It is ten years since Sheffield was declared the UK’s first city of sanctuary for refugees and asylum seekers and celebrations are planned as part of Refugee Week 2017. A recent survey commisioned by the BBC indicated almost half of people in Sheffield (46 per cent) back the City of Sanctuary movement’s aim to welcome refugees and asylum seekers, but one third oppose the idea and 19 per cent expressed no view. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
Charity activists were out in Barker’s Pool at the weekend to raise public awareness and understanding of stillbirth and neonatal deaths, as part of Sands Awareness Month. According to the national Sands charity, 15 babies a day are still born or die just after birth. A Sheffield chapter of the Sands charity has been recently formed and is organising the local Sands awareness campaign. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
Sheffield Council have confirmed that additional fire safety checks are to be carried out in residential tower blocks in Sheffield following the Grenfell Tower fire disaster in London. The fire safety review will commence from Monday, 19 June, and will be undertaken by South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke with councillors and local residents at Leverton Gardens on the Lansdowne estate in Sharrow.
New documentary Joe Cocker: Mad Dog with Soul features never-before-seen footage of the Sheffield soul and blues legend including backstage at the celebrated 1969 Woodstock Festival. The recently released film, which was on show at Sheffield Doc/Fest tracks the star’s musical career and difficult journey to sobriety with archive footage and interviews with close associates. Sheffield Live! reporter Simon Thake spoke to film director John Edginton.
Oscar winning director Vanessa Roth brought her new film Daughters of Destiny to Sheffield Doc/Fest ahead of its launch on Netflix this summer. Daughters of Destiny follows some of rural India’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged children as they grow up in the Shanti Bhavan project. The film is an exploration of poverty, discrimination, opportunity and the search for purpose. Sheffield Live! reporter Simon Thake spoke to Vanessa Roth.
The Alternative Realities exhibition at the Millennium Gallery and in Tudor Square provided a taste of emerging technologies including 3D and 360 degree film-making. Sheffield Live! reporter Simon Thake gazes into the future.
A YouGov poll of 50,000 people estimates 63 per cent of voters aged between 18 and 29 supported Labour in the General Election compared to just 22 per cent for the Tories. Earlier this week Sheffield Young Labour held a rally to protest Tory proposals to negotiate with the Democratic Unionist Party to support a minority government. Sheffield Live! reporter Simon Thake spoke to Sheffield Hallam Conservatives for their perspective on the election.
Following the surprise decision of Tim Farron to step as Liberal Democrat leader, Sheffield Live! spoke to Shaffaq Mohammed, leader of the Lib Dem group at Sheffield Council. In a statement issued less than a week after the General Election, Farron said he was “torn between living as a faithful Christian and serving as a political leader” and that he should have dealt “more wisely” with questions relating to his faith during the election campaign. Farron’s views on gay sex became a subject of growing media attention as he sought to deflect questioning on the matter. Simon Thake reports for Sheffield Live!
Local charity Sheffield Young Carers took to the streets with a beat bonanza to mark Carers Week 2017 and to celebrate their 20th anniversary. The organisation ‘Fun Drum’ provided rhythm and movement mayhem with passers-by invited to grab a drum and get involved. Sheffield has an estimated 7,300 young carers. Carers Week is a national campaign which aims to raise awareness of caring, the challenges carers face and the contribution they make. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!
Over five hundred people took part in a rally at Barker’s Pool called to oppose the proposed pact between the Tory party and the DUP. The rally was one of many organised around the UK by Young Labour in response to Theresa’s May’s decision to negotiate a deal with the DUP to prop up her minority government. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!