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Latest news from the Sheffield Live! teams

£1.5bn investment plan to transform Sheaf Valley

A massive £1.5bn redevelopment project in the Sheaf Valley is being proposed by Sheffield Council, linked to HS2 and and extending from St Mary’s Road to Park Square. The plan includes moving the Sheaf Street dual carriageway out to the current tram route, demolishing the Park Square roundabout and investment in new offices, leisure facilities and public spaces around Sheffield station. The Sheffield Valley project will be one of the biggest council led redevelopment schemes with up to £1bn sought from the private sector and other funding coming from government, Sheffield City Region, HS2 and other partners. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Councillor Mazher Iqbal cabinet member for business and investment.

International Women’s Day: more progress needed on gender equality

An open event at Union Street to mark International Women’s Day discussed the struggles women face in employment and in achieving progress on gender equality. The International Women’s Day campaign carries the theme this year of Generation Equality and aims to drive actions that will create a gender-equal world. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to Sarah Woolley, general secretary of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union.

Union demands better conditions for student workers

Unite the Union is calling on Sheffield University’s Students Union management to end zero hours contracts and to offer its student workers the real living wage. Unite Union says hundreds of students are employed by the University’s student union on a casual bases earning less than £118 a week meaning they do not qualify for statutory sick pay. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to Harriet Eisner, regional organiser for Unite.

GMB defends trade union convenor posts

The GMB union staged a protest at Sheffield Town Hall against Liberal Democrat proposals to cut funding for Sheffield Council employees who work as trade union convenors. The union claims that convenors save money for the local authority by representing the workforce on industrial matters. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to GMB organiser Lee Parkinson.

Funding boost for social enterprise

A National Lottery funding award is set to bring a £500 thousand boost to social enterprises in the Sheffield City Region. The funding awarded to the Social Enterprise Exchange consortium and Sheffield Social Enterprise Network will support a programme of awareness raising, business support and small grants. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Darren Chouings, chair of Sheffield Social Enterprise Network.

Sheffield kicks off Home of Football campaign

A launch event at Sheffield Town Hall has blown the starting whistle on a campaign for recognition of Sheffield as the Home of Football. The Sheffield Home of Football Group unveiled a 180 page document citing the city’s place in early footballing history and setting out proposals outlining how the city could benefit. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Nick Partridge, trustee of the campaign and head of Sheffield Libraries, Archives and Information Services.

£1.2m raised for South Yorkshire flood affected communities

The South Yorkshire Flood Disaster Relief Appeal has raised over £600,000 through a crowdfunding campaign with government pledging to match the results pound for pound. The appeal, launched by South Yorkshire Community Foundation, is to support people and business in South Yorkshire affected by the November 2019 floods. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Ruth Willis, chief executive of South Yorkshire Community Foundation.

Video game museum welcomes gaming royalty

The National Video Game Museum rolled out the red carpet this week for Masayuki Uemura, the hardware research designer behind the classic Nintendo and super Nintendo consoles. In an exclusive appearance in Sheffield, Uemura talked about his career and role in development of the hugely influential gaming hardware. The National Video Game Museum moved to Sheffield in November 2018 reflecting the city’s growing importance in the gaming industry with the success of companies like Gremlin and Sumo Digital. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Conor Clarke, responsible for communications at the National Video Game Museum.