Sheffield MP leads call for FA to effectively ban transgender women’s participation in football
Sheffield MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, Miriam Cates, has sent a letter to the Football Association co-signed by 48 MPs calling for rule changes on transgender women playing in women's football.
The letter says: "All sports rely on fair competition. Teams or individuals must compete as far as possible on a level playing field.
"This is why football, like the vast majority of sports, segregates players by age and sex, to eliminate unfair advantages of size and strength and of course to ensure the safety of all players."
This comes after reports of multiple teams in Yorkshire refusing to play against a Rossington Main Ladies' transgender player after an opposition player allegedly suffered a "broken knee" in an on-field incident with the footballer, according to the letter to the FA.
Rossington Main Ladies club posted a now-deleted statement from the transgender player. The post said: "As some of you may have heard, Rossington Main Ladies FC has faced challenges from teams unwilling to play against us while I am on the field.
"This unfortunate circumstance has prompted me to investigate pursuing a case of discrimination, as I believe it represents a breach of the code of conduct regarding diversity and inclusion, as well as safeguarding of adults in football established by both the Football Association and the Sheffield and Hallamshire Women and Girls League."
Peers of the House of Lords also signed the letter which states that there should be even standards in participation within women's football and allowing transgender women to play defeats that purpose.
Heather Paterson, Chief Executive Officer of SAYiT, a charity that provides support for young LGBTQ+ people in Sheffield discussed how MP Miriam Cates' stance against inclusivity of trans people is why she is pushing for this rule change which "really distracts from a genuine issue" of support of the women's game.
Heather said: "Miriam Cates has a very particular political viewpoint on this and she’s expressed strong views on trans issues in education.
"To my knowledge I’ve never known Miriam Cates to be actively involved in discussions around sports science so it very clearly comes from her views on trans people rather than a particular interest in sports safety and inclusion.
"There's legitimate conversations to be had to improve sport in general, and football in particular, for women but I don't think it's an issue because of the tiny number of trans people."
The FA's policy on trans people in football outline how footballers are allowed to play for their "affirmed gender" if they can show "hormonal therapy appropriate for the assigned sex has been administered in a verifiable manner and for a sufficient length of time, or the individual has had a gonadectomy."
However, these rules are in place to limit the advantages of gender within football and are reviewed based on each case adhering to the directives above.
Women's sports campaigning group, Fair Play for Women, support the letter sent by MP Miriam Cates and told Sheffield Wire:
"This has gone on far too long and it’s female players who are losing out. No one can claim they don’t know it’s a problem. Women’s football can’t include male players, it’s really not complicated.
If the FA really want to grow the women’s game, they need to say no to the male players who are taking places in women’s teams and making the game unfair and unsafe.”
The Sheffield Wire has reached out to MPs who have signed the letter for comment.
‘People, planet and prosperity’: Sheffield City Council sets out its goals for the next four years
Sheffield City Council has released a draft plan for the next four years, setting out the ways city goals can be achieved.
The draft Council Plan will be discussed at the Strategy and Resources Committee on Wednesday, 13 December.
Tom Hunt, Leader of Sheffield City Council, said: “It outlines a better, bolder vision for our city - creating great neighbourhoods, stronger economic growth, generating more jobs and investing in sustainable transport. Sheffield is a city on the up.”
The four year plan focuses on the ‘Together we get things done’ organisation, emphasising the importance of working together with all the city’s organisations and communities.
It is also linked to the Council’s four-year Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS).
The Council’s main priorities for the next four years are:
- To ensure young people feel like they belong and receive the support they need
- To improve neighbourhoods by increasing the quality of housing, maintaining green spaces and working with communities.
- To ensure people live in a caring and engaged community by ensuring people receive care and support
- To create a prosperous city full of culture, learning and innovation
- To create a growing, connected and sustainable city
Mr Hunt said: “When we are making decisions, everything we do should involve the people of Sheffield and help them to achieve their potential, help to protect our planet for future generations, and make Sheffield a more prosperous city.”
Woman’s death outside Sheffield flats not being treated as suspicious
The body of a 37-year-old woman was found beneath a block of flats in Netherthorpe yesterday.
South Yorkshire Police are not treating the death as suspicious and the woman is believed to have fallen to her death.
Emergency services were called to the flat block on Brightmore Drive at 7.32am on Thursday.
In a statement, South Yorkshire Police said: “Sadly, upon our arrival the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Her family has been informed and is being supported.
“The woman’s injuries are consistent with a fall from height.”
The woman’s identity has not been released.
Heavy snow in Sheffield forced charity to reschedule annual ‘Festival of Light’
A Sheffield Hospice was forced to cancel its ‘Festival of Light’ fundraiser due to last weekend's snow.
St Luke's hosts a range of annual Christmas fundraisers throughout December to raise money for their patients.
The event is held at their hospice which is the second oldest in Britain and it relies on donations from the people of Sheffield to support its patients.
John Highfield, Public Relations Manager at St Luke’s Hospice said: “We only get a fraction of our funding from the NHS.
"It's probably less than a quarter now, which means that every year we've got to raise with the support of the people of
Sheffield over £7,000,000 because we are completely free as a service.”
The annual Service of Celebration and Remembrance is another of their upcoming events held at the Cathedral every December.
This event is a carol service open to anyone, St Luke’s encourage their patients to attend with their family members if they are well enough.
Mr Highfield said: “It’s a lovely atmosphere because the wonderful setting of the cathedral, it makes it feel very special, this year it coincides with the cathedral's Christmas tree festival.
“It gives people an opportunity to give thanks for those people they've lost. And remember them and share those memories."
The event starts at 2pm and there will be music from the Sheffield philharmonic chorus, Stonington Brass band and Abbey Lane Junior School.
Updates about their fundraisers will be posted on their social media accounts.
Steelers defenceman out of action after injury
Sheffield Steelers defenceman Sam Jones has been placed on the Injury Reserve list after sustaining a lower body injury.
The player, who joined the club ahead of the Elite Series in 2020-2021, was injured in last Sunday’s 4-0 road win against Elite League champions Belfast Giants.
Jones has played 126 games for the Steelers and become a regular in the GB men’s national senior side.
Short term injury cover is expected to be brought in, but fans have questioned the feasibility of this.
One X user said getting a British player in would be “tricky”, with another agreeing that it would not be “an easy thing to find”.
Some questioned whether a player from the semi-professional Sheffield Steeldogs could be brought in, stating online that this could be an option.
Student at Doncaster Deaf Trust wins Mayor’s Christmas card competition
Elected Mayor Oliver Coppard has announced the winner of his 2023 Christmas card competition.
The winning design was created by Emily Smith, a 15-year-old student at Doncaster Deaf Trust.
Her design uses decorations representing the sign language for ‘I love you’.
In a post on the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority, Oliver Coppard said: “I’m delighted by the response to the competition this year, It was difficult to choose a winner, but Emily’s was the one that stood out for me.
“Christmas is a special time to spend with family, friends and loved ones, and I think that Emily’s winning entry captures that perfectly, using decorations to represent and display love; particularly the love that deaf families share with each other at Christmas."
Emily Smith said: “I’m happy to see my design chosen this year. The sign on the decorations is linked to love and the family sharing love with each other. It was something different and I wanted to spread this sign so hearing people could understand what it means!
“I love Christmas – we have lots of presents! I have a traditional Turkey Christmas dinner with my family and I love the stuffing balls! I am excited to see people happy, and I hope they will be happy when they receive a card from the Mayor with my design on it.”
In a Facebook post, Oliver Coppard said: "The card illustrated by Emily will now be sent far and wide, as an e-card and in print.
"I’m genuinely proud to be able to share South Yorkshire’s talent with the world."
Doncaster Deaf Trust has been providing specialist education for Deaf children for almost 195 years.
Jane Goodman, the headteacher of Doncaster School for the Deaf, said: “We are absolutely thrilled for Emily that her design was chosen for the mayors official Christmas card. She is over the moon.
“Our pupils loved taking part in the competition and all enjoy art and the chance to be creative.”
The competition is in its second year of running and has an aim to foster community engagement. It launched on November 17 and the winner was announced on December 7.
Music group for adults with learning disabilities raises money with Rotherham gigs
A group of adults with mild and moderate learning disabilities formed a band after discovering they could use their love of music for a good cause.
After their most recent gig helped raise money for St Rotherham's Hospice.
The band is aptly named "The Banned" and formed at Social Eyes Rotherham - a day provision for adults with mild and moderate learning disabilities.
Social Eyes Rotherham is a day service for adults with learning disabilities and autism. It's a five day provision that hosts an array of activities - from fitness and exercise classes, craft groups for bespoke gifts, visual media groups, football groups and a newsletter group.
They also have the 'Show Off's', which is a drama group who produce shows yearly and perform them to an audience, which Chelsea Jubb, team leader of The Banned said: "Is the most fantastic thing that we’ve got running in the service.”
However, The Banned has been taking up most of their time lately.
The Banned started off as a recreational group on a Saturday morning, just jamming along and having fun.
Staff at Social Eyes then decided that the group had more to offer, so increased rehearsal times and added in more gigs.
Miss Jubb said: “It’s just real good teamwork - that’s what The Banned is all about. We are just having fun with friends and it just so happens that they are all really good at it."
When asked about the highlights of the service, Miss Jubb said: “We often joke as a staff team that you can’t really call it a job because everybody enjoys it so much. You don’t feel like you’re working because you’re having so much fun."
The COVID pandemic highlighted the importance of services like Social Eyes and activities like The Banned. Miss Jubb said: “We noticed a massive change in COVID. We had to close as a service just like so many other people on the frontline.
Since COVID, we’ve really appreciated that social aspect, just being part of a team, being with their friends and just having fun. Mental health is obviously massively impacted. It’s inclusion and being part of something.”
In 2022, the Banned went on a Summer tour, playing six gigs in the space of a couple months and they are gearing up for another big Summer next year.
With plans to collaborate with local schools and keep performing in Rotherham, it won't be the last we see of The Banned.
XL Bully attack in Sheffield hospitalises man
Two dogs have been destroyed and a third been contained by police after an attack in Handsworth Road area on Sunday.
The dogs were shot by firearms officers after they escaped from a property and attacked another dog on the street.
The owner of the dog was taken to hospital following the attack and a 27-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of having a dog dangerously out of control.
The attack comes after the government announced new laws, banning ownership of XL Bully dogs if they are not registered on the Index of Exempted Dogs from 1 February 2024.
Former Environment Secretary Therese Coffey says that she has received death threats as a result of the ban.
The new law, which comes into effect from the end of December, make it illegal to breed, sell, advertise, exchange, gift, rehome, abandon or allow XL Bully dogs to stray in England and Wales.
Owners of XL Bully dogs without a Certificate of Exemption face a criminal record, an unlimited fine and their dog could be seized.
Dogs under one-year-old when the ban comes into effect must be neutered by June of next year.
To report a dog attack, call police at 101.
Sheffield’s biggest free event to return and double in size after £5,000 grant
A festival cancelled due to increasing costs will run again in 2024 after receiving a grant from the council.
The decision to reinstate Lowedges Community Festival was announced in a Local Area Committee meeting for Sheffield South and will be led by members of the local community working with a new council committee and event sponsors.
Full details of the event will be released early next year when the foundations have been laid out by the event organisers.
The festival first took place in 2008 at Greenhill Park in Lowedges and at first was made up of a few rides and an ice cream van, but in following years expanded to include stalls and what grew to be Sheffield’s largest classic car and bike show.
This expansion gave local residents a community backed day out for families featuring businesses from across Sheffield for something for everyone to choose from.
However, with rising footfall of up to 10,000 people came increased costs for permits to allow the festival to run, so the festival’s treasurer Stephen Rich turned to Louise Haigh MP for Sheffield Heeley for help.
Mr Rich said: “She and her team said there's no reason why we cannot take the event over into the council as it's Sheffield's biggest free event, but alas failure.
“The Liberal Democrat team came to the rescue via a small fun day which was top class this august.
“I continued with plan B which I have been working on for a full year, but I needed £5,000 to rescue the event to ensure it was sustainable.”
Mr Rich says that the £5,000 allocated by the council will not only allow the event to run but to nearly double in size.
He added that the festival has secured multiple sponsors which will ensure that the event can go ahead and be a day for the community to remember.
Updates on the festival can be found on the event’s Facebook page here: Facebook
Sheffield Walking netball club quadruples in size as sport’s popularity booms across the UK
Parkhead Walking netball group has more members than ever before and aims to get women active while building friendships and learning a new skill.
Walking netball is a slower and more inclusive variety of the sport that was created in 2017 in a collaboration between Age UK and England Netball.
There are over 200 programmes across the country and more than 37,000 women have got involved in the sport.
Christie White, a qualified netball coach and umpire who runs Parkhead's sessions, said: "It's just great to see people get back into some sort of sport. They all say each week: 'we loved that, thank you.'
"Walking netball is for any age, whatever gender you are."
The first sessions were only attended by four women, but now up to 16 play each week, as word has spread across social media and in local newspapers.
Mrs White added: "I want them to enter a league, that's my aim - to get them playing against other people."
According to Age UK, maintaining an active lifestyle is vital, especially in older age: "Regular activity can lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, some cancers, depression and dementia.
"Being active can lessen aches and pains, help you stay steady on your feet and boost your mood."
1.4 million older people in the UK are often lonely.
Mary Jeffrey, retired, who has been attending the sessions for eight weeks, said: "It's been brilliant, I've got a whole new set of a friends. I'm a competitive person so I really like the game element.
"This is the first team sport I've done since I left school at 18."
Walking netball has slightly different rules to netball: players can't run or jump, and are able to take three steps with the ball, rather than one.
Mrs Jeffrey added: "It's been really great getting back, it's good for your fitness, it's good for your mental health. It's very social, I look forward to it coming every Thursday."
Despite having never met each other before, the women now regularly meet up outside of the netball sessions, and keep in contact through a WhatsApp group.
"Because we're all of a certain age, we don't have to worry about what anybody thinks about us... we are who we are and we're just comfortable in our own skin."
Wilder’s Blades looking to put Bees to the sword
Chris Wilder’s return to Sheffield United this week was not the immediate fairytale reunion fans had hoped for, but showed signs of a potential resurgence.
Wilder took his position in the Bramall Lane dugout for the first time in more than two years on Wednesday as the Blades suffered a 2-0 defeat at the hands of title-chasing Liverpool.
While attention has turned to the Blades’ clash against mid-table Brentford at Bramall Lane this weekend, Wilder said: “The reception and performance they gave me on Wednesday was incredible.”
It has been a rocky start to the season for Sheffield United.
Their five points from the opening 15 matches is the lowest tally of any team in Premier League history.
It places them alongside Sunderland (2005-06) and their own struggles in the 2020-21 season. That season saw the Blades finish bottom of the Premier League on 23 points.
Wilder was dismissed in March of that season, but has returned for his second stint as Blades boss after Paul Heckingbottom was sacked on Tuesday.
Speaking after Wednesday’s match, Wilder said: “I understand some part of the support might have thought it was a mistake, me coming back, and I’ve still got to earn that trust.”
A poll by the Sheffield Wire on X/Twitter found 57% of participants did not feel Wilder was the right man to save the Blades.
Despite this, Wilder remains undeterred, optimistic about the challenges ahead and committed to steering the Blades away from the relegation zone.
“I do believe I’m the best man for the job, but I’ve got to go and prove that”, he said.
Saturday's clash with Brentford marks the renewal of hostilities between the two sides, the first meeting since they met in the Championship March 2019. The Blades took a 2-0 victory that day.
While they have an impressive recent record against Brentford, their opponents sit comfortably in 11th place in the Premier League.
The Bees, currently on a hot streak against newly promoted sides, have won each of their last five Premier League encounters with such teams, albeit all at home.
What’s more, United's dismal 3pm points-per-game record does not do them any favours going into this clash.
Among the 40 sides to play 100 or more games at the traditional Saturday 3pm kick-off time in the Premier League, Sheffield United have the lowest record in this slot (1.01 – P105 W26 D28 L51).
The Blades will need a drastic turnaround under Wilder's leadership to defy historical odds and secure a much-needed victory against Brentford. He is due to face the media this afternoon.
Officers discover £500,000 of cannabis in Darnall
A cannabis factory with more than 700 plants was discovered when police raided a warehouse on Colwall Street after receiving a tip off.
Officers had sufficient evidence drugs were being grown and distributed from the site.
Two men aged 25 and 27 have been arrested and are to appear in court in due course.
Local Sheffield South East Neighbourhood Policing Team Insp Katie Roland-Wilson said: "Some people may think cannabis is a 'harmless' drug however the production and supply of cannabis is often linked to organised crime and the exploitation of vulnerable people who are recruited to look after the grows”.
Insp Katie Roland-Wilson has encouraged the public to keep an eye out for anything that doesn't look right.
She said: “If you have concerns about a property near you, please report it to us. When we receive intelligence, we will act on it. Together, we can make our streets and communities safer.”