NHS to face ‘significant disruption’ when junior doctors strike for a second time
Junior doctors in Wales are set to walk out for three consecutive days starting on Wednesday morning.
The three day strike will begin at 7am and will mirror their walkout in January.
Teachers get new guidance as ministers ‘ban’ mobile phones in schools
Ministers have moved ahead with the pledge to ban mobile phones in schools.
The guidance, which is non-statutory, instructs headteachers on how to ban the use of phones not only during lessons but during break and lunch periods as well.
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan it would provide “clarity and consistency” for teachers.
In a statement, she said: “Schools are places for children to learn and mobile phones are, at a minimum, an unwanted distraction in the classroom.
Roman Kemp steps down from Capital Breakfast show
Roman Kemp has announced he is stepping down from his Capital Breakfast show after 10 years of presenting.
His last show will be on March 28.
Speaking on his morning programme on Monday, Kemp said: “What I can tell you is I’m not saying goodbye right now, I’m not leaving the show today and that’s it, but it’s not far away.
“It will come and that goodbye will come in five to six weeks. It’s not a decision that has come overnight either, it’s massive, I’ve not found it easy at all."
Morning Briefing: Stories to come throughout the day
Here’s a rundown of the top stories appearing on the Sheffield Wire today:
A Team GB Para Ice Hockey player who had his leg amputated after a running accident is fundraising to send his team to the World Championships.
A 20 mph speed zone has been approved in High Green and Fulwood despite significant opposition from the local community.
A pro-Palestinian rally was held outside Sheffield Town Hall to protest the ongoing conflict.
And in sport, the Sheffield Steelkings is fundraising for their upcoming games in Norway.
More to come throughout the day.
Sheffield’s Steelkings are raising money for life-changing opportunity
A Sheffield Para ice hockey club is relying on “crucial” donations to send some of their members to Norway for a global championship.
The Sheffield Steelkings are hoping to raise £2,000 for their players to be able to represent Great Britain in the 2024 World Para Ice Hockey Championships B-Pool.
The club is fully self-funded and relies on crucial charity work and fundraisers to be able to provide this opportunity for the team. When asked what going to Norway means to him, one of the members, Paul Brown, 33, said: “For your family to watch you on telly [...] it’s a massive sense of achievement.
“If it wasn’t for people’s donations, we’d never be able to represent the country.”
Mr Brown joined the Steelkings around a year ago after having one of his legs amputated. He said: “The club as a whole is one of the best things I’ve been involved with.
“Rather than being a club, we are like one big family.”
The club, which was founded in 2014, provides a space for those of all ages with disabilities to get involved in contact sports. Alongside the physical benefits of the game, the club also has a focus on creating a supportive community.
The team regularly go out for meals and always finds the time to help each other. Mr Brown credits the club with aiding him throughout his recovery.
He said: “Without that club, I don’t know where I’d be.”
The club has not only had an impact on its players but also on children in the local community. Mr Brown said he frequently has children come up to him after games asking for photos and signatures.
He said: “To these kids that have got these disabilities, it’s giving them hope, as well, that somewhere down the line this could be them.”
The club is in the process of starting up a kids academy to offer children the chance to get involved in para ice hockey.
Mr Brown’s fundraising page is available here.
Protesters call for University of Sheffield to help student stuck in Gaza
Protesters have been rallying in support of Palestinian student Said Zaaneen who is stuck in Gaza.
They are calling for the University of Sheffield to provide him with financial aid.
The emergency rally out of the University of Sheffield students union was called to reinforce the need for the university to support his student visa and ensure Said's name is added to the Rafah crossing list.
One protester, Hanazalah, spoke passionately about the issue and discussed how these organised events are just the start of their support of the Palestinian people.
The 24-year-old said: "We are here to show solidarity for one of our students , Said Zaaneen, he's a PhD student, Palestinian, who studied at the University of Sheffield who's currently stuck in Gaza.
"Now what I want from the university is for them to work with us to find legal representation for Said and explore all avenues they can to ensure his student visa is submitted and then that they lobby all relevant government bodies and seek out all support that they can publicly and institutionally for his student visa to be accepted and for his name to be added to the Rafah crossing list."
University students across Sheffield have been campaigning in support of Palestine for the last two months and Nathan said that he is "horrified" by the ongoings of the conflict in the Middle East.
Nathan said: "I think that this question of Palestine has become the lightning rod for anger everywhere. People are fighting in solidarity with the Palestinian people but it is a struggle against imperialism and capitalism on a world stage.
"We want this to end. We want this bloodbath to end."
Millers fans irritated as managerial search drags on
Rotherham United fans have expressed frustration at their club’s search to find a new manager almost a month after Matt Taylor was sacked.
It was reported in the Rotherham Advertiser yesterday that former Wigan Athletic manager Leam Richardson was on the verge of taking over in the Millers hotseat and could have been in place before their match against Swansea City tomorrow.
However, no official confirmation has been made by the club.
Danny Ogden-Glaves, co-host of New York Talk podcast described fans’ irritation in the delay to an appointment being confirmed.
He said: “I think the general saga is almost turning into Star Wars at the minute with Rotherham United. I think a lot of fans just want the appointment to be done now.”
Matt Taylor was relieved of his duties at the Millers in mid-November after a 5-0 defeat to Watford.
Since then, he has been appointed as manager of League One side Bristol. His assistant at the Millers, Wayne Carlisle, has been in temporary charge of the Millers alongside Dan Green and Scott Brown.
Mr Ogden-Glaves, 24, said the elongated process has left the Millers with little time to prepare for the January transfer window.
He said: “I don’t know why it’s taken so long. The closer we get to the window, the less time they have to identify the areas that need the most improvement.”
The club currently sit 23rd in the Championship, seven points from safety. They are without a win since October but have picked up vital draws in that time against high-flyers Ipswich Town and Leeds United, among others.
Other names who were in contention for the position was former Luton Town and Southampton manager Nathan Jones.
The Welshman was in the stands at St Andrews last Saturday to watch the Millers hold Birmingham City to a 0-0 draw but reportedly left before the end of the game.
Mr Ogden-Glaves thinks it is still possible for United to survive, but admitted a lot of work would need to be done for this to happen.
He said: “Whatever manager comes in, it’s going to be a tall order to hit the ground running.
“We’ve seen turnaround in shorter periods and I think if the new manager comes in, is supported and gets a tune out of the players, then I can’t see any reason why we can’t stay up.”
Rotherham United play host to Swansea City at the AESSEAL New York Stadium tomorrow, with the match kicking off at 3pm.
£2.3 million funding available to Sheffield venues to reduce their carbon footprint
As part of Sheffield City Council’s city goal to reduce carbon emissions and create a sustainable city, £2.3 million has been assigned to benefit cultural and community buildings.
The project, which will run until March 2025, aims to support 140 organisations to reduce their energy bills.
This grant, which is part-funded by the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, will identify possible saving improvements and help venues invest in solutions to reduce energy costs. Organisations will also benefit from one-to-one advice and support.
Councillor Martin Smith said: “This project brings together the support of specialist advisors to help organisations identify effective changes, with grants to bring those changes into action.
"It will give organisations the confidence and support they need to make sustainable changes, something that is crucial if we are to look after our planet and let our business and communities thrive.”
One of the venues benefiting from this funding is the Cupola Contemporary Art gallery, and have saved on energy costs by installing insulation, lower ceilings and motion sensor lighting.
Karen Sherwood, the founder and owner of Cupola Contemporary Art, said: “I felt I was talking to somebody who understood what I might not know. Without support and match funding, I wouldn’t have been able to implement the same programme of improvements.”
The Council is currently taking applications from organisations to receive the funding.
Black animals are harder to rehome says Sheffield-based sanctuary
Black animals have a harder time getting adopted due to the superstition surrounding their colour, according to local North Anston animal sanctuary.
Based in south Sheffield, Thornberry Animal Sanctuary was founded in 1988 and rescues animals from abandonment, and neglect.
While the sanctuary have had great adoption success stories, and have strong support from their local community, at times they have struggled to find homes for black animals, specifically cats and dogs.
Dating back to the European witch craze, black cats have often been regarded as an omen of bad luck, deterring people from adopting them.
Cattery and Small Animals Manager, Courtney Berry, said: “They’re a lot like marmite – people either love them or they don’t. We get a lot of them and they are very difficult to rehome.”
Additionally, at this time of year, it is particularly difficult for animals to be rehomed and as Christmas is a high travel period, animals can’t be homed with those who have upcoming trips booked, resulting in animals staying in the centre for longer periods of time.
In the kennels, black Lurchers and black Greyhounds are notorious for sticking around.
Hannah Armes, Thornberry’s Kennel Assistant said: “It's just the colour – people are put off by black dogs. The other colours of Lurchers and Greyhounds usually go quite quickly, but the black ones are less desirable,”
Desirable dogs have also been sent to Thornberry due to owners not foreseeing certain characteristics of their animal, or their medical costs.
A misconception around animal adoption is the underlying costs of taking care of small animals. According to Battersea pets, cat care is roughly £1587 per year, and rabbits at a similar cost of £1550.
Thornberry Animal Sanctuary hopes to hold classes in the new year to educate new pet owners on caring for their animals.
Entirely run on donation, fundraising plays a big part in keeping the centre afloat. Thornberry regularly holds events to entice the local community to support the centre and the animals it houses.
In early November, the sanctuary celebrated its 35th anniversary with a dinner gala. Last weekend, they held their annual Christmas fair, where they promoted local businesses.
Thornberry invites the local community to volunteer to help them day-to-day. Anyone is welcome to volunteer and can find an online application form on their website.
Thornberry Animal Sanctuary will soon open up a charity shop in Crystal Peaks Shopping Centre.
Protests continue outside city mail depot after people go three weeks with no post
A group of disgruntled Sheffielders have held the latest in a long series of protests over what they see as a failing postal service.
The group have been holding weekly protests outside the Sheffield South Delivery Office in Woodseats Road, since June.
Kate Billington, founder of Save Our Post, Save Our Posties, started the group after going nearly three weeks without any post in May.
She said: “Never have we paid more for a stamp and yet never had we received a more appalling service from Royal Mail.
“It feels like our postal service has been reduced to a game of chance.”
The group supports the postal workers and place the blame on the Government
Miss Billington said: “Many are now feeling distressed and so demoralised with the slashing of staff numbers and unreadable workloads imposed on them and feel they can no longer carry on.”
A number of staff from the depot showed their support for the protests by honking their horns and coming down for some food and conversation.
Leah Byatt, a social carer, 29, said: “Our posties are at an all time low. They were getting a lot of abuse and people were blaming them for the issues with the post.
“The government have let the service dwindle over the years and ever since it’s been privatised it’s just got worse and worse.”
Earlier this year the depot reduced its opening hours to 8am-10am, and the community feels both residents and postal workers deserve better.
Miranda Allen said: “You’re paying for something you’re not getting, if this was any other company they’d be getting investigated, and there doesn’t seem to be anyone taking responsibility.
“We like our posties and we know our posties and we want to support them as well.”
As the group came together to sing songs and share festive treats, along with some of the postal workers, Miss Billington said she was delighted at the turnout.
She said: “It’s a little bit surreal and I’m probably a bit sleep-deprived and I’ve been up late having ideas and making banners.
“It’s great to see these people here, it’s a popular cause and I think once people realise Royal Mail has been privatised we generally get people in agreement.”
“It’s sort of like a chain reaction”: What Protesting Means to the Student Population
In an effort to express their voices, students have been partaking in protests within recent months.
Tomorrow will see a march for climate justices, starting at the University of Sheffield's student union at 11:30am, which will conclude a series of events which took place over the last week intending to raise awareness of climate related issues in both Sheffield and internationally.
The march rounds up a week of lectures, panel-discussions, and banner-making, all intended at raising awareness of climate related issues, both in Sheffield and internationally.
These events were part of the Don't Cop Out! campaign, set up by Jo Campling, Sheffield student union's Welfare and Sustainability officer and allow students to have the opportunity to contribute to a "global voice" from Sheffield.
Miss Campling highlights that the Don't Cop Out! events are intended to make a point for change, due to the perspective that talks such as COP28 can often lead to little change.
She said these events were a chance to see what can be done in Sheffield to "add to the global voice."
In light of this, students within Sheffield have also emphasised the need for an output to be able to express their opinions and show their support for causes which they regard as important.
Adan Akhtar, 18, an Aerospace Engineering student at the University of Sheffield, highlighted the need for protests, calling them an "opportunity."
Mr Akthar has currently been working within the Don't Cop Out! campaign and has also previously taken roles within protests for Palestine.
Creating banners to be used during the Don't Cop Out! march tomorrow, Mr Akhtar highlighted how this event allowed an output for expression which he had not been able to find previously within his friend groups and also within educational, teaching settings.
He said: "I've always cared about the climate, I know that it's a pressing issue and that we need to be talking more about it. But whenever I've tried doing it with my friends and even with some of my teachers, it's like they accept the fact that there is climate change happening and that there is an issue.
"It's like a passive acceptance on the fact that there is not enough people taking action towards it."
Alongside this Mr Akthar emphasised the opportunity that protests provide as he discussed his experience of becoming increasingly engaged within protest activism when he moved to Sheffield, from the UEA.
Reflecting on his experience of joining protests he said: "at the start you’re kind of scared because you don’t want to get in trouble so you’re just a bystander, like at any sort of protest or march going on you’re just on the side and just observing.
"And then the next thing you know you’re already in the centre, you’re also protesting along with them, so it's sort of a chain reaction."
Alongside being part of the Don't Cop Out! campaigns, Mr Akthar has also attended Pro-Palestine protests, which took place within Sheffield in previous months, and indicated the importance he felt to protesting a range of political issues.
And, while not all students have took part in the recent protests within the university, it appears to be evident that many support them.
Ziran Wang, an international marketing and management student at the University of Sheffield had also seen Pro-Palestine protests in Sheffield.
Reflecting on a Pro-Palestine protest at the Wave building on November 20, Miss Wang said she did not want to partake as she was unsure of on the "facts of the war."
She said that rather than being part of a protest she would prefer to, "listen to others."
Lang Qianhu, a student of creative and cultural industry management at the University of Sheffield, said that though she has never encountered a protest, she feels they are an important "opportunity for students to stand up for their own opinions."
One student, who did not wish to be named, also said they hadn't taken part within any protests previously but did say they could be interested to be part of one in the future, particularly on topics that they felt impacted them directly.
Sheffield’s creative community to have a voice in new cultural strategy for city
2024 promises to be a year of culture in Sheffield after the announcement of a new collaborative culture plan shaped by the city’s creatives.
The Sheffield Culture Strategy 2024 aims to provide a plan for developing the cultural sector by inviting the local creative community to influence the strategy via a city-wide survey.
The project is championed by the Culture Collective and Culture Consortium, and has received backing from Sheffield City Council, the University of Sheffield and Arts England.
Ruth Nutter, a Sheffield-based creative producer and author, called the project “a genuine opportunity to shape the culture strategy needed to realise ambitions and crystallise our creative story.”
Key objectives of the strategy include increasing accessibility to resources, helping organisations become more resilient and further integrating culture into the city’s identity.
The survey asks people what excites them about Sheffield’s creativity and culture as well as asking for extensive feedback on what areas the strategy should focus on.
Cllr Martin Smith, who is also a member of the Culture Collective board, said: “We want to make the culture sector more inclusive, connected and diverse, and by bringing the voices of those working in these industries together, we should be able to develop something that will truly benefit the people of Sheffield.”
The City Council’s endorsement of the strategy is a product of over a year of developmental work and campaigning for more funding to be directed towards the culture sector.
The next phases of the Culture Strategy will be announced in the new year, with the project to run until May 2024.