Moor Sheffield and Off the Shelf collaborated in an outdoor event to celebrate 100 years of the popular children’s author Roald Dahl. A fizz-whizzing afternoon was had by human beans of all ages and visitors were encourage to make dirty beast masks, BFG ears or Cinderella crowns. There was even a robot poem generator. Sheffield Live! report Simon Thake was lucky enough to catch up with one of Dahl’s favourite characters.
Protestors gathered outside Sheffield train station on Friday to call for the UK to provide more support in accepting child refugees from the Jungle camp in Calais. The peaceful demonstration was designed to raise awareness of the plight of refugee children. Children’s shoes were lined up outside the station to symbolise the young refugees in need and protestors lit candles and waved banners. A similar protest was also organised in Barnsley. Sheffield Live! reporter Baillor Jalloh spoke to Val Huzzard from Sheffield Donations for Refugees.
The Herd of Sheffield elephants say one final goodbye to the city this weekend before they are auctioned off to the highest bidder to raise funds for charity. All 58 elephants have been on display outside the Meadowhall Shopping Centre for the public to have one final glimpse at their favorites. The Herd of Sheffield initiative was created by The Children’s Hospital Charity and Wild in Art, uniting businesses, communities, artists and schools. It has proved hugely popular with the public with many people taking selfies next to their favourite elephant and following the “Herd Trail”. Also present at Meadowhall were artist Steve McKay who designed two of the elephants, Darren Pearce the Centre Director of Meadowhall and the Director of the Childrens Hospital Charity David Vernon Edwards. Simon Thake reports for Sheffield Live!
Sheffield’s new University Technical College (UTC) has opened on the Olympic Legacy Park and students have begun moving into after a two week induction. The £10m development is the second UTC in Sheffield. It will provide specialist study for 14 to 19-year-old students in technical skills for healthcare, sports sciences and computing, as well as offering traditional academic qualifications.
Project Nova is an initative of ex-Forces charity Walking With The Wounded to support former military personnel who have entered police custody. First launched in East Anglia in 2014, it is delivered in partnership with RFEA, the Forces Employment Charity (RFEA). Project Nova reports that veterans engaged with the programme have a re-offending rate within a year of just 4 per cent, compared to 46 per cent of adults released from prison as a whole.
A loophole in the law has allowed over seven hundred Sheffield taxi drivers to operate with licences issued by councils hundreds of miles away. Over four hundred of the licences were issued in Rossendale, Lancashire. The news has sparked concerns over safety and welfare. Sheffield Live! reporter Simon Thake spoke with taxi driver and GMB Sheffield union representative, Ibrar Hussain.
Sheffield’s Moor Market played host to all things classic and quirky with a new vintage pop-up market. The monthly event, a collaboration between the Moor Market and Sheffield Antiques Quarter, featured around 40 stalls of retro, vintage, arts, crafts, and antiques.The idea is part of a Moor Market plan for a year round events calendar to complement the regular shopping offer. Sheffield Live! reporter Simon Thake spoke to stall owners and marketeers.
The Sheffield branch of Momentum were in buoyant mood as they made their way to Liverpool to celebrate Jeremy Corbyn’s expected victory in the Labour leadership contest. Corbyn has since been returned as Labour leader after comfortably beating challenger Owen Smith. Corbyn won 61.8 per cent of the vote, a larger majority than last year and vowed to bring the party back together. Sheffield Live! reporter Simon Thake spoke with members of Sheffield Momentum.
The local TV channel for Sheffield marked its second anniversary with an invitation to get involved. Sheffield Live! TV launched in September 2014, providing a diverse programme schedule, from politics to poetry, and working alongside Sheffield Live! community radio and the SheffieldLive.org website. The channel operates on a not-for-profit basis and is open to volunteers, community reporters, and independent producers. Presenter and reporter Simon Thake spoke to Steve Buckley, Chair of Sheffield Live!
Pianist Bill Skipworth performed a fundraising concert at Sheffield Cathedral to raise money for the Sheffield branch of the Royal Society for the Blind. The performance was particularly poignant as Bill himself has suffered significant sight loss in the last six months. Despite the challenges he was keen to go ahead with the event to raise money for a cause close to his heart. Sheffield Live! reporter Simon Thake spoke to Bill at the rehearsals.