National Adoption Week is designed to raise awareness of the number of children in need of a loving home. The week long campaign aims to encompass all aspects of adoption, including the challenges of adoptive parenting, stories of adopted children and those of others whose life has been touched by adoption. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Liz Coates, assistance service manager at the adoption and fostering service.
Norfolk Community Primary school is celebrating a new sensory room dedicated to children with additional needs. Youngsters aged between two and six, with conditions such as ADHD, autism and other developmental challenges, will now be able to benefit from the new facility which will provide a safe, calm and comfortable environment. The room has a range of high quality sensory resources including lighting, smells, bubble tubes, music and a projector.
https://vimeo.com/187858049
Sheffield refuse workers have walked out for the second time in a week over a pay dispute with waste management company Veolia. GMB union members have taken industrial action after waste management bosses refused to offer them the two percent pay rise which they sought. Around 120 GMB union members were at the picket line on Monday. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to Michael Hinchliffe, GMB regional convenor.
Eight men have been convicted at Sheffield Crown Court of multiple child sexual exploitation offences against three young girls in Rotherham between 1999 and 2003. The conviction follows a four-week trial that began in September and which recalled years of sexual abuse against young girls in Rotherham. Shamaan Freeman-Powell reports for Sheffield Live!
South Yorkshire Police have said they now believe Ben Needham, the Sheffield toddler who disappeared 25 years ago, died in an accident at the time. Detectives who had travelled to the Greek Island of Kos confirmed that the search is over as they conclude the young boy was killed accidentally by a digger driver near the farm house where he disappeared. Ben was 21 months old when he went missing during a family holiday in Kos on 24 July 1991.
Local arts organisations Ignite Imaginations have teamed up with Adullam Homes for a pop up exhibition called ‘Home’ in the city centre. The display can be found in the Winter Gardens until Wednesday and is accompanied by free workshops for children and adults and children led by professional artists and offering visitors the chance to create artwork that reveals what ‘Home’ means to them. Shamaan Freeman-Powell reports for Sheffield Live!
Moor Sheffield and Off the Shelf collaborated in an outdoor event to celebrate 100 years of the popular children’s author Roald Dahl. A fizz-whizzing afternoon was had by human beans of all ages and visitors were encourage to make dirty beast masks, BFG ears or Cinderella crowns. There was even a robot poem generator. Sheffield Live! report Simon Thake was lucky enough to catch up with one of Dahl’s favourite characters.
Protestors gathered outside Sheffield train station on Friday to call for the UK to provide more support in accepting child refugees from the Jungle camp in Calais. The peaceful demonstration was designed to raise awareness of the plight of refugee children. Children’s shoes were lined up outside the station to symbolise the young refugees in need and protestors lit candles and waved banners. A similar protest was also organised in Barnsley. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to Val Huzzard from Sheffield Donations for Refugees.
The Herd of Sheffield elephants say one final goodbye to the city this weekend before they are auctioned off to the highest bidder to raise funds for charity. All 58 elephants have been on display outside the Meadowhall Shopping Centre for the public to have one final glimpse at their favorites. The Herd of Sheffield initiative was created by The Children’s Hospital Charity and Wild in Art, uniting businesses, communities, artists and schools. It has proved hugely popular with the public with many people taking selfies next to their favourite elephant and following the “Herd Trail”. Also present at Meadowhall were artist Steve McKay who designed two of the elephants, Darren Pearce the Centre Director of Meadowhall and the Director of the Childrens Hospital Charity David Vernon Edwards. Simon Thake reports for Sheffield Live!
Sheffield Heeley MP, Louise Haigh, has been given shadow ministerial responsibility for the digital economy in the latest reshuffle by opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn. The move comes at an important time, with the Digital Economy Bill currently progressing through Parliament. Sheffield Live! reporter Bailor Jalloh spoke to Louise Haigh about her new role.