Humanitarian activist and spoken word artist, Assim Khan, of Darnall, is to embark on a trip to the Syrian border to deliver aid to those displaced by war. The project has taken over six months to plan and will deliver £50,000 of humanitarian aid supplies. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Aasim Khan about the mission.
Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind is among the charities working to improve public understanding of the combined effects of deafness and blindness. One of the major causes of blindness in older age is macular degeneration which involves the loss of vision in the centre of the eye and affects around half of all people who are registered as blind or partially sighted. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Robert McCann and George Bryan of Sheffield Royal Society for the Blind.
Previously unplayable council-owned tennis courts in parks across Sheffield have gained a new lease of life thanks to investment from Parks Tennis and the Lawn Tennis Association. The refurbishment of 34 courts across 10 sites aims to bring low cost tennis to people of all ages and abilities. An online booking system will allow quick reservation with funds raised being used to maintain the courts. Sheffield Live reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Jeff Hunter, managing director of Parks Tennis and Paul Sheard of the Lawn Tennis Association.
Sheffield Council has announced its support for an initiative to provide free vitamin tablets to pregant women and babies in a bid to eradicate rickets and to give a healthy start to life. Rickets is a preventable disease yet one which is also on the rise. It is caused by vitamin D deficiency resulting from a lack of exposure to sunlight. The council is now backing the healthy start campaign to reduce the prevalence of rickets. Sheffield Live reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Greg Fell, director of public health at Sheffield City Council.
Ponds Forge played host to a competition with a difference as the European Gaming League took over the sports centre for two days of eSports console action playing Call of Duty. The online gaming league promotes team-based video gaming competitions with a prize pool of 25,000 dollars for the winning team at the Sheffield event. Simon Thake reports for Sheffield Live!
The former Labour Party councillor for Nether Edge and Sharrow, Nasima Akther, who stood down for health reasons, has spoken out in praise of her replacement Jim Steinke. Councillor Akther had had previously been suspended by the Labour Party for not voting along party lines on a motion regarding tree felling. Simon Thake reports for Sheffield Live!
Labour won the Nether Edge and Sharrow by-election by a narrow margin, with Jim Steinke beating Rob Unwin of the Greens by just 132 votes. Steinke told Sheffield Live! that he accepted the tree felling programme had boosted the Green Party vote but he insisted Labour had run a positive campaign and called for a “progressive alliance” within council. Simon Thake reports.
The Sheffield Council by-election takes place on Thusday 22 June, with candidates from the Liberal Democrats, Labour and the Green Party all in the running. The by-election follows the resignation of Labour councillor Nasima Akther and the winning candidate will join Labour Party councillor Mohammed Maroof and Green Party councillor Alison Teale as representatives for the Nether Edge and Sharrow ward. On the ballot paper are Shahid Ali (Liberal Democrats), Jim Steinke (Labour Party) and Rob Unwin (Green Party). Sheffield Live! reporters Azz Mohammed and Simon Thake interviewed the candidates.
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue have begun additional fire safety checks on all tower blocks in Sheffield. Steve Helps, head of protection and prevention, told Sheffield Live that “early indications are that there are no similarities” between the cladding used on Sheffield high risers and the Grenfell Tower Block. He also confirmed the checks will be on all high risers and not just council-run properties. Simon Thake reports for Sheffield Live!
The chair of Gleadless Valley Tenants and Residents Association has challenged Sheffield Council to prove that cladding installed on the six high rise tower blocks at Callow Mount is safe and different to the cladding installed at Grenfell Tower in London. Sally Dale, chair of Gleadless Valley TARA warned that residents are nervous and would like written evidence to prove their buildings are safe. Councillor Jayne Dunn has said checks are being carried out by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. Simon Thake reports for Sheffield Live!