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Rotherham Council to offer cost of living support

Rotherham Council is to help residents with energy bills and rent support packages as the cost of living continues to rise. The local authority is bringing forward an £800,000 package of measures to help local people hit hardest by the cost of living crisis. Around 2,000 households in need will be able to claim a £250 grant out of a £500,000 package and a further £300,000 will be used to expand Discretionary Housing Payment support for people struggling with rent payments. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Chris Reed, leader of Rotherham Council.

 

Greener transport for city centre

A new electric shuttle bus service is to be introduced in Sheffield taking passengers to key city centre destinations such as Fargate, the Moor and the train station. Buses are also to be given priority on Arundel Gate to make journeys faster and improve air quality on one of the city’s busiest routes. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Councillor Douglas Johnson, executive member for climate change, environment and transport.

Grassroots action provides vital aid to Ukraine

The founder of Freedom Boxes, a humanitarian initiative launched within hours of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is scaling-up to help bring Ukrainian’s to safety. The project, set up to send essentials and messages messages of hope to refugees escaping Ukraine is now organising Freedom Buses to help transport Ukrainians away from danger. Organiser Stuart Watkins, told Sheffield Live! that most of the aid work is being done at a grassroots level with Ukrainians risking their lives to take aid into Ukraine from the border. Azz Mohammed reports.

Doubly displaced, a Ukrainian journey from Donetsk

Ukrainian journalist and human rights worker Euhenia Kubakh, originally from Donetsk, spoke to Sheffield Live! about leaving Kyiv and supporting the humanitarian relief effort in Warsaw. When Russian backed separatists in 2014 seized Donetsk, Sheffield’s twin city, Euhenia fled to Kyiv. After last months Russian invasion, she joined hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians seeking refugee in Poland and is helping with humanitarian relief. Sangita Basudev reports.

New alliance declares nature emergency for Rotherham

Rotherham Climate Action has teamed up with Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust and others to create a new alliance declaring a nature emergency. According to the partners wildlife is facing a critical emergency, with one in four species in the UK now at threat of extinction. Nature Recovery Rotherham has been set up to create awareness and help restore nature and wildlife. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Helen Francis, coordinator for Rotherham Climate Action.

New rules on mobile phone use while driving

Laws on mobile phones use while driving have changed to make virtually any form of handheld use illegal, including refreshing a screen, taking photos or scrolling. The new rules mean you can only use your device in am emergency when it is unsafe or impractical to stop, when safely parked or to make contactless payments at a drive through. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Joanne Wherle, manager for South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership.

New creative workspace to open in Highfield

Creative Arts Development Space (CADS) has taken on their 17th building in the city offering low cost office and studio space for artists and creative businesses. The not-for-profit charity aims to provide creative talent in Sheffield with affordable workspace away from home. CADS has taken over the former Go Outdoors office on Arley Street in Highfield. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke Claire Rimmer, manager at CADS.

Local café raises over £3k for Ukraine

A family run café in Hillsborough, Molly’s Café & Deli, has raised over £3,000 to support the humanitarian relief effort for Ukraine. Molly’s have been baking cakes to sell to raise funds and say the generosity of Sheffielders has been amazing. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Lucy Poplawski, manager at Molly’s Café & Deli.

£7m bail out is end game for Sheffield City Trust

Sheffield City Trust which runs some of the city’s biggest leisure and entertainment venues is to hand them back to Sheffield Council after receiving a £7 million bailout. Opposition leader Shaffaq Mohammed has called it an end game for the organisation with tax payers to be hit one more time to fill the budget gap. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!

Tramlines call for new talent

Tramlines Festival has announced an open invitation to new acts who want to perform at the festival this year. Festival organisers are looking to bring in more new talent from the local community. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Alex Deadman, regional media officer for Tramlines.