Government has announced that Sheffield city centre train station has been approved for connection to the high-speed rail route HS2. The route will provide two trains an hour between Sheffield and London. The decision has been welcomed local businesses and politicians. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
The English Institute of Sport played host to an end of season tournament and awards event for goalball, the only paralympic team sport designed for the visually impaired. Played with raised markings on the floor, blindfolds are used to ensure an even playing field as players locate the ball through sound. Goalball is played by men and women and Goalball UK has supported a highly successful national women’s team. Simon Thake reports for Sheffield Live!
Sheffield Council have released details of their bid to bring Channel 4 to Sheffield including visualisations of a TV production headquarters next to Sheffield Station. Sheffield is one of several cities that have thrown their hat into the ring in respond to a government consultation on moving the public service channel out of London. It is estimated a Sheffield headquarters could bring over 4,000 highly skilled jobs to the city by 2027. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!
Bag It Don’t Bin It (BIDBI), the local multi award winning company that prints cotton tote bags using ethically sourced and eco-friendly materials, is celebrating ten years of service. The company works in partnership with Fairtrade certified cotton farmers and has produced bags for some of the world’s top brands, arts organisations and charities, as well as independent businesses. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!
Woodseats Playground has been re-opened with a ribbon-cutting launch event as part of a £300k programme of improvements at Graves Park. Sheffield’s largest park, nearly a century old, is home to a large lake, sports pitches, a rose garden, play areas, an animal farm and even its own herd of Highland cattle. The programme has been part funded by the sale of Cobnar Cottage. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!
Cat lovers will soon be able to walk into a coffee shop and enjoy a cuppa in the company of their furry friends. Tabby Teas cat cafe is set to open on Cemetery Road, Sharrow and aims to give a home to cats from animal rescue charities such as the Mill House Animal Sanctuary. The cat cafe concept originates from China and Japan where it has been popular with cat lovers who live in properties where animals are not allowed. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
Primary and secondary schools in Darnall came together for an annual sports day at the City Athletics Stadium on Woodburn Road. The community event, open to parents and children, aimed to promote children’s engagement in sport and exercise. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Nicola Hopkin, PE teacher at Sheffield Park Academy.
An innovative mobile phone app has being launched at an event in Rotherham as part of the national effort to combat child sexual exploitation. The Nimos Safeguarding app is aimed at trusted professionals working in health, education, social services and the voluntary sector. It operates on mobile phones, tablets and desktop devices. The app is designed to assist the collection of non-criminal information and suspicions that might otherwise be missed and which could contribute to the prevention of abuse and the protection of children. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
Sheffield Council has submitted proposals to bring Channel 4 to the city in response to a government consultation on relocation of the public service television channel. Sheffield faces stiff competition from Cardiff, Liverpool, Bradford and Birmingham, as well as Manchester where the BBC’s Media City is situated. Government is seeking views on relocation of the broadcaster’s activities to an outside London location to help drive creative jobs in the regions. Sheffield Live! reporter Simon Thake spoke to Councillor Mazher Iqbal.
Citizens Advice Sheffield has called on the government to fix the new Universal Credit welfare scheme before it is further rolled out in the city. Sheffield has a temporary Universal Credit ‘live service’ for people with straightforward claims but the charity has warned that implementation has been problematic, putting people at financial risk as they wait six weeks or more for their first payment. The numbers struggling to set up on the Universal Credit scheme could grow rapidly from July 2018, when ‘full service’ arrives, meaning anyone still in receipt of older benefits, such as tax credits or housing benefit, has to apply for Universal Credit. It is projected that 69,000 households across Sheffield will be moved to the Universal Credit scheme by 2022. Simon Thake reports for Sheffield Live!