ISSUE 7 • SPRING 2010 • FREE COPY
REPORTING FOR DUTY Introducing South Yorkshire’s food heroes
£1000s worth of prizes Strictly’s Darren and Lilia
page 30
PETE McKEE • EASTER FAMILY FUN • COMMUNITY ARTS
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Welcome SPRING 2010
Welcome Contact us: As we emerge from the gloom of winter and stride into the brighter days of spring, here at Go! we’ve been searching out stories to compliment the life-affirming newness of the season. Across South Yorkshire, there are people for whom every day is a new opportunity to indulge in their own passion. And, in our biggest ever feature, we’ve found a handful of folk who are lucky enough (and have worked hard enough) to be able to indulge their passion for a living. The one thing they all have in common is a love of food – growing it, selling it, cooking it. Each has an unrivalled commitment to producing and cooking only the finest produce, and for them it’s as much a way of life as breathing. Share their passion in A time for heroes on page 12. Sheffield artist Pete McKee shares the same enthusiasm for his work. Find out how he went from part-time cartoonist to global success story in The real McKee (page 22). Over in Barnsley, community theatre group Action Space Mobile is a collective of people who have made it their life’s work to help disadvantaged children and adults across South Yorkshire and instil in them a sense of confidence, belonging and achievement. Don’t miss the Last stop on page 33. Next up, we catch up with South Yorkshire’s very own Strictly Come Dancing stars, Darren and Lilia, who take time out from touring to talk to us in Profile (page 10). And if that wasn’t enough, we’ve got our usual round up of What’s on around the region (page 8), plus a very special Grand day out of family fun (page 20). Happy reading!
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The Go! Team
The Go! Team EDITOR Design Copywriters Photography
Paul Wells William Winder Juliet Shaw Rebecca Sheppard Amy Stone Jack Eames
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contents SPRING 2010
This issue... 22
REGULARS
FEATURES
5 News
12 A time for heroes
A new rail station for Rotherham and a hero bus driver. Read all about it!
8 What’s on
The best of the season’s events across the region.
10 Profile
The Go! Team get to salsa with Strictly’s Darren and Lilia.
£1000s worth of prizes
20 Grand day out...
Spring in South Yorkshire is just the ticket for a fun-filled family day out.
page 30
30 Competition
Win £1000s worth of prizes!
31 Letters
Write to us and you could win free travel for a month!
12
32 Reader survey
Give us your feedback and you’re in with a chance to win a year’s free travel on South Yorkshire’s public transport (worth £850!)
A real treat for all you foodies! Go! celebrates the great and the good from the region’s food industry. We give you South Yorkshire’s finest fishmongers, the greatest greengrocer, the best butcher, baker, brewer and beekeeper this county’s greenest hills have to offer. And two born-again food evangelists to boot! Enjoy the feast!
22 The real McKee
We catch up with prolific Sheffield artist Pete McKee, who talks about his love of South Yorkshire and how his humble roots have paved the way for success.
26 A question of value Go! weighs up the real cost of the car and shows just how valuable public transport can be.
33 Last stop
The Go! Team tags along with Barnsleybased community arts group, Action Space Mobile.
Look out for our expert travel tips for the best way to get around by Bus , Train or Tram . For further travel tips call Traveline on 01709 51 51 51 or visit travelsouthyorkshire.com 4
SPRING 2010
News
Rotherham Central development begins Work has begun for the redevelopment of Rotherham Central Station - a key project to join the list for Rotherham’s £2 billion Rennaissance. Once developed, the new £8.5 million station will provide passengers with significantly improved facilities including a new ticket office, passenger lounge and a retail kiosk. Passengers will also benefit from new lifts providing better access to the platforms and trains for everyone, including people with disabilities, reduced mobility and those with luggage or small children. David Young, Director of Customer Experience
at South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) said: “Passengers deserve state-of-theart facilities and the new station at Rotherham will provide a fully accessible, safe and secure environment for people to start and finish their journeys. SYPTE has worked hard recently on better connecting the town centre through public transport, and the launch of the FreeBee last year ensures people can get around the town easily for free. With the redevelopment of the station we are improving another means of public transport within a development which will serve
as a valuable function, making Rotherham even better connected.” The project has attracted investment from Yorkshire Forward and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The European Union is part of Europe’s support for the region’s economic development through the Yorkshire and Humber ERDF Programme. Malcolm Taylor of Yorkshire Forward who manages the investment of ERDF said: “European support is essential, especially in the current economic climate, for projects like this to go ahead. Yorkshire Forward and Europe are pleased to be involved, working in partnership to regenerate the town for Rotherham and local people and provide rail passengers with this superb facility on completion.” Other partners include SYPTE, the Department for Transport (DfT), Network Rail and Northern Rail. Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council is also leading on a project to improve the public space around the station to better visually connect it to the town centre and canal. This will include a new terraced area and viewing platform overlooking the canal and a new footpath towards the Guest and Chrimes site, improving links to the new civic building and proposed football stadium. When the redevelopment is complete, early in 2011, the current facility will have been replaced by a state-of-the-art railway station to join other redeveloped stations in South Yorkshire. On a recent visit to the area by the Rt Hon Lord Adonis, Secretary of State for Transport, Barnsley, Sheffield and Doncaster were categorised as world class facilities and Rotherham will make the fourth in South Yorkshire. Rail services will not be disrupted at the station during the construction. Work starts on site to construct a temporary facility which passengers will be able to use from mid-March when the main station closes. Access to Platform 2 will be across a temporary footbridge with steps and therefore people in wheelchairs and with reduced mobility will not be able to travel to and from the station. Alternative stations are available for people to use and full details of alternative travel to these stations on public transport is available by calling Traveline on 01709 515151. Northern Rail will offer assistance to passengers through their Customer Relations Team on 08081 56 16 06, should they require transport to the alternative stations. SPRING 2010
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...in brief
Excellent praise for Northern
Northern Rail has become the first train operator in the UK to achieve the prestigious Investors in Excellence Standard. The nationally recognised mark of quality acknowledges Northern’s dedication to improving the quality of its operations to
benefit customers and employees. The assessors found that: “Northern clearly embraces the concepts of Excellence. There are many good examples of this and further examples of ‘work in progress’ to improve based on analysis of the current and future landscape.”
First driving for awards success FIRST has been nominated for a prestigious Yorkshire environmental award. First is one of three companies battling it out in the innovation category in the Yorkshire Post Environment Awards. This follows the implementation of DriveGreen in all 1,500 buses across the county. DriveGreen is the revolutionary new equipment that uses GPS technology to detect dozens of driving movements per minute and immediately reports back to the driver, via an LED traffic light monitor, how well they are driving.
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Competition is fierce for the award title of Innovation, sponsored by Science City York. Also in the running is GWE Biogas, who is building an Anaerobic Digestion plant to process food waste, and Partners in Innovation, who help young people learn about the environment. Bob Hamilton, Managing Director for First in South Yorkshire, said: “The great thing about this project is that our drivers have been empowered to make a significant difference and they are real green champions.” First has successfully installed
the DriveGreen equipment in all 8,500 of its buses in the UK. First has already begun to see a 70% decrease in the number of unnecessary driving manoeuvres carried out by drivers. This has led to a significant decrease in the levels of CO2 produced by buses. Each driver is using, on average, 500 fewer litres of fuel per year – which equates to 1.2 less tonnes of CO2. Yorkshire Post editor Peter Charlton said: “With 89 entries, this year’s awards received even more entries than our inaugural
programme last year. “In addition, the quality of entries this year was even better, which tells us that there is some impressive and innovative environmental work being done by our schools, businesses and individuals. “Judging this diverse array of quality entries was an extremely challenging but very enjoyable process and we look forward to sharing the findings at the awards ceremony.”
NEWS SPRING 2010 Superstar bus driver wins £200
First bus driver Tony Lunn has won a £200 prize for helping an old age pensioner in distress. Tony, who has been a driver with First for 17 years, was chosen as the company’s annual ‘Superstars’ winner, beating off competition
from 11 other monthly winners, for his efforts to help an elderly man with a badly cut head. The man had fallen against some metal railings as he walked in Gleadless Common. Tony, who was driving through the area, stopped and gave first aid to stem the flow of blood and then called for an ambulance to
attend the scene. The man was given medical treatment but suffered no serious injury thanks to Tony’s quick thinking actions. Superstars is annual competition run by First that encourages bus passengers to nominate staff who have gone ‘the extra mile’ at work in terms of professionalism and customer service.
£530m boost for RAIL A £530 MILLION package to transform rail travel in the north of England through better stations and quicker, more frequent services was recently unveiled by Network Rail – with direct benefits for South Yorkshire. The ‘Northern Hub’ study identifies what needs to be done to respond to the significant growth seen in the region and to help drive economic prosperity. The plans include: a 40 per cent increase in trains per day across the region - 700 extra services; capacity for a further 3.5 million passengers per year; and quicker, more frequent services for Sheffield, Newcastle, Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds. Iain Coucher, Chief Executive of Network Rail, said: “Through better connections, faster services and improved stations we want to trigger wider growth in the
North which in turn will support local jobs and businesses. Our ambitious vision includes miles of track, viaducts, new platforms and electrification to keep driving up passenger demand while keeping freight on the rails – and lorries off our already congested roads.” David Brown, SYPTE Director General, said: “The Northern Hub study recommends steps to reduce overcrowding and congestion in the Manchester area which affects services right across the north of England, including South Yorkshire. “With passenger journeys along the Hope Valley predicted to rise from 8.6 million journeys a year now to more than 14 million by 2019/20, it is essential that we deal with these congestion issues now and invest in the key TransPennine route which is so important for the economy of South Yorkshire.”
Getaway buses help raise £4k AN adventurous group of students have ‘escaped jail’ thanks to Stagecoach Yorkshire – and raised £4,000 for charity in the process! Stagecoach donated free travel passes for the exciting fundraising challenge which saw participants try to get as far away from Sheffield as possible and back again in just one day. Teams of three took part in the Jailbreak Challenge 2010, which was organised by Sheffield University Officer Training Corps. Stagecoach’s travel passes were used by Emma Farley, who is studying English and History at the University of Sheffield, and her team mates Tara Knudsen and Sarah Craig, to make their escape and help them raise money for Bluebell Wood
Children’s Hospice and the Army Benevolent Fund. 19 year-old Emma, originally from New Barnet, said: “We were extremely grateful to Stagecoach for helping us get off to a great start in this challenge. “We managed to travel to London, which meant we could carry out fundraising in areas like Trafalgar Square, which have a very high footfall, maximising the amount we were able to raise. “Reaching more than £4,000 is fantastic and we are delighted to have raised so much money, in combination with the other students who also took part in the day, for such fantastic causes like Bluebell Wood Hospice, which offers care and support to children with
life limiting conditions, and the Army Benevolent Fund.” The challenge saw more than 100 people beg and borrow their way to the furthest destination. Rupert Cox, Commercial Director for Stagecoach Yorkshire, said: “We were delighted to help the students in their fundraising challenge and it is great to hear that they raised so much money for the chosen charities.”
Hidden gem #18
The Sheffield Tap This brand new bar has everythin g a railway pub should ornate ceiling and fireplace, Edw ardian bar with local ales and friendly serv tiles and mahogany ice. Cask Thornbridge beer makes this a worthy stop an any real ale tour. Platform 1B, Sheffield Station; 0114 273 7558 Bus all services to Sheffie ld Interchange. Train all services to She ffield Station. Tram Blue/Purple routes (Sheffield Hallam Universit y) ever y 10minsStation/ Sat until 6pm, then ever y 20mins.Mon-
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March-May ‘10 Art Sheffield 2010
Get creative with Art Sheffield 2010, a city-wide festival celebrating contemporary art from across the globe. The fifth annual event is spread across the city’s gallery spaces, and is free. 5 March-16 May. For full details and venues call the Millennium Gallery on 0114 278 2600 or check the Museums Sheffield website at museums-sheffield.org.uk Bus all services to Sheffield Interchange. Train all services to Sheffield Station.
Tram Blue/Purple routes (Sheffield Station/Hallam Uni) every 10mins Mon-Sat until 6pm, then every 20mins.
How the Koala Learnt to Hug: Rotherham Arts Centre
Ever wondered how the koala learned to hug? Well, you’re in luck, because there’s a wonderful performance to tell you all about it. Called, funnily enough, How the Koala Learnt to Hug, it’s a charming tale of family and the importance of lots of cuddles, and is suitable for children aged 4+. 20 March, 2.30pm at Rotherham Arts Centre. Tickets £6. Call 01709 823 621 for details. Bus services X78 & 69 (from Sheffield) run every 10mins Mon-Sat; every 15-20mins evenings and Sundays Train all services to Rotherham Central Station (up to 3 trains per hour).
Barnsley Beer Festival at Milton Hall
The Barnsley Beer Festival gets underway at Milton Hall in Barnsley, with 40 real ales and 10 real ciders to sample. A family room makes it a fun day out for the kids too. Open every day from 12noon to 10.30pm. Entry price has yet to be set, but it’s free to card-carrying Camra members. Hic. 2-11 April. Check barnsleycamra.org.uk for more details. Bus
service 66 runs every 10mins Mon-Sat until 6pm; every hour evenings and Sundays.
South Yorkshire Festival
Wortley Hall hosts the South Yorkshire Festival. Open 12-5pm, it’s a great family day out with bouncy castle, dancers, craft fair, food and much more. 7 April. Admission is free. More details at wortleyhall.org.uk Bus
service 23 runs every 2 hours every day.
Easter Egg Rolling Day at Cusworth Hall
Doncaster joins in the Easter fun with Cusworth Hall’s Easter Egg Rolling Day. Join in with the traditional egg rolling, egg hunt and decorated egg competition. The fun starts at 11am, and it’s all free! 8 April. Call 01302 78234 to find out more, or visit doncaster.gov.uk/cusworthhall Bus
services 42 & 219 every 15mins Mon-Sat; hourly on Sunday.
Snooker World Championships: Crucible Theatre
Sheffield hosts the annual Snooker World Championships at the newly-refurbished Crucible Theatre. Sheffield is to snooker what Wimbledon is to tennis so tickets sell out fast, but for a chance to see the green baize yourself, register at worldsnooker.com 17 April-3 May. Bus all services to Sheffield Interchange. Train all services to Sheffield Station. Tram Blue/Purple routes Sheffield Station/Hallam Uni) every 10mins Mon-Sat until 6pm, then every 20mins.
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WHAT’s ON SPRING 2010 For further travel tips call Traveline on 01709 51 51 51 or visit travelsouthyorkshire.com
Kiss live at Sheffield Arena
Rock legends Kiss bring their painted faces and new Sonic Boom Over Europe: From the Beginning To the Boom Tour to the Sheffield Arena. 1 May. Tickets £40. Call 0114 256 5656 or visit sheffieldarena.co.uk for more details. Bus service 69 runs every 20mins Mon-Sat until 6pm; every hour evenings and Sundays. Tram Yellow route runs every 10min until 6pm, then every 20mins.
Westlife: Where We Are at Sheffield Arena
Ever-popular Irish crooners Westlife perform two dates at Sheffield Arena, plugging their new album Where We Are. Take your mum. 9-10 May. Tickets £38, available from the box office on 0114 256 5656 or online at sheffieldarena.co.uk Bus
service 69 runs every 20mins Mon-Sat until 6pm; every hour evenings and Sundays. Tram Yellow route runs every 10min until 6pm, then every 20mins.
Carousel at the Lamproom Theatre, Barnsley
Barnsley Lamproom Theatre presents Carousel, one of the best-known and loved musicals. It’s a real old singalong, with songs such as June is Bustin’ Out All Over and the legendary You’ll Never Walk Alone. 10-15 May. Tickets £10 (£9 concessions). Call 01226 200 075 or email boxoffice@ barnsleylamproom.com Bus
service 265 (from Sheffield) runs every hour, 7 days a week. Bus service 229 (from Rotherham) runs every 30mins, 7 days a week. Bus services 219 & 222 (from Doncaster) run every 30mins until 6pm, Mon-Sat. Train all services to Barnsley Interchange
AWARD-WINNING WENTWORTH BEER page 30 SPRING 2010
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Darren & Lilia Husband and wife Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova are Strictly Come Dancing’s golden couple. After meeting on the professional dance circuit, they married in Rotherham in 1999. Go! caught up with the pair to talk about why they want to get the whole country dancing...
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profile DARREN & LILIA Darren, you were born in Deepcar. Do you get back up north much these days? Darren: We own a house in Sheffield but we don’t get to come back as often as we’d like. When we do though it’s always a huge buzz for us to play in our home county. And it’s always nice to come home and chill out for a bit! Sheffield is a far cry from Moscow... Lilia: I love Sheffield! I’ve always been very adaptable - the dancing lifestyle makes you that way because you travel a lot from being young. South Yorkshire is very much our home though. How easy is it to compete in professional dance being based in Sheffield? D: We have represented Sheffield throughout our careers, so even competing for Great Britain we were still known as being from here. Growing up wasn’t necessarily the easiest for me as a ballroom dancer, especially when I was at school, but I look back now and it was all worth it. My whole family is into dance - in some respects it was something I was born into. From a very young age I was around competitions, my first one was when I was three months old! Not competing, obviously, but I was pushed around in my pram! So what advice would you give to boys who want to pursue dance? D: Just keep at it! If it’s what you want to do then you’ll stick to it! L: Coming from Russia, where boys and girls dance all the time and have for years, boys in England seemed to have such a stereotype about dancing, that it was all about sequins. But Strictly’s changed all that, it’s moved on so much and totally changed people’s perspective. We have so many boys and men coming to the dance school now, it’s great to see. What are the dance facilities in South Yorkshire like? L: Dance in South Yorkshire is very big. City Limits, our dance studio, is one of the biggest in the UK. We have great facilities, licensed bars, six air conditioned studios – it’s a tremendous facility. But there are lots of dance studios around South Yorkshire so you don’t have to travel far. So how did you get involved with Strictly? D: The producers called us and asked us to be part of it, but we were competing in Asia at the time so couldn’t commit. But when the second series came along, we decided to get involved. We enjoyed it so much we agreed to do another, which I won with Jill Halfpenny, and then Lilia won the next one with Darren Gough! Has the audience’s reaction at your shows changed since you’ve been doing Strictly? D: Reception and perception of dance has completely changed. There’s So You Think You Can Dance, Got To Dance, even Britain’s Got Talent has
Boys in England seemed to have such a stereotype about dancing, that it was all about sequins. Strictly’s changed all that dancing should be as much a part of the sports curriculum as football and cricket.
DANCE LESSONS AT CITY LIMITS page 30 a huge dance element to it. All the progress that’s been made with dance is due to Strictly making it accessible and taking away the stigma that it’s only for girls. There’s a whole generation of people in the UK taking up dancing, and that’s fantastic. Your show Latin Fever has also had rave reviews – how’s that going? D: It’s going fantastically well - we’re touring the country with it this year. Last year we did five weeks in the West End and then took it to Birmingham. We’re bringing it to Sheffield later this year - it’s always quite daunting because it’s my home crowd and lots of my friends and family will be there, but we’re both really looking forward to it. You launched Essentially Dance in 2009 to encourage more children get into dance what’s the latest? D: There are over 100,000 kids involved already and hundreds of schools. Later this year we’re launching Sports Leaders in connection with Essentially Dance. Sports Leaders provides nationally recognised leadership qualifications and awards that help people develop essential skills such as organisation, motivation, communication and working with others. All of the qualifications and awards are practical –
candidates learn by doing rather than through written work. L: We’re getting great feedback - the kids are enjoying themselves, learning skills, becoming more interactive. There are massive clusters of schools involved, particularly in Barnsley and Rotherham where they’ve really taken it on board. It’s incredibly satisfying, and the teachers who are taking on the project are loving it as much as the children. Dancing should be as much a part of the sports curriculum as netball, football and cricket. It creates diversity, and it’s nice for children to have a choice. How important is it to you to get children active from a young age? D: Children should be active from when they can walk. I’m not talking massive amounts of physical activity, but there should definitely be some form of coordinated learning about how to gain mobility through your bodies. What skills do you need to be a professional dancer? D: You have to be very disciplined, very fit and have a great passion for what you do as a dancer. It’s like anything you want to be good at – it’s hard work and you have to be committed. If you have that mentality, then you can carry it through to anything in your life. What advice would you give to children who are considering it as a career? L: You have to be strong, there are times when it will get tough. You’re not always at the top of your game, you get good results and bad results. But be strong, stick at it, practice, and most importantly enjoy it! Dancing makes everyone happy! And what would you say to people who’ve never tried it? D: At City Limits we have lots of social classes every day of the week and we have people aged from three to 93. It’s never too late, and what’s best about dance is you can do it as a couple. L: You’re not alone pounding the treadmill, it’s a social activity. Dancing is such a diverse thing, you can do it at any age, or any level, you don’t have to be a competitor, and above all it’s fun!
Turn to page 30 for your chance to win dance lessons at City Limits Dancecentre. For information and class timetables, visit city-limits.co.uk or call 0114 285 5411. Latin Fever is showing at Sheffield City Hall on 10 and 11 June. For ticket details and further information call the box office on 0114 278 9789. City Limits Dancecentre, Sheffield Bus service 78 up to every 15mins Mon-Sat. Tram Yellow route every 10mins Mon-Sat until 6pm, then every 20mins.
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A TIME FOR HEROes ick up any tabloid newspaper, and you’re almost guaranteed to find a story about how food is bad for our health in one way or another. It’s full of sugar and salt. It’s loaded with additives and preservatives. In the world of the tabloid, lack of education is causing an obesity epidemic, and there’s a very real fear that a generation of parents will outlive children who have only ever known how to put a tray in the microwave and press ‘start’. But strip away the scaremongering and the hysteria and look a little closer to home, and you’ll discover that South Yorkshire is host to a selection of the finest producers of quality food you could hope to find. The butcher, the baker and the brewer. The fishmongers, the beekeeper and the ‘can’t cook, won’t cook’ converts who’ve made it their mission to spread the word - they all have one thing in common. Passion. Each of these people has a true love and enthusiasm for good, honest food. To them, this isn’t a job, it’s a way of life. Dedication to sourcing, producing or cooking only the very best food they can has ensured that every single one of these experts in their field is championing the cause of quality food. Ladies and gentlemen, may we introduce you to our food heroes...
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THE BREWER Wentworth’s head brewer Richard Hancock knows a good beer when he sees one. His award-winning brews have made Wentworth Brewery synonymous with quality ale. Cheers.
the CONVERTS Food evangelists and stars of Channel 4’s Jamie’s Ministry Of Food, Mick ‘the miner’ Trueman (left) and Matthew Borrington continue to ‘pass it on’ to the good people of South Yorkshire.
FEATURE Food HEROES
the BUTCHER The latest to take up the helm of nationally-acclaimed family butchers, Wilkinson’s in Doncaster, is awardwinning sausage specialist Daniel Wilkinson.
the GREENGROCER Matt West is in charge of fruit and veg buying at Sheffield’s respected institution, Beanies Wholefoods. Champion of local, organic produce, Beanies is a must for any foodie’s phonebook.
the BAKER At Rose’s the Bakers, Chris Rose (below) has established one of the most respected bakeries in the region. While son Tim (far left) is being coached to be his eventual successor.
the FISHMONGERS Peter Draycott (below) has four decades’ experience in the fish industry and, together with George Szurko (left), heads up Sheffield’s oldest established fishmongers, JH Mann.
the BEEKEEPER Flying the flag for beekeeping in South Yorkshire is Monica Coates from Rotherham. For your chance to win a selection of her honey, turn to page 30 and enter this issue’s competition.
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A COPY OF JAMIE’S MINISTRY OF FOOD
page 30
THE CONVERTS Mick and Matthew, Rotherham When a Rotherham mum rebelled against Jamie Oliver’s healthy school meals campaign by feeding chips and burgers through Rawmarsh School’s gates, she incurred the wrath of the TV chef. He descended on the town and declared it the headquarters of his Ministry Of Food programme on Channel 4. Rotherham, he decided, would prove his theory that if people were taught a handful of simple dishes, they could then share their knowledge with friends and family, and break the downward spiral of food ignorance. Mick ‘the minor’ Trueman (above left) and bricklayer Matthew Borrington were two of Jamie’s first recruits. The pair joined sixty other carefully selected men from around Rotherham and turned up at the town’s football ground to learn their fate. Jamie explained he would show two of them how to cook a simple meal and then each man would have to show two others. In turn, each of those two would have to show another two, and so on. Mick’s was the first name out of the hat: “I had to go onto the pitch, and Jamie told me he was going to show me how to cook a meal. I watched him and was amazed at how simple it seemed. Surprisingly, I had no trouble at all making it myself and showing the next 14
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two blokes. And if I’m honest, I reckon mine tasted better than his!” Matthew was next up: “Just being able to cook a piece of chicken would have been an achievement, but learning how such a simple thing like adding some cheese and ham made such a difference, and then being able to pass that on to other people – I was dead proud.” A few days later the men were asked along to take cookery lessons from Jamie Oliver at Rawmarsh school in Rotherham. Ten lessons later, their opinions of food and cooking had been transformed. Mick, who had never opened a can of soup in his life, and Matthew, a slave to the microwave, were firm converts to the cause. So they took it a step further and began to run their own cookery classes at the Ministry of Food in Rotherham. Matthew explains: “I loved the fact that
The power of food is amazing - when you show ten year-old children how to cook pasta and you see their faces, it’s wonderful!
I could invite people over and cook them a proper meal, then show them how it was done. We started weekly classes where people would come in and watch me prepare the meal, then do it themselves. It was such a good feeling to know that I was actually contributing to getting people cooking.” Mick agrees. “The power of food is amazing, and when you’re sitting in front of ten yearold children and showing them how to cook pasta and peas and you see their faces – well, it’s just indescribable. It’s wonderful!” Matthew’s experience with children and young people was similarly enlightening. “A major achievement for me was doing a huge ‘pass it on’ at Wales High School,” he says. “We only did pancakes, but if you imagine a group of 16 or 17 year-olds who’d never used a cooker, suddenly realising that they could create something tasty themselves from scratch – it was enough to just start them off and get them thinking.” Matthew’s confidence at cooking has even ensured he found the girl of his dreams. “Yes, it did work!” he laughs. “When we met I couldn’t wait to cook for her, and she was really impressed. At first, she was quite happy to leave me to it as she had no interest in cooking but then she gradually became more and more involved, and now she often throws me out of the kitchen!”
FEATURE Food HEROES THE BAKER
Rose’s the Bakers, Sheffield Chris Rose has been baking bread since 1964 – the whole of his adult life. By his own admission, he’s never considered doing anything else and was more than happy to follow his father into the family business, which opened in 1940. “From the age of seven I would disappear from home but my mother always knew where I’d be – I’d just go straight to the bakery!” he laughs. Having cut his teeth at such a young age, by the time he left school and joined the bakery full-time, he was already more than proficient. But, not being prepared to rest on his laurels, Chris undertook a three-year City and Guilds bakery course, before travelling to Luserne in Switzerland to study at the world-renowned Richemont Bakery School. “I spent six months there and learnt an awful lot,” he says. “Everything was just the highest quality, and we covered everything from chocolate to sweets, bread rolls – the whole spectrum.” On his return, Chris took the skills he had learnt and applied them to everything that was produced in the shop. More than anything, he insisted on using only the highest quality ingredients, an ethos which had been instilled in him at Richemont and has stayed with him to this day. Despite not having any ambition to expand, and instead to simply create the best baked goods he possibly could, it was the popularity of his products that has seen the Rose’s empire grow beyond all recognition. Now, there are 56 staff employed in Rose’s purposebuilt bakery and four shops, as well as the drivers who deliver to both
Sheffield universities and John Lewis, which sells Rose’s produce in its food hall. After more than forty-five years in front of the ovens, Chris has finally relinquished his role of chief baker. But one thing he will never give up is his insistence on attention to detail and quality ingredients that ensures Rose’s retains its reputation for quality. “I’ve done everything in the bakery over the years from bread baking to cake decorating, so I know exactly what needs to be done to make sure the standards are the best they can be,”
confirms Chris. “When times are hard, there are a lot of people who may be tempted to cut quality and keep the prices down. For me, that’s just not an option. If you cut quality you’re cheating your customers, and our customers have come to expect a standard that I will not compromise.” As well as keeping a close eye on the running of the business, Chris continues to search out new recipes, regularly meeting fellow graduates of the Richemont School to discuss techniques and advances. “Richemont has a club for everyone who’s been to the school and we meet all over the country,” he says. “If people are having trouble with a recipe, or have developed something new, then we’re all very open about sharing help and knowledge – there’s no rivalry, just a commitment to producing finest quality baked goods.” And the future of Rose’s? “Well, my daughter has always wanted to come into the business and although she went to university the lure of the family business was too strong and she has now worked for me for nearly three years. “My son, Tim, also wanted to join the business and is working for me as well as gaining experience working for other bakeries before going to university next September.” So the future of the region’s finest baker is in safe hands for a good while yet. “Three generations of people in South Yorkshire have grown up eating my bread,” says Chris proudly. And, thanks to a lifetime of hardwork and commitment, a whole new generation will experience the Rose’s loaf.
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THE FISHMONGERS JH Mann, Sheffield
JH Mann is Sheffield’s oldest established fishmonger, with shops in Sharrowvale and Hillsborough, and has served fish to the people of South Yorkshire since 1921. The business was recently bought from the Mann family by two local chefs, brothers Daniel and Christian Szurko, whose father, George, runs the Hillsborough outlet. Chief fishmonger Peter Draycott (right) heads up the Sharrowvale shop, and with over forty years’ experience under his belt, he is an expert in all things fish: “Oh yes, I’ve had customers coming in asking me to take the skin off trout – a very tricky operation – when other fishmongers have told them it’s impossible,” he says. “I bumped into one who’d flatly refused to do just that and he gave me a proper telling off! He said they’d all be expecting special treatment!” But to Peter, delivering exactly what his customers want isn’t special treatment – it’s a given. “When people come to us they know they’re getting a good product,” says Peter. “Because Christian and Daniel go to the fish markets themselves, they can reject anything that isn’t top quality. Larger retailers can’t do that – they get their deliveries and put them on the shelves.” It’s little wonder that customers come from across South Yorkshire and beyond.
THE BEEKEEPER
Monica Coates, Rotherham The bee population has been in steep decline over the last three years, and many beekeepers across South Yorkshire have been forced to admit defeat and pack up their hives. But one producer has managed to retain enough bees to keep production rolling. Monica Coates has been keeping bees for 21 years, and is secretary of the South Riding Bee Keeping Association. Before investing in her own hives along with her husband Ian, she would help her father with his hives when she was a girl, so for Monica beekeeping has been a lifelong passion. Although she admits her population is declining along with the rest, she has managed to retain a higher percentage of her bees and continue to produce the honey she is renowned for. “We’re not big suppliers, and we have had to cut down a lot and lost a lot of bees,” she admits. “At the moment we have twelve hives – we used to have over forty. There’s been a big decline in the number of hives everywhere.” But despite adverse conditions, Monica has managed to remain successful. “We’ve just had to work very hard at maintaining the health of the colonies,” she explains. “The one good thing that’s come out of the decline is that people have had to become much better beekeepers.” For Monica, though, the hard work involved is just a small price to pay for her passion. “The 16
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A SELECTION OF MONICA’S HONEY
page 30 smell of the honey brings those childhood memories flooding back,” she says. “There’s something special about being out and about at four in the morning when moving hives to the borage fields or heather moors - the smells, the sounds and wildlife. “With our honey, every batch will be slightly different, with a different taste depending on what the bees have been working on. It’s like the difference between battery and free range eggs.” Monica’s honey is simply known as Local Honey or Heather Honey – and is sold in the Thrybergh Country Park Visitor Centre and The Apothecary in Wickersley. For more information call 01709 850353 or visit the Bee Keeping Association website at srba.org.uk
FEATURE Food HEROES
Directory THE GREENGROCER
Beanies Wholefoods Crookes Valley Road, Sheffield; 0114 268 1662; beanieswholefoods.co.uk
THE CONVERTS
Jamie’s Ministry of Food All Saints Square, Rotherham; 01709 365 944; jamieoliver.com
THE FISHMONGERS
JH Mann Hillsborough Road, Sheffield; 0114 234 3538 Sharrow Vale Road, Sheffield; 0114 267 6390; jhmann.co.uk
THE BAKER
Rose’s the Bakers Ecclesall Road, Sheffield ; 0114 236 1602 Abbeydale Road, Sheffield; 0114 234 0826 Sandygate Road, Sheffield; 0114 266 1980; roses-the-bakers.com
THE BEEKEEPER
Thrybergh Country Park Visitor Centre Doncaster Road, Thrybergh; 01709 850 353
THE GREENGROCER Beanies, Sheffield
Established in 1986, Beanies Wholefoods in Sheffield is run as a cooperative, eschewing a traditional management structure for a group of workers who own and control the business, and make democratic decisions on how it’s run. With a focus on organic, local and speciality produce, and natural, vegetarian and fair-trade foods, Beanies is a world apart from the ‘pile‘em-high, sell-‘em-cheap’ ethos of the high street supermarket. Matt West (pictured above, top centre), has been at the store since 1992 and believes the cooperative model is a key part of Beanies’ success: “Everyone that joins us has to register as a company director for legal reasons,” he says, “so we all have joint responsibility. “There’s no conventional structure of authority and no boss to leave the final decision to, so you have to have that combination of being willing to put the hours in on the shop floor, but also accepting responsibility for major decisions. “The benefits of this way of working are enormous. It’s easy to incorporate more radical ideas into a cooperative - because the focus isn’t on making money for shareholders we can make decisions that are for the good of the customer and the producer rather than the bank balance.” This approach has proved hugely popular with customers and the store has a loyal following.
It’s easy to incorporate more radical ideas into a cooperative - we can make decisions that are for the good of the customer and producer rather than than the bank balance. “There are people still shopping here from when I first started working here nearly 20 years ago. One great thing about our shop is that our staff have a huge amount of knowledge about our produce - where it’s come from, when it was brought in, how it could be used, what you could use it with. In a small shop like this, you have to be able to vouch for things personally and because we’re all involved in bringing the produce into the shop we know exactly what we’re getting. “That’s the difference between shopping here and shopping in a supermarket.”
The Apothecary Morthen Road, Wickersley, Rotherham; 01709 531 177
THE BREWER
Wentworth Brewery Wentworth Estate , Wentworth; 01226 747 070; wentworth-brewery.co.uk
THE BUTCHER
Wilkinson’s Market Hall, Doncaster; 01302 365834 High Street, Bawtry, Doncaster; 01302 710496; wilkinson-butchers.co.uk
For expert travel tips on how to reach our food heroes by Bus , Train or Tram , call Traveline on 01709 51 51 51 or visit travelsouthyorkshire.com
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FEATURE Food HEROES THE BUTCHER
Wilkinson’s, Doncaster The Wilkinson family of Doncaster have been synonymous with quality meat since 1954, when Bernard Wilkinson opened his first butcher’s shop in Doncaster town centre. Since then, the business has been passed down through three generations of fathers and sons and expanded threefold, with the original shop in Doncaster being joined by one in Bawtry and a specialist sausage shop in Doncaster Market. Daniel Wilkinson is the grandson of Bernard, and, just like his father, Trevor, before him, has been involved in the business since leaving school. By the age of 19, Daniel was winning national sausage making competitions for Wilkinson’s. Since then, he’s gone on to win every title of note in the industry, and creating between 25 and 40 different types of sausage every week. Daniel’s approach to his produce is to always use the best of everything. With celebrity chefs such as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Gordon Ramsey and Jamie Oliver all encouraging consumers to respect the animal they eat and ensure that it’s lived a healthy life and every last piece of it is used, Daniel and Trevor have seen a big rise in people coming into the shop and asking for cheaper cuts of meat that they want to cook in a specific way. Father and son are both passionate advocates of this way of cooking and eating meat,
and have developed techniques so popular that Daniel has been invited overseas to train others in his methods. “Budget cuts are definitely making a comeback,” he says. “Belly pork, shoulder of lamb – we do a lot of things with lamb, you can really go to town with that. There’s a gentleman who runs a farm shop in Canada who is very interested in taking me over there to teach him how to be a lamb butcher. Other butchers can’t break lambs up like we can. Basically, it’s like a mechanic would strip an engine; we take a carcass and strip it right down, but you have to know how each muscle cooks and be able to prepare different things. We’ve made steaks out of pieces of meat that most butchers would throw away, and they’re delicious and economical.” Remaining at the top of the game doesn’t come easily, but Daniel, Trevor and the rest of the staff are more than happy to put the hours in, do the research and ensure that the service they offer is second to none. “I think the most important thing is to always look your best and have a smile on your face, no matter what. That’s what makes us different – we want to talk to people, to get their feedback so we can use that to improve what we do. Not just hand over a slab of meat and take their money. Yes, you’ve got to keep the till ringing, but you don’t do it by cutting corners – you do it by being and selling the best.”
THE BREWER
Wentworth Brewery
AWARD-WINNING WENTWORTH BEER
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With the pub industry in decline and breweries rapidly shutting up shop (an average of two a month according to specialist website quaffale.org.uk) the beer game is not for the weakwilled. Wentworth’s head brewer Richard Hancock spends around ten hours a day, sometimes seven days a week, in search of the perfect brew. “Every day I brew beer from start to finish in the traditional way, with no extracts, filters, or concentrates,” he explains. “It’s all just pure malt. There are a large variety of different malts available, each with a different colour and different flavour, and by adding different hops we can further change the flavour and characteristics. At the moment we’re making 24 different beers, but there are an infinite number of possibilities.” The directors have recognised a true master brewer in Richard, and have backed him emotionally and financially. As a result, the Wentworth name has become synonymous with quality beer brewed with a passion for perfection, and Richard’s brews have earned the brewery national awards. “I’ll never stop loving what I do,” says Richard. “And as long as there are people out there who enjoy drinking my beers, I’ll be here making them.”
Head out for the day with a South Yorkshire Daytripper
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GRAND DAY OUT...
Family fun Animal magic Discover a wild family day out at the Tropical Butterfly House, Wildlife and Falconry Centre at Hungerhill Farm in North Anston. Here you can handle exotic birds and snakes, feed the monkeys and marvel at the meerkats before enjoying spectacular bird displays and a good old chinwag with the noisy parrots. The Family Fun House has crafts, games and puzzles that will keep tots, teens and inbetweens busy, and during the Easter holidays you can hitch a ride aboard the tractor-trailer. Nothing says spring is here like newborn lambs, so what better place to visit than Cannon Hall Farm in Cawthorne. Home to lambs, piglets and even baby lamas,
they have one of the best adventure playgrounds in the area plus tearooms, a farm shop and even an exquisite deli for all you foodies.
Splish splash splosh Now that we’ve waved goodbye to winter, the perfect place to spring into action is the Metrodome Leisure Complex in Barnsley*. Have a fun-filled session in the Metrodome waterpark, where you can get carried away by waves in the lagoon pool or get a thrill on the white knuckle rides. Younger children will love the other rides made especially for them. If watersports and fishing are more your thing, then Hatfield Water Park in Doncaster is not to be missed. Incorporating canoeing, dingy sailing, wind surfing and fishing with the picturesque landscape and wide variety of wildlife, this will get your blood pumping and release the stresses of day-to-day life. Magna Science Adventure Centre in Rotherham boasts the biggest outdoor water play area in Europe. 27 March sees Magna host Magnificent Easter to mark the re-opening of Aqua-Tek, an adventure with water - so grab a towel and get ready to get
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wet! A special Easter Egg Trail around the site will be available to all visitors this spring, along with family drop-in science workshops every week day afternoon.
*Swim for free with your MiCard! Enjoy free access to any of the Barnsley Premier Leisure (BPL) pools at the Metrodome with MiCard, a free travel and leisure pass available to everyone under 18 living in Barnsley. For more information visit barnsley.gov.uk/micard
Springtime in South Yorkshire is packed with fun for all the family, whether you want to get active, explore a bit of culture, or your brood are just mad about wildlife...
Anti-clockwise from left: exhibition at Museums Sheffield Weston Park; Cannon Hall Farm’s adventure playground; snake-handling at the Tropical Butterfly House; making a splash at the Metrodome; Renishaw Hall; and joining in the Sheffield Hunt Fun.
Back to the future Spread your wings and fly this spring at Aeroventure in the South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum, Doncaster. Their treasure trove of aviation history includes military aircraft, historic RAF buildings and a helicopter collection. With many exhibitions under cover, this is an ideal day out come rain or shine. Museums Sheffield Weston Park has gone from strength to strength since its opening in 2006 and is now a firm favourite with children and adults alike. From Egyptian mummies to traditional butchers, and polar bears to living ants and bees, the amazing collections of beautiful, varied and unusual displays are brought to life by fascinating histories, incredible facts and hands-on interactive activities.
Follow the clues Fancy a bit of detective work? Get on the trail for Easter treats at Renishaw Hall in Sheffield on Sunday 4 and Monday 5 April. Wander through beautiful Italianate gardens, and the children’s Fairytale Garden, searching for hidden clues to their Easter quiz. It’s just £1 for every child participating and that includes a yummy chocolate treat! What more could you want? Sheffield Hunt Fun also offers great fun for both kids and adults. Starting at the Tourist Information point in the Winter Gardens, you’ll be given the opportunity to explore town by following directions and solving clues. No prior knowledge of the area is needed, and you might just notice things you’ve never spotted before.
Directory Tropical Butterfly House, Wildlife and Falconry Centre 01909 569 416; butterflyhouse.co.uk Cannon Hall Farm 01226 790 270; cannonhallfarm.co.uk Metrodome Leisure Complex 01226 730 060; themetrodome.co.uk Hatfield Water Park 01302 841572 Magna Science Adventure Centre 01709 720 002; visitmagna.co.uk Aeroventure at South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum 01302 761 616; aeroventure.org.uk Museums Sheffield Weston Park 0114 278 2600; museums-sheffield.org.uk Renishaw Hall 01246 432 310; sitwell.co.uk Sheffield Hunt Fun huntfun.co.uk
For expert travel tips on how to get your family around by Bus , Train or Tram , call Traveline on 01709 51 51 51 or visit travelsouthyorkshire.com
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The Real McKee The work of artist Pete McKee has become as much a landmark of his home city as the tramlines that run through it. Yet, despite prestigious commissions from the likes of Disney and Noel Gallagher’s Oasis as well as forthcoming exhibitions for international fashion designer Paul Smith, his working-class roots remain the major inspiration for his sometimes poignant, sometimes humorous paintings. Go! stops by the studio to catch up with the man who has been dubbed ‘The Lowry of Sheffield’...
heffield artist Pete McKee has been a cartoonist and illustrator for more than sixteen years. But despite his obvious talents, the work he did for clients such as Sheffield Telegraph and various other local magazines and fanzines was considered more a paid hobby than a career. But when Pete found he was unable to afford a birthday present for a close friend, he decided to ditch the pen and ink and take up paints to create a unique gift. The result – a painting of the Washington pub on Devonshire Green, painted on a block of MDF (because he could pick up off-cuts for 50p, much cheaper than the standard canvas) – was so well received that Pete was inspired to
signed mckee BOOK & personalised sketch page 30
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explore painting with a renewed vigour. Since then, Pete has gone on to produce paintings for superband Oasis, design a limited edition desert boot for Clarks shoes, and has overseas exhibitions for fashion house Paul Smith planned for the near future. He’s even been asked by Disney to create a series of their characters in his own inimitable style. Born in 1966 into a working-class family on a Sheffield council estate, the course of Pete’s life could have been very different. His father worked in the steelworks for all of his working life, but Pete is convinced his talents are a legacy his father passed on. “I’m convinced if my dad had been born into a later generation he would have been very creative,” says Pete. “But when he was a lad he had a big family and had no option other than to go straight into work and support them.” Yet his father’s unutilised talents led him to encourage his son in his own creative ambitions. “When I was younger I was always drawing on bits and bobs of paper, the edges of newspapers,” remembers Pete. “My dad worked shifts, and when he got home and I was having breakfast he’d always throw me his copy of the Daily Mirror so I could look at the Andy Capp cartoons.” The clean, simple lines of those Andy Capp drawings had a huge influence on Pete, yet despite his apparent talent for art, he harboured other creative ambitions.
I’m an upbeat and positive person, but I think if you’re creative you have to be in touch with your melancholy side – it gives your work a bit more gravity and edge. “I wanted to go to drama school, but even though my dad was very open to me being creative, that just wasn’t something that a lad from a Sheffield council estate did,” he says. “So then I decided I wanted to be a rock star and wasted five years of my life trying to do that.” With the young Pete struggling to find his way in the creative industries, the one certainty in his life was that he wouldn’t follow his dad and brothers into factory life. But having ditched the desire to perform, Pete finally settled into pursuing a career as a cartoonist. When the editor of the Sheffield Telegraph picked up some cartoons Pete had created for a football fanzine and published one
FEATURE PETE McKEE
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FEATURE PETE McKEE ART HOUSE: Pete brings his latest work to life in his home studio.
I’d phone galleries and get told they didn’t support local artists that just made me more determined. I’m very much of the persuasion that obstacles are there to be overcome. of them, Pete called him the next day and said, “thanks for publishing my work – do you want some more, and can I get paid please?” Sadly, just a year after Pete’s first published cartoon, his father passed away. Having lost his mum at the age of seven, his parents weren’t around to see the huge success Pete has gone on to achieve with his art. “My dad would have been delighted to see that I’ve actually made it – that art is now my fulltime career,” says Pete. “I’m not into religion or spirituality, but if they are looking at me it’s nice to know that they would have been proud of me, and seen that his encouragement had paid off.” Since Pete made the move from pen and paper to paint and MDF, his career has soared. In just under a year, he was finally able to give up the day job and concentrate on painting full-time. Drawing inspiration from his upbringing, his love of music and the Sheffield culture he has immersed himself in, he has created a series of striking, thought-provoking paintings that 24
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stay true to his original love of clean lines and simplicity with local references to The Crucible, the ‘hole in the road’ and The Limit nightclub. “My subject matter is very personal,” he admits. “At my first exhibition in a Sheffield pub I had no idea how people would react, because all I’d done before then was draw my cartoons and send them to people I’d never met. Having my paintings there on the wall in front of me and seeing people’s reactions was very daunting. Every new exhibition brings back those same feelings – I’m showing something I’ve created that’s very personal to me and being judged on that basis.” A large amount of Pete’s work depicts the past, particularly the 1970s – mods, rockers, British seaside holidays, Chopper bikes – “I’m telling stories about myself and I want people to connect with what I’m saying. The past is a great way of making that connection. But at the same time, modern culture, fashion and music are all very emotive and I just strive to connect with people, and challenge their preconceptions.” Pete’s paintings are accompanied by humorous titles and quirky punchlines but, he says, strip away the words and what’s left is often a melancholy picture that, it could be suggested, touches on the sadness of his own father’s wasted creativity. “Yes, I can agree with that,” Pete says. “I’m an upbeat and positive person, but I think if you’re creative you have to be in touch with your melancholy side – it gives your work a bit more gravity and edge.” Sheffield has always remained important to Pete, and he has never had any desire to leave, despite what he saw as little creative support in his early career.
“I used to phone galleries and get told that they didn’t support local artists,” he says. “That was incredibly annoying and frustrating but it just made me more determined to succeed. When you come across an obstacle you can either recoil or beat it, and I’m very much of the persuasion that obstacles are there to be overcome.” It’s this tenacity that has seen Pete take control of every aspect of his career. He has no agent or manager, and his success is the result of sheer hard graft. “When I have my body of work I just go out there and knock on doors,” he says. “I’m a free agent in that respect, and completely in control of my work from the initial idea to getting it on the walls in front of people.” Thankfully, support for creative industries in South Yorkshire has come a long way since those early days. “The creative and arts scene is really developing and getting stronger, and people are choosing to either stay here or come and live here from elsewhere for that reason, and it makes it a really exciting place to live and work.” And, having been at the receiving end of many closed doors in his time, Pete is more than happy to provide support to budding artists. “You can’t tell someone how to paint, but anyone can drop me a line and ask for advice on how to approach a career in art,” he says. For Pete, talent and tenacity have finally got him to where he wanted to be. Yet, in his own modest style, he plays down his huge success. “I’m basically just trying to spread the net as far as I can,” he shrugs. “It’ll be interesting to see what happens next.” Visit Pete’s official website at therealmckee.co.uk
Turn to page 30 for your chance to win a signed copy of Pete’s book, 22 Views of Sheffield, plus a personalised sketch.
# Hidden gem 19
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Do you or someone you know find using public transport difficult? Let Door 2 Door help. It’s the service that comes to you. Call Traveline on 01709 51 51 51 to find out more.
travelsouthyorkshire.com/go11
a question of value Sometimes, making a journey by car is the right choice. But do we really consider all our transport options? Go! examines some of the hidden costs of motoring and learns just how valuable public transport can be...
nvesting hard-earned money into a car isn’t a decision that’s taken lightly by most people. Even if income is limited, for some people there may be no option but to make sacrifices elsewhere to ensure there’s a vehicle on hand to keep the family mobile. For busy mums and dads juggling full-time work with ferrying children to and from after-school clubs and evening activities, as well as keeping up with the daily necessities such as shopping, car ownership is a necessary part of family life. For others, owning a car is simply an
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impossibility. Those who have never learnt to drive; people who are physically or mentally unable to drive a car; families on benefits or very limited incomes who simply cannot afford the associated costs of car ownership. For a large number of people, public transport provides an invaluable service and is a necessary part of life. But there are also the people for whom the car presents a choice. For them, the car and its associated costs are absorbed in the way that the mortgage, utilities and food bills are absorbed they’re all there on the spreadsheet of monthly outgoings and would be no more given up than
the weekly supermarket budget. These are the lucky people who do have a choice, and can pick and choose which is the most cost and timeefficient way to travel. Yet, more often than not, these are the people who will hop in the car to make a journey that costs more in terms of cash, time and stress, simply because it’s there. Car ownership is commonly accepted as the second most expensive purchase that most people will make, after their home. Purchase costs, road tax and insurance are all budgeted for, and once it’s there, why not make the most of it? You’ve spent the money, after all. And on
FEATURE
many occasions, the car will be the right choice. In today’s society, it simply isn’t feasible to field the utopian dream of a car-free world. Industry would grind to a halt, society would stand still. Yet when you stop to think about the secondary costs of running a car, it quickly becomes apparent that using your vehicle for every single journey you make is not only expensive, it’s also inconvenient and, at times, prohibitive. The consumer website whatprice.co.uk looked at the real running costs of the car, factoring in petrol, insurance, MOT and servicing, tax, depreciation and wear and tear. It concluded that running a Renault Clio for twelve months would cost the average driver just over £2,500 per year. Factor in parking, at a conservative estimate of £5 per day, five days per week, and that takes the
People are always going to need public transport. We’re making sure that everyone in South Yorkshire has the option to use a reliable, comfortable, costeffective service.
total to £3,800. That’s roughly £320 per month to run a small car, on top of the purchase cost. And the Clio is a cheap car to run – if you’re driving a Ford Mondeo, you could expect to double or treble that total. We’ve established that many of us have no choice but to swallow those costs. But what we can do is reduce them through clever personal transport choices. In South Yorkshire, public transport passengers can buy a year-long, all-inclusive ticket for use on bus, tram and rail across the county for just £850 per year. Make the choice to do just one in four journeys by public transport, and you’re already
breaking even. Even making one in ten journeys by public transport using a single ticket can often prove more cost and timeefficient than taking the car each time. A family day out with unlimited travel across South Yorkshire can be had for just £5.80 per adult with a DayTripper ticket, with children under five travelling free and those under 16 paying just 40p (free in Barnsley after 9am). Compare that with the cost of petrol and parking, and the savings soon start to add up.
But then there are the other benefits that can only be measured by the individuals to whom they apply. For the family taking a day out to explore the county and spending a bus, tram or train journey with the focus on each other rather than congested A-roads on a Bank Holiday weekend, leaving the car at home provides a valuable opportunity to have fun together as a family while they’re transported to their destination quickly and efficiently.
Or take the self-employed businesswoman travelling to a meeting twenty miles away from the office. The car driver will spend the journey absorbed in nothing but traffic, sitting still for long periods with nothing to do other than stare at the car in front. The businesswoman who chooses to travel by bus will whizz past congestion thanks to the bus lanes and gates in place throughout South Yorkshire, and while the driver negotiates the roads, she’s spending carrying out work she
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FEATURE
can bill her clients for. Even if your time is paid for no matter how you spend your journey, what price do you put on a stress-free journey? How much more beneficial is it to spend ten minutes with a newspaper or a good book as opposed to negotiating rush-hour traffic? Or using your smartphone to order the weekly shop so when you get home your time is spent with your family or doing activities you enjoy? And when family time is limited, spending a pleasant journey with a small child on the top deck of a bus pointing out surroundings and engaging in conversation creates an enjoyable and informative connection, as opposed to a stressful car journey through congested roads with fractious children cooped up in the back seat with only the back of their parent’s head to communicate with. David Young is Director of Customer Experience at South Yorkshire Passenger
Louis Faine
Door2Door user For 91 year-old Louis Faine, who has recently undergone open heart surgery, finding out about Door2Door has meant he can retain the independence he values so much. Whether it’s the Dial-a-Ride service, which takes people anywhere within the district they live, the Shopper Bus that picks you up from home to take you to your local supermarket, or a Community Car ride that will take you to an evening class, Door2Door services are provided by highly trained drivers using purpose-built vehicles to allow easy access to everyone, including those using wheelchairs and most mobility scooters, and for people like Louis they provide an invaluable service. “I’ve accepted that my driving days are over,” says Louis, “so I needed to look at other options. Travelling by taxi would be far too expensive, so when my neighbour told me about Door2Door I was very interested. “I’m just out of hospital and recovering from an operation, so knowing that the Door2Door service will be able to pick me up from my home so I can go shopping in Sheffield, or pop in and see my friends like I did when I had the car, is very reassuring. It may seem very simple, but for me, the service is very valuable and will make all the difference to me.” If you think Door 2 Door could be valuable to you or someone you know, call Traveline on 01709 51 51 51 to find out more.
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It’s incredibly important to us that no one in South Yorkshire feels isolated through lack of choice. Transport Executive (SYPTE), and he is all too aware of the challenges facing people who are environmentally and financially aware of the cost of car ownership. But, he says, SYPTE doesn’t want to encourage people to give up owning cars. Rather, people need to be more aware of their options. For some trips people could choose alternatives such as walking, cycling or even the bus, tram and train. “Of course I agree with a small number of people who say that the car is the only option,” he says. “If you’ve got a shift that finishes late at night and are faced with multiple changes on the train and buses, then the car is the sensible option. The challenge we’re asking people to take up is have you considered the alternatives? Have you examined your options and concluded that the car is the right way for you to travel? “What you get to then are the intermediate benefits, the things that you have the ability to do when you’re not negotiating traffic. Let someone else take the stresses and pressures caused by driving through congestion, the uncertainty of finding a parking space when you reach your destination.”
Of course, all road vehicles are subject to congestion, whether they’re public or private transport. But with the initiatives put in place by SYPTE, buses and community vehicles are given priority road space through bus lanes and gates, effectively providing tracks like a tram or train. And with passenger convenience a priority, other measures such as personal travel planning, YourNextBus (the text service that allows you to see when your next bus will be along) and Door2Door remove the inconvenience and uncertainty that can sometimes be associated with travel by public transport. “What we’re doing at SYPTE is striving to ensure that there’s a public transport option available to everyone,” says David. “Together with our operators, we’re constantly improving the vehicles and interchanges to make sure they’re accessible, comfortable and pleasant to use. And we want to make that experience as easy as possible, which is why we’ve introduced
Claudia Morris Sheffield NHS Trust
Claudia Morris is the Travel Planning Co-ordinator with Sheffield NHS Trust. Working closely with SYPTE, she helps staff throughout the Trust come up with viable alternatives to car travel for their journey into work. “We offer new staff a personalised journey plan provided by SYPTE, and the service they provide is incredibly detailed and helpful,” declares Claudia. “The plans describe the best public transport routes and timetables, taking shiftwork into account, and the response has been amazing. I’ve been here since June 2008 and since then I’ve seen the take-up of personal travel plans leap from four or five people to four or five hundred people.” “Last year, we offered our staff a free week’s worth of public transport if they were prepared to leave the car at home. One of the managers contacted me a few weeks later and told me that it had been really useful as when his car went in for a service he was able to get the bus, and was surprised at how easy it was. “In some cases, shift patterns mean that bus travel can be difficult, so we work with people to find a car share and solve the problem. “What we’re doing, along with SYPTE, is educating about choice and telling people about the benefits of not congesting the hospital site and how much easier it is for everyone if we utilise the valuable public transport on offer.”
services such as free travel planning, where people can call us for a travel plan that is created specifically for their needs, whether it’s a shift worker who needs help getting to work for early or late shifts, a student who’s been sent on a work placement in a different part of the county, or just someone who wants to travel from one place or another to see a friend. Anyone can call for their own personal plan, which will look at things like timetables, routes and the most costeffective way to travel. “Practically, SYPTE and its operators are investing in higher quality vehicles, making sure the interchanges and customer service offer is comparable to that which you would experience in areas such as airports, hotels and retail,” says David. “We’re constantly drawing from best practice in other areas of customer service, as well as placing a huge amount of importance on what our customers are telling us they need.” Of course, there will always be people who
are unable to use regular public transport, no matter how high the standards of vehicle and service, and SYPTE works in conjunction with community transport organisations across South Yorkshire to ensure that they are given the same travel opportunities as the rest of the public. “With Door2Door, we’re making sure that what can sometimes be the most vulnerable members of the public are given a safe, efficient, cost-effective public transport option,” says David. “We work with Community Transport organisations around the county to provide a service that picks them up from their home and takes them to where they want to go, and then back again. “It’s incredibly important to us that no one in South Yorkshire feels isolated through lack of choice. “We do genuinely care about what our passengers want, and we do our utmost to give
them that,” he concludes. “People are always going to need public transport. What we’re doing is making sure that every person in South Yorkshire has the option to use a reliable, comfortable, cost-effective service.” For more information on travel planning, YourNextBus and Door2Door, or to find out how public transport could be invaluable for you, visit travelsouthyorkshire.com or call Traveline on 01709 515151.
oneticket three ways to travel By bus, train or tram anywhere in South Yorkshire as many times as you like with a TravelMaster ticket*. Buy yours from an Information Centre or find out more online. * TravelMaster tickets are available for use across South Yorkshire including Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield (including Killamarsh). A range of daily, weekly, monthly and annual versions are available.
travelsouthyorkshire.com/go1 SPRING 2010
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COMPETITION This competition is not open to employees of South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive or their family members. All entries must be received by 30 June 2010. Winners will be drawn before 9 July 2010 and notified before 26 July 2010. By entering this competition you agree to the publication of your name in subsequent editions of this publication should you be a prize winner. The decision of South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive shall be final. No cash alternative will be given.
WIN worth £1000s of prizes
Sudoku 1
QUIZ A
7
4 3
8
1
5
4
7
4
3 5
3. In the recent announcement by Network Rail, how many extra services are planned across the region? 4. According to Strictly star Lilia, what should be more a part of the sports curriculum?
4 2
4
2. How much is a DayTripper ticket?
8
B
6 C
2
5. Did Matthew Borrington get the girl?
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8
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1
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1. Which Sheffield nightclub is listed as being referenced in Pete McKee’s paintings?
D
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The answers to these questions are in the magazine somewhere - get them right and you could win the following prize bundle:
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• • • •
Crack the puzzle to reveal the digits in the white squares. Four lucky winners will receive a limited-edition Go! mug and 1 month’s free travel on South Yorkshire’s buses, trains and trams.
3 months’ free travel on South Yorkshire’s buses, trains and trams A selection of local honey from food hero Monica Coates’ hives A crate of award-winning beer from Wentworth Brewery A copy of Jamie’s Ministry of Food
Competition entry
To enter, fill in your answers and contact details below, cut out and send to: Go! Magazine, FREEPOST NEA3487, Sheffield S2 5ZQ. Or email your answers to go@travelsouthyorkshire.com
Your answers: Sudoku A
B
C
D
Your details: Name Address
QUIZ
ticket hunt Somewhere hi dden in this iss ue of Go! Magazine is a very special ticket (pictured here)…
Find it and yo u could be the lu cky winner of:
1. 2.
Postcode
3.
Tel
4.
5.
Date of birth
TICKET HUNT Briefly describe where the ticket appears: Page no.
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We would like to keep your contact details to send you information on public transport, travel cards/ticketing and promotions. If you would prefer not to be sent such information, please tick this box. Please note we will not use your contact information for any other purposes or pass your information on to any third parties.
• 3 months’ fre e travel on So uth Yorkshire’s buses, trains an d trams
• Free dance le ssons at Darren and Lilia’s Sheffield dance school City Lim its • A signed copy of Pete McKee’s book 22 Views of Sheffield , plus a personal ised sketch
LETTERS
Have your say Safety and efficiency
Praise flooding in
I read your article about safety on public transport (In safe hands, Winter 2009/10) and it’s very reassuring to hear about the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes. People are often very quick to point out when things go wrong, but I would like to say that my wife and I have noticed and commented on the cleanliness and efficiency of our daily bus ride lately. R Wood
I’d like to thank you for the story about Pat Hagan in your last issue (Hero of the hour, Winter 2009/10). All too often, magazines are full of celebrities who only have to fall out of a nightclub to get a front page, so it’s really refreshing to see Go! celebrating the true heroes among us. I live in Doncaster and, although was lucky enough to be unaffected by the dreadful flooding, I know plenty of people who were, and it’s people like Pat who made it bearable for them. Well done Pat you’re a real celebrity! P Stenton
Thanks for your comments - we welcome all feedback on public transport services in South Yorkshire, good and bad, but we really appreciate it when people take time out to let us know when we get things right. We place a great deal of importance on listening to our customers, and we do act on it. Take a look at our feature this issue, A question of value on page 26, to read more on the subject from South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive’s Director of Customer Experience, David Young.
Write to us: If you write us a letter and we print it, you’ll receive one month’s free travel on South Yorkshire’s buses, trains and trams. Email go@travelsouthyorkshire.com or post your letter to Go! Magazine, FREEPOST NEA3487, Sheffield S2 5ZQ.
We totally agree, and that’s why here at Go! we make sure we feature positive stories about real South Yorkshire people. You don’t need to look hard to find folk like Pat who work tirelessly to support others. If any readers would like to recommend their own personal heroes for future issues, then write to us at our usual address.
READER SURVEY We want your feedback! Turn over the page and tell us what you think about Go! and what you’d like to see more of in future issues, and you will be entered into a prize draw to win free travel on South Yorkshire’s public transport for a whole year, worth £850!* Please return your completed survey by 14 June 2010 to Go! Magazine, FREEPOST NEA3487, Sheffield S2 5ZQ.
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reader survey 1. How often do you usually use the following kinds of transport? Bus
Train
Tram
5 or more days a week
5. Thinking about the content of this magazine, which of the following features did you… Car
Car
(driver) (passenger)
Read
Cycle
Find most informative?
Enjoy the most?
Enjoy the least?
News What’s on
3-4 days week
Profile Darren & Lilia
1-2 days a week
A time for heroes
Once a fortnight
Grand day out... Family fun
About once a month
The real McKee
Less than once a month
A question of value Last stop Lights, camera, action
Never 2. As a result of reading Go! Magazine, do you feel that you are now more aware of the name Travel South Yorkshire? Yes
No
6. Are there any particular features that you’d like to see in future editions of Go! Magazine?
3. Do you feel that you are now better informed about public transport in South Yorkshire? Yes
No
Why? (please give reasons for your answer)
7. In what ways do you think the magazine could be improved?
8. Are you… Male 4. Do you think Go! Magazine has encouraged you to consider using public transport more often? Yes No Why? (please give reasons for your answer)
Female
9. How old are you? Under 16 30-39
16-19 40-49 60 or over 10. What is your home postcode?
20-29 50-59
11. How many cars or vans are available to members of your household, including yourself? None Three
Your details:
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Address
Date of birth
SPRING 2010
Two
Tel
Name
Postcode
One Four or more
We would like to keep your contact details to send you information on public transport, travel cards/ticketing and promotions. If you would prefer not to be sent such information, please tick this box. Please note we will not use your contact information for any other purposes or pass your information on to any third parties. Winners will be drawn before 9 July 2010 and notified before 26 July 2010. *If you wish to enter the prize draw without completing this survey, please send your name, address and contact telephone number on a postcard to the address on the previous page by 14 June 2010.
LAST STOP Community Theatre
Lights, camera, action When it was founded in London in 1968, Action Space Mobile aimed to take the arts out of galleries and theatres and make them more widely available to those who would get most benefit from them. Working with people with special educational needs, Action Space Mobile created a unique way of helping people to communicate and express themselves. More than four decades on, the company is still true to its roots. But for the last thirty years, those roots have been in South Yorkshire... oday, from its base in Barnsley, Action Space Mobile continues to encourage independence, build confidence and help people to recognise their own abilities and talents through performance and arts-related activities. And as well as taking its performances around the UK, the company also works with orphanages and institutions for people with learning difficulties in Romania, where the company’s work has helped to facilitate a huge shift in the way those organisations are run.
Founder member and artistic director Mary Turner has seen the once unique methods employed by the organisation slowly adopted throughout the UK and beyond, to the benefit of all those who have experienced them. “When people get practically involved with theatre and the arts it not only enhances their own confidence, but it really changes the perception of people around them,” she explains. “Confidence building encourages independence, and in turn that helps people to recognise abilities they may not have
realised they had. Whether it’s having a good voice, or getting involved with stage design, the work we do really helps individuals to develop their talents.” And the benefits of this approach extend much further than simply giving people an outlet for their creativity. “For the people we work with, being given the opportunity to be involved in a professional theatre environment, either on stage or behind the scenes, really changes the perception of people around them and that impacts SPRING 2010
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LAST STOP Community Theatre Confidence building encourages independence, and in turn that helps people to recognise abilities they may not have realised they had. enormously on everything they do,” explains Mary. “Parents will often bring their children to us and say, ‘Oh, they can’t do that’, but then suddenly they find they can do these things and then they feel able to give them more responsibility elsewhere.” Action Space Mobile has three main projects in South Yorkshire. The In The Boat Theatre Company in Sheffield is an integrated company of fifteen adults with learning disabilities and four professional artists. Barnsley’s Cross The Sky Company has twelve adults with learning disabilities and four professional artists, and both companies devise and develop small-scale productions that they tour in small venues across the region. And Visibility is Action Space Mobile’s children’s holiday project aimed at children and young people with disabilities which uses art, music, movement, storytelling, puppets and drama to create and play out a story which is shared with parents and friends. As well as their regular, main projects, Mary and the team travel to schools and clubs across South Yorkshire and also West Yorkshire (with funding from Wakefield
The Design & Image Wo
rks Limited
Hidden gem #20
Cooper Gallery, Barnsl ey The Cooper Gallery hosts a regu lar programme of contemporary touring exhibitio ns including the Craft Showcase which features crafts and artwork for sale by regional and local artists. For refre shments call into the café and sample the home made soup s, sandwiches and quiches. Church Street, Barnsley; 01226 242 905 Bus services 92A & 94 ever y 30mins. Train All services to Bar nsley Interchange (7mins walk).
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ARTS IN ACTION: The group work closely with schools and communities across the region.
Council) and work with people of all ages. “One programme we’re running is one on independent living for people with disabilities, which is an hour-long performance then discussion and role-play. Using these methods really helps the audience to understand the issues faced by the people we’re working with, and helps them to see consequences and understand feelings.” This method of working has had particular success much farther afield. Mary and her team have been visiting Romania for twenty years now where they not only work with children and adults who have been institutionalised, but they have been successful in closing down inadequate hospitals and care homes and ensuring the patients are re-housed. “We really do challenge the regimes in Romania, and I would say our remit goes far beyond helping people through performance,” says Mary. “If we see a hospital or care home which isn’t providing satisfactory conditions then we report them to the authorities. When that happens the authorities have no choice but to create new places for them. “Mental health and mental disability have a huge stigma in Romania, and there is a history of neglect and abandonment, and there are people who’ve been institutionalised all their lives. After we’ve worked with them, we see an immense change because they learn to have a sense of self and are no longer grabbing for attention, and they have confidence to speak their own thoughts and recognise they have talents.” The company’s success has seen them expand across Europe, and the team is running workshops and performances with
groups in Germany, Lithuania, Greece and Portugal. And although there’s some initial suspicion from their hosts, the significant results achieved quickly allay any fears. “Of course it’s natural for the people who run the institutions and care homes to be resistant to change,” admits Mary. “But the staff quickly see that the ways of working are better for them too and are delighted with the changes in their patients and residents.” But the running of an organisation with such a widespread remit comes at a cost. With financial support coming from the Arts Council and earnings from local authorities and schools, Mary has found that her role is increasingly focused on securing money to keep the organisation afloat. “We work with a very basic staff,” she says. “We have two part-time people on the payroll and the rest of us are paid on a freelance basis to keep costs as low as possible. But we have such an enormous difficulty raising enough money to keep going, a huge amount of time is taken up with looking for funding.” Action Space Mobile welcomes donations from individuals too, and also encourages volunteers to offer practical help. “There are always projects we need help with, and we’d love to hear from people who have ideas on how they can lend a hand.” But for Mary and her team, funding issues are just obstacles to be overcome in their forty-year mission to challenge perceptions through the arts, and help people to realise their own abilities. To find out more about Action Space Mobile and their work, visit actionspacemobile.org or call 01226 391 112.
Hate driving?
Love park & ride • Buses every seven to ten minutes or better
DN5 7UN
• Limited stop buses at peak times calling at Doncaster Racecourse, Doncaster Dome and town centre bus stops
DN11 0GT
• Bus priority measures speeding up journey times into Doncaster • Fleet of eco-friendly, fuel efficient, low-floor buses
travelsouthyorkshire.com/go2 Traveline 01709 51 51 51
One week’s FREE park & ride in Doncaster worth up to £12.50 Fill in and take this voucher to the York Road (Doncaster North) or Bawtry Road (Doncaster South) park & ride sites to exchange for a free week’s individual or group park & ride ticket. We would like to keep your contact details to send you information on public transport, travel cards / ticketing and promotions. If you would prefer NOT to be sent such information, please tick this box. Please note we will not use your contact information for any other purposes or pass your information on to any third parties.
Name
Tel
Address
Email Date of birth Usual travel method
Postcode
Car
Bus
Train
Cycle
Walk
Terms and conditions: Only one voucher per person. May be exchanged for one week’s free parking and travel (individual or group ticket) from the York Road (Doncaster North) or Bawtry Road (Doncaster South) park & ride sites. Free travel only available to people parking a vehicle at the park & ride sites. Offer available on a first come, first served basis. Voucher valid until 31 December 2010. Photocopies not accepted. The Travel South Yorkshire partnership reserves the right to withdraw this offer at any time.
MORE TRAINS TO LONDON We’re now running 2 trains every hour between Sheffield and London* *Between 0500 – 1900 Monday to Saturday
Find out more at the new
eastmidlandstrains.co.uk