Over two dozen demonstrators mounted a protest outside Sheffield Town Hall against the involvement of outsourcing giant Serco in England’s test, track and trace programme. Campaigners say they want the government to end Serco’s contract and instead allocate the funds to local public health protection teams. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to Ruth Milson, secretary for Sheffield Save our NHS.
Sheffield youth worker, Anthony Olaseinde, has published a book called One Knife Many Lives on the devastating impact of knife crime. Olaseinde hopes to educate young people to reverse the growth in knife crime which has risen by over 50 per cent in South Yorkshire since 2015. Olaseinde has also set up a mentoring programme which has supported over 200 young people through the social enterprise Always An Alternative. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!
Sheffield Council has confirmed the appointment of new chief executive Kate Josephs who is to take on the role from January 2021. A special meeting of Full Council was convened on the Zoom conference platform to consider the appointment. The meeting is the first of Full Council since the lockdown in March and also the first to be broadcast live on Sheffield Live! TV. Labour leader Julie Dore, Shaffaq Mohammed for the Lib Dems and Douglas Johnson of the Green Party all spoke in support of the appointment. Josephs, born and raised in Sheffield, has been a senior UK civil servant and is currently Director General in the Number 10 Covid Task Force. She has also worked with the Obama administration in Washington DC. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!
A survey published by Friends of the Earth has shown the Sheffield station taxi rank to be the second most polluted road in the country. According to the report the station taxi rank had the second highest level of nitrogen dioxide and the annual average was more than double the recommended safe limit of 40 micrograms per cubic metre. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to Abrar Hussain, secretary general for the GMB S75 taxi branch.
Sheffield City Council is asking residents to submit evidence to inform its newly launched inquiry into race equality in the city which is to be led by an independent Race Equality Commission. The Commission is also inviting applications to join its group of commissioners to contribute expertise throughout the inquiry. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to councillor Abtisam Mohamed, cabinet member for education and skills at Sheffield Council, and Olivier Tsemo, chief executive of Sheffield and District African Caribbean Community Association (SADACCA).
Over a hundred doctors, nurses and supporters took part in a weekend demonstration outside Sheffield City Hall calling on the government to offer a substantial pay rise to NHS workers. The protest comes as pay increases have been agreed for other public sector workers whilst NHS staff remain on a three year agreement to be reviewed in April 2021. Ruby Midgley, a staff nurse at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals told Sheffield Live! she feels let down by the government. Baillor Jalloh reports.
The Source Academy training centre is urging Sheffield businesses and organisations to make First Aid a priority as staff return to workplaces. All businesses are required by law to make provision for First Aid and First Aiders would normally take a refresher course yearly however due to the pandemic the Health and Safety Executive has extended the refresher period. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Daniel Stanbra, director of operations at the Source Academy.
Tramlines has announced that almost £20,000 was raised for Sheffield charities in last weekend’s online fundraiser as well as confirming festival dates for 2021. The money raised will go to Roundabout, I Forge, Disability Sheffield, Sheffield S6 Food Bank and Cavendish Cancer Care. The weekend online celebration of Tramlines took place on dates previously in the calendar for this year’s festival but cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Tim Cleasby, operations director at Tramlines Festival.
Lap-dancers at former Sheffield strip club Spearmint Rhino have dropped their privacy case which followed secret filming inside the club by campaign group Not Buying It. The film allegedly showed the dancers sexually touching customers in breach of licensing rules. Sasha Rakoff of Not Buying It told Sheffield Live! they are pleased the case has been closed. Spearmint Rhino, who did not respond to a request for comment, were reported to have agreed to pay nearly £50,000 in legal costs. Baillor Jalloh reports.
Sheffield GP practices who make up the Seven Hills Primary Care Network have set up a new home visiting service for those shielding from the coronavirus pandemic or otherwise unable to get to a surgery. Over 700 vulnerable people in Sheffield have so far benefited from the service set up by a group of GP practices and funded by NHS Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). With the easing of the lockdown, doctors’ surgeries have reopened but on a strict appointment basis. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Lucy Cormack, GP and clinical director for Seven Hills.