Sheffield hosts first multi-faith iftar at town hall to unite communities
Over 200 people from across Sheffield broke their fast together at the city’s first multi-faith iftar event.
The event was hosted in the town hall by Pakistan Muslim Centre and Sheffield City Council on 16 March.
The event aimed to unite all communities across Sheffield to show solidarity during Ramadan.
Nighat Basharat, councillor and Vice Chair of the Pakistan Muslim Community, said: “It was an honour to do one of the first iftars at the town hall.
“The whole purpose was to bring iftar out to the wider community, people from all backgrounds and ethnicities were present here today.”
Lord Mayor Jayne Dunn attended the event and gave a speech.
Ifran Khan, Chair of the Pakistan Muslim Centre, said: “The Lord Mayor attending today signifies that she is part of our community.
“She is uniting all the communities and all the bridges that have been broken.”
Cllr Basharat said the organisers hope to make the celebration an annual event in Sheffield.
While the event had previously been hosted in the Peace Gardens, Sunday was the first time the iftar happened in Sheffield’s town hall.
Councillor Tom Hunt said: “By hosting an iftar here we are saying that people of all faiths, communities, and backgrounds are welcome here in the town hall”.
“Concerned but feel powerless”: Sheffield people want action from policy makers on climate change
The people of Sheffield feel ‘powerless’ to make an impact when it comes to climate change, despite knowing how crucial it is, according to latest research.
Climate Conversations Sheffield have been collecting public opinion about how they feel in relation to changes in the environment, and are hoping to present their findings to key policy makers this autumn.
“What we're getting from people is, most people are concerned but feel powerless,” says Kathy Aston, the co-founder of the organisation and a lecturer at the University of Sheffield.
“When you ask them what should be done about it, they usually say, ‘Well, we wish that governments or local authorities or big companies would do something about this’.”
The organisation is aiming to present their research to local councillors, MPs, and the South Yorkshire Mayor, Oliver Coppard, to “show those policymakers that actually people do care. It's not necessarily a vote loser”.
It hopes those key players will take meaningful action, and bring about reforms to curb climate change.
According to the organisation, the overwhelming response from the public centres around demands from local governments and big companies to make changes.
Ms Aston explained people feel like they can do their bit, but also feel like their efforts will not amount to much without those in power making systematic changes.
Climate Conversations initially started their research in 2018 by attending community events and sports fixtures, asking people about their feelings on the issue of climate change.
Lauren Jones, the co-founder of the voluntary group, explained that the local community has been supportive of Climate Conversations and understands what it is trying to achieve.
“I think that people do care. I think a lot of people do understand why we're here and what we're trying to do. I don't think there are that many people that think it's a really strange concept. It is a little bit different from what they’re used to seeing, but people have been quite supportive,” says Ms Jones.
Before they finalise their data, Ms Ashton and Ms Jones want to include more inputs from ethnic minority groups and those with disabilities.
The organisation’s current efforts revolve around making themselves available at events, but there are certain disabilities that may prevent individuals from attending an event.
Ms Aston explained she has attempted to reach those people through support groups.
“Sometimes the issue is trying to get in the door", she says.
“You email the [disability support] groups and you don't hear back. Getting your foot in the door takes a lot of time actually.
“In our last few months, if we can get some of those groups, we’d be very happy.”
Climate Conversations was inspired by the “Barstool” project held in Dublin. The initiative was centred around the idea of asking members of the public what they think and feel about climate change.
Ms Aston was a part of the Carbon Neutral University (CNU) group at the University of Sheffield, and the efforts of CNU contributed to the University publishing its first Sustainability Strategy in 2020.
Ms Jones explains that the Sheffield project has grown organically, expanding their data collection to teenagers.
“It’s interesting that children still are interested and learning and want to talk about climate change,” she says. “As long as they understand the basic concept, they [children] can still be included.”
Ms Aston hopes they will also “inspire other activists or other interested people to think of their own ways that they can be effective climate activists”.
She also pointed out that while most people are concerned and understand it’s human-driven, some people are still under the impression it is a natural cycle, which is the second most common response they receive about climate change.
“There's sometimes a bit of confusion or maybe a lack of understanding about the actual connection,” Ms Aston says. “People will say things like climate issues are connected to plastic waste, which is kind of connected to the oil industry, but it's not a direct cause of climate change. There's sometimes a little bit of conflation of different environmental issues.”
She believes if the project had started 10 to 15 years ago, they would have received different types of responses which would revolve around individual actions such as the idea of recycling more, turning down the heater or taking the bus instead of driving.
Ms Aston said: “We’re not here to tell people what to do. We're here to listen to what people think. We're not here to give people answers. We’re here to ask what they think and feel and what their ideas are, and maybe, on the back of that, people think a little bit about climate change. We don't have the answers either. We're not pretending to have them.”
The organisation believes they are now at the point of 'data saturation' and are coming to the end of their research, which they hope will create fundamental changes when it is delivered to policy makers later this year.
“Irrelevant” survey shows Sheffield council housing failing to deliver for tenants
A Sheffield councillor has dismissed a recent survey showcasing tenant dissatisfaction with city council housing as "irrelevant".
From April 2023, the Tenant Satisfaction Measures (TSMs) report has collected responses from council tenants annually on how happy they are with their housing.
The aim is also to use the data to compare councils across England, and apparently Sheffield is lagging behind the national standard.
However, Councillor Mark Jones says that the “beauty pageant of comparisons” should not be the sole focus when it comes to improvement.
He believes that every council has different issues, from ageing housing stock to tight finances elsewhere, but agrees the city needs to do more to improve services.
"Whether Sheffield's the best or the worst, we still need to be better."
“It is, frankly, irrelevant. We need to work harder to make sure that those in the city’s houses live in an environment that is safer, better, secure, and delivers the security of housing that everyone needs.
Compared nationally, Sheffield underperforms in almost all categories surveyed. When given a local comparison to figures released from Rotherham, the problem is even clearer.
Sheffield's council tenants wait longer for repairs than they would in Rotherham, and are less satisfied when the work is done.
As shown in the chart above, they also feel significantly less safe, and see a worse response to anti-social behaviour.
Demand is also sky-high, with an estimated 1 in 20 people in the city currently on the waiting list for council housing.
This list is costly to maintain.
A report to today’s Finance and Performance Policy committee sets out the price of maintaining the register at over £200,000 in staffing costs annually.
With local government budgets strained, it is unclear how soon it will be until Sheffield's council housing is brought fully up to scratch and tenants signal their approval.
“The problem is hate”: Sheffield unites against the far right
Ahead of Nigel Farage’s planned visit to Doncaster next week, protesters spoke up against the rise of Reform UK in a ‘Stand Up to Racism’ demonstration in Sheffield.
Around 100 people came together in a show of action at the Sheffield and District African Caribbean Community Association (SADACCA) on Saturday afternoon (March 15).
Stand Up to Racism (SUTR) organised the event in response to what they have noted as rise in racism, Islamophobia, anti-semitism and fascism.
Ciaran Wakefield, representing the organisation, said: “We think it's really important that in the face of growing attacks on migrants by this government, growing attacks on the most poor and vulnerable in society, that people's anger is not directed towards those that are also poor and vulnerable.
“What the event is about is building our communities and giving confidence to our communities to actually fight back against it."
Local grassroots organisations gave speeches and held workshops discussing the history and narratives of the far right ahead of Nigel Farage’s planned visit to Doncaster on March 25.
See above: election predictions for the Doncaster elections taking place on May 1. Source: Electoral Calculus
Amid predictions that Reform UK will prise control of Doncaster council from Labour in upcoming local elections, Farage plans to unveil his party's mayoral candidate at the rally.
Representatives from Love Music Hate Racism Doncaster, which hosts concerts opposing racism after the riots which took place last summer, also attended the event.
Organising Committee member, Molly Eroje, said: “If Reform gets in, people from Doncaster won't have as much power at all if we leave the Convention on Human Rights. I think we could lose a lot of freedoms and liberties that we have fought to have. I just think it could be a scarier place for everyone.
“For migrants that's also going to be quite frightening because that racist Islamophobic sentiment is only going to be heightened.”
Migration was a key talking point throughout the day. Sheffield City of Sanctuary, a local charity advocating for migrants, organised a performance urging government to ‘Lift the Ban’ on asylum seekers’ right to work.
Advocacy and Systems Change Coordinator, Melinda Mo Martinez, said: “Currently the asylum system is so terrible and hostile that if we change policy for the worse, it's going to have a terrible impact for people seeking asylum in the UK.”
Recent Statista data shows as of this March, 25% of Brits would vote for Reform UK, while only 21% are Tory and 26% would vote for the governing Labour party.
The conference emphasised the need for the left to unite, with speakers from both education and healthcare unions urging attendees to make a show of strength in Doncaster next week.
Emma, a teacher and officer for the National Education Union, said: “ Reform is a threat to us all; we all need to come together. If we stop Reform in Doncaster we will feel ten feet tall.
“Successive governments, both Labour and Conservative, aren't standing up for working class communities. This means that in the absence of alternatives, people end up looking to the far right to say it's immigrants and refugees that are to blame for the lack of jobs or social housing, rather than it being about the bosses or successive governments that have let communities down.”
Emma, who didn’t give her surname, also fears a far-right leadership would be bad news for education. She predicts a movement to privatisation, a disregard for a broad curriculum which embraces multiculturalism and LQBTQ+, and threats to the right to organize trade unions.
The impact of a Reform UK government on the NHS was equally a topic of concern.
Umaah Yusuf, a junior doctor representing Medact Sheffield, imagines potential changes could include significantly more private involvement, rising inequalities in health care, a reduction in the time frontline staff are able to have time with their patients, and more workers leaving the NHS due to hostilities.
She added: “Good health starts in healthy communities and not in the hospital.”
One of the people making up the lively crowd which greeted the speakers was Jawad Hussain, a student originally from Rotherham.
He decided to show his support at the event after riots last summer meant he and his family could not leave their home.
Mr Hussain said: “Reform’s going at such a rapid pace, but so are we. As Muslims in Rotherham, we are not scared anymore, we are ready to fight back.”
SUTR intend to return to South Yorkshire on March 22 to partake in a mass leafleting as part of a national day of action.
Oliver Tsemo, Chief Executive of SADACCA and hosting SUTR, said: “SADACCA is a place of social justice and Reform UK does not align; their philosophy is not social justice. That’s why it is important for us to host a Sheffield anti-racism organisation.”
Sheffield Wednesday teaching children about violence against women
Workshops designed to get children talking about gender-based violence have been started by Sheffield Wednesday FC.
The Owl’s Community Programme have been running weekly ‘Youth Inspires’ sessions at Wincobank Village Hall, to teach children about the problem of violence towards women.
Molly Bulmer, Youth and Integration Coordinator at Wednesday, said: “Talking about domestic abuse, consent, stereotypes and why these things exist, as well as how we can challenge these issues and make society a safer place for women and girls, gets young people thinking about the causes of the issues stemming considerably from an outdated patriarchal society.
“With this in mind, they can also consider that if the causes are so outdated, why are the consequences still so habitual?”
Data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that women were more likely to experience violent crime in the year ending March 2024.
A higher proportion of women experienced domestic abuse (6.6%), stalking (4%), sexual assault (3.4%), and harassment (11.2%) that year compared with men (3.0%, 2.3%, 0.8% and 6.6%).
Women were also disproportionately represented by victims of domestic-abuse related crimes, with 72.5% of victims being female.
A spokesperson from Sheffield Women’s Collective said: “We need to educate young people on what abuse is and how to identify it.
“We need to have conversations with boys and young men about what is and isn’t healthy behaviour in a relationship.”
Ms Bulmer said that the sessions have gone very well so far, allowing the children to challenge stereotypes about their peers and start conversations to try and prevent future abuse and violence.
Activities in the sessions have included discussions about relationships and consent, as well as the chance for the kids involved to design board games about healthy relationships.
Ms Bulmer said: “We’re hopeful that this work will prevent abuse in future as young people know how to treat partners and how to behave themselves.
“This ultimately makes society a safer place for everyone and reduces the number of incidents of violence against women and girls.”
The Sheffield Wednesday Community Programme hosts these sessions every Wednesday from 5-7pm, welcoming local children between the ages of 10 and 16.
Alan Crompton, a trustee at Wincobank Village Hall said: “I think the sessions are having a positive effect, we don’t seem to see so many kids just running wild round the village hall and causing problems for the old people who live in the flats just above.
“Whenever the Community Programme people at Hillsborough are happy to send their team to the village hall, we will always be happy to see them.”
“Nobody feels safe”: Residents call for crime and anti-social behaviour to be addressed
Car theft, fires in parks, and open drug dealing were among the issues raised at a Sheffield council meeting.
Discussions were held at the South East Local Area Committee meeting on 6 March 2025 between councillors, law enforcement and community organisations about crime and neighbourhood safety.
One attendee said: “Nobody feels safe walking about at night, or walking to the tram or bus. Everywhere seems quite lonely and dark.”
Residents said they would like a better understanding of what police are doing in the area, and suggested that putting more information about prosecutions on social media could help.
Sheffield South East saw more than twice as many reports of violence and sexual offences as Sheffield City Centre in January 2025, and the neighbourhood policing team have said preventing violence, reducing residential burglary, and tackling organised crime are their top priorities in the area.
Several members of the public also suggested a more streamlined system is necessary for connecting residents affected by crime with council and community resources.
One person said: “The current system is not good because when you’re under pressure and in that crisis situation you aren’t going to remember all these phone numbers.”
Councillor Ian Horner said he wants to put resources into multi-use buildings which would allow people to access different council services in one place.
He also said that he would like to see a greater use of drones, including unmanned drones, to assist the police in addressing anti-social behaviour such as e-bike speeding.
Inspector Katie Hammond of the South-East Neighbourhood Policing Team told the BBC: “Everything raised at the meeting has been taken on board by me and my team, and plans are being put in place to proactively respond to some of the issues brought to our attention.
"We are stronger with the public's help."
SEND parents fear “nightmare” impact of proposed cuts to Disabled Transport Services
Parents have voiced concerns as Sheffield City Council plans could replace travel support vehicles for disabled over-16s with a personal budget in a bid to cut millions in overspending.
SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) children are currently offered Council minibuses or access to taxi services to help them get to school or college.
The proposed Personal Travel Budget (PTB) would replace these services this September, allowing over-16s to plan their own travel and receive Council payments three times a year to cover the costs.
Jane Gibbs, 48, from South Sheffield, works at Anns Grove Primary School and has a 17-year-old son with autism.
They have used the Council transport service since their son, Joe, was 11 and pay £77 per month to the Council to organise his transport with Traveller’s taxis.
She said: “We’ve had no problem with our transport and now if we have to arrange it ourselves I can see major issues. It seems like another thing to worry about.”
"I work in a school so the time it would take to take Joe on two buses there and back and then get to work is a nightmare.”
Joe attends Hillsborough College in North-West Sheffield, and takes independent living courses in developing social skills, road awareness, cooking techniques, and household shopping.
According to the BBC, nearly 2500 SEND students rely on the Special Needs Transport service in Sheffield and costs the Council £22.7m.
Sheffield City Council's current spending is £7m over budget and the proposal aims to reduce the financial burden on the Council and encourage the independence of over-16s with disabilities.
By law, the Council must provide free transport for SEND children under 16 who are unable to walk.
Councillor Dawn Dale, Chair of Education, Children and Families Committee at the Sheffield City Council, thanked parents for participating in the consultation that received over 1000 responses.
She said: “Hearing experiences directly from our families is vital to us as their views and insights will help the service in the future.
“We remain committed to provide the very best for our young people with SEND and their families, and will continue to keep in touch with them directly with recommendations from the consultation and how any possible changes will be implemented and what potential impact they could have.”
A report from the public consultation will be brought to the committee in April.
Sheffield Duathlon this weekend to raise money towards £1M charity target
Participants in the Sheffield Duathlon are gearing up to run, ride and raise money for Brain Research UK this weekend.
Organised by Urban Peaks in collaboration with Giant Sheffield, alongside other local partners, the duathlon will take place in the Peak District on Saturday 22 March.
Matt Wright, who founded Urban Peaks, an outdoor adventure company, has arranged for £10 of each entry fee to go directly to Brain Research UK.
This will contribute to his longer-term target of raising £1 million for the charity by the end of this year, together with other runners taking part in the London Marathon.
Mr Wright discovered his love of running during the Covid-19 pandemic when he turned to the sport as a way of escaping his isolation.
He said: “Runners generally run for more than ‘I just like to run'.”
The charity is of personal significance to Mr Wright, whose dad, Alan Wright, sadly died aged 66 from an unforgiving brain tumour seven years ago.
He said: “Your parents might drive you nuts at times, cherish them always as they won’t be here forever.”
Brain Research UK is the leading national funder of research into neurological conditions.
One person who was supported by the charity when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2022, said: “The work of Brain Research UK and the practitioners in the various specialist neurological hubs around the UK is amazing and saves lives on a daily basis.”
The city's duathlon, which has been fully mapped and approved by the council, will consist of a 10-kilometre trail run, a 40-kilometre road cycle, followed by a 5-kilometre run.
Alternatively, participants can choose a shorter sprint option of a 5-kilometre trail run, a 10-kilometre road cycle and a 2-and-a-half-kilometre finish.
The event will end at the Norfolk Arms with sports therapists and food outlets present.
Giant Sheffield is also providing bikes for the event so to improve accessibility and encourage participation.
Andy Liversidge, Sheffield Giant store manager, said: “It's been an exciting project to work on, and anything involving getting outdoors and moving more, we support wholeheartedly!”
With a capacity of 250 people, there are still spaces available to take part in support of Brain Research UK.
Anyone interested can sign up here.
Sheffield’s International Cultural Evening: a night of dance, song and storytelling from across the globe
Sheffield University's Octagon Centre took a trip around the world as they held the 52nd International Cultural Evening last Saturday.
The event was a celebration of multiculturalism, filled with music, stories and dance in Sheffield’s Student Union.
The annual gathering was organised by Sheffield’s International Students’ Committee.
Chair of the group, Monaruby San explained: “The International Cultural Evening is a celebration of the diversity at the University of Sheffield.
“It’s a really loud moment for international students to share their experiences.”
The University of Sheffield’s Irish Dance Society, Malayalee Society, Indian Society and Tamil Society encapsulated this year’s theme of folklore, myths and legends within their performances.
Groups let their cultures speak through song, dance, and storytelling, in competition for the winning title.
Whilst the contest was fierce, the University of Sheffield’s Indian Society took home the trophy.
After their victory, President of Indian society, Lekha Mohta, said: “It feels unreal.
“It’s crazy that we are standing here with this trophy today.”
The event also featured guest performances from groups such as the Sheffield School of Bollywood and the Wanlin Academy of Dance and Performing Arts.
Humaira Khalid, events coordinator for the Committee said: “We wanted to cherish the different cultures and heritage that every international student has.
“It’s just really nice to come together and see what other parts of the world has to offer.”
The night concluded with all the performers circling the Octagon Centre with flags.
Watch the full story on the JUS News main programme at 4.30pm.
Lord Mayor awards chairman of the Sheffield Sharks for outstanding contribution to local sport
A Sheffield sporting icon, who has played an integral role in organising several international competitions in the city, has been presented with an award for outstanding contribution to local sport.
Yuri Matischen founded and became chairman of the B. Braun Sheffield Sharks basketball team after coming to Sheffield to help stage the World Student Games in 1991 when he found himself inspired by the incredible sporting facilities constructed to support the games.
He was subsequently a pivotal figure in organising the European Swimming Championship and the Special Olympics Great Britain when they came to the city.
Mr Matischen, who was completely stunned to be presented with the award on Thursday evening, said: "When it comes to Sheffield, sports is in its DNA.
"I feel so proud to win this award in this great sporting town."
Since beginning his work in Sheffield over 30 years ago, Mr Matischen, who is also managing director of Sheffield-based sports event company, MLS Contracts Ltd., has focused on community work, centring on education and inspiring the youth.
His work, in basketball alone, has led to 640 junior players and an academy team.
Ellie Colton, BBC Radio Presenter, who hosted the awards alongside Cllr Jayne Dunn, Lord Mayor of Sheffield, said Mr Matischen’s efforts have significantly promoted Sheffield as a global sporting venue.
Mr Matischen's list of significant sporting roles in Sheffield does not stop there, as not only did he develop a major event strategy for South Yorkshire, but he is also director of Park Community Arena Ltd.
The Park Community Arena Ltd. drove the construction of the UK’s first carbon- neutral multipurpose community arena, the Canon Medical Arena, an integrated Medical Diagnostics Centre which is also the permanent home of the Sharks.
He said: “We have used sport as a vehicle to reach communities.
“We have an education programme and offer community outreach coaching, it has been a tentacle that has reached the entire city.”
Mr Matischen will continue his contributions to the sporting community of Sheffield alongside his partners who he thanked when receiving the award.
Sheffield councillors pledge support to UK-Ukrainian community: “We have your back”
Two Sheffield councillors met injured soldiers, political leaders, and civilians during a recent visit to the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.
Councillor Mark Rusling said: “Our trip won’t do anything to stop the war, but if we can just provide a little bit of comfort to the Ukrainian community in the UK then we have done a good thing.”
Cllrs Mark Rusling and Matt Dwyer spent four days in Lviv, aiming to reassure the Ukrainian community they represent in Sheffield.
He said the trip is particularly important since Sheffield is twinned with the Ukrainian cities of Donetsk and Khmelnytskyi.
The visit, which was fully funded by the councillors, was one of multiple trips organised each year by Ukrainian people living in Britain.
Last Saturday, the councillors met with the Deputy Mayor of Lviv after speaking with injured frontline soldiers and citizens to gain a first-hand understanding of the war's impact on the Ukrainian people.
Before the trip, Councillor Rusling said: “I’m most looking forward to speaking to ordinary people in Lviv.
“We want to show the UK's Ukraine community we have your back.”
A meeting between US President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky earlier this month raised concerns about dwindling international support for Ukraine.
Cllr Rusling said: “If I were the Ukrainian refugee community living in the UK right now I’d be feeling very very nervous.
“But supporting Ukrainians in their fight is in the British self-interest because the lessons of the 1930s tell us people like Putin don’t stop.”
He emphasised that the trip is not the end of the councillors' efforts to raise awareness about the war in Ukraine across Sheffield and the wider UK.
After the visit, the councillors will meet with the Chair of the Ukrainian Community in South Yorkshire to ask what more can be done to support Ukrainians living in Sheffield.
LightFest sparks interest among aspiring young scientists
A 10-day celebration of research, innovation and science, came to Sheffield, hoping to inspire future generations.
Coinciding with the 31st British Science Week (7-16 March), the University of Sheffield created an exhibition designed to get people of all ages thinking about the world of light in a different way.
Luisa Aguolmine, 21, a student-volunteer said: “You come to events like this and realise all kids are little scientists.
"You watch the kids playing, but what they are really doing is science experiments. They just don't know it."
LightFest, held at the Millennium Gallery had a range of interactive stalls, designed by researchers.
The exhibition started by explaining the basics of light before moving onto explaining more complex theories.
Professor Jenny Clark, organiser of LightFest, said: “We wanted to use this research to bring our wonder with light to the public."
One stall focused on how solar energy will be used in the future as a more sustainable power source.
Credit: Matt Black
To explain this to the young visitors, staff used small solar-powered toy cars that could be raced when a torch was held above them.
Bethany Johnson, 19, another student-volunteer said: “Some of the kids were really experimenting with the toy cars, discovering what happens if you move the torch or if you use a bigger light, which has been really great to see.”
Credit: Matt Black
In recent years, there has been an added emphasis on embedding change across the perception of STEM among younger generations, including the image of a stereotypical scientist.
Organised by the British Science Association (BSA), British Science Week offered events across the country, based on the theme of ‘Change and Adaptation’.
"There are women out there looking out for other women in STEM and making sure we have equal opportunities"
Professor Kevin Fenton, President of the BSA, said: “Science cannot be truly beneficial for all of society if all of society is not represented in science.”
Reflecting on this, Miss Johnson said: “I want to prove that women can do things in STEM, but it is always harder, confidence-wise.”
Miss Aguolmine added: “We are really lucky because one of our lecturers mentioned this opportunity.
"There are women out there looking out for other women in STEM and making sure we have equal opportunities."