Russell’s Bicycle Shed played host to a cycling showcase at Sheaf Square to promote and encourage cycling in Sheffield. Cyclists are hoping for further improvement in cycling amenities as part of economic planning behind the The Outdoor City brand launched in 2015. A study by Sheffield Hallam University has found outdoor recreation is generating more than £53m for the city every year. Simon Thake reports for Sheffield Live!
Sheffield United captain and top goal scorer Billy Sharp has been named English Football League One Player of the Year. Thirty-one year old Sharp was given the award ahead of team mate John Fleck and Scunthorpe’s Josh Morris. The Blades skipper was appointed captain when Chris Wilder took over in the summer and has bagged 23 league goals and led his side to automatic promotion. Simon Thake reports for Sheffield Live!
Sheffield United are to return to the Championship after a six year absence following their 1-2 away victory at Northampton Town. The Blades needed a win to secure automatic promotion. Marc Richards put Northampton ahead, but Leon Clarke and John Fleck both scored to secure a win for the visitors. Thousands of fans at Bramall Lane watched the game live on big screens set up on the pitch. Azz Mohammed reports for Sheffield Live!
Alison Teal, Councillor for Netheredge and Sharrow has spoken to Sheffield Live! after she was thrown out of a full meeting of Sheffield Council. The exclusion followed a comment the Green Party councillor made about Councillor Bryan Lodge in which she claimed that “he deliberately misled the public” on the felling of trees across the city. Although Teal later withdrew the word “deliberately” from her statement, a vote on whether or not to suspend her from the meeting was taken and passed by 49 to 21, with opposition councillors walking out in protest. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
Charles Parker Day celebrates the work of acclaimed radio documentary producer Charles Parker who died in 1980. Parker is known especially for the award winning BBC Radio Ballads collection with Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger. The event, held this year at Sheffield Hallam University Students’ Union, explores radio feature and documentary making. It is the first time Sheffield has hosted the event and coincides with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of BBC local radio. Simon Thake reports for Sheffield Live!
Demonstrators protested outside the Eastern Avenue job centre in Arbourthorne, earmarked for closure as part of government cuts to public services. The Public and Commercial Services Union is opposing the cuts and was joined at the protest by Clive Betts, MP for Sheffield South East. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Martin Jones of the PCSU and centre user Jennifer Jones.
A new Sheffield city centre scheme has been launched to encourage businesses to offer free public use of their rest rooms to shoppers caught out. Searching for a toilet can be embarrassing with people reluctant to use services if they are not purchasing a product. The new scheme will signpost to rest rooms available for public use at participating business. So far twelve businesses have signed up and signage has been put in place to provide directions. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Business Improvement District manager Diane Jarvis.
Planning proposals are to be submitted for phase two of the regeneration of the iconic Park Hill flats housing estate following a public consultation. According to developer Urban Splash a planning application will go ahead towards the end of April with the aim of commencing work in the summer. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to Mark Latham or Urban Splash.
Award-winning film, Un Condor, tells the story of Sergio Contreras, the larger-than-life waiter who became the popular front man of Sheffield’s El Paso restaurant. Fewer people know the circumstances that forced Chilean-born Contreras to seek sanctuary in Sheffield after Pinochet’s overthrow of the Allende government in 1983. Film director Yannis Kolozis was inspired to turn his story into a feature length movie, awarded Best Documentary at the 2015 Athens International Digital Film Festival together with a clutch of other awards. Now the film, Un Condor, is to get its big screen debut in Sheffield. The film focuses on Sergio’s emotional return to Chile nearly forty years after he was forced to leave or face imprisonment. Contreras was only seventeen when he said goodbye to his family and all he had known to travel thousands of miles to a life in exile. Un Condor is showing at the Showroom cinema on Sunday. Simon Thake reports for Sheffield Live!
Rare manuscripts and other historical documents have been on view to the public as part of a special event to display treasures from the Sheffield Archives. Rare items on display included the Market Charter from 1296 and letters written by Mary Queen of Scots during her captivity in Sheffield in 1571. The city archives hold historic local documents and records dating back to the 12th Century and provide access for reference and research. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to senior archivist Cheryl Bailey.