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Doncaster makes shortlist

Nick Clegg, Liberal Democrat MP for Sheffield Hallam, has offered support in a bid to secure a new college in South Yorkshire.

The College would offer apprenticeships to young people and give them skills to help build the planned HS2 high speed rail line. The line would connect London Euston station to the Midlands, North West England and Yorkshire, almost halving commute times from Sheffield to London. The bid, from Doncaster, has been short-listed by the government as one of four possible locations for the HS2 college alongside Derby, Birmingham and Manchester.

If Doncaster bid was successful, the college would be equipped with cutting-edge technology and state of the art facilities. It would also provide training courses for the specific requirements of the rail project, which is expected to generate more than 2,000 apprenticeships.

As a Sheffield MP, Nick Clegg has written to the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills to outline his support for the bid.  In his letter, Nick Clegg MP states that the region – in particular Doncaster – is the “spiritual home of British railways” with the Flying Scotsman, Sir Nigel Gresley and The Mallard all being built there in 1923, 1937 and 1938 respectively.

The high speed service would have trains running from London St Pancras twice a day with a commute time of 1 hour 09 minutes.

New fire safety campaign

By Alice Rose

A fire service campaign which intends to make people aware of the danger of electrical chargers has won European backing.

The campaign was started up by South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue following a house fire in which five members of the same family sadly lost their lives.

It is thought that the fire was probably caused by a faulty charger.

Linda McAvan, MEP for Yorkshire and Humber, is backing the campaign to help stop fires, such as the one in Netheredge, from happening again.

“We are doing all that we can to reduce fires in the home at a European level. MEPS have legislated to standardise chargers for mobile devices to both reduce environmental waste and to save you money.”

The legislation was voted on by MEPS in March this year and was approved by ministers in April.

South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue’s Station Manager Darren Perrott, said:“Most people probably have several electrical chargers lying around at home at any given time, but all we’re asking for is a little bit of common sense when charging them.” Mr Perrot continued “What we’re particularly concerned about is unbranded chargers which can be bought cheaply over the internet. You should only buy chargers which are compatible with the device you are charging, and never leave things charging overnight.”

Competition: post a picture of your pet

Photo - Paulo Ordoveza, used under Creative Commons 2.0 License

Photo – Paulo Ordoveza, used under Creative Commons 2.0 License

Do you have a photogenic pet, a cute kitty or handsome hound?

Then enter our competition – you could win vouchers from Cookes Pet Supplies and Harrison Cameras.

All you have to do is send us a photograph. Whether your pet is a beloved moggy, pampered pooch, or perhaps a gerbil, hamster, or something more exotic, as long as the photograph is of your own, legally owned pet, whether it’s cute or simply mugging for the camera, we’d love to see your best picture!

Alongside basking in the fame and glory of your picture of your pet being published, there are great prizes for winners:

  • 1st prize: £25 voucher from Cookes Pet Supplies and £25 voucher from Harrison Cameras
  • 2nd prize: £15 voucher from Cookes Pet Supplies and £15 voucher from Harrison Cameras
  • 3rd prize: £10 voucher from Cookes Pet Supplies and £10 voucher from Harrison Cameras

How to enter

It’s really simple to enter. Just send your photograph to comp@sheffieldlive.org – please send files no larger than 1 MB.

The deadline to enter is 31st August 2014.

We’ll publish entries online here at www.sheffieldlive.org (and via our facebook page) and invite our viewers to vote on their favourites.

Viewers’ votes (between 1 and 14 September) will be counted and used to make a shortlist of the top five photographs. Then on 15 September our Sheffield Live team of animal loving judges will decide the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes out of the shortlist.

We’re grateful to Cookes Pet Supplies for sponsoring this competition. Family run since the 1940s, Cookes’ staff are trained nutritional advisors and are on hand to help with any special requirements your pet may need catering for. Visit their stores in Sheffield or Rotherham or find them online – click and collect is now available: www.cookespetsupplies.co.uk

We’d also like to thank Cookes and Harrison Cameras for supplying prizes.

Terms and Conditions

In addition to our normal standard terms and conditions of competition entry, the following special terms also apply to this competition:

1. Entrants retain copyright of their photographs but grant Sheffield Live, Cookes Pet Stores and Harrison Cameras unlimited useage rights to publish their photographs online only in articles and marketing material connected to this competition;

2. Only one entry per person – an entry comprises of one photograph;

3. You may only enter the competition if you are the owner of the copyright of the photograph you are submitting;

4. Photographs may not contain illegal or pornographic images;

5. Photographs will be voted on by Sheffield Live listeners / website viewers between 1 and 14 September; the highest scoring 5 photographs will be shortlisted; on 15 September the judges will decide on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes out of the five shortlisted photographs; the judges will be Sheffield Live! volunteers / staff; the judges’ decision regarding prizes will be final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding reasons for choices; no-one connected with the judges will be able to enter.

Enter the competition now – send a picture of your pet to comp@sheffieldlive.org

Watching The Tour

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By Sam Newton

As Sheffield prepares to welcome the world’s largest sporting event into the City, organisers have advised spectators to plan ahead in order to get the most out of their day.

Hundreds of thousands of cycling enthusiasts are expected to descend on the City next week for the Tour de France which has gained a worldwide appeal since its formation in 1903.

Spectators will have the opportunity to savour the full race experience on 6th July at special designated Spectator Hubs along the route, with each hub equipped with a live coverage screen, refreshments, entertainment and facilities. Admission to the hubs is free as organisers set to make this the most inclusive Tour to date.

Councillor Isobel Bowler, the City Council Cabinet Member for Culture, Sport and Leisure said: “we aim to provide a safe, enjoyable and well-managed experience for all spectators when the Tour arrives in Sheffield. The spectator hubs will be set up along the course as well as in the city centre and we have worked with local community groups to ensure as many people as possible are involved”

Two official hubs will be in place at Don Valley Grass Bowl and Oughtibridge, alongside 4 additional hubs at High Bradfield, Abbeyfield Park, Wincobank Common, and Meadowhall.

Activities on offer at the hubs include free entry to the first ever Bradfield Beer Festival at High Bradfield. The Greentop Circus performances at Abbeyfield Park. Drumming workshops from group Unbeatable Energy at Wincobank Common and a Fan Fest at Meadowhall.

Full details of the Tour route, road closures and other important information can be found at www.welcometosheffield.co.uk/tdf2014, while the interactive map at www.letouryorkshire.com/travel can be utilised to help spectators further plan their day. Further guidance can be found on Twitter @TdFYorksTravel

Burglaries Reduced

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By Sam Newton

Great strides have been made in Sheffield to cut crime over the last 12 months, according to South Yorkshire Police District Commander Chief Superintendent David Hartley and highlighted in a recent BBC Two documentary.

The documentary “Police Under Pressure” – depicted the challenges being faced by South Yorkshire Police staff as they aim to reduce burglaries and vehicle crimes in the city amidst a number of budgeting cuts to the Force.

Since the programme was filmed in Autumn 2013, officers have managed to successfully drive both of these crimes down to a level where there were almost 3,000 fewer crimes reported at the end of 2013 compared to 2012, across all offences.

Chief Superintendent Hartley said: “There is not a shred of complacency from me or my colleagues at Sheffield when we look at some of the reductions achieved – we still have more to do”.

Commenting on the importance of public protection, Hartley continued: “Our job as the police is to stop as many people as possible from having to suffer the upset and trauma of being the victim of crime, and we do that by tackling those who prey on others. We may use targets and statistics, but this is all about striving to keep people safe”

Ongoing work to tackle burglaries in Sheffield includes “Operation Kingbird” which has seen covert cameras set up in “trap houses” to attempt to catch criminals in the act. This operation, running in partnership with Sheffield City Council, has been deployed to tackle burglaries in areas of Sheffield with above-average crime rates.

Mr Hartley concluded: “work such as operation Kingbird show that we constantly strive to find the best way to bring crime down”

WIN Tour de France Grand Depart limited edition T-shirt

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Sheffield Chamber of Commerce Staff modelling the exclusive Grand Depart T-shirts

Sheffield Chamber of Commerce Staff modelling the exclusive Grand Depart T-shirts

It’s the biggest cycle race in the world – and it’s coming to Sheffield this Sunday! Now Sheffield Live listeners and website viewers have an opportunity to win one of two limited edition Grand Depart t-shirts provided by Sheffield Live advertiser Mercury Taxis.

Only 250 t-shirts have been made, by the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, to mark the famous race coming to the city. All the t-shirts come with a certificate of authenticity. And we have two (both sized XL) up for grabs.

To enter our competition all you have to do is answer the following 2 questions:

1. What’s the telephone number for Mercury Taxis?

2. Who was the winner of the Yellow Jersey in the 2013 Tour de France?

Email your answers (and your name, address and telephone number) to comp@sheffieldlive.org by 5pm on Monday 7th July. Our standard competition Terms and Conditions apply.

Major Boost For Sheffield’s New Retail Quarter

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By Samuel Newton

A long-awaited city centre regeneration scheme looks set to finally come into fruition after Sheffield City Council announced that it is committed to moving plans forward.

The New Retail Quarter scheme, previously marketed as Sevenstones, was shelved last year after a partnership between the project’s contractors Hammerson and Sheffield City Council fell through.

The project has now re-surfaced and will see the property between the Devonshire Quarter and The Moor developed into high-class retail spaces.

The options for structuring the property deal are being finalised and will be presented to Cabinet for approval. The Council will then consider whether to find a forward sale with interim funding or fund the scheme directly themselves.

Talks are currently being held with affected property owners in the area, who are hoping to be able to continue trading in their properties, until building developments are due to commence.

The Council’s Cabinet Member for Business, Skills and Development, Leigh Bramall said: “We are fully committed to moving the development of the New Retail Quarter forward urgently now and this decision to secure the ownership of the properties needed for the development is key to making things happen”.

Drawing on the necessity to keep the area attractive to shoppers until the development gets underway, Mr. Bramall continued: “We are also conscious that the existing businesses should be able to continue their trade in their current premises whenever possible to ensure the area remains attractive to shoppers during this crucial period of transition”.

The Quarter is set to be a crucial element for the regeneration of the city centre as it sits alongside other developments including new improvements to The Moor which have already seen success as the Heart of the City scheme looks to shift up a gear. It is expected that the scheme will provide around 2,500 new jobs.

Councillor Ben Curran, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance and Resources said: “Once completed, the New Retail Quarter will help to improve the status of the City and will help to stimulate further office, commercial and leisure opportunities in Sheffield City centre. This development will bring significant external investment into the city as well as giving a massive boost to the city centre’s retail offer”

Spot the local stars in Sheffield Community Media film

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A new short film shows how excited Sheffielders are about the plans to allow people who live, work, or have interests in Sheffield to own their very own television channel.

Figures from notable Sheffield businesses, and from the worlds of music (including one of Sheffield’s home grown music stars – watch the film to find out who), media and education, have joined Sheffielders in welcoming the channel:

As excitement grows (you can read more comments here), so does investment into Sheffield Community Media Ltd, an organisation set up for community benefit which has been established to support community media development in Sheffield, including the new local digital TV channel.

Readers can become a part owner and can invest from £100 to £20,000, payable by instalments if preferred. Sheffield Community Media aims to pay a modest rate of interest after 3 years. Details here.

Community Shares are a form of social investment to raise funds for projects of community benefit. Sheffield Community Media Ltd want Sheffielders to support this groundbreaking project. The “Pioneer and Community Share Offer” is available at www.sheffieldlive.org/shares

Sheffield Community Media Ltd is a society for the benefit of the community incorporated under the Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965. Registered with the Financial Conduct Authority. Registration No: 31727R. Registered address: 15 Paternoster Row, Sheffield, S1 2BX

We’d like to thank Matthew Neale of The Sheffield College and Norton Creative for editing and directing this film, and College students for capturing footage; Daren Eagles and Sheffield Hallam University students for the introductory ident; Rob Speranza and Sangita Basudev for supplying additional footage; and the featured Sheffield Live show producers, as well as all of the interviewees, for taking part.

Sheffield GP Surgery’s threatened

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sign of devonshire green GP Surgery

GP surgery’s in Sheffield have said that they may have to close if funding cuts continue to be phased in over the next few years.

Cuts to the Minimum Income Practice Guarantee (MPIG) pose a real threat to the survival of up to five surgery’s in Sheffield.

Sheffield could see up to 13,000 patients being directly affected because of the withdrawal of MPIG funding.

The additional funding supports GP surgeries which serve populations with more complex and demanding health needs. The Government began withdrawing MPIG funding in April 2014 and plans to phase it out totally over the next seven years.

NHS England says 100 GP surgeries across the country are threatened by closure as a result, whilst the British Medical Association has warned that the number of surgeries seriously affected will be far higher.

Some practices under threat could lose more than £100 per patient per year, while others will lose £20 or £30 per patient.

Devonshire Green Medical Centre and the Hanover Medical Centre are two of the affected surgery’s in Sheffield. MPIG funding cuts could be in the region of £140,000 between them.

Staff are concerned that they may have to close. Dr Graham Pettinger, who works at both practices said: “At the moment, NHS England have a poor understanding in my view on the impact this is going to have on practices and the patients in Sheffield and across the country on a whole.” Dr. Pettinger continues “This is an extremely serious threat to our survival – if we are unable to find replacement money then the practice may have to close its door to the patients and the community.”

Paul Blomfield, MP for Sheffield Central, challenged Health Minister’s on this issue. He said: “Local GPs have expressed serious concerns to me about the consequences of this vital funding being withdrawn. The Health Minister’s answer to my question was shockingly complacent. He’s putting patients at risk and I’ll now be seeking a meeting with Ministers to press this issue further.”

Mr Blomfield added “Our local GP surgeries are the first port of call for most people who are unwell or have health difficulties. No-one wants to see service cutbacks having to be made which is why I’m raising this issue now before the situation gets critical. The Government should be talking to GP surgeries now and rethinking this decision.”

A spokesperson for the South Yorkshire and Bassetlaw area team of NHS England, said: “We are committed to making sure patients have access to high quality GP services. The minimum practice income guarantee (MPIG) payment is being phased out to make funding for GP services more fair for everyone.” They continued “This is a national plan. Future funding for GP services will be based on the numbers of patients that a GP practice serves and the health needs of those patients. These changes started in April this year and will happen over a seven year period.”

Dr Graham Pettinger speaks to Sheffield Live! George Torr

Review: Gareth Malone’s voices tour

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Gemma Crump

Gemma Crump

By Gemma Crump

Gareth Malone’s voices tour, which came to Sheffield City Hall on 28th May, was equal parts fun and emotional. The haunting beauty of unaccompanied voices harmonising together was hypnotising.

Malone took to the stage with his 16 talented young singers to give the audience an unforgettable evening. Each member was given a chance to shine and shine they did, displaying technical skill in the way they harmonised on a wide selection of songs.

Malone’s charisma and charm put the audience at ease and even encouraged us to have a go singing in songs such as ‘Fields of Gold’. He made the audience feel as if we were one big choir – even the shyest members of the audience got involved with giant smiles on their faces.

Malone showed us his talent to get anyone to sing by plucking a young doctor out of the audience to sing ‘Stand by Me’ on the stage. His natural charm put her at ease, she sung exquisitely and got a wonderful reception from the audience.

The songs were varied but each beautiful in its own way. Naomi Bank’s solo of ‘Try sleeping with a broken heart’ had a gorgeously Smokey undertone to it and was a great way to open the show. One of my favourites however was the rendition of Fleet Foxes’ ‘White Winter Hymnal’ with its catchy tune and beautiful harmonies. I have not stopped listening to it or singing it since leaving the concert. Other songs included ‘Wherever You Are’ written for the Military Wives choir, leaving the audience with a tear in their eyes and Gary Barlow’s ‘Sing’ that had such a magic to it.

Apart from assistant musical director Michael Higgins wonderfully playing the keyboard and a backing of beat boxing on a ‘looping’ machine, the rest of the songs were unaccompanied. It was magical to see how beautiful a sound you can make putting different voices together. Each and every member of Malone’s voices were spectacular and incredibly talented. It has left me with a renewed love of choral music and has rekindled my passion for music. An emotional and enjoyable evening that I shall never forget.