Hi!

Im a third year journalism student at the University of Sheffield, and as part of my couse I have to report from Walkley over the next 2 months on news events.

If anybody knows of anything EVER that happened or is happening in Walkley (things rarely happen in Walkley....or do they??!) I would love to know! However mundane you think it is it would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

Chris Yong

There was a murder in Walkley a couple of years ago.
There was a campaign to put gates over the ginnels to protect properties.
My friend's cat died mysteriously.
Do you cover upperthorpe, there have been a number of incidents recently in that area.
There was the raid on the cash machine by the wonderful bread shop.
There is the Tesco bid to build a minimart at the bottom of Springvale.

What happened to the Tajak - a legend in late night thrills, spills and bellyaches
Crookesmoor parking scheme
How wonderful is the dram shop...
What is going to happen to take two cafe. It started out as a wonderful cafe run by young lib dem councillor, who went into business and turned Tory. It lost focus and is now, no more.

And you say nothing happens in Walkley...

hehehehe! i was hoping that would coax a response!! yes, i also cover upperthorpe, what has happened there??!

i saw a`dog there when i was visiting friends, couple of years ago. Looked thin as a rake. I was back in the area last week, and saw the dog again. Gained a bit of weight, he had.

groundbreaking John. Much appreciated! :)

There is a post somewhere about a dog which has just been found in Walkley.

oooh where is that!

There was a murder on Palm Street a number of years ago, which was supposedly linked to a business and extortion racket (although I'm sure that the truth was a lot more mundane!).

I saw a fight there last week too. Dibbles and Tubby. Luckily both guinea pigs were ok afterwards.

Lost a fiver on it though.

In lower Walkley there are some annoying young adults driving around on those pathetic little motorbikes, cutting up cars and pedestrians.

Is it safe to park your car in lower Walkley and use the tram?

Tasteless Christmas lights?

New businesses which would add to the area?

Beannies, love it or can't be bothered to use it?

Is the Dam House what we had hoped for?

Can we have boats on the boating lake?

Decent pubs in Walkley.

Gritting steep side streets in winter.

Should the council invest improving the look of the busineses to make it a more effective area.

How are people coping without the Post Office?

How about yesterday's major power cut?

pippadoll, ever considered a career in journalism?!! :)

Are you aware of the compulsary purchase plans connected to road widening/parking proposals?

where abouts were affected in the power cut medusa?

ive read a little about it, but still dont know too much, do you know where i can find this information? thanks cgksheff

How about the traffic congestion in lower walkley caused by the hillsborough corner tram gate.

Gosh yes well said Cyclone, I don't understand that. I feel so sorry for the people who live on the diversion route down off Walkely Road.

But you know what, its all going to go badly wrong. I don't think the bridge you have to cross is particularly safe.

During the floods, the police wouldn't let me cross the bridge on foot to take a shortcut as it wasn't safe...goodness knows what damage was done then. And then thousands of cars per day going over it, as well as lorries and vans.

It is the most rediculous and badly thought through diversion.

Who is/was Lesta? And why is someone graffiting 'RIP Lesta' all over upperthorpe....? (whole new batch of it recently...)

that would be Lester Divers, he was shot in the head and killed on Palm St. Quite a few years ago

yongatron,

If I were you, I'd get on the NCTJ course at Norton College (that's National Council for the Training of Journalists).

University degrees don't count for much in journalism, and never have.

I'm not trolling your thread, just giving you some good advice from someone who's been a journalist for many years.

Check out http://www.nctj.com

Cheers,

Frazer

I make ice cream on our farm in sheffield and have just won a national award for it, and am currently looking for a stockest in Walkley. Any good?

The course at Sheffield is NCTJ accredited and is one of the best in the country! why would you want or need to go to college after that?

yongatron,

If I were you, I'd get on the NCTJ course at Norton College (that's National Council for the Training of Journalists).

University degrees don't count for much in journalism, and never have.

I'm not trolling your thread, just giving you some good advice from someone who's been a journalist for many years.

Check out http://www.nctj.com

Cheers,

Frazer


Thanks Frazer1974, I agree that most university journalism degrees are rubbish. but at the university of sheffield where i study, the course incorporates NCTJ qualifications like shorthand and media law. But ive heard good things about the NCTJ course at Norton College

Our Cow Molly. Could you sell it in a very busy restaurant, what about Thyme Cafe, or Spinrocs in Crookes. There is also Hercules cafe. When Richard Cornips had it years ago he sold Movenpick, which was gorgeous. There ice cream is bog standard now. Why not try to get Our Cow Molly in there.

Why not get involved with a local school/college and get them to come up with winter recipes for ice cream and then get busineses to stock it and make them. Mmmm my mouth is watering.

We need to support local businesses and this might be a good way of doing it.

Applie pie with our cow mollly
Hot choc with our cow molly and marshmallows...mmmmm

Christmas Pud flavour our cow molly.....

I live in S10, where can I buy a tub?

Also there is Just Natural up in Crookes. They have a good range of products. Not sure if they have a freezer though. Could you get it into the coop in Crookes. It might be worth approaching them.

Yongatron,

As long as your course gives you the NCE qualification at the end of it, that's what you need (used to be called the Proficiency Exam in my day!). That's the magic qualification, and is usually the first and only question editors ask would-be trainee reporters.

Good luck!

Frazer

Didn't someone get shot on Freedom Road a while back? I think that was drug related.
Tesco applied for planning permission on a site in Commonside, there was a big petition about that (and a thread on here, I think).
I'll see if I can remember anything else...

i think i could do the whole project on the Dram Shop, however i am sat here trying to do a law essay, but beeing blisfully distracted by the forum and the girl sat opposite me!

Type in WALKLEY on The Star site for ideas.
http://www.thestar.co.uk/results.aspx?SearchType=Normal&PageId=1&SearchText=walkley

Hi! I hope everyone had a good Xmas and New Year! Is there any more news from Walkley, Stannington or Crookes over the festive period??!

Frazer the University of Sheffield is NCTJ accredited and you sit all of your NCTJs as part of it. You also cover non NCTJ topics too, such as more theory based issues and do broadcast work as well as just print so is actually worth a lot more than the NCTJ courses

Hi! I hope everyone had a good Xmas and New Year! Is there any more news from Walkley, Stannington or Crookes over the festive period??!

A milkman got robbed in Stannington. Threatened with an iron bar.

Thanks for that!

Thanks Frazer1974, I agree that most university journalism degrees are rubbish. but at the university of sheffield where i study, the course incorporates NCTJ qualifications like shorthand and media law. But ive heard good things about the NCTJ course at Norton College


From the Sheffield College website today: Norton College Leads The UK For Training Journalists- Journalism staff and students at Norton College have been congratulated for achieving the best exam results nationally.

The reaction follows the college being named as providing the UK's top industry-accredited journalism course last year.

Alan Stewart, Director of Norton College, said: "We are absolutely delighted. I would like to congratulate staff and students on this fantastic achievement.

"In an increasingly competitive market, this accolade recognises the quality of our provision and commitment to equipping students with the skills that the media industry needs."

The top-level ranking, recently announced by the National Council for the Training of Journalists, is based on the best performing newspaper journalism students for 2007.

Sixty-five percent of those studying on the college's February to June 2007 fast track course gained grade C passes or above in all the NCTJ core preliminary exams plus 100 words-per-minute shorthand.

Joanne Butcher, NCTJ Chief Executive, said the results by the highest performing colleges were excellent, and added: "Let's hope their ability to turn out skilled, knowledgeable and highly employable trainee journalists will serve to inspire others."

There are more than 60 NCTJ accredited courses at 40 college, university and commercial centres.

Places are still available for Norton College's 17-week fast track newspaper journalism course, starting in February and September 2008, and the academic year course commencing in September 2008.

Telephone 0114 2602600 or contact The NCTJ on 01799 544014.

that would be Lester Divers, he was shot in the head and killed on Palm St. Quite a few years ago
I think that was outside 129 Freedom Road in January 2003... he was in his car, I think he was a boxer!!!

B

Ellie,

Take note of what katkin has posted.

As someone with experience of hiring and firing on papers and agencies, take it from me - NCTJ courses linked or affiliated in any way with universities are viewed with suspicion by many people in the media business.

If I was hiring a trainee and had a choice of someone from Norton and someone from the University, I'd take the one from Norton without a doubt.

That's just the way it is.

Cheers,

F

Didn't someone get shot behind Netto a while back? Is that the murder everyone is talking about? Think it was drugs related.

Also, if you contact the South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Press Office, they might be able to tell you about recent big incidents in Walkley, although I don't think there have been any for a while. Have a look on the website for contact details, they also have a news feed for all of South Yorks, might have something for Walkley.

Flat fire on 20 Dec 2007:http://www.syfire.gov.uk/incidents_18AE76BF8DB64D188BE23BD0B6C6FBB6.asp

I think that was outside 129 Freedom Road in January 2003... he was in his car, I think he was a boxer!!!

B
Yes it may have been Freedom road

Why would you do that Frazer? If I have the NCTJ certificates to prove I've done the course plus I have experience of broadcast and web, which is surely a significant bonus nowadays when many print organisations are branching out onto the internet why turn me away? I found it a lot easier to get a job, with my degree and NCTJs than my friend who had just done the six month NCTJ course.
I am intrigued as to why you would discriminate against university students, why are you so suspicious?

I think you could do an article on Freedom Rd and it's occupants, especially if there was a murder on there a couple of years ago, as they have come so far since then and created such a brilliant sense of community with their innovative road twinning project

http://www.freedomroad.org.uk/streettwinning/frd.php

Ellie,

I am not suspicious of people who have been to university, I am more suspicious of universities themselves.

It simply isn't necessary to go to university to be a journalist, so I consider it a waste of 3-4 years.

I have more respect for people who are focused on what they want in life and go straight for the NCTJ course, than have to take 3-4 years to get to the same point.

It's far more important to be a good, well rounded person, with life experience, and university teaches people the opposite.

That's just my experience. I find that trainee reporters who have come straight off the Norton course, with no degree, are more willing and eager. A lot of people (although not all) who have done a degree course come along with a certain arrogance.

It stems from the government's "university for all" approach to education, where the simple fact is that a lot of university courses are a waste of time in the real world, and are creating a generation of people who think the world owes them a living, just because they jumped through the right hoops.

To be fair, I have also seen some real losers from NCTJ courses as well as Universities, but they also were disposed of in the same way.

To be fair, I have also seen some real losers from NCTJ courses as well as Universities, but they also were disposed of in the same way.

So maybe you should judge people on their merits and how they interview, rather than which 'school' they went to...

Though I disagree with the government wanting everyone to go to university - it isn't necessary for many jobs and it isn't right for every person. Plus the more people that have degrees, the less value the degrees have.

I got a lot more from university than just a degree!

Actually Frazer1974, us journo's at the University of Sheffield are real journalists- NCTJ accredited. They train us properly, we all do the full NCTJ course- shorthand included.

We learn to be accurate, fair, truthful and everything that fake journalists are not!


*P.S. The NCTJ course at Sheffield Uni is the exact same in every way! Except that we go out and experience the media world also!*

By the way OurCowMolly, your Icecream rocks! Everyone I know loves it! Keep it up!

A Stannington Resident!

Ok Frazer, I completely understand everything you say because I don't agree with the 'university for all' philosophy either. Just don't think that all university Journalism students have been dossing around for three years trying to decide what to do. I knew I wanted to be a journalist since I was 12 and have done lots of work experience along the way and worked hard for my degree. I feel that over the three years I learnt greatly from some exceptional tutors and received an all round view of the media which I doubt I would have gained in a six month course. I appreciate that places like Norton produce some excellent journalists but please don't rule out university students because we have just as much to give. My course invited guest lectures from those in the industry so maybe, if you ever have a spare moment, you could go and deliver one and learn a little more about the department.
Ellie

Guys/Gals,

If the University course has "upped it's game" in recent times, then fair play, but in my experience the Norton College course (or Stradbroke, or Richmond, whatever...) has consistently turned out better trainees year on year.

Apart from my dislike of the university system in general, that's the main reason behind my opinion that Norton trainees are better than University trainees.

When I said Norton people would get the nod over University people, I was meaning after interview. Of course an individual is judged on their own merits and personality, but if I had two candidates of equal calibre after the interview stage, my gut instinct would tell me to go for the Norton person.

A lot of the people who hire and fire in this business are veterans of the old system, where the few NCTJ colleges were just about the only way into journalism. When universities began to get NCTJ accreditation the business started to get a lot more arrogant trainees applying for jobs, and that's probably the root cause of my feelings.

There may well be someone like me who just happened to be a graduate of the University rather than Stradbroke, who would favour trainees from the University, but there are still many who hold a suspicion based on the reasons above.

Of course, if a university-trained individual is best suited to a job than a Norton-trained individual then they should get the job, but I was generalising in my previous posts.

Ellie - regarding your suggestion that I go and be a guest lecturer, this is something I have already done for the Norton course, but I would consider doing the same for the university at some point.

Walkley is the marijuana growing capital of the universe.

Walkley is the marijuana growing capital of the universe.

Funny you should metion that, when I used to live down there I often noticed a strong smell of dope near the bus stop on south road. (the one near the old post office) some days it was really strong and the kids would ask what the funny smell was, and other days it was fairly mild.

Great stuff guys, thanks for your help! Is there any new Walkley news from the recent weeks?

anything!!!!???

frontman of tiy dancers shops at south rd netto

whoops meant tiny.

urrrm....thanks!

any more news in walkley?!?!!

You might want to follow up on the suggestion that the TV Star (well, he was on the Jeremy Kyle Show) from The OCS was seriously hospitalised after an altercation in a Walkley pub on Derby Day.

I was going to reply to the comments regarding university journalism courses but I think most of what I would have said has been said already.

But as a brief point... I graduated with a journalism degree last year from the University of Lincoln's School of Journalism. It's relatively new as a school and university in general, and as such does not have all the accreditation Sheffield's course does.

However, I learnt so much in my three years there about so many aspects of journalism, law, business, practical and theory that I could NEVER consider it a waste. I have course-mates who are now working in radio, print, online, marketing, and in my case, I have a good job in a PR company... something I would not have got without my degree.

Universities may not be for everyone, but I doubt many who went and completed a course in a subject they wanted to work in would think they wasted 4 years. Sure they might be a little behind those who did a shorter NCTJ course but I bet the majority experienced plenty, learned a lot of skills and wouldn't regret it.

well said lucy

Thanks :) At the end of the day, university is what you make of it, and you can only hope employers see the benefits of hiring you!

anymore news?

can anyone tell me exactly where 'RIP lesta' grafitti is in the Walkley area?

or any other news?

I'm a first year who needs to obtain four news stories. At present I am hoping to cover the cats being poisoned in the area as my main story, the adult education centre closure and the proposed Tesco on Commonside.

I need a fourth story from the past two months or any events in the next week that could be of interest. Or any quotes on the stories mentioned would be greatly appreciated. Replies via private message or on this thread please. Many thanks in advance.