that people living in areas with higher levels of air pollution were more likely to suffer from multiple long-term conditions.
The bus consultation will finish on 15 January 2025.
Wilder confident despite injury woes
Ahead of the Plymouth Argyle game, Sheffield United have been plagued with a growing list of injured players but Chris Wilder is confident the team will continue their winning streak.
Striker Keiffer Moore will not be back until late December and Tyrese Campbell’s injury, while ‘not serious’, means he isn’t expected to play for a few days.
Anel Ahmedhodzic has also recently ‘rolled his ankle’, leaving Sheffield United limited in terms of depth and tactical options.
Midfielder Vinicius Souza has been sidelined until January with a hamstring injury, but we may see Tom Davies take his position this weekend after recovering from an ongoing leg injury since September.
It is expected Michael Cooper, who will be in goal this week, hasn’t conceded any goals at Bramall Lane with 12 clean sheets, which could mean a promising defence.
Referring to Cooper, after the recent Millwall and West Bromwich away games, Wilder said: “When he has to come up with a big save he comes up with it, but I’m not sure he’s had to in the last two games."
Wilder who was voted Manager of the Month feels it should be "team of the month", acknowledging the team effort required for their success in the championship.
Plymouth, who are currently in the relegation zone, potentially have a tough game ahead of them but Wilder has predicted a lull tomorrow.
He wants United fans to help motivate the dwindled team, and not to be "arrogant" about their position on the table.
While Sheffield United are top of the league, Wilder reminds fans that they were in League One for six years, and while his message to the team is avoid "arrogance and complacency", the same goes to the fans.
He has also said that the impending US club takeover "has nothing to do with the player" as they are only required to play to the best of their ability.
“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.