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Opera on Location’s ‘Tosca’ at Abbeydale Picture House

The Abbeydale Picture House on Abbeydale Road is the venue for the latest production from the Opera on Location team. Their production of Tosca, the heartbreaking operatic love story is set in the 1920s which is also the decade when the former Picture House cinema was opened. Opera on Location, created after the success of the production of Benjamin Britten’s opera version of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ in August 2013, is a new opera company based in Sheffield with the aim to perform exciting opera in real locations. Kathryn Gasic and Gareth Lloyd, the company founders, produced and self-funded the production, which took place in the Winter Gardens, as part of the A Boy Was Born festival hosted by The University of Sheffield. After receiving critical acclaim for their sell-out run of the Britten opera, they decided to create the company in order to repeat this successful approach to opera performance.

Road crash victims remembered in August safety campaign

Created in 1998 by safety and justice campaign, RoadPeace, National Road Victim Month aims to remember those killed or seriously injured by road traffic collisions as well as raising awareness of the impact on individuals and their families. August has historically seen an increase in road collisions due to high levels of summer traffic. Sheffield Live! reporter, Baillor Jalloh spoke to Joanne Wehrl of South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership which bring together councils and other public bodies to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured across the county’s roads. South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership consists of Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield Councils, The Highways Agency, South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Public Health Bodies, University of Sheffield, Peak District National Park Authority, and South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue.

True story of Sheffield Blitz comes to Sheffield Theatres

Operation Crucible, a new play based on a true story from the Sheffield Blitz, opens in September at the Crucible Studio. On the 12 December 1940 a single bomb reduced the Marples Hotel, in Fitzalan Square, from seven storeys to just 15 feet of rubble. Just one of the ten compartments in the hotel’s cellars withstood the blast. Within it trapped were four men. Operation Crucible tells their story. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to writer and actor Kieran Knowles and actor Paul Tinto.

Cutlers Spice scoops English Curry Award

Sheffield’s Cutlers Spice has won the Yorkshire Team of the Year 2016 English Curry Award. The Indian restaurant based in Gleadless Townend was also nominated for the Chef of the Year Award. This is the second time the restaurant has won the English Curry Award. In 2014, it won the award for the best Chef in the Yorkshire region. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh caught up with Allam Shah Ullah, General Chef Manager at Cutlers Spice.

Nineteen witnesses sought in Hillsborough appeal

Detectives leading a criminal investigation into the Hillsborough disaster have released still images and CCTV footage of nineteen men they would like to speak to as potential witnesses. Officers working on the investigation, called Operation Resolve, believe the men may have vital information that could help the inquiry. They are seen in the images in the vicinity of Gate C outside the Leppings Lane end at 2.52pm just before kick-off on the day of the disaster. Ninety-six Liverpool fans were killed during the FA cup semi final match between Liverpool and Nottingham forest as a result of the crush at the Sheffield Wednesday football stadium in Hillsborough on 15 April, 1989.

New parks boss reveals plan for Sheffield green spaces

Sheffield City Council’s new Head of Parks and Countryside, Lisa Firth, has revealed her plans to assure access for all to Sheffield’s parks and recreation grounds. Ms Firth, who has taken up the post after an established career in the public, private and voluntary sectors, was born and raised in Stocksbridge, and loves to walk, run and ride around Bolsterstone, the Ewden Valley and the Peak District. Now, she is in charge of Sheffield’s 800 or so green spaces, including 95 parks and recreation grounds. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh caught up with Lisa Firth at the Norfolk Heritage Park.

Charity for the homeless wins £60,000 grant

The Archer project, a Sheffield charity for homeless and vulnerable people, has won a £60,000 grant from Lloyds Banking Group. The charity will receive £20,000 a year for the next three years to help homeless and other vulnerable people across the city. The Archer Project helps people in need of food and shelter and also supports the homeless to gain valuable skills. They rely mainly on donations from members of the public. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to Tracey Viner, Marketing and Development Manager.

Bryony’s delight at Olympic medal success

Sheffield Olympian and silver medal winner Bryony Page contributed to Team GBs record medals tally at Rio 2016 and is the first British woman to win a trampoling medal in the Olympics. Team GB came second place in the Olympics medal table, behind the USA and ahead of China, with 27 gold medals, 23 in silver and 17 in bronze. Bryony first broke into the international spotlight in 2012, winning gold at the World Cup in Sofia. She has since been crowned three times British champion. Paul Greaves, Bryony’s trampolining coach, spoke to Sheffield Live! reporter Shamaan Freeman-Powell.

Corbyn in Sheffield for election rally

Thousands turned out for Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour leadership election campaign rally in Sheffield. Corbyn, who is being challenged for the leadership by Pontyprydd MP Owen Smith, addressed around 2500 supporters from the steps of Sheffield City Hall. Issues he spoke to included the housing crisis, saving the NHS, and calls for an inquiry into Orgreave.