What does Poverty mean to you?

A diet of rice, beans and "plastic" cheese

This is the question that Oxfam have been asking everyone in the North of England over the last week. From 1st-7th November they set a Poverty Challenge to raise awareness about poverty issues and put pressure on MPs. 

Over 100 people took part in the challenge, including Kathryn Ellis and Pete Davis from Crookes. They spent a week without heating, without driving to work and were only allowed one hour of electricity each day. They were also on a low food budget, largely consisting of rice and beans and "plastic" cheese...

Children from Dore Primary School where Kathryn works as a teacher also took part by sleeping on the floor, and cutting out treats such as sweets and playing computer games.

Hear about the changes they made to their lifestyles and the challenges they faced here. 

Kathryn and Pete also wrote blogs throughout the week which can be viewed here.

Bollywood comes to Sheffield

Sheffield. The city of Steel. Famous for its six hills, that stuff that smells like Worcester Sauce and the guy who played Boromir in Lord of the Rings...ah yes, Sean Bean.

The crew of 'Someday' will be in Sheffield for
filming until the end of November

But Bollywood?

Not exactly the first thing that springs to mind when you think of this windswept city set against a backdrop of sheep and chippies. But there's always room for change, right? Right!

Indian director, writer, producer and star, Saahil Prem, has come back to the Steel city to film his latest Bollywood movie, that, if the fast-paced action and colourful costumes are anything to go by, is going to be a sure-fire hit across the world. Sahill, who studied at Sheffield Hallam University a few years ago, was determined to one day come back to film a movie. And now he's doing just that.

"Someday", described as a 'modern-day West Side Story', has so far filmed scenes at Sheffield nightclubs 'Plug' and 'Embrace' and has this week been filming at the O2 Academy. The crew have even used the colourful backdrop of Sydney Street for some scenes.

Sheffield will be able to showcase itself on the world stage at the official premiere here in March, and who knows, maybe Sheffield will one day become the UK hotspot for the Bollywood industry...

By Jess Parsons

From Brooklyn to Sheffield...

Director Maggie Hadleigh-West with Half-a-Mill

On Wednesday I was lucky enough to meet US director Maggie Hadleigh West, who is in Sheffield this week for Doc/Fest. Today saw the première of Maggie's latest documentary Player Hating: A Love Story at the Library Theatre.

The documentary, which took 10 years to make, is set in Brooklyn and follows the life of a hip hop artist Half-a-Mill and his crew. Maggie follows their journey as they write, perform and launch Half's first album in a desperate bid to escape homelessness, poverty and death. 

Player Hating: A Love Story will also be shown at the Odeon cinema on Saturday 6th November at 7.45pm.

Listen to my interview with Maggie on Communities Live (Sheffield Live! 93.2fm) here.

Read about Maggie's experience on her blog and view the trailer for Player Hating: A Love Story on her website.

Improbable Fiction? Absolutely!

Six aspiring writers meet one winter's evening to discuss their work. Their tastes, as well as their personalities couldn't be any different, with their work ranging from sci-fi to childrens' books, detective novels to instruction manuals.

At the end of the evening, as the host Arnold is clearing up with the help of his mother's carer Ilsa, there is a clap of thunder and a blackout. Suddenly Arnold finds himself thrown into the world of fiction and somehow we are introduced to the characters of his five writer friends.

Alan Ayckbourn’s Improbable Fiction will not fail to surprise and delight. Expect the unexpected with this hilarious, sharp play, brilliantly interpreted by Sheffield's Midland Players.

Improbable Fiction will be performed at the University Drama Studio on Glossop Road Wednesday 3rd-Saturday 6th November at 7.30pm. £2 from every ticket will be donated to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Listen to my interview with Midland Players company members Jonathan Cheetham and Catherine Newsome here.

For more information about the Midland Players and to book tickets visit their website.