South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard has told Sheffield Live! that the Sheffield-Doncaster airport which closed earlier this month could reopen next year if a takeover deal is finalised. Talks between owners Peel and a business consortium are still ongoing following the closure of the site earlier this month. In July owners, peel announced the airport would closed as they said it was not “commercially viable”. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!
Campaigners have called for employers to be forced to pay women and men equally for doing the same or similar jobs in response to a Fawcett Society report that concludes women are paid 11.3% less for doing the same job with similar qualifications. The report release on International Equal Pay Day also highlights the need for more investment in child care to help women back to work. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to Charlotte Mead from Sheffield’s Women Equality Party.
The mother of a young black man who was brutally stabbed to death by a white racist while distributing church leaflets in Sheffield city centre has told Sheffield Live! she and her family accepted the court’s decision on the case. On 17 September 2021, officers were called to High Street at around 4.30pm following reports of a stabbing. Detectives found Mohamed Issa Koroma, 24, in a pool of blood with serious and critical injuries to his neck. A post-mortem concluded that he died as a result of stab wounds. James Lee, 32, of Doncaster Road, Rotherham, was arrested and later charged. Lee was sentenced on 11 September 2022 to indefinite detention in a mental hospital after pleading guilty to manslaughter on the ground of diminished responsibility.
A campaign has been launched to save one of Sheffield’s historic buildings, Abbeydale Picture House, with the aim to restore the building and bring it back into public use. Since 2017, Sheffield arts charity CADS has had a long term lease on the building but a dispute over roofing repairs led to their temporary eviction in May. CADS recently regained access and are launching a campaign to cover the operating costs and to continue long term restoration. Sheffied Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to Steve Rimmer, founder and trustee of CADS.
Social entrepreneurs from across South Yorkshire came together to mark International Social Enterprise Day at a Sheffield conference to address social, economic and environmental sustainability. Social enterprises put people, communities and environment before profit and operate in many sectors of the region’s economy including health and social care, food, transport, creative industries and community development. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!
South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard has criticised the government for lack of communication and progress on investment in public transport in Yorkshire and the North of England. It is a year since the integrated rail plan revealed that the HS2 line through Yorkshire had been scrapped. Since then, no alternative plans have been announced to improve train services between Sheffield and Leeds. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Mayor of South Yorkshire Oliver Coppard.
Hundreds of climate activists took part in a rally in Sheffield city centre at the weekend, calling on world leaders deliberating at the COP27 climate conference in Egypt to act quicker to tackle the climate emergency. The rally was part of a global day of action on climate change, held in cities and towns across the world. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
Food banks in Sheffield are struggling to respond to demand which has inceased rapidly as a result of the cost of living crisis. Sheffield S6 Food Bank has been supporting around 1200 people a week this year, compared to 150 people a week in March 2020. The charity says they have to rely on those who can to donate money so they can purchase additional food to help the growing number of those struggling. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Alison Wise.
The Sarah Nulty Power of Music Foundation has pledged support to Ukrainians in Sheffield including a children’s choir that is preparing to perform in the city centre during the Christmas festivities. Some of the funding will go towards equipment and costumes for the children who attend a Ukrainian Saturday school. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Julie Voisey, chair of the Sarah Nulty Power of Music Foundation.
Communities across Yorkshire at risk of flooding are being offered a series of workshops to help them prepare better, as part of Flood Action Week. With climate change leading to increased flood risk across the country, the workshops are intended to raise awareness of flood risks and flood warning systems, and to support preparedness among at risk households and communities. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Graham Lindsey, flood resilience team leader at the Environment Agency.