Sheffield Magistrates Court celebrated 100 years of youth justice with an open day on March 28 2009. Visitors witnessed mock trials, sat inside a police van, saw how an electronic tag works and saw various displays and exhibition stands. Louise Gill from the Steel Bugle went to experience the day.
It’s not unusual to see a police car with its lights flashing and the siren going off outside the Sheffield Magistrates court but today young children were climbing in and out of the car. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to sit in a police car so I followed them and clambered into the back seat and shut the door. The seats were surprisingly comfy. I imagined them to be hard and uncomfortable. Next to me, in the middle, was a metal box; I wondered what this was used for so I asked a nearby policeman. He said it was used to hold weapons, which made sense really but still felt really strange.
The next stop was the police van which transports prisoners to and from custody. I climbed the steps and two police officers were showing people the tiny spaces in which the prisoners have to sit. Imagine the toilet seats on an aeroplane, there isn’t much room and that is what it reminded me of. I sat inside the space and the policeman shut the door and locked it. I felt trapped and a bit panicky. It wasn’t a nice experience. It reminded me of how they transport cattle around; I will never look at a police van the same way.
Inside the court I was handed a Youth Court fact sheet. It included a list of the day’s activities and facts about what the Youth Court does. These include preventing young people offending and protecting the public from harm. Lots of posters were being handed out at various displays. There was a Youth Court time line starting from 1820, when a boy of nine was hanged for stealing six handkerchiefs, to 2003, when the anti-social behaviour act was introduced as a penalty.
Mock trials from 1909 to 2009 were played out frequently in courts 5 and 6. This was the part I had been most looking forward to, seeing how the crimes and punishments had changed. The first trial was from 1909 and was about a girl who had been stealing bonnets from the shop in which she worked. The magistrates asked the audience what they thought should happen to the girl, it got me thinking about what would be a fair punishment. I thought the girl should have had to pay a fine and be warned about any further crimes. However, the girl was given 21 days in prison and 3 years at a reformatory school. I thought this seemed harsh but was the norm in those days.
The next trial was one in the present day and was about a boy who had been stealing DVDs from his workplace. Once again the audience were asked what they would do. It was interesting listening to other people’s views; for example, many were saying he should go to prison. However, the boy’s punishment was a £500 fine, which would have to be paid by his mother as he had lost his job. The mock trials were fun and interesting with the girl acting as a thief dressing up in olden day clothes.
One stall was all about road safety. Tamper proof tax disc holders were handed out and posters reminded people that the 30mph speed limit is in force to save lives. All the stalls were informative and some even gave away free sweets.
At another stall a woman was demonstrating electronic tags. The woman on the stall was really helpful; I asked her how the person wearing the electronic tag managed to wear socks and other clothing because the tag looked quite bulky. It wraps around the offender’s leg, fairly tight so they can’t remove it. It reminded me of the tags you wear when you go in hospital but larger. The woman made a joke about it and said they would have difficulty with tights! But she said offenders just have to work around it and people usually cover it up with trousers because it is fairly small. I was intrigued to see what the machine was like what the electronic tag is linked to; it looked just like a telephone. When the person under surveillance leaves the dedicated area after a certain time the electronic tag links to the machine and a signal is sent warning the police.
As a record of the day there was a billboard with a large white piece of paper on it and everyone was invited to put their fingerprint on it and sign their name underneath. I enjoyed having my fingerprint took and being part of a special, memorable day.
Louise Jade Gill, The Steel Bugle
Friday, 1 May 2009
Thursday, 30 April 2009
Careless Coppers
New figures shown to The Steel Bugle by using the Freedom of Information act have revealed that over 70% of traffic incidents involving South Yorkshire Police vehicles were in fact caused by the police officers driving.
The information comes after an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission opened looked into the death of a man who was killed in March of this year in the Denaby Main area of Sheffield by a police vehicle which was responding to a call.
Out of a total of 94 incidents which occurred during the course of 2008 eighteen are still yet to be resolved and could be added to the number caused by the police. The accidents involving SYP vehicles resulted in 51 casualties including 3 pedestrians, 2 of which were drunk at the time. Two of the incidents resulted in homes being damaged by SYP vehicles in accidents which saw police cars going out of control and crashing through resident’s gardens and into their homes.
In 2008 the vehicle fleet management of South Yorkshire police began a three year strategy to optimise the best performance possible for the people of south Yorkshire. Nigel Hiller, Director of finance and administration for the SYP released a report in 2008 which he said the new strategy would “Transform vehicle fleet management to provide outstanding service in a way that actively supports the policing of South Yorkshire”
Michal Lodej, The Steel Bugle
The information comes after an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission opened looked into the death of a man who was killed in March of this year in the Denaby Main area of Sheffield by a police vehicle which was responding to a call.
Out of a total of 94 incidents which occurred during the course of 2008 eighteen are still yet to be resolved and could be added to the number caused by the police. The accidents involving SYP vehicles resulted in 51 casualties including 3 pedestrians, 2 of which were drunk at the time. Two of the incidents resulted in homes being damaged by SYP vehicles in accidents which saw police cars going out of control and crashing through resident’s gardens and into their homes.
In 2008 the vehicle fleet management of South Yorkshire police began a three year strategy to optimise the best performance possible for the people of south Yorkshire. Nigel Hiller, Director of finance and administration for the SYP released a report in 2008 which he said the new strategy would “Transform vehicle fleet management to provide outstanding service in a way that actively supports the policing of South Yorkshire”
Michal Lodej, The Steel Bugle
Wednesday, 22 April 2009
Students At Risk From Mumps
Students are being warned as the levels of reported cases of mumps are on the rise throughout England and Wales with young adults at greater risk.
Nine hundred and ninety-eight laboratory confirmed cases of mumps in England and Wales have been reported in January and February 2009. This compares with 322, 274, and 1173 cases in the same periods of 2008, 2007, and 2006 respectively. The disease is thought to be on the increase as those who were born between 1981 and 1989 may not have received the MMR vaccine and those who did may have only received it once.
Dr Mary Ramsay, who monitors mumps cases at the Health Protection Agency said, "The increased occurrence of the disease is mainly among older teenagers and young adults in their early twenties, and mostly among those in further or higher education establishments. Some in this age group were too old to be routinely vaccinated with MMR when it was first introduced in 1988. And some others may only have received one dose of MMR”.
The fact that there is a large group of people who fall into the bracket of those who are at risk means that the Agency is expecting a large number of cases to continue over the next few years. Another contributing factor to the rise in mumps is that the group at risk are currently attending semi-closed institutions which allow the disease to pass more freely from one person to another.
Some students who have caught the disease feel that not enough is being done to raise awareness about the dangers of mumps. Elizabeth Fisher, a student at Sheffield Hallam University said “At first the doctor treated me for an infected saliva gland. It wasn’t until later that I was diagnosed with mumps, and by that time could have spread it to anyone. When I was eventually diagnosed with mumps I wasn’t told anything about how contagious it was or given any information at all”.
Health Protection Agency advice, along with the Department of Health, is that school leavers and other young adults who have not received MMR or only received one dose, should ensure that they take up the offer of MMR vaccination.
Michal Lodej, The Steel Bugle
Nine hundred and ninety-eight laboratory confirmed cases of mumps in England and Wales have been reported in January and February 2009. This compares with 322, 274, and 1173 cases in the same periods of 2008, 2007, and 2006 respectively. The disease is thought to be on the increase as those who were born between 1981 and 1989 may not have received the MMR vaccine and those who did may have only received it once.
Dr Mary Ramsay, who monitors mumps cases at the Health Protection Agency said, "The increased occurrence of the disease is mainly among older teenagers and young adults in their early twenties, and mostly among those in further or higher education establishments. Some in this age group were too old to be routinely vaccinated with MMR when it was first introduced in 1988. And some others may only have received one dose of MMR”.
The fact that there is a large group of people who fall into the bracket of those who are at risk means that the Agency is expecting a large number of cases to continue over the next few years. Another contributing factor to the rise in mumps is that the group at risk are currently attending semi-closed institutions which allow the disease to pass more freely from one person to another.
Some students who have caught the disease feel that not enough is being done to raise awareness about the dangers of mumps. Elizabeth Fisher, a student at Sheffield Hallam University said “At first the doctor treated me for an infected saliva gland. It wasn’t until later that I was diagnosed with mumps, and by that time could have spread it to anyone. When I was eventually diagnosed with mumps I wasn’t told anything about how contagious it was or given any information at all”.
Health Protection Agency advice, along with the Department of Health, is that school leavers and other young adults who have not received MMR or only received one dose, should ensure that they take up the offer of MMR vaccination.
Michal Lodej, The Steel Bugle
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Blades birthday win over Bluebirds
Cardiff City 0-3 Sheffield UnitedSheffield United celebrated their 120th birthday with a stunning 3-0 victory over fellow promotion hopefuls Cardiff City.
The Blades travelled to South Wales anticipating a tough game with both sides hoping to cement their play off positions. Cardiff, who had a twelve-match unbeaten home record, went into the game knowing a victory would greatly increase their chances of automatic promotion.
The Blades meanwhile, who recently beat their club record of twelve games unbeaten away from home, wanted to emulate their last win at Ninian Park which saw them promoted to the Premiership in the 2005/06 season.
Cardiff were reduced to nine men in the first half with Gabor Gyepes going after 24 minutes for a foul on Darius Henderson in the penalty box, resulting in United going 1-0 up from a David Cotterill penalty. The second sending off came in the 33rd minute when Ross McCormack appeared to elbow Kyle Naughton.
Ninian Park is well known for its hostile atmosphere and the Cardiff fans certainly showed their anger towards the sending offs. The Blades scored their second goal at the beginning of the second half with Jamie Ward rising highest to head past Cardiff's goalkeeper Stuart Taylor from a Cotterill corner.
The Bluebirds pushed to try to get back in the game but United took advantage of the space and killed the game off by scoring late on. Stephen Quinn slid the ball under Taylor after a well timed through ball from Craig Beattie.
The travelling United fans were kept in the ground for half an hour after the final whistle to prevent any trouble with Cardiff fans outside the ground. This didn't seem to bother them as they celebrated a very important win.
The Blades were founded on 22nd March 1889 and to commemorate the special anniversary United have created a special third kit for the 2009/10 season. The shirt will be black and have every player's name that has played for Sheffield United woven into it.
Man of the match - David Cotterill; his first appearance at Ninian Park and definitely one to remember.
Louise Jade Gill, The Steel Bugle.
'The Damned United' Upsets Clough Family
This week sees the release of the new British film; 'The Damned United' which illustrates the life of iconic football manager Brian Clough in the 1970's, with particular focus on his short spell as manager of Leeds United in 1974.
However, Brian Clough’s family have decided to boycott the film as they feel the film shows no true representation of the real family man that they knew.
The author, David Peace, had previously stated on the release of the book that it was “always a portrait of Brian Clough, rather than a photograph or biography.”
Clough's daughter, Elizabeth, disagreed with this and said her mother, Barbara, and brothers, Simon and Nigel (the current manager of Derby County football club) objected to the film, which she described as a "ludicrous interpretation" of her father;
"My family object to the film because we do not want anybody to believe that this is an accurate portrayal of him as a man," she said.
"The author of the novel had never even met my dad, so to display such an obvious personal dislike is perplexing. Perhaps he has a problem with talented, courageous and powerful men."
She also admitted the obvious popularity this film will pose on its release;
"The film, unfortunately, may reach a wider and more impressionable audience. People will, of course, go to see the film, Dad has always been extremely popular, but as a family, we sincerely hope they don't because we believe it’s a ludicrous interpretation of people and events."
Andy Harries, the producer of the film, believes that it was important to show people and fans of Clough the main elements of his personality, in particular, his raw appetite for the game.
He also commented on how the filmmakers wanted the family to be involved in the process of showing this. He said;
"We have done everything we can to invite the family into the process of making the film. I can imagine that it would be difficult to watch a husband or father portrayed in a film, but Clough was a notoriously controversial character, and the film captures that.”
Jonathan Garnett, The Steel Bugle.
However, Brian Clough’s family have decided to boycott the film as they feel the film shows no true representation of the real family man that they knew.
The author, David Peace, had previously stated on the release of the book that it was “always a portrait of Brian Clough, rather than a photograph or biography.”
Clough's daughter, Elizabeth, disagreed with this and said her mother, Barbara, and brothers, Simon and Nigel (the current manager of Derby County football club) objected to the film, which she described as a "ludicrous interpretation" of her father;
"My family object to the film because we do not want anybody to believe that this is an accurate portrayal of him as a man," she said.
"The author of the novel had never even met my dad, so to display such an obvious personal dislike is perplexing. Perhaps he has a problem with talented, courageous and powerful men."
She also admitted the obvious popularity this film will pose on its release;
"The film, unfortunately, may reach a wider and more impressionable audience. People will, of course, go to see the film, Dad has always been extremely popular, but as a family, we sincerely hope they don't because we believe it’s a ludicrous interpretation of people and events."
Andy Harries, the producer of the film, believes that it was important to show people and fans of Clough the main elements of his personality, in particular, his raw appetite for the game.
He also commented on how the filmmakers wanted the family to be involved in the process of showing this. He said;
"We have done everything we can to invite the family into the process of making the film. I can imagine that it would be difficult to watch a husband or father portrayed in a film, but Clough was a notoriously controversial character, and the film captures that.”
Jonathan Garnett, The Steel Bugle.
Monday, 23 March 2009
'The Damned United' Film Review
I'm sure many people in the world of football feel that the life of Brian Clough needed to be celebrated for being a truly exceptional and iconic figure in English football.
It seems strange then, to focus the latest British film; 'The Damned United' on Mr. Clough's brief low spell the manager of Leeds United in 1974.
The film is based on David Peace's novel of the same name and is a direct interpretation of how the author viewed the events which happened in the 1970's.
There are flashbacks that show Clough at his major heights with Derby County and Nottingham Forest, although, the main focus does tend to lean towards his low points in the game, which is frankly, a great shame.
However, it is in fact an extremely entertaining motion picture which, for me, captures Brian Clough’s love for the game perfectly.
Martin Sheen is admittedly superb as the iconic manager and although he repeatedly uses the ‘F’ word in almost every sentence, as well as showing Clough as somewhat of a chain smoker, his performance alone is well worth a watch.
People who remember Brian Clough as a controversial and arguably, brilliant football manager will love this film. The performances from Martin Sheen and Timothy Spall as Clough’s assistant Peter Taylor are simply brilliant.
However, if you are completely unaware of the man himself and have no idea about his achievements or personality within the game of football, then the film may prove a little misleading.
If you’re looking for an entertaining, exciting British film however, then this is it. A film that boasts witty and raw humour as well as gripping, emotional moments that are blended well with the 1970’s setting, which captures the old style football grounds perfectly, with the wet, muddy and highly physical matches which take place there throughout the course of the film.
A must-see for all fans of Mr. Clough and the achievements he gained as an iconic, controversial manager and as a well respected family man.
'The Damned United' is out in cinemas everywhere in the UK on Friday 27th March.
Jonathan Garnett, The Steel Bugle.
It seems strange then, to focus the latest British film; 'The Damned United' on Mr. Clough's brief low spell the manager of Leeds United in 1974.
The film is based on David Peace's novel of the same name and is a direct interpretation of how the author viewed the events which happened in the 1970's.
There are flashbacks that show Clough at his major heights with Derby County and Nottingham Forest, although, the main focus does tend to lean towards his low points in the game, which is frankly, a great shame.
However, it is in fact an extremely entertaining motion picture which, for me, captures Brian Clough’s love for the game perfectly.
Martin Sheen is admittedly superb as the iconic manager and although he repeatedly uses the ‘F’ word in almost every sentence, as well as showing Clough as somewhat of a chain smoker, his performance alone is well worth a watch.
People who remember Brian Clough as a controversial and arguably, brilliant football manager will love this film. The performances from Martin Sheen and Timothy Spall as Clough’s assistant Peter Taylor are simply brilliant.
However, if you are completely unaware of the man himself and have no idea about his achievements or personality within the game of football, then the film may prove a little misleading.
If you’re looking for an entertaining, exciting British film however, then this is it. A film that boasts witty and raw humour as well as gripping, emotional moments that are blended well with the 1970’s setting, which captures the old style football grounds perfectly, with the wet, muddy and highly physical matches which take place there throughout the course of the film.
A must-see for all fans of Mr. Clough and the achievements he gained as an iconic, controversial manager and as a well respected family man.
'The Damned United' is out in cinemas everywhere in the UK on Friday 27th March.
Jonathan Garnett, The Steel Bugle.
Sunday, 22 March 2009
Blades accept out of court settlement
Sheffield United has agreed to an out of court settlement in their dispute with West Ham United over Carlos Tevez.
The row began after it emerged that West Ham did not own Carlos Tevez when played in the crucial game that kept West Ham up and sent Sheffield United down. At the time Tevez was owned by Kia Joorabchian.
The fact that West Ham did not own Tevez when he scored the winning goal against Manchester United puts the result in dispute along with the consequences of West Ham’s win. After the issue was raised by Sheffield United the F.A decided to fine West Ham a total of £5½ million however the F.A did not deduct any points from the team which kept West Ham in the Premiership
The initial sum that Sheffield United wanted from West Ham was in the region of £45 million however the club settled for half than this amount receiving £4 million every year for the next five years.
West Ham’s decision to pay off Sheffield United outside of court has now opened up the doors for other individuals and organisations that lost out due to Carlos Tevez’s goal and Sheffield United relegation.
Neil Warnock has revealed that he amongst former players of Sheffield United will pursue personal claims against West Ham for the losses that they incurred as a consequence of the Sheffield team going down into the Championship.
Chris Farnell, the lawyer acting on behalf of the players, said: “The players’ claim will continue independently and we made correspondence with West Ham’s lawyers as recently as the end of the week.” Even in the unlikely event that Warnock and his former players choose against pursuing West Ham for compensation, the saga surrounding the issue is yet to be completed.
Michal Lodej, The Steel Bugle
The row began after it emerged that West Ham did not own Carlos Tevez when played in the crucial game that kept West Ham up and sent Sheffield United down. At the time Tevez was owned by Kia Joorabchian.
The fact that West Ham did not own Tevez when he scored the winning goal against Manchester United puts the result in dispute along with the consequences of West Ham’s win. After the issue was raised by Sheffield United the F.A decided to fine West Ham a total of £5½ million however the F.A did not deduct any points from the team which kept West Ham in the Premiership
The initial sum that Sheffield United wanted from West Ham was in the region of £45 million however the club settled for half than this amount receiving £4 million every year for the next five years.
West Ham’s decision to pay off Sheffield United outside of court has now opened up the doors for other individuals and organisations that lost out due to Carlos Tevez’s goal and Sheffield United relegation.
Neil Warnock has revealed that he amongst former players of Sheffield United will pursue personal claims against West Ham for the losses that they incurred as a consequence of the Sheffield team going down into the Championship.
Chris Farnell, the lawyer acting on behalf of the players, said: “The players’ claim will continue independently and we made correspondence with West Ham’s lawyers as recently as the end of the week.” Even in the unlikely event that Warnock and his former players choose against pursuing West Ham for compensation, the saga surrounding the issue is yet to be completed.
Michal Lodej, The Steel Bugle
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Pedestrian killed by Police car
The Independant Police Commplaints Commission has ordered an investigation after a man was killed in an accident involving a marked police car.
The man who is said to be in his 40’s and from the Denaby Main area of Sheffield was hit by a marked South Yorkshire Police patrol car driving along Doncaster road.
The Ford Focus was carrying two police officers responding to an incident when they collided with the pedestrian. Paramedics were called to the accident immediately where they pronounced the man dead at the scene.
Details of the deceased have not yet been released as formal identification of the man has not yet taken place and is still waiting to be revealed by the IPCC.
The IPCC has assigned two investigators to the case. They will look at what caused the death of a man and will see if there was any way in which the accident could have been avoided.
The IPCC has promised to conduct a fully independent inquiry; Commissioner Nicholas Long who is in charge of the investigation said;
“The IPCC investigation will be independent and proportionate, my condolences go to the family and friends of the dead man”.
Michal Lodej, The Steel Bugle
The man who is said to be in his 40’s and from the Denaby Main area of Sheffield was hit by a marked South Yorkshire Police patrol car driving along Doncaster road.
The Ford Focus was carrying two police officers responding to an incident when they collided with the pedestrian. Paramedics were called to the accident immediately where they pronounced the man dead at the scene.
Details of the deceased have not yet been released as formal identification of the man has not yet taken place and is still waiting to be revealed by the IPCC.
The IPCC has assigned two investigators to the case. They will look at what caused the death of a man and will see if there was any way in which the accident could have been avoided.
The IPCC has promised to conduct a fully independent inquiry; Commissioner Nicholas Long who is in charge of the investigation said;
“The IPCC investigation will be independent and proportionate, my condolences go to the family and friends of the dead man”.
Michal Lodej, The Steel Bugle
100 Years of Youth Justice
Ever wondered what it's like to be inside a prison cell? Or to have an electronic tag attached to you? Sheffield Magistrates Court is having an open day on the 28th March to let people see how far youth justice has come over the past 100 years.
There will be lots going on throughout the day with the chance to sit inside a prison van, experience a mock trial, see the Police Fire Arms Team 'Gun and knife initiative', look inside an Armed Response Vehicle and see various displays and exhibition stands. Visiting the court will be a real insight into how the youth justice system has developed.
The open day is advertised on a poster comparing headlines from the past 189 years. The first headline is from 1820; 'Boy of nine hanged for stealing six handkerchiefs' then the next headline below it is from 1909; 'Youth justice courts set up to ensure fair justice for children' and finally the headline in 2009; 'See how far youth justice has come at our open day 28th March 2009 at Sheffield Magistrates' Court 10.30am-4.00pm.'
The event is free entry and should be an eye opening experience for all. Hopefully deterring any children who visit!
Louise Jade Gill, The Steel Bugle.
There will be lots going on throughout the day with the chance to sit inside a prison van, experience a mock trial, see the Police Fire Arms Team 'Gun and knife initiative', look inside an Armed Response Vehicle and see various displays and exhibition stands. Visiting the court will be a real insight into how the youth justice system has developed.
The open day is advertised on a poster comparing headlines from the past 189 years. The first headline is from 1820; 'Boy of nine hanged for stealing six handkerchiefs' then the next headline below it is from 1909; 'Youth justice courts set up to ensure fair justice for children' and finally the headline in 2009; 'See how far youth justice has come at our open day 28th March 2009 at Sheffield Magistrates' Court 10.30am-4.00pm.'
The event is free entry and should be an eye opening experience for all. Hopefully deterring any children who visit!
Louise Jade Gill, The Steel Bugle.
Jason Manford at Sheffield Memorial Hall
Jason Manford, best known as a team captain on popular channel 4 comedy quiz 8 out of 10 cats, is establishing himself as a good stand up act. Sunday (15th March) marked his second appearance in Sheffield, this time in front of a packed audience in Sheffield City Hall.
Manford started his career at seventeen and after his first seven shows he won The City Life North West Comedian of the Year. He has risen to a new high with his latest tour which has now sold over 42,000 tickets.
During the show his success so far is easy to understand, Jason befriends the audience, rather than like other comedians singling out and picking on certain audience members. Manford instead looks largely at his own life and especially his childhood for material, ranging from 'Dad jokes' to life with his two brothers to how he is a terrible driver.
Not only is Jason Manford hilarious but he may be one of the cleanest comedians around, he doesn’t drink and rarely swears which means he can appeal to a much wider audience. This is a show that I would highly recommend, to see when Jason is near you visit http://www.jasonmanford.com/gigs and he shall be returning to our screens with a new series of 8 out of 10 cats in May.
Damon Fowler, The Steel Bugle
Manford started his career at seventeen and after his first seven shows he won The City Life North West Comedian of the Year. He has risen to a new high with his latest tour which has now sold over 42,000 tickets.
During the show his success so far is easy to understand, Jason befriends the audience, rather than like other comedians singling out and picking on certain audience members. Manford instead looks largely at his own life and especially his childhood for material, ranging from 'Dad jokes' to life with his two brothers to how he is a terrible driver.
Not only is Jason Manford hilarious but he may be one of the cleanest comedians around, he doesn’t drink and rarely swears which means he can appeal to a much wider audience. This is a show that I would highly recommend, to see when Jason is near you visit http://www.jasonmanford.com/gigs and he shall be returning to our screens with a new series of 8 out of 10 cats in May.
Damon Fowler, The Steel Bugle
Tuesday, 17 March 2009
All New Crucible Theatre Opens Its Doors
This week, the newly refurbished Crucible theatre in Sheffield opened its doors to the public for viewing.
The evening was designed as a practice run for the new facilities to see how hey coped with over 300 people in attendance.
It consisted of an evening packed with entertainment for the public and other carefully planned drills which highlighted the buildings’ safety measures.
The majority of people who attended seemed highly impressed with the changes the theatre has made. Including a bright and vibrant box office and a tasteful new bar area.
However, there were a few minor problems on the night that are still to be corrected, as explained by the bar manager, Andrew Cooper;
“There are some issues with over - crowding of the bar area when the theatre is at maximum capacity and we’re looking at getting the area extended”.
The majority of the theatre’s new features are very impressive though and the building is now very accessible for the disabled, something which never existed before.
Most importantly, the stage itself has had a complete facelift with all new technical lighting, brand new seating in the auditorium and new air conditioning for the audience and performers.
To boast these new features, the crucible’s technical team offered the audience a lighting and pyrotechnics display, which highlighted the new technical features which will benefit future performances. There were also performances on stage from the Sheffield Endcliffe orchestra and local street dance team – Body of sound.
The team at the Crucible seem extremely proud of their new workplace and are genuinely excited for the completion of the new building, which is planned for November. However, the Snooker world championships are still scheduled to be held in the summer, in which the theatre will close afterwards for work to commence for the final completion.
The people of Sheffield can then look forward to a fantastic night out at the theatre and be proud of the new building and facilities.
Jonathan Garnett, The Steel Bugle.
The evening was designed as a practice run for the new facilities to see how hey coped with over 300 people in attendance.
It consisted of an evening packed with entertainment for the public and other carefully planned drills which highlighted the buildings’ safety measures.
The majority of people who attended seemed highly impressed with the changes the theatre has made. Including a bright and vibrant box office and a tasteful new bar area.
However, there were a few minor problems on the night that are still to be corrected, as explained by the bar manager, Andrew Cooper;
“There are some issues with over - crowding of the bar area when the theatre is at maximum capacity and we’re looking at getting the area extended”.
The majority of the theatre’s new features are very impressive though and the building is now very accessible for the disabled, something which never existed before.
Most importantly, the stage itself has had a complete facelift with all new technical lighting, brand new seating in the auditorium and new air conditioning for the audience and performers.
To boast these new features, the crucible’s technical team offered the audience a lighting and pyrotechnics display, which highlighted the new technical features which will benefit future performances. There were also performances on stage from the Sheffield Endcliffe orchestra and local street dance team – Body of sound.
The team at the Crucible seem extremely proud of their new workplace and are genuinely excited for the completion of the new building, which is planned for November. However, the Snooker world championships are still scheduled to be held in the summer, in which the theatre will close afterwards for work to commence for the final completion.
The people of Sheffield can then look forward to a fantastic night out at the theatre and be proud of the new building and facilities.
Jonathan Garnett, The Steel Bugle.
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
More women getting screened for cervical cancer in Sheffield since Jade Goody's diagnosis.
NHS Sheffield saw an increase in one particular week after former Big Brother housemate Jade Goody had announced her cancer – from 250 to 750 women getting screened.
Although this is anecdotal evidence it still shows a positive impact suggesting that more women have been screened since Jade Goody’s diagnosis was highlighted in the media.
Jade’s situation has shocked the whole country and increased awareness of cervical cancer and its symptoms. The 27-year-old was originally diagnosed in August and has now been given just weeks to live.
The new HPV vaccine is now been offered routinely to girls aged between 12-13 years in an attempt to stamp out the disease.
Frances Cunning, Consultant in Public health at NHS Sheffield said; “HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) is known to be a major factor in cervical cancer so if we can eradicate the virus we can stop the cancer growing in the first place.”
“However the vaccination is not a cure, girls who have received a vaccine will still need to have regular smear tests in the future in the same way that women do now.”
Cancer Research UK website has seen a large rise in the number of pages viewed daily in the cervical cancer section. Before Jade was diagnosed it was 2,000-3,000 views daily and as risen to now over 32,000.
Louise Jade Gill, The Steel Bugle.
Although this is anecdotal evidence it still shows a positive impact suggesting that more women have been screened since Jade Goody’s diagnosis was highlighted in the media.
Jade’s situation has shocked the whole country and increased awareness of cervical cancer and its symptoms. The 27-year-old was originally diagnosed in August and has now been given just weeks to live.
The new HPV vaccine is now been offered routinely to girls aged between 12-13 years in an attempt to stamp out the disease.
Frances Cunning, Consultant in Public health at NHS Sheffield said; “HPV (Human Papilloma Virus) is known to be a major factor in cervical cancer so if we can eradicate the virus we can stop the cancer growing in the first place.”
“However the vaccination is not a cure, girls who have received a vaccine will still need to have regular smear tests in the future in the same way that women do now.”
Cancer Research UK website has seen a large rise in the number of pages viewed daily in the cervical cancer section. Before Jade was diagnosed it was 2,000-3,000 views daily and as risen to now over 32,000.
Louise Jade Gill, The Steel Bugle.
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
My Passion Hit Corporation
There's was small gathering outside of Corporation waiting around in anticipation of seeing My Passion's first headline show in Sheffield.
The night begins with Freefold (with a rather embarrassing typo of 'Freehold' on the schedule sheet). They do well to generate an atmosphere which was very relaxed, the other bands watching amongst the crowd, with only thirty to forty people there. They are followed by Here's To Tragedy who again maintains the level of entertainment but the crowd seems to saving themselves for the headliners.
The audience step up the energy as My Passion emerges, for such a small venue the room and freedom prove useful to jump and dance around. The music, whether you like it or not, it's undeniably infectious. The band looks to be enjoying themselves screaming, singing, punching and kicking their way through songs Play dirty, Day of the bees and new single Thanks for Nothing, amongst others. The only complaint from the audience would be of the short 35 minute set. Still My Passion end on a high with Never Everland showing why they deserve page space in Kerrang and Rock Sound. It hasn’t gone to their heads as they come straight off stage and into the fans, having chats and signing anything put in front of them.
Following their performance we interviewed My Passion lead singer Laurence Rene:
How did the gig go tonight?
Tonight was our second ever time in Sheffield, the last was supporting Kill Hannah at the Academy so it was different coming back to headline a one off show. We were just so pleased that a bunch of people came out to see us at a show that hasn’t been majorly advertised and wasn’t part of a tour. It refreshing to do this kind of gig now and then.
What do you think of: Sheffield? and Corporation?
From what we have experienced it’s a city with a lot of people searching for something fresh. I think we have found that a lot across our UK travels. People are really taken in by the show and I think these will stick in their memory forever. We were in the small room at the Corporation tonight and the stage is so high it's like performing from the moon down to your audience. It’s lucky we pull some big shapes and have a light show that can be seen for miles. We’ll definitely be back!
You are all very energetic onstage, is this something you planned or is it natural?
I guess we plan to be exciting visually but the energy comes from the music we create and how we feel about what we do. Something is unleashed from inside us and we are practically taken over. I think that although the music can be quite dark it is also very exciting and for us it's also a great time to feel like you are part of the future of the music industry. This all comes across when we play the songs live.
Have any of you had any accidents or suffered any injuries?
Ha we’ve had our fair share of collateral damage... There are always minor cuts and bruises occasionally a bit more but we’ve toured together lots now and we generally know how each of us performs, it's like a sixth sense. I did break my knee just over a year ago though that wasn’t anyone’s fault other than my own. Jumping from a 12ft speaker stack can be dangerous. You learn what not to do...
What bands do you look up to and aspire to?
We don’t really look to bands of a similar size to us I guess it’s because we see My Passion being far bigger than this. I always admire a band like Muse who can fill a stadium in such a way as they did a year or so ago. Three men making a sound that is out of this world really impresses me and to mix so many elements into that is just amazing. We definitely look to reaching that kind of level.
You’ve said that your favourite bands are a ‘bunch of weirdos'?
Well we always grew up with bands that stood out and were never really your standard band. I guess growing up you want something exciting and different. We always wanted to be entertained and wanted people to match the music they wrote with a show and performance that fitted it. My dad grew with the band and definitely had a huge influence on us as well as introducing us to bands like Iggy, Japan, Bowie and The Cure. We grew up with extremes of weirdness from Marilyn Manson and Slipknot to Radiohead, bloody weird visually and musically in their own right.
Once you’ve grown up with some of the characters from the 80’snd a load of Tim Burton films anything can seem normal. It has helped us keep an open mind.
What do you think of other new emerging bands like Bring Me The Horizon and Rolo Tommassi?
It's funny because although we are making modern rock music and have a vague idea of what other bands are up to we don’t really pay much attention to it. I guess unless a band is really special we don’t even blink and we don’t come across many of those. We are so driven and comfortable with what we are doing we don’t really look side wards or behind us it's much more into the future. We are following our dreams and battling a dinosaur known as the music industry so it's all about carving out our own path right now.
What are your hopes with the upcoming release of your first album?
For as many people to hear it as possible! We just can’t wait to get it out there! We hope by that point our name will be starting to spread. We want people to pick that album up lock themselves in a room turn it up really really loud and travel through it with us. Then we want them to come out and see on the album tour, see it come alive.
My Passion's debut album is released on the 25th of May, and can be pre ordered now at http://www.mypassionfashion.co.uk/
Damon Fowler, The Steel Bugle
The night begins with Freefold (with a rather embarrassing typo of 'Freehold' on the schedule sheet). They do well to generate an atmosphere which was very relaxed, the other bands watching amongst the crowd, with only thirty to forty people there. They are followed by Here's To Tragedy who again maintains the level of entertainment but the crowd seems to saving themselves for the headliners.
The audience step up the energy as My Passion emerges, for such a small venue the room and freedom prove useful to jump and dance around. The music, whether you like it or not, it's undeniably infectious. The band looks to be enjoying themselves screaming, singing, punching and kicking their way through songs Play dirty, Day of the bees and new single Thanks for Nothing, amongst others. The only complaint from the audience would be of the short 35 minute set. Still My Passion end on a high with Never Everland showing why they deserve page space in Kerrang and Rock Sound. It hasn’t gone to their heads as they come straight off stage and into the fans, having chats and signing anything put in front of them.
Following their performance we interviewed My Passion lead singer Laurence Rene:
How did the gig go tonight?
Tonight was our second ever time in Sheffield, the last was supporting Kill Hannah at the Academy so it was different coming back to headline a one off show. We were just so pleased that a bunch of people came out to see us at a show that hasn’t been majorly advertised and wasn’t part of a tour. It refreshing to do this kind of gig now and then.
What do you think of: Sheffield? and Corporation?
From what we have experienced it’s a city with a lot of people searching for something fresh. I think we have found that a lot across our UK travels. People are really taken in by the show and I think these will stick in their memory forever. We were in the small room at the Corporation tonight and the stage is so high it's like performing from the moon down to your audience. It’s lucky we pull some big shapes and have a light show that can be seen for miles. We’ll definitely be back!
You are all very energetic onstage, is this something you planned or is it natural?
I guess we plan to be exciting visually but the energy comes from the music we create and how we feel about what we do. Something is unleashed from inside us and we are practically taken over. I think that although the music can be quite dark it is also very exciting and for us it's also a great time to feel like you are part of the future of the music industry. This all comes across when we play the songs live.
Have any of you had any accidents or suffered any injuries?
Ha we’ve had our fair share of collateral damage... There are always minor cuts and bruises occasionally a bit more but we’ve toured together lots now and we generally know how each of us performs, it's like a sixth sense. I did break my knee just over a year ago though that wasn’t anyone’s fault other than my own. Jumping from a 12ft speaker stack can be dangerous. You learn what not to do...
What bands do you look up to and aspire to?
We don’t really look to bands of a similar size to us I guess it’s because we see My Passion being far bigger than this. I always admire a band like Muse who can fill a stadium in such a way as they did a year or so ago. Three men making a sound that is out of this world really impresses me and to mix so many elements into that is just amazing. We definitely look to reaching that kind of level.
You’ve said that your favourite bands are a ‘bunch of weirdos'?
Well we always grew up with bands that stood out and were never really your standard band. I guess growing up you want something exciting and different. We always wanted to be entertained and wanted people to match the music they wrote with a show and performance that fitted it. My dad grew with the band and definitely had a huge influence on us as well as introducing us to bands like Iggy, Japan, Bowie and The Cure. We grew up with extremes of weirdness from Marilyn Manson and Slipknot to Radiohead, bloody weird visually and musically in their own right.
Once you’ve grown up with some of the characters from the 80’snd a load of Tim Burton films anything can seem normal. It has helped us keep an open mind.
What do you think of other new emerging bands like Bring Me The Horizon and Rolo Tommassi?
It's funny because although we are making modern rock music and have a vague idea of what other bands are up to we don’t really pay much attention to it. I guess unless a band is really special we don’t even blink and we don’t come across many of those. We are so driven and comfortable with what we are doing we don’t really look side wards or behind us it's much more into the future. We are following our dreams and battling a dinosaur known as the music industry so it's all about carving out our own path right now.
What are your hopes with the upcoming release of your first album?
For as many people to hear it as possible! We just can’t wait to get it out there! We hope by that point our name will be starting to spread. We want people to pick that album up lock themselves in a room turn it up really really loud and travel through it with us. Then we want them to come out and see on the album tour, see it come alive.
My Passion's debut album is released on the 25th of May, and can be pre ordered now at http://www.mypassionfashion.co.uk/
Damon Fowler, The Steel Bugle
Sheffield Pubs forced to increase prices
The local public house is the latest industry to fall to the 'credit crunch'.It is hitting almost every industry, company and person in the country and now the prices of pints in your local pubs are about to escalate.
Local licensees in Sheffield are set to 'up' their prices of a pint by up to 15p. It comes after the increase of people boycotting their local pubs in favour of being lured by cheap deals for alcohol in supermarkets, as well as a new government scheme to tackle alcohol consumption.
Added to this, the government health secretary Nicola Sturgeon, is planning to introduce a scheme where public houses and supermarkets must have a minimum price for selling beer, wine and spirits in return for holding a license for selling alcohol.
No figure has been set at the moment, but there are suggestions that it could be 40p per unit of alcohol, which would see a bottle of vodka containing 37.5% of alcohol costing £10.50 and a 13% bottle of wine, £3.90.
This will cause more upset to the alcohol selling trade, but the health secretary says that lowering the country's consumption of alcohol can only be a good thing;
"It is unacceptable that here and also in Scotland, you can exceed the weekly male guideline for alcohol for less than £3.50. These measures we are looking to take are mainly aimed at sales in supermarkets, but we're also looking to tackle the sales in public houses".
One public house which is being forced into a dramatic price increase is The Grindstone, situated in the heart of the Crookes area of Sheffield. Land lord John Bishop said;
"We have to try and lower our prices to get people in, whereas the government is forcing us to raise our prices. We have a business to run, if the licensee is losing money, we have to increase the prices".
Speaking about the economic crisis, Mr. Bishop also added;
"We've heard that gas and electricity prices are on the up which is going to affect us, maybe we have to look at lowering staff wages. Petrol is another issue, in terms of deliveries. It just can't go on".
In Sheffield, there are more pub closures than ever before. On a national level, 14 close per week according to official government figures.
This is due to lack of business as well as a collection of other elements impacting on the local pub crisis.
One being last summer's floods, which have seen the price of malt and hops – beer's essential ingredients – rocket this year, forcing up production costs.
The situation for local pubs looks pretty grim. Nigel Williams, landlord of The Ranmoor Inn and a member of the governing body of the Federation Of The Licensed Victuallers Association, thinks people need to remember what it is the local public house has to offer;
"I think we need to do more to get people excited about their local. People enjoy the atmosphere of a great pub and the sense of community. That's the key".
Jonathan Garnett, The Steel Bugle.
Friday, 27 February 2009
Anger at plans to barricade Sheffield Station
East Midlands Trains have caused anger and controversy with a plan to build gates restricting access to station footbridge.
East Midlands Trains have stated that the gates would be in place to ensure that all passengers on the rail line are carrying valid tickets and put a stop to people abusing the transport system.
The barriers which have been planned to be built by East midland Trains would cut off access across the footbridge at Sheffield station which not only leads to the train platforms and the supertram links but also provides a safe walkway from the Park Hill and Norfolk Park areas of Sheffield into the city centre.
Sheffield City Council has spoken out against the plans to build gates in the station and are 'strongly opposed' to the instillation of ticket barriers. Although the council supports the principle of checking tickets they feel that restricting access to the footbridge will have a negative effect on the people of Sheffield.
The City Council has supported the public by condemning the creation of barriers at the station and has created a forum for the opinions of passengers and residents on the Sheffield council’s website. The council has promised to represent the views of the people of Sheffield and will make them known to East Midlands Trains the next time further talks on the matter are held.
Sheffield City Council has supported a protest march which took place today and said in a statement “We think that the barriers would block an essential pedestrian route that provides a safe, well lit and easily accessible link to the city centre”.
Michal Lodej, The Steel Bugle
East Midlands Trains have stated that the gates would be in place to ensure that all passengers on the rail line are carrying valid tickets and put a stop to people abusing the transport system.
The barriers which have been planned to be built by East midland Trains would cut off access across the footbridge at Sheffield station which not only leads to the train platforms and the supertram links but also provides a safe walkway from the Park Hill and Norfolk Park areas of Sheffield into the city centre.
Sheffield City Council has spoken out against the plans to build gates in the station and are 'strongly opposed' to the instillation of ticket barriers. Although the council supports the principle of checking tickets they feel that restricting access to the footbridge will have a negative effect on the people of Sheffield.
The City Council has supported the public by condemning the creation of barriers at the station and has created a forum for the opinions of passengers and residents on the Sheffield council’s website. The council has promised to represent the views of the people of Sheffield and will make them known to East Midlands Trains the next time further talks on the matter are held.
Sheffield City Council has supported a protest march which took place today and said in a statement “We think that the barriers would block an essential pedestrian route that provides a safe, well lit and easily accessible link to the city centre”.
Michal Lodej, The Steel Bugle
Wednesday, 25 February 2009
Players lose the match - and their wallets and phones
Players from Gleadless Football Club had their wallets and mobile phones stolen on Saturday as they played football.
The theft took place between 13.30 and 15.30 at The Boundary Social Club, Jordanthorpe, Sheffield, where teams from all over Sheffield play matches every weekend.
Players usually leave their belongings in a changing room, which is kept locked while the teams are on the field.
However, on Saturday the changing room key was left in the door, which is how the thief got hold of them. The players assumed one of them had the key so went to play football unaware the keys had been stolen.
They returned to the changing room at the end of the game, which ended in a 5-3 victory on penalties to their opponents, Furnace pub, to find their belongings had been taken. The match had finished 1-1 after extra time. One of the players, who asked not to be named, said: "Nothing like this has ever happened before."
Police are analysing CCTV footage to try and identify the thief.
Louise Jade Gill, The Steel Bugle
The theft took place between 13.30 and 15.30 at The Boundary Social Club, Jordanthorpe, Sheffield, where teams from all over Sheffield play matches every weekend.
Players usually leave their belongings in a changing room, which is kept locked while the teams are on the field.
However, on Saturday the changing room key was left in the door, which is how the thief got hold of them. The players assumed one of them had the key so went to play football unaware the keys had been stolen.
They returned to the changing room at the end of the game, which ended in a 5-3 victory on penalties to their opponents, Furnace pub, to find their belongings had been taken. The match had finished 1-1 after extra time. One of the players, who asked not to be named, said: "Nothing like this has ever happened before."
Police are analysing CCTV footage to try and identify the thief.
Louise Jade Gill, The Steel Bugle
Lent in Sheffield
On Ash Wednesday, The Steel Bugle team went out into the streets of Sheffield asking it's people;
"what are you giving up for lent...?"
http://www.box.net/shared/5mnd1836ve
My Passion to play Corporation
Sheffield will have its chance to see rising alternative stars, My Passion as they bring their rebellious metallic punk sound to Corporation tomorrow night (26th February).
Four childhood friends; Laurence René (Vocals, Guitar), Jonathan Gaskin (Drums, Vocals, Electronics), John Be (Guitar) and Simon Rolands (Bass, Synth) collectively My Passion, have shot up to the forefront of British underground bands.
However, their story has not begun in the past few months. They emerged from quiet London suburbs back in 2006 and through determination, hard work and most importantly, 'passion' they have racked up around 400 shows so far with a rapid cult fan base emerging that share the same energy and desire as the band.
Despite set backs such as their tour bus exploding and destroying everything but their instruments, the hard work is finally paying off as the band and fans await the release of their first album, 'Corporate Flesh Party' in the Spring.
The album comes after years of support slots from artists such as; Jeffree Star, The Automatic, Kill Hannah and most recently Innerpartysystem. The name 'My Passion' became talked about more and more and despite interest from record labels, the band kept things on their own terms.
'Style Suicide Records', their own record label, allows them to have full creative control, something rarely enjoyed by a lot of bands these days. Their creativity doesn’t just stop at music, with 'My Passion Fashion', their own merchandise brand, being another branch on their multi-talented tree. Its popularity is undeniable with merch stands regularly selling out.
Following recent acclaim from 'Kerrang!' and 'NME' magazine as well as a top 3 spot in the Kerrang best of 2008 Readers Poll and a Number one spot in 'Rocksound' magazine, My Passion are emerging as stars. With a distinctive look and sound coupled with the key word 'passion' they look set to rise to even greater heights.
For tickets to My Passion at Corporation:
http://www.corporation.org.uk/gig.php?gigID=567
or call 0114 276 0262
Tickets £7 adv, doors 7pm
(Support from Freefold and Here's To Tragedy)
Damon Fowler, The Steel Bugle
Def Leppard to headline 'Download' Festival
After a 23 year absence, Sheffield's 'Def Leppard' are finally making a return to Donington Park for the 2009 heavy rock festival, 'Download'.
It will be the first time the band has played there since the 'Monsters of Rock' festival in 1986.The Sheffield born rockers, famous for their innovative and melodic heavy metal sound, are headlining the main stage on the third day of the festival. Other headliners include American rockers, Slipknot, Limp Bizkit and Korn.
The band signed their first record deal in 1979, prompting their first full length album, On Through The Night in 1980, which eventually went platinum after a highly successful tour of the U.S.A.
Def Leppard are made up of vocalist Joe Elliot, guitarists Rick Savage, Vivian Campbell and Phil Collen with drummer Rick Allen, who tragically lost an arm in a car accident, but thanks to an enormous amount of support from fans, he still keeps playing with the band.
The lads began their musical career playing in pubs and clubs around their home city of Sheffield. One venue in particular was a regular for the up and coming rock group who played some of their earliest gigs there in 1979.
This venue which staged the teenage rock foursome was Crookes Working Men's club. The secretary of the committee, Peter Lonsdale, still remembers their earliest gigs there;
"I always knew they'd be big, but never thought they would be in America and touring the world. What they've achieved since playing here is remarkable."
Lead guitarist Rick Savage tries to stay true to his Sheffield roots and keeps in touch with Peter and other members of the club;
"Sometimes when he's in the city, Rick pops in to say hello and it always makes me feel proud. They're a great bunch and we hope they're success continues for many years to come."
Alex Darling, one of the chief promoters for the Download Festival in June, is expecting tickets for the festival to sell out in a matter hours following the announcement of Def Leppard amongst others;
"We're anticipating one of the quickest sell outs for the festival in its history, we're also encouraging people to buy tickets online to avoid disappointment."
She also spoke of her delight that they've been able to bring Def Leppard back to Donington Park;
"It's a great capture for the festival, bringing the band back to Donington Park after such a lengthy gap. Fans have been anticipating this for a while so we're expecting a great response."
Tickets for the iconic rock festival are now on sale via the Download hotline - 0844 847 1767 or by visiting http://www.downloadfestival.co.uk/.
Jonathan Garnett, The Steel Bugle.
Wednesday, 11 February 2009
Welcome!
Hello and welcome to The Steel Bugle! The online newspaper that gives you all the essential updates in news, entertainment, sports and weather in Sheffield.
Below you can find;
- News : A review of how well the city coped in the snow last week.
- News : Sheffield Wednesday's shirt sponsorship is going to the Children's Hospital.
- Sport : The Steel city derby between Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday - REPORT
Below you can find;
- News : A review of how well the city coped in the snow last week.
- News : Sheffield Wednesday's shirt sponsorship is going to the Children's Hospital.
- Sport : The Steel city derby between Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday - REPORT
Review to check how Sheffield coped with the snow
A review of how Sheffield coped with a week of heavy snow and ice will be carried out to see if the council was fully prepared for the poor conditions.
The city came to a stand still as buses found it impossible to access areas of Sheffield which are on higher ground. The back-log of traffic meant that the gridlocked roads stretched right into the city centre. Some taxi firms refused to go to certain areas of the city for fear that their cars would not be able to handle the poor surface of the roads.
Both Labour and the Liberal Democratic parties are eagerly awaiting the review on how well the city coped in the bad weather. Whilst in opposition, the Liberal Democrat's were critical of how quickly the roads became inaccessible.
There will be many parents who will want answers from the report as to how the council will stop this happening again. The snow resulted in 144 schools closed meaning thousands of children had to be found alternative supervision. When council leader Paul Scriven was asked what he expected from the report he said;
"I am sure there are areas on which we can imporove. We want the review so that we can give the people of Sheffield the improvements they need".
Michal Lodej, The Steel Bugle.
The city came to a stand still as buses found it impossible to access areas of Sheffield which are on higher ground. The back-log of traffic meant that the gridlocked roads stretched right into the city centre. Some taxi firms refused to go to certain areas of the city for fear that their cars would not be able to handle the poor surface of the roads.
Both Labour and the Liberal Democratic parties are eagerly awaiting the review on how well the city coped in the bad weather. Whilst in opposition, the Liberal Democrat's were critical of how quickly the roads became inaccessible.
There will be many parents who will want answers from the report as to how the council will stop this happening again. The snow resulted in 144 schools closed meaning thousands of children had to be found alternative supervision. When council leader Paul Scriven was asked what he expected from the report he said;
"I am sure there are areas on which we can imporove. We want the review so that we can give the people of Sheffield the improvements they need".
Michal Lodej, The Steel Bugle.
Sheffield Wednesday give sponsorship to charity
The Children's Hospital in Sheffield will receive a huge boost to help sick children as Sheffield Wednesday become the first Championship team to donate their sponsorship deal for the next two seasons.
Lee Strafford, club chairman of Sheffield Wednesday has said "This was not about money, we are committed to serving our community and, by entering this partnership we believe there is much greater value attributed to a kit sponsorship than by sell it to a big business."
Sheffield's Children's Hospital is one of only 4 of its kind in the UK and the charity helps it to achieve its vision of being a world class centre for the research, prevention, care and cure of childhood illnesses. The charity is aiming to raise over £650,000 done only through donations and fundraising schemes.
The charity says "This will obviously have a massive impact on the charity, we are delighted to be the partners in this generous decision. Sheffield Wednesday has given us an amazing platform to increase brand awareness and reach further into the community. Increased awareness will help us to raise further funds to support and enhance the excellent work of the hospital and help it maintain its position as a centre of excellence for paediatric care."
Perhaps the most notable club to do a similar venture to that of the Owls would be Barcelona FC not only gifting Unicef the right to sponsor their world famous kit but also donating $1.9 million a year.
It's not just from the world of football that the Children's Hospital charity is receiving backing. The Sheffield Steelers ice hockey team has had the charities logo on their jerseys since December. David Simms, PR for the Steelers said "the charity is very important to the club and to the community, players often visit the hospital and we've had a long association."
Damon Fowler, The Steel Bugle
Lee Strafford, club chairman of Sheffield Wednesday has said "This was not about money, we are committed to serving our community and, by entering this partnership we believe there is much greater value attributed to a kit sponsorship than by sell it to a big business."
Sheffield's Children's Hospital is one of only 4 of its kind in the UK and the charity helps it to achieve its vision of being a world class centre for the research, prevention, care and cure of childhood illnesses. The charity is aiming to raise over £650,000 done only through donations and fundraising schemes.
The charity says "This will obviously have a massive impact on the charity, we are delighted to be the partners in this generous decision. Sheffield Wednesday has given us an amazing platform to increase brand awareness and reach further into the community. Increased awareness will help us to raise further funds to support and enhance the excellent work of the hospital and help it maintain its position as a centre of excellence for paediatric care."
Perhaps the most notable club to do a similar venture to that of the Owls would be Barcelona FC not only gifting Unicef the right to sponsor their world famous kit but also donating $1.9 million a year.
It's not just from the world of football that the Children's Hospital charity is receiving backing. The Sheffield Steelers ice hockey team has had the charities logo on their jerseys since December. David Simms, PR for the Steelers said "the charity is very important to the club and to the community, players often visit the hospital and we've had a long association."
Damon Fowler, The Steel Bugle
Owls fly high at the lane in historic derby victory.
Sheffield Wednesday recorded a double victory over Sheffield United on Saturday with a thrilling 2-1 victory.
Not only was it their first win at the Lane for 42 years, but it was the first time Wednesday have defeated United twice in one season for 95 years. A record most fans thought would never arrive.
Tommy Spurr gave the Owls the perfect start at Bramall Lane by scoring after just 46 seconds. But United soon hit back through debutant Arturo Lupoli's close range header with just four minutes played, to halt Wednesday's high tempo start.
The winner came from a 25 yard screamer by Wednesday's Marcus Tudgay after half an hour, which instantly placed him in Owls' folklore;
"It will certainly stick in my mind for a while, probably the best I've scored in my career" beamed a delighted Tudgay who had missed the week's preparations in training due to being snowed in at his home in Derby;
"I've asked if I can do that every week after that goal! I was very pleased to see it go in, hopefully now I can continue this form and add a few more before the end of the season".
This historic victory will mean everything to the Owls after finally doing the double over their city rivals for the first time since 1914.
The man who many Wednesday supporters will look to thank for this historic win will be manager Brian Laws who also acknowledged the scale of the win on Saturday;
"There's a new sense of optimism at the club which was optimised in the win on Saturday. The lads became heroes for the fans and everyone is now just on a real high".
Sheffield United will now be looking to concentrate on the league and keep their place in the play offs following the defeat. The result moves them down a place to fifth and manager Kevin Blackwell admitted that the defeat on Saturday could throw the players' concentration;
"It's all about promotion for me now, and I'm sure the fans will agree. I was distraught on Saturday like everyone else, but now we have to look at the league and really kick on to make sure we achieve promotion and get this club back where it belongs".
Blackwell also refused to place any blame for the defeat on Saturday on his players;
"The lads have been terrific for me. I couldn't ask any more from them in training, or the game today. Credit must go to Sheffield Wednesday. They came here with a plan of keeping our fans quiet and they did so successfully".
On the other side of Sheffield, Brian Laws gave his players the day off training on Monday for achieving such a memorable win. Captain Richard Wood is now looking forward to the next two games for the Owls, against local rivals Doncaster and Barnsley;
"The day on Saturday was just amazing. The lads are really buzzing from it. We now have another two derby days to look forward to and hopefully we can pick up maximum points".
The bragging rights will now shift to the blue half of Sheffield, with Wednesday now unbeaten against their local rivals in the last four meetings.
John Gath, the chairperson of supporters' group 'wednesdayite' spoke of his delight at seeing his team achieve history;
"It was just a matter of time. They've had this record and certain bragging rights in the city because we've just never been able to win there for one reason or another. But to finally see it happen was just amazing, a memorable day in the club's history".
Jonathan Garnett, The Steel Bugle.
Not only was it their first win at the Lane for 42 years, but it was the first time Wednesday have defeated United twice in one season for 95 years. A record most fans thought would never arrive.
Tommy Spurr gave the Owls the perfect start at Bramall Lane by scoring after just 46 seconds. But United soon hit back through debutant Arturo Lupoli's close range header with just four minutes played, to halt Wednesday's high tempo start.
The winner came from a 25 yard screamer by Wednesday's Marcus Tudgay after half an hour, which instantly placed him in Owls' folklore;
"It will certainly stick in my mind for a while, probably the best I've scored in my career" beamed a delighted Tudgay who had missed the week's preparations in training due to being snowed in at his home in Derby;
"I've asked if I can do that every week after that goal! I was very pleased to see it go in, hopefully now I can continue this form and add a few more before the end of the season".
This historic victory will mean everything to the Owls after finally doing the double over their city rivals for the first time since 1914.
The man who many Wednesday supporters will look to thank for this historic win will be manager Brian Laws who also acknowledged the scale of the win on Saturday;
"There's a new sense of optimism at the club which was optimised in the win on Saturday. The lads became heroes for the fans and everyone is now just on a real high".
Sheffield United will now be looking to concentrate on the league and keep their place in the play offs following the defeat. The result moves them down a place to fifth and manager Kevin Blackwell admitted that the defeat on Saturday could throw the players' concentration;
"It's all about promotion for me now, and I'm sure the fans will agree. I was distraught on Saturday like everyone else, but now we have to look at the league and really kick on to make sure we achieve promotion and get this club back where it belongs".
Blackwell also refused to place any blame for the defeat on Saturday on his players;
"The lads have been terrific for me. I couldn't ask any more from them in training, or the game today. Credit must go to Sheffield Wednesday. They came here with a plan of keeping our fans quiet and they did so successfully".
On the other side of Sheffield, Brian Laws gave his players the day off training on Monday for achieving such a memorable win. Captain Richard Wood is now looking forward to the next two games for the Owls, against local rivals Doncaster and Barnsley;
"The day on Saturday was just amazing. The lads are really buzzing from it. We now have another two derby days to look forward to and hopefully we can pick up maximum points".
The bragging rights will now shift to the blue half of Sheffield, with Wednesday now unbeaten against their local rivals in the last four meetings.
John Gath, the chairperson of supporters' group 'wednesdayite' spoke of his delight at seeing his team achieve history;
"It was just a matter of time. They've had this record and certain bragging rights in the city because we've just never been able to win there for one reason or another. But to finally see it happen was just amazing, a memorable day in the club's history".
Jonathan Garnett, The Steel Bugle.
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