Friends set to tackle three day hike to raise money for new state-of-the-art healthcare centre
Three football fans are set to walk 75 miles in three days to raise money for new centre aiming to tackle biggest health challenges faced by children and young people.
James Michalowski, Carl Hessell and Ashley Beighton will be walking approximately 140,00 steps across three days, in long 12-hour stretches from Hillsborough Stadium to the MKM Stadium in Hull in order to raise money for Sheffield Children's Hospital Charity.
Sarah Boddington, corporate fundraising officer at Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity, said: "Their walk captures exactly what this appeal is about: ordinary people doing extraordinary things to help change children’s lives.”
The 140,000 step route was purposefully designed with the 142,000 bricks that will be put into the new National Centre for Child Health Technology (NCCHT) which they are raising funds for.
The centre will be equipped with state-of-the-art technologies to cover areas such as; movement and rehabilitation, clinical care, design and manufacturing, and a testbed.
The testbed is a UK first in paediatric healthcare, filling a crucial gap by enabling researchers and industry partners to collaborate and evaluate child health technologies in a range of real-world spaces.
Each member will carry a brick along the route to symbolise the building which will be returned to the centre and used for its construction by the end of the challenge.
Mr Michalowski, said: “It’s so much more than a hospital, the work that is put in by the hospital for future research. They are basically revolutionising the world in terms of research and development into child's health, and that's particularly what's going to be going into this new building.”
While the friends, who were brought together by a common love for Sheffield Wednesday, prepare for the physical element of the challenge, they are most excited for the chance to connect and spend time together.
Mr Hessell, said: “I think probably just going out together for a few days and getting away from it all. And, yeah, it's just nice to switch off for a few days. And have some good catch-ups."
The walk will take place from 18 March to 20 March, the group will be joined on the last day by friend Gary Zielosko, before the attending the Sheffield Wednesday v Hull City match on the 21 March.
The group aims to raise £3,000 for the charity that seemed an obvious pick to support for the friends who grew up in Sheffield.
Mr Michalowski, said: "I am actually at a loss for words in terms if what they are going to be doing there. It is really going to revolutionise children's health for the whole world."
The link to the fundraiser can be found here.
“We’re clearly doing something right”: Sheffield pantomime nominated for three national awards
Aladdin, Sheffield Theatres’ 2025 festive comedy, has been nominated for Best Pantomime, Best Principal Lead and Best Contribution to Music at the UK Pantomime Awards 2026.
The UK Pantomime Association (UKPA) announced the nominations for their fifth annual awards show on Thursday and Aladdin, which was co-produced by Sheffield Theatres and Evolution Productions, has been nominated three times.
James Harrison, the show’s musical director, is nominated for the his Contribution to Music. He said: “I pour every ounce of energy into the show and into the music creation process - to have that recognised by UKPA is an amazing feeling and it makes it all feel so worth it.
“It’s important to highlight how integral the rest of the band and the sound design is - their work is what brings my work to life. If I look at them the right way, they know exactly what I'm going to do.”
At last year’s ceremony, Sheffield won the award for Best Pantomime and is nominated in the same category again this year. James said: “To be recognised again, amongst all these other amazing shows, shows that we’re clearly doing something right.
“It's nice to feel that we’re doing something that really matters to people.”
James’ music will feature at the UKPA awards show, as it has for several years. “One of my proudest moments was a couple of years ago when Sir Ian McKellen walked up to the stage to collect an award and I had goosebumps watching him walk up to my music”, James said.
“I've always been a massive fan of his.”
Anita Harris, star of stage and screen, was announced as the new President of the UK Pantomime Association in December 2025. She said: “In the 2025-26 pantomime season, our 64 judges travelled the length and breadth of the country, visiting 234 venues and seeing over 603 performances.
“It is a glorious privilege to witness the passion, hard work and extraordinary talent behind pantomime and the joy it brings to audiences.”
The winners will be announced on Sunday 19 April at the Wycombe Swan Theatre in High Wycombe.
Flower shops bloomed with an increase in orders for Mother’s Day
Across the city, florists prepared for a hectic weekend as customers rushed to buy flowers ahead of Mother’s Day.
Local flower shops across Sheffield said Mother’s Day is one of their busiest days of the year alongside Valentine’s Day.
In 2025, Barclays found that there was a 553.2% increase in transactions at florists on the Friday before Mother’s Day in comparison to the average day in 2025.
Florists prepared by ordering extra stock and extending their business hours, with most florists keeping their shops open on Sunday.
Shop windows filled with colourful bouquets attracted last-minute customers looking for a quick and meaningful gift.
One shopper, Komal Chauhan, 21, said: “I bought my mum flowers because they’re her favourite and I knew that she would appreciate them.”
The most popular flowers customers got included spring flowers and tulips.
Kathy, 29, a florist assistant and delivery driver for Plantology in Sheffield, spoke on why it was important to support local florist businesses.
Plantology is an independent florist with a trained team of florist designers.
Kathy said: "There's a lot of care that goes into people's products that potentially you would not find in supermarkets."
Flowers remain the most popular gift for Mother's Day. Serenata Flowers' study, of 2005 British adults, found that 48% of gifts bought for Mother's Day were flowers.
Roots and Bloom, a community interest company (CIC) that invests their profits back into the community, founded their flower shop in 2019 from their local flower farm to continue their support for people with dementia.
Gina O’Connor, the founder and director of Roots and Bloom, emphasised the connection she has with customers and how supporting local businesses “supports their livelihood."
The celebration continues to be one of the busiest times of the year for florists.
“Talk is cheap, we want action”: Wednesday die-hards send clear message to potential US owners
Sheffield Wednesday fans sent hopeful messages for the future as potential new American owners became the latest preferred bidders for the club's takeover.
American billionaire investor David Storch and his group Arise Capital Partners LLC have reportedly moved ahead of former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley in the bidding process for Sheffield Wednesday.
Storch, his son, Michael, and business partner Tom Costin were in Sheffield earlier last week and had meetings with the Wednesday staff, officials and members of the Wednesday Supporters’ Trust.
The 73-year-old hopes that his group can bring the team back on track after some stormy years, especially this season when The Owls went into administration in October and received an 18-point deduction.
More recently, the English Football League (EFL) has suggested a 15-point deduction could be in play going into the 2026/27 League One season.
Fred, a Sheffield Wednesday fan at the Saturday game against Ipswich Town, said: "I think the 15-point deduction is unfair, both on the fans and the players. They're not at fault.
"The EFL needs to look at themselves very closely to find a different system for punishing clubs. It's not the club's fault, it's not the supporters fault, it's not the player's fault. So why should they be made to suffer?
"If the takeover goes through, hopefully, it will be nice to start on a level playing field, because Sheffield Wednesday haven't been on a level playing field for many years now."
Storch's takeover will likely not help Sheffield Wednesday avoid the point penalty, as he and other bidders are not willing to pay Dejphon Chansiri the money he is owed.
Although many fans are not happy to start the next season in the minus, they are confident the team can overcome this deficit and head into a more stable future with a new ownership.
James, a fan at Hillsborough stadium, spoke out on the deduction: "It's difficult with minus 15 points. I think we'll probably struggle next year, but I think they'll get themselves together and then maybe a year after look to get promotion."
He also hopes David Storch will not replicate Chansiri's mistake if he becomes the new owner of the club. He said: "Listen to the fans. I know they seem to be doing well with what they've done with some sports franchises, but hopefully they've got people that they can put in who know about football and not do what Chansiri did and try and just do it himself."
Stephen, another Sheffield die-hard, sent a big message to the American businessman: He said: "Get your hands in your pockets, because you've got to have big pockets for this club, I tell you. But if he does, he's got a good fan base. Fans will be behind him, and it'll be bouncing in that stadium. But he needs money."
Storch's camp returned to the USA from Sheffield on Saturday. He posted a message on X, with the handle @storchyowl, to Owls' fans upon his arrival:
"I want to thank the wonderful city of Sheffield, the local community members we met, the Supporters’ Trust and the Sheffield Wednesday fans for making us feel so incredibly welcome.
"We are listening to and collaborating with talented Wednesdayites across the city to ensure we deliver a best in class fan experience.
"Whilst we continue to work diligently to become stewards of this unique and historic club, please know that we will be doing everything we can in the interest of a “Better Wednesday” and a brighter future for everyone associated with Sheffield Wednesday."
Whoever becomes the owner of Sheffield Wednesday, the fans all hope to see practical actions instead of words, as one senior fan said: "Talk is cheap, actions, we want."
New Sheffield Local Plan aims to balance affordable housing with protection of green spaces
Sheffield residents are being invited to share their views on proposed changes to the city’s long-term development strategy as part of a new public consultation.
The consultation focuses on modifications to the Sheffield Local Plan, which will guide how the city grows and develops over the next thirteen years.
The Plan sets out where new homes, businesses and infrastructure could be built and aims to shape Sheffield’s development up to 2039.
Councillor Tom Hunt, Leader of Sheffield City Council, said: “Sheffield needs a Local Plan because we are a growing city.
“The Plan has a clear focus on developing brownfield land that has already previously been built on.”
A Local Plan, including site allocations, has not been adopted in Sheffield since 1998, which has made it difficult for the council to shape development to fit the city’s needs.
The council is currently asking residents, businesses and community groups to provide feedback on the proposed changes before the consultation period closes on April 14.
One of the Plan’s top priorities is affordable housing, in order to maximise the number of homes across Sheffield, some of which will be built on Green Belt land.
The planning policies aim to protect green spaces across the city and encourage sustainable development to reduce carbon emissions.
Councillor Douglas Johnson of the Sheffield Green Party has spoken out about the Local Plan, regarding housing and potential environmental factors.
He stated: “Although there is a need for more housing, the term ‘affordable’ doesn’t necessarily mean housing that people can afford, it’s just a term that developers use.
“What we really need, and what the Greens campaign for, is housing that people can genuinely afford and this often means social rented housing, such as the council or a housing association.”
With growing environmental concerns surrounding the planning development on the Green Belt, independent government inspectors have stated that approximately only 3.5% of the area would be used.
Cllr Johnson added: “As Greens, we oppose most building in the Green belt, but if the Plan was rejected, it would lead to even more building in Sheffield's undeveloped land.
“Without a new Local Plan, ultimately the government could step in and set its own plan, which would be much worse for the city.”
Student postpones charity cycle after death of childhood friend
A Sheffield student has made the difficult decision to postpone their charity bike ride through Wales after the "shocking" death of his close friend on Snowdon last month.
Ted Derisley, 19, from Norfolk, was gearing up to try and raise £1,000 for mental health charity, Andy's Man Club, on a ride that would see him embark on a 400km route from Holyhead to Cardiff.
However, Ted sadly chose to postpone the ride after the tragic passing of his close friend, Eddie Hill, who was one of the two young men who died after getting caught in bad weather on Snowdon last month.
This was a key part of the route Ted was planning on taking which involved cycling over mountains, through valleys and across coastlines.
Ted, a first year Mechanical Engineering student at the University of Sheffield, said: "This has been a shocking and difficult situation to navigate."
"Alongside postponement due to safety concerns in the higher elevation, there is also the grieving process."
But Ted stressed the ride will definitely go ahead in the summer with better weather and preparation.
Ted's mum, Joanne Derisley, a psychologist, said her son has been cycling "from the moment he could walk."
Ted said: "When I was around 8-10 years old, I competitively raced around the Lotus test track in Norfolk, and I loved the thrill of racing and the community around it. Back then I cycled on a very retro Peugeot road bike."
This isn't the first time he has done a long ride either, after doing a tandem cycle with his friend Dom across the Norfolk coastline before also going on a 150-mile ride with his dad in North Norfolk last year.
The challenge, known as Lôn Las Cymru, will be Ted's toughest yet. He has been training hard, including going on solo rides, or rides with his friend Eduardo, of up to 110km, even getting up before sunrise on Boxing Day to get in the extra mileage.
"I have felt my overall fitness improve and my confidence in the challenge grow, as I do admit that I was slightly delusional at the start, and remain so!"
Ted will be raising money for Andy's Man Club, a UK men's suicide prevention charity whose aim is to end the stigma surrounding men's mental health through the power of conversation.
Ted argued that choosing this charity made a lot of sense for him and credits his mum for helping him make the decision.
"Because my mum is a psychologist, mental health has always been an open topic in my family home and is very important when dealing with challenging points in my life.
"I ended up settling on Andy's Man Club because I could see how men around me who were struggling didn't have a safe space to open up and talk about their problems without judgement. Andy's Man Club provides this network for men and creates an opportunity to open up these vital conversations."
The tragic passing of his close friend has only reaffirmed how important the charity is and how it is the right charity for his challenge.
"It has had an impact on my mental health, but I have felt that talking to the people around me has brought me closer to the meaning behind the challenge and what Andy's Man Club is passionate about."
To donate to Teds cause visit: Ted Derisley is fundraising for ANDYSMANCLUB
“This will help engineer some kind of curiosity”: Sheffield becomes second city to host pop-up planetarium
A planetarium is bringing space to the town centre as it begins its run in Sheffield.
According to its website, Planetarium Go aims to "make astronomy accessible, exciting, and deeply inspiring—sparking curiosity about our planet and the cosmos beyond".
Attendees can choose from a variety of films accessible to all ages, and can sit back and relax in a deck chair as they stare up at the virtual stars.
Planetarium Go started in Spain, before coming to Battersea Power Station in February this year, and plans to visit Hull and Manchester next.
Kelseii Brown, an employee at the planetarium, said: "No matter if you are a kid or an adult you can actually learn something from this.
"There was a long time where space kind of got a little bit less prioritised - now I think it's time to bring it back.
"Stuff like this will help engineer some kind of curiosity for the final frontier. Once we understand space we understand why we are here.
"Our curiosity for the stars - for space - helped us in science, it helped us in general relativity."
One viewer, who attended with his grandchildren, said: "I was thinking about the children, and that the language was going to be hard.
"He's taken in a lot more than I feared."
Planetarium Go! shows a variety of films on the wonders of space
Geoff Charlton, secretary of the Sheffield Astronomical Society, believes that educating people on the wonders of space can help give us better perspective on our problems.
"Everyone has got lots of problems and lots of issues, and you look up and you think 'well, really? does it really matter?'
"You look up at the skies and you see what is going on and you think 'well maybe for a few minutes my problems don't really matter'.
"It makes me feel insignificant."
Mr Charlton works with organisations like Cubs and Brownies to educate people about space, hoping to inspire children by showing them the true scale of things.
He said: "We've had a few members who have come and then gone on to do astrophysics.
"One of the biggest things missing in the world is curiosity. The planetarium is a nice visual way to stimulate curiosity."
Planetarium Go will be in Fargate in Sheffield town centre until the 28th of March.
Pull up a chair at the Sheffield event tackling the loneliness epidemic
Another Sheffield location has joined a national initiative aiming to bring people together in locations across the UK.
Empty Chairs is a community-led campaign working to connect people with others who live and work in their area.
Data from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, found that 7% of people in England (nearly 4 million people) experienced chronic loneliness in 2023/4, meaning they felt lonely often or all the time.
This has risen from 6% in 2020, which indicates there has not yet been a return to pre-pandemic levels.
Hosts book a small table in a local pub and leave a few chairs empty, open for anyone who wants company to sit down and join them in a no-pressure environment.
Across the country, people are hosting their own events, which are catalogued on the Empty Chairs website.
Sheffield has hosted a number of these events, mainly in Woodseats, but the campaign stretches across the country, and even internationally, with past events in Canada and Belgium.
Joe Robbins, 29, pictured above (right), hosted his own event at the Old Grindstone pub in Crookes on Saturday evening.
He said: "Everyone is so separate after Covid and in the online age, that it's really important to bring people together."
Mr Robbins was inspired to run his own event after benefiting from visiting one elsewhere in the city.
He chose to settle in Sheffield after completing his Master's degree in Biomedical Science at Sheffield Hallam University.
But, with his coursemates returning to their homes elsewhere in the country after graduation, Mr Robbins found himself wanting to build up more connections with people in the area.
He walked 50 minutes across the city to attend an Empty Chairs event from another local host, and enjoyed it so much that he decided to set up his own a bit closer to home.
He said: "I felt so accepted that I had to set one up myself.
"I thought, what have I got to lose."
Mr Robbins advertised the event on Facebook, and successfully hosted a small group meet-up.
One of the attendees said: "I thought, I'm in town, I'll pop over, say hello, have a chat with people, and make some friends."
Events are open to anyone, and usually see a range of ages and genders in attendance, Mr Robbins explained.
He enjoys the fact that there's no expectation to perform a certain way at these events, as the website reiterates, there's no pressure, no agenda, and no expectation to stay longer than you want.
Find out more about the Empty Chairs initiative and how to get involved, here.
For support with loneliness, see NHS advice here.
South Yorkshire Mayor unveils sculpture commemorating Sheffield FC’s history
In celebration of Sheffield's rich football history, a Sheffield-born artist's sculpture was revealed on Friday near the Millennium Gallery in Sheffield City Centre.
The 'Heads or Tails' sculpture commemorates the first and only coin toss to decide an FA Cup game on 30 October 1873.
It was commissioned by Sheffield Home of Football (SHOF), a charity which seeks to safeguard Sheffield's football heritage.
The sculpture tells the story of the only FA cup match won on the toss of a coin, in which Sheffield FC, the world's oldest football team, beat Shropshire Wanderers in their first-ever entry to the competition in October 1873.
The unveiling was attended by South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard and Lord Mayor of Sheffield Safiya Saeed-Berberawi, both of whom said a few words to honour the occasion.
"I'm really pleased that as a city we are increasingly owning that story," said Mr Coppard. "Sheffield all too often does not shout about itself. We haven't done for far too long."
The sculptor, David Westby, also attended the event and paid tribute to his brother, the late Martin Westby, one of the founders of SHOF and a renowned football historian.
Mr Westby said the sculpting "wasn’t a textbook process" and joked about how football had both united and divided his family throughout his life.
The unveiling comes as SHOF look to secure UNESCO status for Sheffield's unique football history.
At the event, Mr Coppard showed his support for the bid and said he would be writing to the UN in favour of it.
Former BBC journalist and Media Officer for SHOF, Andy Kershaw, said: "Manchester may have the national football museum, but the world football museum is going to be in Sheffield."
The bolstering of Sheffield's footballing history was a theme throughout the day.
Dr John Wilson, a trustee of SHOF, said: "Football is about sharing, it’s about enjoying, it’s more than a game. It’s art, it’s community, it’s culture."
Ms Saeed-Berberawi added: "We must take this message further than today."
Oliver Coppard to reveal transport vision for South Yorkshire
A new transport plan is being revealed at Sheffield City Hall today by the South Yorkshire Mayor.
Oliver Coppard will reveal the Transport Vision for South Yorkshire, focusing on transport and active travel across the region.
Starting at 11:00 today, the conference is being pitched as a “landmark moment,” and is open to members of the public.
This comes following national wins for South Yorkshire transport, such as the recent central government investment of £33 million into zero-emission buses for Sheffield and South Yorkshire.
The Mayor has also secured support for the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport, and brought Supertram back under public control.
Sheffield Wire will be reporting live on this event, throughout the day.
Today on Sheffield Wire!
Good morning and welcome to the Sheffield Wire coverage for Monday 16 March, 2026.
Our top stories today:
- Oliver Coppard is set to announce a new transport plan for South Yorkshire in City Hall today at 11am.
- A grave from the 18th Century has been uncovered at St John the Baptist's Church in Penistone after it was hidden under another gravestone many years ago.
- MP's have launched an inquiry into student loans after young people have voiced concerns about hefty repayments.
Sheffield fly-tipping: the “most fly-tipped streets in Sheffield”, or the least protected by the Council?
Three quiet streets in Burngreave, North Sheffield, converge onto a small park. Here, lying just above the city centre in front of rows of houses, children ride bicycles with their friends, families talk with neighbours on front-door steps, and elderly couples walk hand-in-hand to and from local shops. But even on bright days like this, people avoid the park.
A Sheffield Wire reporter visited the area. The park is inhabited by piles of discarded, fly-tipped rubbish occupying lay-bys, bushes, and trees. Coated in litter at its clearest points and mounded with features of black plastic and brown cardboard at its worst,
While the area is often bustling with people, their shared community park is a persistent eye-sore; plagued by fly-tipping.
Day and night the area is open to exploitation by fly-tippers using the parkland as their personal dumping ground.
If there was a camera - a big camera - they wouldn’t come. My phone camera does not stop them for long.
Opposite the brand new NHS Spital Lane Health Centre, people living on the streets on the southern tip of Burngreave are reported in the media as being part of the “most targeted streets” for fly-tipping.
Reported by the Sheffield Star, through their 2024 Freedom of Information request to the Sheffield City Council, the individual fly-tipping statistics for these streets were revealed for 2024:
- Verdon Street, Burngreave: 90 fly-tipping incidents in 2024.
- Spital Lane, Burngreave: 102 fly-tipping incidents in 2024.
- Brunswick Road, Burngreave: 147 fly-tipping incidents in 2024 - the highest of any street in Sheffield.
While helpful in highlighting Sheffield's most exploited streets, the Star’s article - screenshotting streets from Google Street View - puts an incorrect face to the crimes being committed.
Giving the impression it is the streets themselves, and the people on them, who are breaking Sheffield’s fly-tipping records, is not the correct picture.
Only when walking the streets is it realised the residents are the ones suffering.
As seen by our reporter, the sections of the streets used by residents - the paths, pavements, and roadways - were clean; likely a coordinated effort between the Council and residents. Bin bags tied to street fences, likely put up by the Sheffield City Council, were all full and being used. People were not seen littering and excessive rubbish was not seen on the roads - these were ordinary streets.
What was seen, however, were people avoiding the park at the end of their road.
The first, and largest, fly-tipped pile, seen on arrival.
Bin bags seen to help keep rubbish off the streets.
Fire
Across the park, amongst a growing pillar of smoke, a man was seen hunched over a small fire.
Likely one of the few people to still use and enjoy the park despite its condition, Ali, who has lived on Verdon Street for two years, spoke about living with the rubbish-filled park at the end of his street.
Looking out across the view of the city from his seat on the edge of the parkland, he said: “I come here on Sundays to sit and look at the view. Sometimes I make a barbeque; sometimes I burn the rubbish. I like to keep my area clean.”
He had just phoned his friend to come and join him.
“See that pile?” Pointing to the area across from him, “I will burn that next. It wasn’t there yesterday; I think they come in the night.” When asked how the rubbish is dumped, he said: “Look, there, there”, pointing to the white van parked on the opposite side of the park, “They always dump it there.” It was by the fly-tipped pile our reporter first found when arriving. He said it has always been like this for the two years he has lived on Verdon Street.
With no obvious signs of CCTV, or even posters or signs warning of punishment, the park - its sole purpose to unite the three streets together; a place for the residents to use and enjoy - unites them only under the same, subjugating title as Sheffield’s “most targeted streets”.
Ali's seat by the edge of the park. He uses rubbish to keep his fire going.
DEFRA
The more than a decade of fly-tipping in and around the park connecting these three streets is only likely to worsen. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA)’s publishing of the ‘Fly-tipping statistics for England, 2024 to 2025’ on 25 February has revealed that, nationally, fly-tipping incidents have increased by 9% from 1.153 million in 2023/24, to 1.258 million in 2024/25. Meanwhile, the number of fines handed down from courts decreased by 9% from 1,378 in 2023/24 to 1,250 in 2024/25 - meaning merely 0.2% of fly-tipping incidents have resulted in court action.
‘Total number of fly-tipping incidents in England, 2018/19 to 2024/25’.
Source: WasteDataFlow, Defra.
| Enforcement Action Type | 2023/24 | 2024/25 | % Change | % of Total Actions (2024/25) |
| Investigations | 353,000 | 386,000 | +10% | 68% |
| Warning letters | — | 62,000 | — | 11% |
| Duty of care inspections | 27,000 | 29,000 | +9% | 5% |
| Statutory notices | 24,000 | 21,000 | −10% | 4% |
| Total enforcement actions | 530,000 | 572,000 | +8% | 100% |
‘Fly-tipping enforcement actions in England, 2018/19 to 2024/25’.
Source: WasteDataFlow, Defra.
In their report, DEFRA states: “Fly-tipping is a crime, a significant blight on local communities and a source of environmental harm. Local authorities have a duty to clear fly-tipped material from relevant land in their areas and consequently they deal with the vast majority of fly-tipping on public land.”
This is something we all know.
Something we should not ignore, however, is when the Council fulfils this “duty to clear fly-tipped material from relevant land in their area”, but does not effectively target, deter, and prevent the “significant blight on local communities” caused when areas are repeatedly used as fly-tipping hotspots - in the case of this south Burngreave park, for over a decade.
Considering their 2025-2026 Fly Tipping Reduction Strategy states "solutions" to the "most problematic sites" will have been produced by "Spring 25", this is an increasingly pertinent issue.
Map: The locations and findings of our investigation.
Futility
As Sheffield Wire prepared to leave, a man with a shopping bag stopped at the largest pile of fly-tipped rubbish; the one Ali had pointed to across the park - referenced as ‘A’ in the image above and pictured at the start of the article and below.
The man threw his hands at it in a gesture of irritation and annoyance; our reporter stopped, walked over, and spoke to him.
Abdullah, who walks through the park often, revealed only last week he had stopped a van from dumping on this exact spot: “I had my camera, and went up to them to say 'look! Stop what you are doing!' - they drove off; nothing was dumped,” he said, “But now, look, it’s all here.”
When asked if he knew who had dumped it, Abdullah said: “They must come from a shop or something, far away from here. Maybe, look at it and there will be an address.” He turned over a cardboard box previously housing a TV, and a couple of black bags rattling as if they were filled with bottles or shards of glass.
There was no address; nothing to identify the perpetrator - it is likely the first thing the criminals with any experience in the crime remove before fly-tipping their waste.
He believes it is the fact there is no CCTV in the area that is causing the issue: “If there was a camera, a big camera, they wouldn’t come - my phone camera does not stop them for long.”
It is not difficult to imagine. There was not a single sign to deter fly-tipping or warn of prosecution in the park or on the surrounding streets, and there was no obvious CCTV presence to capture and record criminals in the act.
Source: Google Street View, combined with image by Author.
Authority
To understand the Council’s position, their ‘Sheffield Fly Tipping Reduction Strategy 2025-2026’ includes details of educational and awareness plans to combat fly-tipping, the awareness they have for existing hotspots, and their deterrent and preventative tactics to address them:
- “Site specific target hardening solutions eg. fencing, CCTV, road closures etc to prevent incidents.”
- “Additional CCTV units were purchased to ensure where there were hotspots which would benefit from surveillance”
The strategy continues: "Sheffield city council has a small enforcement team of officers who investigate incidents of fly tipping. A large part of their work is reactive dealing with service requests from members of the public, internal and external partner agencies/departments. Our core approach when dealing with complaints is to identify if there is any evidence and then undertake a criminal investigation."
The glaring issue is: these hotspot tactics were not in place around Sheffield’s “most targeted street”: Brunswick Road, nor Spital Lane or Verdon Street. There was no fencing, no CCTV, and no road closures on any of these streets. The only work seen in the area was on the smaller, Handley Street, off Spital Street, where a previous fly-tipping hotspot had been fenced off; pushing a new hotspot just under the fluorescent yellow warning signs posted on the plywood wall.
Neither here nor at any other of the fly-tipping sites was there evidence of these "additional CCTV units" - visible or sign-posted. Perhaps it has been decided that Sheffield's most fly-tipped street would not "benefit from surveillance"? If the small, reactive enforcement team are looking to conduct evidenced-based investigations into fly-tipping around the park area of Brunswick Road - where there is no clear CCTV coverage - it is no wonder that, nationally, the level of court action taken against fly-tipping incidents is at 0.2%.
Several Sheffield City Council representatives, including Councillor Safiya Saeed, the Sheffield Lord Mayor and a representative for Burngreave Ward, along with executives heading the Council’s environmental and development teams, were contacted for comment. They were asked about the Council’s commitments for the streets of Spital Lane, Brunswick Road, and Verdon Street under the ‘Sheffield Fly Tipping Reduction Strategy 2025-2026’, and the Sheffield Wire put to them comments received from residents regarding night-time fly-tipping and lack of CCTV coverage in the area.
Sheffield Wire received response from Councillor Mark Rusling, who said: “A lot of work is going into the Burngreave area to clear up and prevent fly tipping.”
It is clear more will need to be said, and more will need to be done.