One Sheffield Many Cultures

One Sheffield Many Cultures public seminar: Monday, 4th March from 7pm at the Showroom Cinema (opposite Sheffield station)

Everyone has a responsibility to condemn sexual exploitation and support the victims.

By contrast, fascist groups across Britain are trying to cynically exploit the crime of grooming to spread racism and divide communities.

The far right’s racist agenda has been boosted by the way sections of the media and some politicians have given legitimacy to racist myths about grooming.

Both our speakers bring invaluable insights to our discussion of the real nature of grooming and how best we can overcome the attempts to turn it into a racist issue. Please join us.

Seminar leaders:

Ratna Lachman is director of JUST West Yorkshire which promotes racial justice, civil liberties and human rights in the north of England. She has written articles on grooming in the national press.

Sheila Taylor has been involved in the issue of sexually exploited children and young people since 1999. She became the Chief executive of the NWG Network in 2011, a network organisation of almost 1200 members who all have an interest in tackling the issues of Child Sexual Exploitation.

» Download the leaflet

» Download the leaflet

One Sheffield Many Cultures public seminar: Thursday, 6th December

Join Butch Fazal (National Asians in Football Forum), Brendan Ingle and our other guest
contributors for a wide ranging discussion and refreshments from 6pm
for a 6:30pm start at Houlden Hall, 11 Norfolk Row, Sheffield 1 (opposite the Crucible).

The Olympics showed how sport can play its part in challenging the
barriers of racism, sexism and disability.

But how much did the multicultural heartbeat of the Olympics mark a
turning point in the relationship between sport and racism?

Can sport be a vehicle to challenge racism or does sport itself
perpetuate obstacles to progress?

Our panel will briefly share their experiences before we open up the discussion.

The panel:

Brendan Ingle came to Sheffield from Ireland and set up his boxing gym in Wincobank in the 1960′s. He has become a Sheffield icon, training champions and hundreds of young people from many different communities. His gym is a living example of the multicultural society in action – where talent is all that counts, not the colour of your
skin.

Butch Fazal, Chair of the National Asians in Football Forum and member of the national Race Equality Advisory Group, has been an advocate of equality issues for a number of years. He is the co-founder of Luton United Football Club – the biggest BME youth football club
in Bedfordshire – and also the Black and Asian Coaches’ Association (BACA).

Parkwood Academy school has been announced as the winner of June’s One Sheffield Many Cultures festival, which saw multicultural music and dance acts from eight Sheffield schools entertain a lively crowd in Barkers Pool. Both the judges and the audience showed their appreciation to all the schoolchildren taking part, recognising the impressive array of talent on display and celebrating the contribution of each community present.

Fr. Shaun Smith, Chair of One Sheffield Many Cultures, presented a commemorative shield to the winning group – a girls’ choir boasting an impressive range of vocal harmonies.

“This years’ multicultural festival was a showcase for what is best about Sheffield,” said Shaun Smith. “It was fantastic to see so many young people from such a diverse range of backgrounds coming together to represent our city.”

The One Sheffield Many Cultures festival was organised and backed by local people including faith leaders, Football Unites Racism Divides, Northern Refugee Centre, local branches of UNISON & NUJ, Yorkshire & the Humber TUC, Hope not Hate, Unite Against Fascism and Love Music Hate Racism.

Our ‘Celebrating Multicultural Sheffield’ photograph competition was won by Peter Wolstenhome. His picture of children playing together at Brunswick Primary School Woodhouse sports day is a wonderful image of multicultural Sheffield’s present and its future. Peter won the first prize of £150 and a £50 voucher from Harrison
Cameras.

The runner-up in the competition was Carl Luckock, whose photograph taken at Brendan Ingle’s gym in Wincobank depicts the power of multicultural Sheffield, by capturing the mutual respect and joint endeavour shown in the faces of the two boxers. Carl receives a £50 voucher from Harrison Cameras.

The One Sheffield Many Cultures judges had a tough time choosing between some great photographs.

We would like to recognise the contribution of all who took part and we would especially like to thank our sponsors – Harrison Cameras, London Road – and the Sheffield Star for profiling our competition.

Free festival for all the family

12 noon – 4pm on Saturday, 19th May 2012

Barkers Pool, outside City Hall, Sheffield city centre

This year’s One Sheffield Many Cultures free family festival will see ten local schools battle it out to be named the best live act. As well as singers, dancers, bands and samba drummers to see there will be lots to do throughout the day, with ‘Streetkick’ football, facepainting, Swamp circus and much more.

A great cause – celebrating peace, unity and diversity. Your compere for the day is Burngreave Community Radio’s Aisha Special K. The festival will also be opened by the new Lord Mayor, Cllr John Campbell.

• Spread the word – bring your family and friends to the event:
• Give leaflets and posters out to your local community, workplace or faith group – contact us at info@onesheffieldmanycultures.org.uk and we will deliver materials to you.
• Help us promote the event – join one of our leafleting sessions. Meet WH Smiths, Fargate at midday on Saturday, 12th May. Meet Sharrow Post Office, London Road, at 6pm on Thursday, 10th May & Thursday, 17th May.
• Volunteer to steward on the day – email us at info@onesheffieldmanycultures.org.uk for more information.
• Join the Facebook event – and invite your friends!
• Follow us on Twitter @onesheffield – and retweet our tweets!

At our recent seminar Professor Danny Dorling addressed a packed meeting on ‘How Immigration Prevented Sheffield’s Managed Decline.’

The timely discussion came after revelations in recently published documents that the UK government of the 80s had planned for a ‘managed decline’ of Liverpool and other northern cities.

In the context of a population decline in some northern cities, Professor Dorling argued that far from having negative effects, the arrival of migrants into Sheffield had helped to boost the city’s economy.

The presence of immigrants in the city helped to stimulate demand in the local economy and create more jobs. Similarly, Danny Dorling suggested that – despite claims to the contrary – immigration has led to an increase in wages. He cited additional evidence which shows that because immigrants are on average younger and healthier than the established population, they are much more likely to make a positive contribution to the economy, paying more tax and claiming less in benefits.

Much of the discussion focussed on the disconnection between the facts of immigration and its representation by politicians and the media.

Professor Dorling argued that the increase in the wealth of the top 10% of society since the 1970s could be used to pay for enough jobs to eradicate youth unemployment almost ten times over. He referred to research showing that the negative portrayal of immigration by politicians and journalists served to deflect discussion from these issues.

One of the main issues raised by several members of the audience was the relationship between immigration and the far right. Danny Dorling pointed out that the greatest fear about immigration tends to be from the places that are losing people rather than those gaining people.

He emphasised the need for a constant, vocal public disapproval of any concessions to myths about immigration or multiculturalism, especially in the context of the massacre of over 80 Norwegian young people committed by Anders Behring Breivik.

To see an edited version of Professor Dorling’s talk and the subsequent discussion, you can check the video out here.

12 noon – 4pm on Saturday, 19th May 2012

Barkers Pool, outside City Hall, Sheffield city centre

Join the celebration of our city’s unity – A great family day of fun, music and dance!

Live performances by multicultural acts and dance groups, featuring students from local schools.

+ Streetkick football with Football Unites, Racism Divides

The annual One Sheffield Many Cultures festival shows our city at its best.

This year we are showcasing the musical and dance talent of young people from schools across the city.

You can grab a bite to eat from the food stalls and enjoy a great family day in the sun.

How you can support the festival

• Request posters and leaflets to give to friends, local community groups and shops
• Make a donation to One Sheffield Many Cultures
• Sign up to leaflet in the city centre and your local area – we will provide leaflets
• Volunteer as a steward at the festival
• Email us at info@onesheffieldmanycultures.org.uk to offer your support
• You can also join OSMC on Facebook and @onesheffield on Twitter.

One Sheffield Many Cultures have teamed up with the Sheffield Star to launch a photo competition celebrating multicultural Sheffield. Amateur snappers are invited to send in photos for the chance to win a first prize of £150 + £50 in vouchers from our sponsor Harrison Cameras and a runner-up prize of £50 in vouchers.

Please send entries, which can be new taken within the last year, to letters@thestar.co.uk. Photo attachments should be no bigger than 1MB. The closing date is Friday, 6th April.

• See the Sheffield Star article

Thursday, 22nd March 2012 at 7pm

Friends Meeting House, 10 Saint James’ Street, Sheffield, United Kingdom, S1 2EW

Recently released government documents have revealed that following the Toxteth riots in 1981, Margaret Thatcher’s Chancellor Geoffrey Howe had argued for the ‘managed decline’ of Liverpool. “We must not expend all our limited resources in trying to make water flow uphill,” he said.

In this timely meeting, Danny Dorling will explain the differences between the recent decades of social change in Yorkshire and parts of the North West where there has been a great deal less immigration.

At a time when immigration, immigrants and their descendents are under constant attack, it is important to understand that these social changes indicate a healthy, dynamic economy – and that the places that have little or no immigration are the ones facing stagnation and poverty.

Facebook event