Demi Koutouzi

I am an MA Journalism student at the University of Sheffield and a Features editor for Forge Press.


Clean Air Zone: A year later

David Martin, co-owner of Martin’s Furniture, said: “We cannot come to Sheffield often because our 15 -plate van that is not Euro 6 is not allowed in the city centre. We had to let go a lot of the customer base that we had been building for over 50 years. We used to serve Sheffield, Rotherham, Donctaster and Barnsley but now we avoid Sheffield altogther."

Mr Martin said that it would cost him £41,000 for a new van, while the council’s scheme offers £4,500 to help. However, if Mr Martin was to s
Forge Press •

‘United we are stronger’: Q&A with the founder of the Ukrainian society

The 24 February 2024 marked two years since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia. The Ukrainian Society at the University of Sheffield was founded in September 2022 with just four members and has grown massively since.

The Ukrainian society organises events that people can attend to help raise money for Ukraine. Roksolana Rohozhynska is the founder and current vice-president of the Ukrainian society at the University of Sheffield. Although she is currently on placement in Oxford, she is
Sheffield Wire •

Sheffield grime artist The1Devotion collaborates with Naomi Cowen on new song

Dominic Heslop, aka The1Devotion, dropped a new track last week in collaboration with Naomi Cowen and Toddla T.

Dominic is also the founder of Slambarz, a community group consisting of young black artists in Sheffield. He spoke to the Sheffield Wire:

SW: What inspired the song and how did it come about?

DH: The song was produced by Toddla T and Naomi Cowen. She is a global renowned reggae artist from Jamaica who also just filmed Bob Marley: One Love. How this came about was when me and Toddla
Sheffield Wire •

Barnsley man hid heroin under his false teeth during arrest

A Barnsley man who hid wraps of heroin under his false teeth has been jailed for four and a half years.

Jamie Lloyd, 38, of Castle Street, Barnsley, then swallowing the drugs as police officers drove him to custody suite.

The known drug offender was taken to hospital and was found in possession of over 90 wraps of Class A drugs, £700 in cash and two mobile phones.

An investigation found Lloyd was involved in dealing heroin and crack cocaine worth over £900 in Barnsley town centre.

Sgt Steve
Forge Press •

The cost of living crisis is ruining ‘Uni Life’ for students

Students of my generation have been through a lot during our uni years. All the way from my Foundation year to my Master’s degree, my peers and I have been giving everything we got to enjoy our university experience, dealing with Covid and lockdown, lecturers’ strikes and the cost of living crisis.

From personal experience and experiences of friends, uni housing has always been known for being messy, rundown and mouldy, which sometimes adds to its charm. However, typical uni houses have been af
Sheffield Wire •

Festival of the outdoors will see urban landscape used as cycle path

Cycling community aims to reimagine Sheffield’s urban architecture at the Festival of the Outdoors on 23 March 2024.

Adam Simmonite, event manager at Urban CycloCross, said: “This is a great, fun event, and the view from the top is amazing across the city. It represents everything that the festival of the outdoors is about.”

Urban CX started in 2017 with a race around Kelham Island and the Park Hill flats. Mr Simmonite’s vision to reimage spaces by turning urban architecture into cycle racing
Sheffield Wire •

Phoenix 93-78 Sheffield Sharks- British Basketball League

The Sharks went down after a 52 point first half against Cheshire in an exciting back-and-forth battle.

The head-off between Cheshire Phoenix and Braun Sheffield Sharks at the Cheshire Oaks Arena last night was intense and resulted in a win for the disadvantaged Phoenixs.

Although the Phoenix’s lost their first game of the year on Friday, the team came back swinging, winning 93-78 over the Sharks who are currently sixth in the BBL Championship.

Sharks’ Malek Green and RJ Eytle-Rock made a str
Sheffield Wire •

Sheffield R&B singer Lavelle Daley talks about the success of new single that topped the iTunes charts

A Sheffield R&B singer-songwriter and BGT star tops the iTunes charts for the second time with her song ‘Honest’.

Lavelle Daley’s second single soared to number one in the UK R&B charts upon its release on 26 January and was song of the week on BBC Radio 1xtra two weeks ago. Her previous single, ‘Baby Boy’, was in the top 20 of the iTunes UK R&B charts upon its release in August 2023.

Lavelle said: “I did not expect it. Whenever you release music you might hear it will be received well but at
Sheffield Wire •

Ukraine war anniversary: Sheffield's Ukrainian community gathers for 'precious' commemoration

Over 100 people gathered in Sheffield Cathedral last night to commemorate the second anniversary of the war in Ukraine.

The event consisted of an evening eucharist with Ukrainian orthodox prayer and was followed by live traditional Ukrainian music. The cathedral is also hosting an exhibition of artworks created by wounded Ukrainian soldiers.

Organised by the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain, the music was performed by Ukrainian refugees and included songs played on the kobza, an anci
Sheffield Wire •

Historic venue announces immediate closure after a century

Abbeydale Picture House, an iconic Sheffield landmark, announced immediate closure last week.

Despite being only seven years into a seven-year-lease, CADS (Creative Arts Development Space) decided to let go of the building due to repair costs.

CADS had been attempting to raise money to save the building since the venue’s roof was deemed unsafe two years ago.

Councillor Minesh Parekh, Labour lead for Economic Development, Culture and Skill, said: “It’s really sad that Abbeydale Picture House i
Forge Press •

Review: Saviors by Green Day

Green Day have returned to their roots with their 14th studio album, Saviors, re-entering the rock scene with a bang. After recent missteps, it is refreshing to see the American band being influenced by their own previous work that has been loved by millions. Despite the album retaining elements of the band’s previous work, it is still a raw, energetic and undoubtedly rock and roll album.

Saviors incorporates some of Green Day’s most prominent characteristics, packed with songs about politics,
Sheffield Wire •

‘People, planet and prosperity’: Sheffield City Council sets out its goals for the next four years

Sheffield City Council has released a draft plan for the next four years, setting out the ways city goals can be achieved.

The draft Council Plan will be discussed at the Strategy and Resources Committee on Wednesday, 13 December.

Tom Hunt, Leader of Sheffield City Council, said: “It outlines a better, bolder vision for our city – creating great neighbourhoods, stronger economic growth, generating more jobs and investing in sustainable transport. Sheffield is a city on the up.”

The four year
Sheffield Wire •

Four people arrested in Sheffield and Rotherham on suspicion of Modern Slavery involvement

Police have arrested four people on suspicion of Modern Slavery concerning sexual exploitation in the Dinnington area of Rotherham.

A 45-year-old man and a 37-year-old woman from Dinnington, Rotherham, were arrested and a 58-year-old woman and a 37-year-old woman from the Manor area of Sheffield were arrested after a warrant was executed.

The arrests and warrants took place in their residential addresses.

Detective Inspector James Smith from the Modern Slavery Team said: “Modern Slavery is oc
Sheffield Wire •

£2.3 million funding available to Sheffield venues to reduce their carbon footprint

As part of Sheffield City Council’s city goal to reduce carbon emissions and create a sustainable city, £2.3 million has been assigned to benefit cultural and community buildings.

The project, which will run until March 2025, aims to support 140 organisations to reduce their energy bills.

This grant, which is part-funded by the government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund, will identify possible saving improvements and help venues invest in solutions to reduce energy costs. Organisations will also b
Sheffield Wire •

"Miss Sheffield United": A breakdown of Maddy Cusack's career

At the time of her death, Maddy Cusack was the longest-serving player in Sheffield United women’s squad.

The midfielder, who captured the hearts of so many, had dedicated her life to football, after first kicking a ball around her garden as a little kid.

‘‘Maddy started playing football from the moment she was able,’’ recalls her sister, Olivia, 24. “We used to play out in the back garden all the time. Our first house had a little field, so me, Maddy, and my dad used to go and play there.”

De
Sheffield Wire •

MOBO awards 2024: Excitement grows as the awards are coming to Sheffield for the first time

”Slambarz”, Sheffield black community music group, are ”gassed” to welcome the MOBO awards to Sheffield.

The UK’s biggest black music celebration will be held in the Utilita Arena in Sheffield on 7 February 2024.

Dominic Heslop, otherwise known as The 1Devotion, said: ”I feel crazy, excited, gassed, happy, inspired. Especially for all the young people who have been waiting for something like this. With art or everything in life looks so far away from you, to know they’re going to be on your do
Forge Press •

Bummit: From being stuck on the road for hours to staying in a mansion for free, students share their hitchhiking experiences.

Bummit, the university’s hitchhiking society, is celebrating its 20th year of expeditions around the UK and to lands further afield, all in the name of fundraising for Sheffield and South Yorkshire-based charities.

The self-proclaimed ‘‘most exciting society’’ in the University began when a small group of adventurous students were looking for a new way to raise money for Sheffield RAG. Twenty years on, Sheffield Bummit has become the world’s largest student hitchhiking group, with hundreds of s