Sheffield blog

New book announced

The 2010-11 Charity unleashed voucher book will soon be for sale via the Charity unleashed website, ready for dispatch in late August.

New offers this year include a night at the Maynard, City limits dancing, football tickets for Wednesday and United, Mish mash restaurant plus there are repeat offers from the previous voucher book.

The price is once again £50 and this year they appear to be supporting Weston park cancer charity and Hallam FM’s Cash for kids appeal. It isn’t clear from the website what percentage of the cost of each book goes to charity.

Generally my experience redeeming last year’s vouchers was pretty good, although not everything seemed to go to plan. Lounge bar and 360 stopped accepting vouchers after a change of owners, the photography course offer was postponed due to a burglary, and both Dosanj and Aroma Indian restaurants have since closed down.

Last month the company running the voucher book scheme posted an entry on their blog highlighting what they learnt from the 2009-10 book, so hopefully some of the difficulties encountered will be avoided this time round.

2010-11 Charity unleashed voucher book

Club pony poster retrospective opening on Thursday

Archipelago works is hosting an exhibition of Club pony posters from 2006 to 2010 by Robin Beck.

Even if you haven’t been to one of the Club pony nights (usually at DQ nightclub in town), you may have seen the artwork on posters around the city centre.

A bespoke poster has been designed to promote each Club pony party since 2006 and these have now been collected together for Too many parties exhibition.

It opens on Thursday 10 June and you’ll also be able to buy limited edition prints of each design.

Club pony Too many parties exhibition opening party (Facebook event)

Video in support our bid

Have your say

Another event is taking place next week to further shape Sheffield’s bid to become the first UK City of culture in 2013:

The team behind Sheffield’s UK City of Culture bid need your help. They want to get ideas from as many people as possible to create an unbeatable bid. Come and have your say on Friday 16 April from 8am to 8pm. This is an informal event with lots of ways to share your ideas for Sheffield City of Culture 2013. It will be held in the City Centre at The Circle, 33 Rockingham Lane, S1 4FW (just of West Street and Division Street). There’s no need to book a place, simply turn up on the day. All are welcome.

In a previous post I mentioned how crucial it was for our bid to include the full breadth of Sheffield culture, not just our flagship offerings. This looks like a chance for smaller arts groups, communities, event organisers, promoters and other local cultural organisations to ensure they are represented and their ideas are built into the bid.

More details are at www.sheffieldcityofculture.com.

It’s a bumper month

Here are this month’s additions to the list of Sheffield people and organisations of interest on  Twitter. The full directory can be found on the Sheffield Twitter users page.

There is also a Twitter list of people and organisations in Sheffield in Twitter.

BBC South Yorkshire news
@BBCSY

North west Sheffield news blog
@nwsheffield

Hantu collective – illustration-based clothing label
@HantuCollective

Arcade – shop in Forum
@ilovethearcade

City of sanctuary – a movement to build a culture of hospitality for people seeking sanctuary in the UK
@CityofSanctuary

Rutland arms – pub
@rutlandarms

Stock room – music venue
@thestockroom

Thee Sheffield photographic corporation – record label
@theespc

Lovebytes – digital art and creativity
@lovebytes

Platillos restaurant/bar
@platillos_sheff

Pictures of Sheffield – Facebook photography group
http://twitter.com/picturesofsheff

Sheffield is my planet – climate change campaign
@sheffismyplanet

Bromheads – band (formerly Bromheads jacket)
@bromheads

Sheffield five-a-side – attempt to break football world record
@Sheffield5aside

Wildago – artist
@wildago

Paul Bell music – singer/songwriter
@paulbellmusic

Boiler room – digital agency
@boilerroomdig

Taptivate – iPhone app creators
@taptivate

Planet terror – record label
@ptrecs

Westside – magazine
@WestsideMag

Digital entrepreneurs – business support programme
@talkelectric

Murmur music
@murmurmusic

Sheffield rock – Sheffield music scene news
@SheffieldRock

Sheffield shop – shopping in town and Meadowhall
@sheffieldshop

Meadowhell – your very own shopping hell
@Meadowhell

High storrs school
@highstorrs

First point for business
@SheffBusiness

Vivid creative – agency
@Vivid_Creative

Danstyled – web design
@Danstyled

Endcliffe church
@endcliffechurch

Graves park
@GravesParkSheff

Birchenall howden ltd – information, communication, technology
@unravellingtech

Regional magazine company
@RegionalMagCo

Sheffield chamber of commerce and industry
@sheffchamber

20TwentyAerials – aerial installations
@20TwentyAerials

Northern lights – performing arts company
@N0RTHERN_LIGHTS

Alpharooms – Sheffield-based travel agent
@alpharooms

SYDataCentre – web hosting
@SYDataCentre

Sheffield walkers – walking group
@Sheffwalkers

Sheffield sci-fi group
@sheffsfgroup

NHS Sheffield
@NHS_Sheffield

Animat – electronic duo
@Animat_music

Happy caffeine – websites
@happycaffeine

Paul Walker – BBC Sheffield’s sports editor
@Walkerpw

Sunflour – cakes, pies and breads
@sunflourhelen

All that promotions – music and event promotion
@atpsheffield

Michael Harding – writer, producer, musician and DJ
@the_only_m

Holmes rentals – accommodation
@HolmesRentals

jessicaennis.net – updates from Jessica’s official site
@JessicaEnnisNet

New leaf salad – Sheffield university’s salad bar
@NewLeafSalad

Kowalski – band
@KowalskiUK

The 10p mixes – band
@the10pmixes

Creative exchange: South Yorkshire (CESY) and the Cube – projects of the Cultural industries quarter (CIQ) agency
@CESYandTheCube

Impact Sheffield – Sheffield university research
@IMPACTSheffield

Pipeten – managed host provider
@pipeten

Event catering
@CocoCatering

Little mischiefs – stuff for babies
@LittleMischiefs

Marmalade sun – band
@marmaladesun

BTCV enterprises
@BessemerHouse

uLetStudents – accommodation for students
@uLetStudents

Joe Whittaker – web design
@hellojoew

If you want to be listed on it then follow @sheffieldblog, get in touch or comment below.

Flying the flag for the city

Views from the seven hills of Sheffield and more are celebrated by the new Sheffield publicity department blog that promises to tell us about the things that make the place special:

We’re here to tell you about…the things that make Sheffield beautiful, and amazing, and unique. The hills, the people, the industry and the nature. The reasons we love the city. And what’s more, we’re going to show you how to find them. Maps to the best views. Guides to the most beautiful terraced streets. Postcards of the sunsets.

The view from Skye edge (‘as close as you’ll get to flying over Sheffield’) is first entry in the blog, where a red flag has been installed on the summit. I wonder if they’d get away with some guerrilla-style red plaques in the more urban locations?

They also provide printable maps so you know exactly where to find the free treasures.

I love this idea and look forward to seeing what things they come up with.

Sheffield publicity department

Who is new?

Here are this month’s additions to the list of Sheffield people and organisations of interest on  Twitter. The full directory can be found on the Sheffield Twitter users page.

There is also a new Twitter list of people and organisations in Sheffield in Twitter.

The chimney house – meeting venue and home of @93ft
@TheChimneyHouse

93ft – design agency
@93ft

BNI soaraways – business networking group (on Facebook too)
@BNIsoaraways

Intuitive functionality – creative design
@IfWorks

South Yorkshire filmmakers network
@syfn

Three source – specialist cutlery and crockery supplier
@3Source

Uncut project – church community
@uncutproject

Cornucopia radio show – writers and performers in Sheffield, who make radio shows, podcasts and live shows
@cornucopiaradio

Anjan Sarkar – illustrator
@sarkarsama

Everly pregnant brothers – Pete McKee‘s ukulele band
@NorthernUkeBros

Band together – Sheffield’s brand new centre for band musicians
@band_together

Whitley hall – hotel
@WhitleyHall

We love sleep – retailer of sleep products
@welovesleep

Flyshot promotions agency
@Flyshot

Momentum media – mobile marketing
@smssheffield

West one space – accommodation
@WestONEspace

IS property – estate agent
@isproperty

G casino – forthcoming casino
@GSheffield

If you want to be listed on it then follow @sheffieldblog, get in touch or comment below.

Which is the best restaurant in Sheffield?

There is one more week to go before the voting closes for this year’s Eat Sheffield awards.

You can vote for your favourites here but be warned, you’ll need to fill in the form each time you cast a vote in each category. Hopefully they can make this a single form before the 2010 voting.

The awards are all part of the drive to raise the profile of Sheffield’s independent restaurants, which have improved a lot over the last few years but still have some way to go.

23 was the main winner in the 2008 awards. Which one deserves to take the top award this time?

Vote now in the 2009 Eat Sheffield restaurant awards

What should we be known for?

@DarrenBristow from Sheffield design agency Quba tweeted a question yesterday: Sheffield is a rich city , but what is it’s USP? What would you like it to be known for?

I always thought that in terms of money, Sheffield was quite a poor place. But we have plenty of non-monetary wealth. It is hard to avoid the cliches but Sheffield has a strong tradition of creativity and innovation but without being pretentious and unfriendly. We don’t like show offs but most people that live here would agree that there is something special about the place.

Richard Benjamin, the managing director of local creative agency Uber, recently penned a piece for marketing/creative publication The Drum, arguing for Sheffield as one of the most creative cities in the UK. Read a cached version here (you have to register on the site for the original).

It echoes Tom Keeley’s foreward from the Disordered haste Electric works launch booklet.

Whether you have been in the city all your life or just moved here, what do you think? What would you tell Darren in response to his question?

August 2009 update

Here are this month’s additions to the list of Sheffield people and organisations of interest on  Twitter. The full directory can be found on the Sheffield Twitter users page.

Paul Scriven – leader of Sheffield city council
@Paulscriven

Jon McClure – Reverend and the Makers front man
@JonMcClure

Cocoa  – chocolate shop on Eccy Road
@Cocoasheffield

Our Cow Molly – locally-made ice cream
@OurCowMolly

Seth Bennet – BBC Sheffield sport presenter
@Sethb45

Oktoberfest Sheffield – beer festival
@OktoberfestShef

Popolo – restaurant in Leopold square
@PopoloSheffield

Eliot Kennedy – songwriter who has worked with the Spice girls, Bryan Adams, S Club 7 and 5ive
@EliotKennedy

Robin hood airport – Doncaster-Sheffield international
@RobinHoodAirpor

Graduates Sheffield
@GradSheff

Oxjam – music festival
@OxjamSheffield

Sheffield unsigned – music directory for artists in and around Sheffield
@sheffunsigned

Crookes forum – community group
@CrookesForum

Hillsborough forum – community group
@hillsbroforum

South Yorkshire fire and rescue
@SYFR

Apple admin – professional virtual admin services
@AppleAdmn

Benchmark recruitment – recruitment agency
@BenchmarkRec

Sheffield university real ale society
@RealAleSociety

C21 creative – web and graphic designers
@C21Creative

VT music – music publisher
@VTmusic

Sheffield big – support programme to help residents set up in business
@sheffieldbig

Roundabout – homeless youth charity
@rndbt

South Yorkshire music – local music news
@syorkshiremusic

Little white book – wedding planners
@LWBwedding

Wath festival – music festival
@wathfestival

Sheffield law society – supporting and representing Sheffield’s legal profession
@SheffieldLawSoc

3 squared – web, print and software
@3_Squared

Sorby nano – leaders in micro and nano scale investigation
@SorbyNano

SYPTE – South Yorkshire passenger transport executive
@SYPTE

City church – local church
@CityChurchShef

Sheffield craft collective
@Craft_Candy

LCPU – NAVCA’s local commissioning and procurement unit
@lcpu

Mookau – gift boutique
@mookau

Abbey joinery
@AbbeyJoinery

Training foundry – computer trainers
@trainingfoundry

Platinum blind – band
@platinumblind4u

Dead world leaders – band
@DWL_Official

Sheffield liberal youth
@ShefLibYouth

Sheffield Labour students
@sheflabstudents

Extension match – brick and stone supplier
@ExtensionMatch

Atweb – band
@atewb

Geeks in the peaks – rural getaway for geeks, 4-6 September 2009
@geeksinthepeaks

Harry Gration – veteran Look north presenter
@gratih46

Sheffield latest – automated news
@sheffieldlatest

If you want to be listed on it then follow @sheffieldblog, get in touch or comment below.