
Democracy Now! documentary showing in Sheffield



Sheffield Live! presenter, Ben Keegan, proposed to his partner, Tracey Rogers, during his live radio show, Deserted Ireland Discs.
As Tracey discussed the final track of the show, Summer Wine by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood, reminiscing about a recent road trip on the way back from France, Ben asked her one more question before the song started playing. He got down on one knee and asked “Tracey, would you do me the honour of marrying me?” whilst presenting an engagement ring.
Initially, Tracey responded with laughter and asked if he “was tying his shoelaces again”. When speaking to the couple after this event, Tracey told us that Ben had previously got down on one knee on a trip to Venice, and then proceeded to tie his shoelaces.
When Tracey realised Ben was genuinely proposing to her, she went silent for around four seconds, which she told us was “a long time to be quiet for me”. Her answer to the big question was “Yes. There was no question that I would not say yes.”
Reflecting on the lead up to the proposal, Ben said “We’ve been together for twelve years in September and I love her very much… Once I decided to ask her, I thought, how should I ask her?”
“I realised I had the perfect platform with my radio show. I’ve been asking Tracey to come on this show for a while now, so I knew she wouldn’t suspect a thing.”
On Deserted Ireland Disks, a guest is invited each week to discuss their life and play songs related to specific moments and memories. Ben used this platform to create a new core memory for himself and Tracey on Sheffield Live!
Qais Al-Ahdal, standing as a pro-Palestine Independent candidate, achieved a convincing win over Labour in Darnall ward with 2402 votes, nearly twice as many as Labour in second place. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
A demonstration in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement is being organised this Saturday in Sheffield by local activists. The vigil is being held in response to the murder by Minnesota police officers of George Floyd which has sparked protests across the USA and worldwide. Sheffield Live! reporter Azz Mohammed spoke to organiser and activist Abdullah Okud.
Over 1 million people have registered to vote in the last week alone as the 26 November deadline approaches. To vote in a UK general election you must be 18 or over on the day of the election, be a British, Irish or qualifying Commonwealth citizen and resident at an address in the UK (or a British citizen living abroad who has been registered to vote in the UK in the last 15 years), and not be legally excluded from voting. You can only vote once, but if you are a student, you can register at both your university and home address.

For information on registering to vote visit:
https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
Local politicians and community activists joined a rally at Fargate in solidarity with pro-democracy campaigners in Hong Kong. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
Campaigners marked the 35th anniversary of the Battle of Orgreave with a rally on Orgreave Lane at the site of the former coking plant. Orgreave Truth and Justice Campaign are continuing to seek a public enquiry into the events of June 1984 when miners were assaulted and arrested by police on charges that were later dropped as allegations emerged of fabricated evidence and police brutality. The government has refused to grant their request. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
Hundreds gathered at Norfolk Heritage Park on Saturday to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the D-Day landings. Veterans from Sheffield were joined for the Drumhead Service of Remembrance by others from France and the Commonwealth. The event was also marked with a fly past by a Lancaster Bomber. Veteran Roy Ashton, who took part in the Italian Campaign, spoke to Sheffield Live! about their role in the success of the Normandy landings. Report by Sangita Basudev.
Community activists held a vigil outside Sheffield Town Hall to mark two years since the Grenfell tower tragedy in London and to remember the victims. Seventy two people lost their lives in the tower block after a fire got out of control in the building. A service of remembrance was also held in London and attended by friends and families of the victims. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!
South Yorkshire Police have appealed for information to help find 23 year old Minod Monger, last seen at around 5.30pm on 10 June in the Ecclesfield area of Sheffield. His family are extremely worried about his welfare. He is described as being Asian with dark black hair and around 5ft 4in tall. He was last seen wearing a white jacket, grey joggers and black Crocs. Baillor Jalloh reports for Sheffield Live!