What's the Good News in Sheffield this Week?

The National Video Games Museum celebrated its 5th birthday on the 24th of November. The museum's roots begin in Nottingham as the National Videogame Arcade, opened in 2015. Eventually they moved to Sheffield in 2018, and have been there ever since. The museum exhibits a variety of games and games' consoles, and other game-related exhibits. It also holds educational workshops for students - one of which is a DIY session where you're tasked with constructing a video game controller.

The Porter Croft Academy achieved the Food for Life Bronze Award. The award highlights their usage of at least 75% fresh ingredients, involving students and parents in the development of menus, and allowing children to take part in a visit to a local farm to experience both cooking and food growing. The Church of England school earlier in the month also hosted a webinar which gave advice to parents on how to maintain a healthy diet while also saving money.

The Sheffield Covid Memorial accomplished a Keith Hayman award for Public Art. Keith Hayman is a departed past member of the Sheffield Civic Trust, a former member of Sheffield City Council and an experienced town planner and environmentalist. The memorial is shaped like a willow tree, poem fragments engraved into the structure. Mr King, the sculptor, said in an interview with the BBC: "A willow has a strong trunk, which symbolizes how people worked together to create the strength needed at such a difficult time."

John Burkhill's ITV Pride of Britain award was put on display at Sheffield's Winter Gardens. A message from John Burkhill was shared on Sheffield Online's Facebook, saying: "Thank you to Lord Mayor Ross and Sheffield Council for agreeing to this. It was important to show the city they'd done this." The man won the award earlier in December, known by the title "the Man with the Pram", after raising 1 million GBP for the Macmillan Cancer Support charity pushing around a pram - previously owned by his late daughter - all while wearing a green wig.

Sheffield was given the Sustainable Food Places Silver Award. Sheffield's ShefFood worked with organizations across Sheffield to increase sustainability within the city. The partnership's food charter - the "Sheffield's Food Charter" - outlines goals to reduce emissions, ensure accessibility to sustainable food, to use the power of good food to bring people together, and to encourage a diverse food economy.

What's on in Sheffield next week?

Lunchtime Talk: Putting the Sheaf Back in Sheffield
5th December, Weston Park Museum, 13:00 to 13:45
A talk about the Sheaf and Porter Rivers Trust will be underway at the Western Bank Museum. Simon Odgen, town planner, urbanist and local historian, will lead the talk and tell listeners about the ongoing work of the Trust. The Trust is a registered charity and has the mission of restoring and maintaining Sheffield's River Sheaf and River Porter.

APARTHEID: A Cultural and Political History
6th December, Sheffield Hallam University, 17:00 to 18:30
A public lecture on apartheid in South Africa and the similarities and differences with Israel/Palestine will be held at Sheffield Hallam University. The talker is Andrew Feinstein, book and media author, and former ANC Member of Parliament in South Africa - he served while Nelson Mandela was the country's President. Apartheid was a system of institutionalized racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa.

Solidarity! An Evening of Poetry with Roy McFarlane
4th December, Sheffield And District African Caribbean Community Association, 19:00
A poetry performance will be held at the Sheffield And District African Caribbean Community Association, including a live music performance. The playwright and poet, Roy McFarlane, is also a former youth and community worker, National Canal Laureate, and one of the Bards of Brum who performed in the Opening Ceremony for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022. Akmd Kharoub, the musician, is also described by Sheffield Stand Up To Racism as "very special" - he will be playing classical guitar. Donations will go to charity, and food will be shared.

Sheffield Christmas Market 2023
16th November to 24th December, Pinstone Street, 10:00 to 15:00
The Sheffield Christmas Market is an annual market which boasts 80% of its independent traders are based locally. Staples of the Christmas Market include a Santa's Grotto, Christmas Cabins, an Alpine Bar and Big Wheel. The Market is open every day until Christmas, its last day running being Christmas Eve.

Hagglers Christmas Market 2023
10th December, Hagglers Corner, 12:00 to 18:00
At the corner there will be stalls selling homemade products. Additionally, there will be live music and festive food and drink available. Some of the people who will be playing are the Ryan Taylor Power Trio from 1:30pm and The Mappin Street Collective from 3:30pm.

Annual Student Showcase
6th December, The Dorothy Pax, 19:00 to 23:00
Sylwia is a vocal coach, and aims to showcase the talent of her students at a free showcase at The Dorothy Pax. There will be a guest performance by Damien Farrel. The vocal coach coaches people in various different ways, including a customized approach that is personalized for you, a versatile approach that aims to help you develop the skills for your favored genre, and singing yoga classes.

Jazz Hot Six
5th December, The Dorothy Pax, 19:30 to 23:00
The Jazz Hot Six, composed of six experienced musicians that have come together to perform, will be performing in an energetic swinging style at The Dorothy Pax. Their aim is to make this a regular event, and to create an atmosphere that invites music lovers. Some styles of the music they perform is "traditional Gypsy Swing through to the bebop era of the early '50s and beyond." Performers include Martin Winning, Emily Chaplais, Shez Sheridan, Bryan Day, Kate Whittaker and Andrew Flude.

Explorations @ Hagglers: We Hate The Sharkman, Fuji Speedway, Zak Michaud Quartet, Kali
8th December to 9th December, Hagglers Corner, 20:00 to 02:30
At the Hagglers Corner there will be "Explorations", a new live music night. Their first night will showcase improvised jazz-fusion, funk and soul. The line-up includes We Hate The Sharkman, a "six-piece jazz/groove/funk band", Fuji Speedway, a "fusion quintet", Zak Michaud Quartet, bringing an "improvised jazz-fusion set", and Kali, a "neo-soul and jazz singer."

Wreath Making at The Samuel Worth Chapel
5th December, Samuel Worth Chapel, 13:00
A Christmas wreath making workshop will take place at the Samuel Worth Chapel with the goal of raising money for the Sheffield General Cemetery Trust. The tickets are priced at _22. Drinks and food will be available at their cafe and bar for a cost. The event is for people over 18 only, and will take roughly two hours - but will allow for two and a half hours for people who have to drive and park to get there.