Twitter’s role in the election

Posted on May 5, 2011 by Shuo Cao

Twitter

The microblogging site Twitter has played a significant role in the local elections and AV referendum, according to freelance journalist and social media expert, Neal Mann.

Neal, known as @fieldproducer to more than 10,000 followers on Twitter, talked about the relationship between Twitter and Politics in an interview with JUS News.

Neal said that both sides (left and right) have been “pushing hashtags, topics and arguments” through Twitter in both elections and the referendum, especially with the Alternative Voting referendum.

“Both the ‘Yes to AV campaign’ and ‘No to AV campaign’ have been across the border, pushing their opinions and their reasoning to the followers to get a debate going.”

Tips for politicians

Neal said from his own experience that social media took a long time to build up a reputation and the following, as a result it was very important to take good use of it if you have a large number of followers.

As for politicians, Neal suggested that they should treat social media in the same way they treat the real outside world. “Tweet people even unnecessarily, and try to engage with people!”

Neal has 10,405 followers at the moment with a lot of journalists from the BBC and the CNN.

19-year-old running for Rotherham councillor

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Shuo Cao

The youngest candidate in South Yorkshire is hoping to be elected to Rotherham Borough Council tomorrow.

Dominic Beck,19, is hoping to secure a seat for Labour in the Wales Ward in Rotherham.

Beck says that to be elected by the people of his home community would be a dream come true.

Beck also expressed how youth today in Britain are under-represented in politics.

The former Wales High School student is studying Business Management at Sheffield Hallam University and working full-time for social care providers Hughes and Hughes Developments.

Beck told the BBC that he would run his own business after he got his impressive A-level results last year.

“Instead of playing pool, I’m talking to the older blokes about business.” He said to the BBC.

Beck is facing competition from two other candidates in the Wales ward. He is up against Jill Shaw who is the Conservative candidate and Dennis Slynn who is running for UKIP.

Abigail’s Party staged in Sheffield

Posted on May 4, 2011 by Shuo Cao

Abigail's Party

Abigail’s Party, the classic comedy which illustrated the lives of middle class in 1970s, is presented with some local accents and expressions in Parish Hall, Ringinglow Road in Sheffield from May 3 to May 7.

Abigail’s Party starts off as Beverly invites over her new neighbours, Angela and Tony who just bought a house on the road, to attempt to help them on account of her class superiority. Among the guests also invited is Susan who represents the upper middle-class, and her 15 year old daughter Abigail is throwing a party back in their house.

The play was originally performed on stage in 1977, directed by its author Mike Leigh.It was also arranged on the BBC ranking as the top 40 greatest TV shows on British television according to Radio Times poll in 2003.

Beverly ‘s husband Laurence comes back late from work, just before the guests arrive, and he can’t stand his wife, Beverly who continually flirts with Tony as the alcohol takes effect. But he is hen-pecked by his wife who dominantly decides which music or drink should be served for the guests. All of the fears, obsessions and prejudices are exposed within the simple framework.

It cost the Ecclesall Theatre Company about £1000 to organise the show without any pay for the performers, introduced by its Chairman Graham Millar.

“We do it because it’s our hobby, enjoying the light, the set and acting”, Mr Millar said.

The Cast

Sheffield-based Daniel Spivey, 32, who calls himself “international playboy” plays the role of Laurence in Abigail’s Party. He made his debut with the Ecclesall Theatre Company in February when he played the part of Harry in Jamaica Inn. Mary Smith, who went to watch the play last night, told that she was attracted by Daniel’s last performance.

Michelle Vinson who casts Angela also played in Jamaica Inn. Daniel joked about Michelle to be his wife as they cooperate successfully on the stage. Michelle joined the ETC with her husband Jonathan in 2003.

Sara Green stars Beverley who has the most lines in the show, and is also the mother of five who all play musical instruments. Her husband Stuart Green told that Abigail’s Party was Sara’s most favourite show.

Neil Drew, who plays the part of Tony, originates from Brighton and moved to Sheffield in 2004 with his wife. Neil delved into Amateur acting about 18 years ago with The Waysiders Company

The role of Susan is played by Sue Preston whose precise emotions attract a lot of applause. She is the headmistress of Clifford School alongside her role of Secrectary for the ETC.

Call to boycott Thurnscoe circus over animal rights

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Shuo Cao

Circus Mondao boycotted

An animal rights group is trying to boycott a circus which came to South Yorkshire recently.

Circus Mondao, which would be staying in Thurnscoe for the next few days, encountered opposition from the Captive Animals Protection Society (Caps).

Fiona Peacock, Caps campaign’s officer, said the needs of the animals couldn’t be met because they were not in their natural environment.

Petra Jackson from Circus Mondao said the animals were well looked-after. She explained: “Our animals are not chained up or caged”.

Entertainment or education?

Ms Peacock said: “We are completely opposed to the idea of having animals in the circus, because it’s unethical to use animals for entertainment”.

Ms Jackson disagreed by saying that they were proud to show off their animals to the British public and introduce some animals that are rarely seen in Britain.

She continued: “If animals in the circus should be banned, how about the trained police horses and dogs? You have to look at animals in different disciplines as well, not just in the circus.”

Craft Candy spring fair held in Millennium Gallery

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Shuo Cao

Loglike product in the spring fair

The 7^th Sheffield Craft Candy spring fair attracted 1,000 visitors to the Millennium Gallery on Saturday.

Some of the 50 stall owners were not Sheffield-based but they got the chance to come if they had “a strong want and fine works”, as directed by Sarah Culleton.

It was Sarah’s second time to attend Craft Candy. She is a Derby designer who likes to collect old pictures and print them out on her bags and accessories.

Various products were available in the fair, ranging from little ornaments, postcards to luxury jewellery.

Most of the craftspeople can’t afford to rent out a shop unit in a city, and many sell through websites like online marketplace Folksy, which mainly sells handmade things.

Jen Sandiford, Loglike owner who comes from Wales, confessed that she was not satisfied with the online sales.

“It is rubbish”, she giggled.

Jen’s shop sells environment-friendly products and she also provides free instructions for people to recycle used things and make them useful again.

Sarah Waterhouse, the General Manager of Folksy who is also the founder and chairperson of Craft Candy, explained that the event main aim is to promote handmade products to customers and support new makers setting up their business in Sheffield.

Slideshow provided by Fu Kuang

Crime map shows sharp rise in offences

Posted on March 28, 2011 by Shuo Cao

Sheffield crime map

A sharp rise in crime in Sheffield has been revealed by the government’s new crime mapping website.

The figures at the Police.uk website show that the number of street-level crimes and anti-social behaviour (ASB) in Sheffield has increased for three months in a row.

The figure of street-level crime and ASB in February 2011 was 1,360, compared to 1,109 in January and 1,050 cases last December.

All crime and offences shown on the map are within 2 km of the city centre.

400 million hits

The Home Office launched the website earlier this year to enable citizens to check on the level of crime in their local area.

Earlier this month James Brokenshire, the Home Office minister for crime prevention, said the website has received nearly 400 million hits since its launch last month.

ASB accounts for most crimes. In Sheffield there were 570, 501 and 534 ASB cases for February, January and last December respectively. The number of other crimes soared up from 374 cases in January to 550 in February.

The figures have not yet been released for March.

More than 300 violent crimes were committed between December and February, with February seeing the highest at 127.

The number of burglaries and robberies also increased in February, but vehicle crime dropped a little during the three-month period.

South Yorkshire Police have so far declined to comment on the figures.

Steelers defeat Newcastle Vipers to go top

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Shuo Cao

Sheffield Steelers

The Sheffield Steelers climbed back to the top of the league after a 4-3 victory last night in Newcastle.

The Steelers dominated the first and second periods, and were leading 4-1 early in the third.

But in the fifty-first minute the Newcastle Vipers fought back with their second goal and went on to score a third minutes later.

By the final whistle the Steelers had managed to cling on to a narrow 4-3 victory. “There wasn’t much complacency, but we got a win, and that’s the point that matters”, said Steelers’ winger Rob Globke.

Though the Steelers are back at the top, it’s still very close with the Cardiff Devils and Belfast Giants who are hot on their tails. But if the Steelers win their final two games, they will be league champions.

This weekend they’ll be playing Scottish side the Braehead Clan, currently fifth in the table.

Steelers’ defender Neil Clarke added: “You obviously need to realise the situation, but be just as prepared as normal. It’s the same sixty-minute game as any other game.”

Sheffield holds UK’s largest Aikido competition

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Shuo Cao

The UK’s largest Aikido competition, which was held at the English Institute of Sports Sheffield, attracted 55 athletes over the weekend.

Joe Adams, from the University of Sheffield, and Magdalena Nalaskowska, from Sheffield Hallam University, were awarded first prizes in the men’s and women’s Shiai [free fighting] matches.

Aikido is a form of Japanese martial arts, which focuses more on defence than attack, and the core elements are the quick body reactions and redirecting the force of the attacker, according to the captain of Sheffield University James Ang.

Adams, who holds a black-belt in Aikido, said: “I like the fact that in theory Aikido is very simple, but in practice it is very difficult.” He is in his fourth year at the University of Sheffield, studying East Asian Studies, and he was awarded his black-belt last year.

Women's Champion Magdalena

Nalaskowska was also awarded a black-belt last year. This 21-year-old, who comes from Poland, believes that playing Aikido has helped to build her confidence levels to overcome any difficulties that she faces. She has in her third year of her degree and she enjoys watching films starring Jackie Chan.

Scott Allbrighd – the 1995 Aaikido World Champion, who is now coaching at both Sheffield universities – said that the participating athletes came from eight universities across England, Scotland and the Netherlands.

Man arrested in Lib Dem Sheffield conference protest

Posted on March 14, 2011 by Shuo Cao

Between four and five thousand people staged a protest on Saturday around Sheffield City Hall, where the Lib Dems were holding their three-day spring conference.

A 24-year-old man was arrested after jumping over the steel fence with a firework in his hand, and he was quickly caught by nine policemen.

The man was later given an £80 fixed penalty notice, according to South Yorkshire police. The police refused to identify him.

Paul Brandin, Chair of the Right to Work campaign, also tried to break through the fences, but the police spotted him and pushed him off.

He said: “We are here to give the message to the Lib Dems that what they are doing to the country is a disgrace.”

The protesters marched from Devonshire Green at 1200 GMT where they held a three-hour rally and arrived at City Hall 30 minutes later.

Coalition support

One of the Lib Dem delegates Patrick Steeler, from London, told the crowd at Devonshire Green: “Firstly, (I am here) to ensure that nobody gets hurt. Secondly to say that I too am uneasy about the cuts, but I have a way to straighten it up from the inside, and thirdly that I support the coalition.”

He was immediately driven back by the angry crowd, but he insisted that he had the right to speak. Mr Steeler also went into the crowd around City Hall yesterday, where there were about 300 people protesting.

A bigger protest

Right to Work, Sheffield Anti-Cuts Alliance and other groups are organising a bigger protest on 26 March in London. Half a million people are expected to attend, according tothe Socialist Workers’ Party.

Paul Whitecoat, a Socialist Party member, praised the protests currently happening in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, expressing his hopes that Britain would join the trend.

A carnival demonstration

Several musical protesters brought drums and bagpipes to the demonstration. Their performance began at Devonshire Green and continued during their march to the town hall; with many young people joining them for a dance along the way.

The Sheffield Star commented on Twitter that there was “a carnival atmosphere” outside the town hall, despite the presence of one thousand police officers, who were on hand to prevent any violence.

Police justify £2 million cost

Vote for new Students’ Union officers

Posted on March 1, 2011 by Shuo Cao

campaigning banners

Today (February 28) is the first day to vote for new Students’ Union officers of Sheffield University. The voting system will last for four days to March 3 on the official website of Students’ Union.

There are 33 candidates campaigning for eight posts this year, not including three candidates for Students’ Union Council Bye Elections.

Many candidates arrived at about 8am in the morning, putting banners around the Union’s building at a temperature of 2°C in the cold wind.

Philip Bowen, a candidate for president, commented: “the SU’s performance last year was excellent, as it has been for all of my three years.” The same feeling goes for welfare candidate Mat Denton who said they performed “very very well”.

Many candidates are against spending cuts. Max Brophy was very active in the Richards Roberts Building Occupation last year, and now he is campaigning to be an Education Officer.

Gary McGuinness, one candidate for Finance Officer, said he would sometimes a slash and burn approach, and he went to London for protests against the rise of tuition fees last year.

Sarah Charlesworth (Women’s Officer candidate) takes a moderate view over the spending cuts by saying：＂obviously they are coming, and the best we can do is prevent the effects of them. As I have stated in my manifesto the cuts will affect women especially and I want to actively avoid this by bringing the careers service to the students better. ＂