Go! Magazine - Autumn 2010 by Travel South Yorkshire

ISSUE 9 • AUTUMN 2010 • FREE COPY

BRING ME SUNSHINE

Our favourite comedy double act returns with Grin Up North 2010

We chat to bestselling author, Barnsley’s Joanne Harris

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JAMES TOSELAND • ROTHERHAM ARTS • BUDGET DAYS OUT

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Welcome AUTUMN 2010

Welcome Contact us: Autumn is set to be a barrel of laughs in South Yorkshire, with the triumphant return of the month-long comedy festival Grin Up North. Held in venues around Sheffield throughout October, the month-long comedy festival brings the biggest names in comedy to the region, and we catch up with organisers Scott Barton and Toby Foster in Don’t make me laugh (page 14) to find out what’s in store for this year’s event. Our Profile interview this issue is Doncaster-born World Superbike Champion James Toseland. One of the sport’s biggest stars, when he’s not winning championships James is performing to millions on TV with his band, Crash. He gives us an amazingly frank insight into his life on page 10. Barnsley’s Joanne Harris is a world-famous best-selling author, but it was our turn to pick up the pen when we caught up with her to hear about how her passion for the written word has made her the global success she is today. No pressure on us then! See how we did in Top of the class (page 23). And over in Rotherham, we chat to the woman behind the bustling new arts hub in the recently revamped Imperial Buildings. In this issue’s Last stop, Rotherham Open Arts Renaissance’s Karen Sherwood is on a one-woman mission to create a hive of artistic industry in Rotherham – find out how on page 33. We’ve also got our usual round-up of the best of the events around the region (What’s on, page 8), plus some great ideas for a Grand day out on a budget (page 20). With comedy, authors, art and sporting heroes, it’s a fantastic issue that’s bound to raise a smile. Happy reading! The Go! Team

If you’d like to get in touch with the Go! Team, drop us a line and we’ll get back to you. EMAIL: go@travelsouthyorkshire.com WEB: travelsouthyorkshire.com/go Go! Magazine FREEPOST NEA3487 Sheffield S2 5ZQ

Partners: South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive Councils: Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council Sheffield City Council Operators: Arriva Cross Country Trains East Coast Main Line East Midlands Trains Expressway of Rotherham  First Holloways  Huddersfield Bus Company  Hulleys of Baslow Isle Coaches  Kettlewell Coaches Northern Rail  Powells Bus  Red Line Buses  Selwyn Motors  Sheffield Community Transport  Stagecoach Tates Travel Group  TM Travel  Wilfreda Beehive Veolia Transport

The Go! Team EDITOR Design Copywriters Photography

Paul Wells William Winder Juliet Shaw Rebecca Sheppard Jack Eames

AUTUMN 2010

contents Autumn 2010

This issue... REGULARS

FEATURES

5 News

14 Don’t make me laugh

Our round-up of the latest public transport news in South Yorkshire.

8 What’s on

Find out what’s going on around the region this autumn, and how to get there.

Grin Up North’s odd couple return to the spotlight this October as England’s largest comedy festival touches down in Sheffield for yet another hilarious year. Toby Foster and Scott Barton talk to Go! about the festival’s successes and why we need more comedians in South Yorkshire. Grab your chance to win an iPod Touch in Travel South Yorkshire’s special promotion.

10 Profile

Meet multi-talented local lad James Toseland, a World Champion biker and a musician to boot!

20 Grand day out...

Short on pennies? Check out our guide to budget days out in South Yorkshire.

30 Competition

Enter our reader competition for your chance to win £1000s worth of prizes!

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 £920!)

23 Top of the class

Joanne Harris is one the country’s best loved authors. We catch up with the Barnsley bestseller.

27 Out of office

Off peak public transport is the best way to get out and about this autumn.

33 Last stop

£1000s worth of prizes page 30

The Go! Team discovers a new arts hub in Rotherham is going from strength to strength, and meets the determined woman behind the revolution.

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

AUTUMN 2010

News What should our transport system be like in the Sheffield City Region 15 years from now? That is the question that transport chiefs have been asking the public over the past few months as they try to frame the policies that will help build that system for the future. South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive and the four South Yorkshire district councils are asking the public to give its views on the new Transport Strategy which is being drawn up for the next 15 years. Known as the Local Transport Plan (LTP) this document will look at the needs of the four South Yorkshire authorities of Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield, as well as those areas beyond South Yorkshire from where significant numbers of people travel into the county to work – the Sheffield City Region. This includes areas such as Chesterfield, Worksop and the Peak District, and others as well. It will take into account how to help people access jobs, leisure services and shops, as well as providing access to education and hospitals. The plan is also looking at how transport can play a role in tackling climate change, road safety, promoting equality of opportunity and contribute to better, security and health. It will look at all areas of transport - roads, air, walking and cycling, as well as access to the ports and the public transport network. It will also look at tackling social exclusion – something all the more important in difficult economic times. And it will examine how we can make the best use of our existing infrastructure. Areas in which the Transport Strategy hopes to make a real difference in the years ahead include: • Enhancing economic growth through tackling congestion and overcrowding • Reducing greenhouse gases and making transport sustainable • Improving quality of life, social inclusion, and health and wellbeing • Making transport safe and secure All views from the public will be looked at to try to make the plan fit the needs of the Sheffield City Region as closely as possible. Councillor Mick Jameson, Chair of the South Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority, said: “This strategy is all about making sure that transport fully supports people to live their lives, connect people to jobs, and helps business to be successful. And to do this while reducing the problems that transport causes – accidents, climate change, air quality, and congestion.” Ben Still, Director of Strategy at South

Have your say on the future of transport Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, said: “The strategy sets out what transport should contribute to the economic, social and environmental well being of the city region, the challenges and problems we face, and our policies to overcome those challenges. “We think that following the policies set out in this strategy will help our city region grow and prosper, benefit the environment, and support a better quality of life for the people of South Yorkshire and the city region. “It is very important that we get your views on

what we propose.” For more information or to view the full draft South Yorkshire Transport Strategy go to southyorks.gov.uk or call us on 01709 51 51 51, email ltp.strategy@sypte.co.uk or write to South Yorkshire LTP Partnership, 11 Broad Street West, Sheffield S1 2BQ. Public consultation is running until 15 October. The finalised Transport Strategy is to be released in April 2011.

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...in brief

First donation to Children’s Hospital

On 25 July, First operated a ‘last running day’ event using the last of Sheffield’s Volvo B10M fleet to commemorate the withdrawal of the type following 20 years faithful service. On the day, fares taken, plus donations taken on bus were donated to the Sheffield Children’s Hospital Charity.

Commenting on the donation; David VernonEdwards, Director of The Children’s Hospital Charity said “We are very grateful to First and their staff for its kind donation. “The money raised will make a real difference to our young patients and their families and will help keep the hospital at the forefront of paediatric care.”

Doncaster bus revamp First has introduced a multimillion pound renaissance for its services in Doncaster, offering customers on all services in the town a new, high standard across the network, including every bus providing low-floor easy access and being fitted with CCTV cameras to improve safety. Delivering this standard has been made possible with a £10m investment to help grow passenger numbers. The latest investment to meet this standard is the introduction of thirty-four modern buses including twenty-two double deck buses and twelve single deck buses costing £3.5M. This commitment to improving service quality and vehicle investment in Doncaster will also mean that all bus engines will have

lower emission levels making them more environmentally-friendly. First is also planning a range of further commitments which will benefit its bus customers in Doncaster. This includes ensuring its drivers are trained to the highest standards and offering a refund if a bus does not arrive within twenty minutes of a scheduled timetable (owing to factors within First’s control). Bob Hamilton, Managing Director for First in South Yorkshire, said: “This is all good news for First customers in Doncaster and follows on from our recent partnership work with the Mayor to test new routes and promotions in Doncaster.”

Sheffield bus conductors back in new street role Bus conductors are making a comeback in Sheffield for the first time in many years – in a new-style role which is speeding up boarding times and leading to improved punctuality and reliability. Stagecoach Yorkshire has introduced two on the busiest routes in Sheffield city centre and, because of the experiment’s early success, two more will start work shortly, with a further expansion promised throughout Sheffield if the idea continues to make an impact on services. The street conductors – already nicknamed “ambussadors” by users because of the way they are polishing up the company’s image – are working on the 52, 83, 88 and 120 services in

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Sheffield. Their duties include waiting at bus stops and selling tickets to passengers in advance of boarding the bus and providing service information and contacting the depot to find out about disruptions and delays. Although the two conductors, who are both leading drivers, are issuing tickets to travellers before they board, the experiment is stirring memories for older passengers of the days when every bus had its own conductor who walked up and down the vehicle collecting money for tickets. Rupert Cox, Stagecoach Yorkshire’s commercial director, said: “This is a very exciting development and is already improving boarding times, as well

as reliability and punctuality, on the services in question. “We are also beginning to see an impact on journey times and we look forward to introducing it at a later stage on other busy routes in Sheffield. “One important aspect of it is being able to give passengers information on any delays that might occur because there is nothing more frustrating than standing at a stop and wondering when the next bus is coming along. “It is a further step towards making bus journeys more convenient and a pleasant experience for our passengers.” Bus-based conductors were last used in Sheffield in the 1980s.

NEWS Autumn 2010 East Midlands Trains rolls out onboard wifi service Rail passengers using East Midlands Trains services to London are starting to benefit from access to the internet whilst they travel, with the roll out of the train operator’s brand new onboard wifi service.

For £4 per journey (up to 3 hours) or £7.50 a day, Standard Class passengers will be able to access the internet, email and other online applications. First Class passengers will benefit from complimentary access to the service. Jayne Moyses, Sales Manager for East Midlands Trains, said: “We’re constantly looking

at how we can further improve our service and we know the launch of on board internet access will make a real difference for our passengers.” The service is expected to have been installed on all trains by the end of this year. For full details, visit eastmidlandstrains.co.uk or pick up an information leaflet onboard.

South Yorkshire rail stations receive prestigious national award South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) is celebrating after being crowned winners at this year’s National Transport Awards in the Rail Station of the Year category, and receiving commendation in the Frontline Employee category. Now in its tenth year, the National Transport Awards acknowledge the successes that have been achieved in transport projects across the UK and Ireland and rewards innovative initiatives. Despite tough competition,

SYPTE, in partnership with Northern Rail, walked away with first prize in the Rail Station of the Year Award, which recognises, amongst other things, the extensive improvements to South Yorkshire’s rail infrastructure, rising customer satisfaction and a 16 per cent annual increase in passenger numbers. Barnsley, Doncaster and Sheffield rail stations have also previously been recognised as ‘world-class’ by former Transport Secretary Lord Adonis. SYPTE also received praise in

the Frontline Employee of the Year category, with Customer Service Officer, Paul Broomhead, being highly commended for his courageous attempt to stop a thief stealing a significant amount of cash and stock from Hillsborough mini-Interchange last year. SYPTE Director General, David Brown, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have, once again, been recognised in these prestigious awards. We are all well aware of the difficult economic situation we have found ourselves in recently, so it is fantastic to be able to celebrate

the successes. “Special thanks go to Paul, who is a great representative of our frontline staff who go the extra mile, and to all our dedicated staff who work incredibly hard on all our projects as we continue to strive to make public transport the competitive travel option.” Steve Butcher, Chief Operating Officer for Northern Rail, added: “This is fantastic recognition of our partnership approach. We look forward to continuing to work with SYPTE to deliver more for rail passengers across South Yorkshire.”

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Sept-Nov 2010 Rotherham Show

The Rotherham Show returns to Clifton Park for the largest free land show in the north of England. The horticultural show, vintage vehicle display, fun fair, stalls and refreshments provide entertainment for all the family. Entry is free, and the event runs from 10am to 6pm. 11-12 September, Clifton Park, Rotherham. £Free. For more information contact the Rotherham Visitor Centre on 01709 835904, or email tic@rotherham.gov.uk Bus

service 14 every 20mins Mon-Sat until 6pm, hourly evenings and Sundays.

All that jazz

Brodsworth Hall and Gardens rounds off its summer season of outdoor bands with Jazz on the Lawn. Enjoy the beautiful surroundings and hope for an Indian summer while enjoying a soundtrack of traditional jazz music. 26 September, Brodsworth Hall, Doncaster. Adults £5.30, concessions £4.60, children £2.70, English Heritage members £Free. Call 01302 722 598 for more information. Bus

service 203 four journeys per day.

Foodie foraging and conkers fun at Ulley Country Park

Get back to nature and forage for food at the Fun-Guy Forage in Ulley Country Park. Expert forager Fun-Guy Ziggy will be on hand to identify all your foodie finds and explain how you can use them. Forage from 10am to 12noon, then why not Go Nuts at Ulley’s annual conker competition? Tough nuts will be battling it out between 1.30 and 3.30pm. 10 October, Ulley Country Park, Rotherham. Both events are free, but booking is essential. Call 01709 365332 for more details. Bus

services 25A & 49 every 30mins.

Knock knock…

The monsters are coming to Sheffield, and they’ll be taking to the stage at the Arena as part of the very first production of Doctor Who Live. The out-of-thisworld line-up includes The Doctor’s arch-enemies the Daleks, as well as ten of the best-loved and most terrifying monsters from the TV series. The show promises to deliver a spectacular audio-visual experience with live music and special effects. The Doctor himself won’t be there, but he will be appearing on a giant video screen! 12-13 October, Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield. Tickets from £25. Call 0114 256 5656 or visit motorpointarena.co.uk for booking 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.

1-31 October Grin Up North: Sheffield Comedy Festival Check out our special feature on page 14 8

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WHAT’s ON Autumn 2010 For further travel tips call Traveline on 01709 51 51 51 or visit travelsouthyorkshire.com

Boo! It’s Fright Night 2010

Britain’s biggest Halloween party returns to South Yorkshire once again with over 40,000 people expected to descend on Sheffield city centre. This ‘mass promenade’ event, from 3.30pm until 8:30pm, will host a variety of scary shenanigans and frightful frivolities, including street theatre, ghost tours, a haunted house, a ghost train, funfair rides, food stalls and plenty of children’s activities for your little monsters! 31 October, Sheffield city centre. £Free. Visit yellowbusevents.co.uk for more information. Bus all services to Sheffield city centre. Train all services to Sheffield Rail Station. Tram all routes (Church Street or City Hall).

Cracking ballet

Performed to Tchaikovsky’s enduring score, played live by the Northern Ballet Sinfonia, The Nutcracker awakens childlike imagination in us all brings to life everyone’s favourite Christmas story. Share in Clara’s adventures as she is swept away by her Nutcracker prince into a magical winter wonderland of dancing snowflakes and the famous Sugar Plum Fairy. 9-13 November, Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield. Tickets from £16.00. Call 0114 249 6000 for more information. Bus all services to Sheffield city centre. Train all services to Sheffield Rail Station. Tram all routes (Castle Square).

Bugsy Malone at the Lamproom

Barnsley Lamproom’s Youth Theatre Ensemble present the original and entertaining 1920s gangsters and molls musical. Loosely based on events in Chicago, Illinois in the prohibition era, the casts of both the original film and this performance are made up entirely of children. 17-20 November, Lamproom Theatre, Barnsley. Tickets from £8.00. Call the box office on 01226 200075 or by email boxoffice@ barnsleylamproom.com

Bus all services to Barnsley Interchange (then 6mins walk). Train all services to Barnsley Rail Station (then 6mins walk).

Paul Weller: Live at Motorpoint Arena

With a career spanning four decades, the Modfather brings his UK arena tour to South Yorkshire. Fans of the ex-Jam and Style Council frontman can expect tracks from his latest album Wake Up The Nation, as well as a smattering of oldies and goldies, plus a few surprises. 30 November, Motorpoint Arena, Sheffield. Tickets £35. Call 0114 256 5656 or visit motorpointarena.co.uk for booking 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.

AUTUMN 2010

JAMES TOSELAND Crowned the youngest ever World Superbike Champion when he was just 23, Doncaster-born James Toseland is well on course to achieving his ambition of five world titles. And when he’s not breaking motorcycle records, he’s on stage playing piano and singing with the likes of Jools Holland and Queen, or performing at the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year. Go! caught up with him during a well-earned break and enjoyed a rare glimpse into the life of a modern-day renaissance man...

I had to ride my bike down a perspex stage, stop and do an interview, then play the piano, all live – now that was nerve-wracking!

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Where in South Yorkshire did you grow up? I was born in Doncaster and lived there until I was three or four. We actually lived in a caravan! Then we moved to live with my gran in Kiverton Park – I went to Wales High School – and stayed until about five years ago before I moved to the Isle of Man [the home of the world-famous 37-mile TT Races]. A lot of motorcyclists live there, it’s very biker friendly, but I get back home to South Yorkshire whenever time allows. How old were you when you first got into motorbikes? My mum’s boyfriend, Ken, had a bike and took me out on it quite a few times. Then when I was about eight, he bought me a trials bike for Christmas. A few years later I got into motocross, and then by the time I was 15 I had moved onto road racing. When did you first realise you could be a serious competitor? It was a really strange time in my life, to be honest. In 1996, Ken committed suicide. I had so much anger and frustration, and having my bike helped me to deal with everything I was going through – I just threw myself into it. We happened to live in the same village as [British Championship biker] Mick Corrigan, who knew my situation and took me on to see what I could do. Within six months I’d gone from riding around on waste ground at the back of my house to being the best in the UK.

I imagine it was quite an expensive sport to be involved in? Yes, definitely. If I hadn’t got into a team when I did in 1997 then I wouldn’t have been able to race beyond that, and I was prepared for that. But even though I did get into the team, my mum still had to find £15,000 for me to join. It was a massive thing for her to do, and was basically all her savings. She took me to one side and said ‘This is the last thing I can do for you’. I was incredibly thankful, and at that point I wasn’t even winning anything so it was a massive commitment. And how does she feel now you’re a twotime World Champion? Well she’s got her money back so she’s happy! Like any parent though, she’s very proud of my achievements. She’d always realised how much I loved it and how much passion I had for it. Even with all the trouble behind the scenes in the family when I was a teenager, I was always out on my motorcycle. And it’s paid off – when I started beating the guys in the UK in ‘97, and then went to the World Championships in ‘98 and qualified fifth, that was when I really thought, I can do this. I haven’t looked back. We hear you also have a passion for music... Yes, I’ve played the piano since I was about three. It was when we moved to my gran’s house that I picked it up. She plays very well and was always playing in local clubs and at church events.

profile JAMES TOSELAND

A signed james toseland helmet page 30

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profile JAMES TOSELAND Then I discovered the piano and started to make a noise on it! I was annoying everyone so much they decided to get me lessons so I could play properly! You have a band, Crash. Do you spend with much of your time performing with them? Our performances are nearly always to do with racing. We do events for sponsors, which is good for me to be able to give them something back, and other sporting events. We’re travelling to the MotoGP in Indianapolis to play there – unfortunately I can’t compete this year as I broke my hand at the beginning of the season, but it’ll be good to be there with the band. Have you ever wondered if you made the wrong career choice? Not at all. I’ve been motorcycling for more than 20 years and I still look forward to every ride. Even the great things that have come from playing the piano, like playing with Jools Holland and Queen, don’t come close to the thrill I get from riding a bike. I’ve always held the belief that you should concentrate on doing one thing really well rather than spreading yourself too thin, and I’ve never regretted focussing on motorcycling – it’s given me a great life. It could have been very different though – I was injured early on in my career, and if it had been more serious then maybe I’d have switched my focus to my music. But you have managed to combine the two! Yes, everyone found out I played piano in 2003 when a sponsor bought me a nine-foot Steinway for winning the World Championship! The BBC was covering the event, so of course they asked me to play, and ever since I’ve been asked to play everywhere I go. I rode for Yamaha at that time, and of course they also make pianos, so I go to go to Japan with them to promote their music division. You mentioned you have played with Jools Holland – how did that come about? Again, through motorcycling. Jools’ drummer is a massive bike fan and said he’d have to get us together and have a bit of a jam. We played in front of 10,000 people at Newmarket Racecourse, him on guitar and me on piano. There was no rehearsal, he just came up to me before the gig and asked if I’d like to join him. He just asked if I’d prefer to play the 12 bar blues in G or E – I said G, and away we went! It was amazing – Jools is one of my heroes. And what about Queen? Oh, I’ve always been a massive Queen fan, and when Crash got the chance to play a warm up gig for their keyboard player, Spike, I was invited to sing We Will Rock You with them. I was up there and I turned around just as Roger Taylor was doing the big drum intro and he gave me a wink – that’s one of my favourite moments in music, and came very close to the buzz of a race.

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What’s the biggest crowd you have played? It’s got to be when I played at BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year – there were 3,000 in the arena and twelve million, I believe, watching on TV. I had to ride my bike down a perspex stage, stop and do an interview, then play the piano, all live – now that was nerve-wracking! But it was an amazing night, my gran was in the audience, all my family were there, it was such a memorable night. What’s been the proudest moment of your career? Both World Championships for sure. Probably the first one just a little bit more because I never actually took in what it would feel like to win, I just really wanted to do it. To actually wake up on Monday after the race and see the trophy by my side was just fantastic. When you’re not busy being a World Champion or playing with your band, how do you like to relax? I’ve got a house in the South of France, which is where I am at the moment, and all my family are coming later today – all 12 of them! I don’t get to see my family so much, so it’s really good when we can all get together. There are huge benefits to what I’ve done, and it’s amazing to look at what I have and know that it’s from money I’ve earned from racing. I’m very fortunate – I’ve worked very hard and I’m proud of what I’ve achieved, but

at the same time I am very much aware of how fortunate I am. So is there anything left to achieve? Carl Fogarty won four World Championships and is the most successful Superbike racer ever. I’ve got two under my belt so far. But I started when I was 23 and Carl started when he was 30, so hopefully I’ve plenty of time left yet to match his four titles. My ultimate ambition would be to win a fifth. And finally, if you could take a long bus ride next to anyone, who would it be and why? I’d really like to meet Axl Rose from Guns N’ Roses, but I think if I could choose anyone at all it would have to be Freddy Mercury. I’d want to know where it all started and how Queen became the band that they did. I spend a lot of time doing interviews and talking about myself, I’d love to be the one asking the questions for once and find out what made the man tick. That would be the most memorable bus journey ever! Visit James’ official website at jamestoseland.com

For your chance to win a helmet signed by James Toseland, turn to page 30 and enter our reader competition!

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FEATURE GRIN UP NORTH

Don’T make me laugh Comedy impresarios and festival founders Scott Barton and Toby Foster take a break from the jokes and find time to join the Go! Team for a little pillow talk and contemplation ahead of what promises to be the best Grin Up North yet...

ow in its sixth year, Grin Up North is back with a bang in 2010. Joining the likes of Jimmy Carr and Ross Noble, who have appeared at the festival every year since it began, over 70 comedians will play more than 80 gigs at venues right across the city. Making their debuts at this year’s Grin will be TV favourites Dara O’Briain and Stewart Lee, as well as Canada’s critically aclaimed Stewart Francis. Running 1-31 October at a range of venues, from the 2,200-capacity City Hall to the 100-seater backroom at the Lescar pub in Sharrowvale, Grin Up North has seen comedians such as Michael McIntyre make their festival debut in front of an audience of 500, only to return three years later and play to a packed Sheffield Arena. “We started off with a tiny thing we thought was beautiful and have nurtured it as time goes on,” says Scott Barton, whose company Yellow Bus Events organises the festival along with Radio Sheffield’s breakfast presenter, stand-up comedian and Last Laugh Comedy Club owner Toby Foster. And although the team behind this internationally-renowned, city-wide festival remains a very modest seven (all of whom work on several projects concurrently), each year sees more organisations getting behind the festival and offering support.

“We call them the festival Godparents,” says Scott. “Organisations such as the City Council, Travel South Yorkshire and Creative Sheffield – they’re all getting behind the festival because they can see how good it is for the region.” With more than half of last year’s festival visitors coming from outside the city, a quarter from outside Yorkshire and an economic benefit to the city of nearly £6 million in just a month, it’s no surprise that the powers that be are showing their full support. “When people visit the festival, they’re bringing money into the local economy”, says Scott. “The whole infrastructure benefits and it’s good for the image of city and its national profile. We’re working more with people like Welcome to Yorkshire, who are involved in the marketing of the area for tourism. “It really has helped put Sheffield on the map and it’s great to have an international reputation,” says Scott. “But what we don’t lose sight of is the fact that the core of the festival is about bringing major names to Sheffield.” And those major names are coming from further afield, with international favourites such as American Rich Hall and Canadian Stewart Francis on the bill. “Toby books all the acts, and he has people calling him right up until a week before the festival wanting to play,” says Scott. “He’s incredibly well connected in the world of AUTUMN 2010

comedy, but if Toby doesn’t find them funny, they’re not getting on – however big they are. That’s our quality control, and that’s what makes us successful. It’s about quality, not quantity. We have to make sure we keep that balance and concentrate on putting on a great festival.” Yet despite the international interest, Toby Foster is frustrated at the lack of home-grown talent on the bill. “It’s a constant battle to get more South Yorkshire acts in,” he says. “We’ve tried open nights, and there’s a standing invitation for local acts to come and do a slot at the Last Laugh Comedy Club, but we rarely get taken up on it.” To counteract the apparent lack of comedic talent in South Yorkshire, Grin Up North has been working with four schools in the area to introduce pupils to stand-up. Pupils at Firth Park Community Arts College, Tapton Secondary School, Chaucer Business and Community College and Longley Park Sixth Form College will be working with a professional comedian to learn improvisation skills, and their talents will be showcased in a performance at Sheffield City Hall on 8 October on a stage that’s featured the likes of Jimmy Carr and Michael McIntyre. And back in July, Grin Up North joined forces with Sheffield Children’s Festival and Real Radio to stage an open mic event at Winter Gardens, where budding comedians aged 18 and under could turn up and have their jokes recorded to 16

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be used on air by Real Radio to promote Grin Up North. “We wanted to find a way to work with young people in the area and give them an opportunity to get involved with the festival, because there’s so much they can learn from it” says Scott. Toby agrees. “Kids of 14 and 15 are at the perfect age to introduce them to comedy”, he says. “They don’t have that air of the tortured comedian or cynicism, which I find the worst thing in a comic. They just want to make people laugh, and that’s what we want to bring home to people – there’s no great secret to it, but the more you get up on stage and do it the better you’ll be, so we wanted to give them that opportunity.” Toby’s so determined to encourage more people in South Yorkshire to step up to the mic, he’s pledged to stage a South Yorkshire only night at next year’s festival and is offering an open invitation to anyone from the region who wants to do a slot at his Last Laugh Comedy Club. “All I need to see is raw talent,” says Toby. “If they play my club and I see something there, then they’ve got a year to learn how to improve. All they have to do is get in touch: drop me an email, we’ll arrange a meeting and then this time next year we’ll have a load of new acts from South Yorkshire appearing at the UK’s biggest and best comedy festival.” But with or without a local star, Grin Up North is helping to put Sheffield on the international

There’s a perception that alternative comedy still has that cynical banner, that whole tortured soul persona - it doesn’t. Comedy is about making people laugh in big numbers. map. “Sheffield is increasingly becoming a great place for events and festivals, and it’s managed to do that with modest levels of support,” says Scott. “There’s such a vibrant ‘do it yourself’ scene, with various individuals and organisations who just get on with it. It’s got so much to offer in terms of music, shopping, outdoors and nature and being a great place to live and work. We want to enhance that by making Sheffield synonymous with comedy, and staging the best comedy festival for audiences and acts in the country.” Fancy yourself as the next Michael McIntyre? Follow Toby’s advice over the page and you could be laughing all the way to a slot at next year’s Grin Up North!...

FEATURE GRIN UP NORTH

A TABLE FOR 10 AT TOBY’S LAST LAUGH COMEDY CLUB page 30

AUTUMN 2010

FEATURE GRIN UP NORTH

Toby’s TOP comedy TIPS 1. Make people laugh Obvious? You’d think so. Yet far too many people create routines that are based on cynicism, and according to Toby it just doesn’t work. “There’s a perception that alternative comedy still has that cynical banner, that whole tortured soul persona,” he says. “It doesn’t. Comedy is about being funny, telling jokes and making people laugh in big numbers.”

Didn’t they do well! Some of the UK’s top comedians have cut their teeth at Grin Up North. Go! looks at the ones who made it big.

Rhod Gilbert Rhod first played Grin Up North to just 100 people in 2007. This year, he makes a triumphant return at Sheffield City Hall. In that time, the Carmarthan-born comic has had a sell-out UK tour, appeared at the Royal Variety Performance and been a TV regular on Mock The Week, Live the at the Apollo and Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, as well as being recognised with several comedy awards. 24 October, Oval Hall, Sheffield City Hall Sarah Millican Since performing at an open-mic night in the back room of a Sheffield pub in 2005, Sarah has now announced her first UK tour, has been heralded Best Newcomer for her debut show Sarah Millican’s Not Nice at the Edinburgh Fringe, and appeared on a host of TV shows. 24-25 October, Memorial Hall, Sheffield City Hall Sheffield City Hall Bus all services to Sheffield city centre. Tram all routes (City Hall).

Russell Howard Like Sarah, a then-unknown Russell Howard performed to a small crowd in the first ever Grin Up North. Five years on, he has his own TV show, Russell Howard’s Good News, has four sell-out tours under his belt, including two shows at Wembley Arena, and is about to embark on another nationwide tour. With multiple awards, a large TV following and a recent stint on the all-star John O’Groatsto-Lands End bike ride in aid of BBC’s Sport Relief, Russell is very much a household name. Michael McIntyre Perhaps the biggest success story of Sheffield’s comedy scene is Michael McIntyre. Four years ago he drew in 500 people, then the following year that audience doubled to 1000. His third appearance at Grin Up North saw him perform for a three-night sell-out stint at Sheffield Arena. His first DVD, Live and Laughing, was the fastest selling debut stand-up DVD ever. His second, Michael McIntyre: Hello Wembley, became the fastest selling stand-up DVD of all time, with well over a million copies sold. Now with his prime-time Saturday night show, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, he is firmly established as the UK’s best-loved comic.

Getting you to the giggles... We’ve teamed up with Toby and Scott to give one lucky reader a table of ten at the Last Laugh Comedy Club. Turn to page 30 for your chance to win! For full listings for this year’s comedy festival, visit travelsouthyorkshire.com/grin to see who’s performing where and travel tips on how to get to each venue by public transport. 18

AUTUMN 2010

What’s more, Travel South Yorkshire is also offering Go! readers the chance to win an iPod Touch! So what are you waiting for?... Visit travelsouthyorkshire.com/grin now and you’ll be laughing!

2. Go to lots of (good) gigs “People don’t see enough comedy, or they go and see bad comedy,” says Toby. “If you’re serious about it, you need to spend your time in big weekend clubs, even if you have to travel. Too many stand-ups go to open-mic nights and see blokes in jeans and t-shirts talking about their mum, and it doesn’t transfer to clubs like mine.” 3. Don’t do it for the money “When I first started stand up I genuinely had no idea you could make a living at it,” says Toby. “I heard a very well established act saying he got £150 one night, and I nearly fell through the floor. I was doing stand up four nights a week because I loved it, and that’s the one and only reason you should be doing it. If you do get paid, it’s a bonus and you’ll be lucky if it covers your travel expenses!” Have you got what it takes? If your friends think you’re a hoot and you have your colleagues in stitches, then Toby wants to hear from you. He’s offering funny Go! readers a fiveminute slot at any of his Last Laugh Comedy Clubs (Sheffield, Barnsley and Penistone). And if enough local talent is uncovered, Toby has pledged to stage a South Yorkshire showcase at next year’s festival. So if you think you can crack the comedy circuit, email toby@lastlaughcomedy.com with your name and contact details.

Enter now online to

WIN an

iPod Touch!

yellowbusevents festivals • events • experiential marketing

eastmidlandstrains.co.uk

*All entries must be received by 7 November 2010. ‘Grin up North’ and ‘The Sheffield Comedy Festival’ trademarks are owned by Scott Barton / Toby Foster.

GRAND DAY OUT...

on a budget

...

Mooch around museums National museums have been free to enter since 2001, and visitor numbers have soared as a result. But they’re not the stuffy institutions of old; whether you want an interactive experience with the children or a quiet stroll around a thought-provoking exhibition, you’ll find it all in South Yorkshire. Bishops’ House in Sheffield is a living, breathing time capsule where history seeps from every wall and soot-stained fireplace, providing a rare window on life in Sheffield before the steel and smog. For a more hands-on experience, Rotherham’s Clifton Park Museum is one of the most modern and user-friendly museums of the country. The twicenominated museum of the year offers a packed programme of family-friendly events, high-tech displays and interactive exhibits.

Take pleasure in parks With every sense being stimulated by the thrills on offer in expensive theme parks, it’s easy to forget the simple pleasures of a stroll around a country park on a crisp autumn afternoon. South Yorkshire boasts some of the country’s grandest stately homes set in beautiful grounds, providing the perfect setting for an afternoon walk, a family picnic or an energetic cycle ride. Doncaster’s Cusworth Hall, Museum and Park is a Grade I listed country house set in extensive landscaped parklands. The house features a lively programme of family-friendly exhibitions, events and activities, while the gardens present a tranquil haven of foliage and flowers all year round.

AUTUMN 2010

After shelling out for two weeks in the sun and then saving for the latest must-have Christmas gift, autumn can be a lean part of the year. But lack of funds and nights drawing in are no excuse for closing the curtains and sitting in front of the TV until March. There are plenty of places to go and things to see and do that don’t cost the earth – and in many cases, they don’t cost anything at all. So hop on a bus, tram or train and make the most of what the region has to offer – without breaking the bank...

A theatrical event An evening at the theatre may seem like an expensive event, but there are ways to get cut-price tickets. Most theatres offer group discounts on week-night performances and reducedpriced entry for matinee shows. But the cheapest way to experience live theatre is at a public dress rehearsal, with theatres offering tickets for as little as £1 per show. Sheffield Theatres offers public dress rehearsal tickets on a first-come first-served basis, with tickets available from 10am on the day of the performance by visiting the box office in person. See the public dress rehearsal of What I Heard About The World on 13 October at the Crucible Studio Theatre for £1, or contact your local theatre to find out about discounted tickets and performances.

Cut-price films Cinema can be a costly business, with tickets, popcorn and candyfloss all adding up to a walletworrying amount, so take advantage of the independent cinemas in South Yorkshire and see the latest films at a discount. Sheffield’s Showroom cinema offers a family ticket for £15 (party of four with maximum of two adults), while Barnsley’s Parkway Cinema has a budgetbusting Bargain Monday, with tickets at £4 every Monday after 5.30pm for any film.

Directory Bishops’ House

0114 278 2600 museums-sheffield.org.uk Bus services 20/20A & 39 run every 10mins MonSat until 6pm, every hour evenings and Sundays.

Clifton Park Museum

01709 823 635 rotherham.gov.uk/info/200172/clifton_ park Bus

service 14 every 20mins Mon-Sat until 6pm, hourly evenings and Sundays.

Cusworth Hall

01302 782 342; doncaster.gov.uk/ cusworthhall Bus services 42 & 219 run every 15mins Mon-Sat until 6pm, every 30mins evenings and Sundays.

Crucible

0114 249 6000 sheffieldtheatres.co.uk Bus

all services to Sheffield city centre.

Train all services to Sheffield Rail Station. Tram all routes (Castle Square).

Showroom

0114 275 7727 showroomworkstation.org.uk Bus

all services to Sheffield Interchange.

Train all services to Sheffield Rail Station (2mins walk to Showroom). Tram BLue/Purple routes (Sheffield Station) 2mins walk to Showroom.

Parkway Cinema

01226 248 218 barnsley.parkwaycinemas.co.uk Bus

all services to Barnsley Interchange (opposite Interchange).

Train all services to Barnsley Rail Station (opposite Interchange).

Autumn 2010

e c i v d a Need

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Our team of advisors are ready to help you: • plan your journey • find the best tickets • with one to one advice It’s quick and easy, just a call or click away!

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FEATURE Joanne Harris

TOP OF THE CLASS With eleven novels, a book of short stories, two cookbooks, an Oscar-nominated film adaptation and global book sales of over 15 million in over fifty countries, it’s fair to say Joanne Harris has earned the right to be known as an author, and a very accomplished one at that. But, as Go! discovers, despite her worldwide success, the Barnsley-born bestseller still thinks of herself as “a teacher on a sabbatical”... lthough she’s visited some of the most glamorous locations in the world, Joanne Harris is never happier then when at home with her husband and 17-year old daughter Anouchka in a village just fifteen miles where she was born and brought up in Barnsley. “I do feel incredibly settled here,” says Joanne. “My friends and family still live in Barnsley and I visit Stairfoot, where I was born, all the time.” For Joanne, the world of the globally successful author still feels very surreal. A teacher for fifteen years, Joanne wrote her first three novels while teaching English at Leeds Grammar School for Boys. Among them was the best-selling Chocolat, which was made into an Oscar-nominated film starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. And

although the media attention brought about by its Hollywood adaption saw tabloid journalists door-stepping her at home and at work, Joanne’s decision to step down from her teaching role was not intended to be permanent. “I would have been perfectly happy to stay as a teacher,” she says. “I had three books published while I was working full-time, and becoming a full-time author is a big leap into the unknown. There’s no security at all in writing, and if you give up your regular job and write full-time that becomes your only source of income. To someone who spent fifteen years teaching and doing regular hours and having a pension, that was a huge leap of faith. But I didn’t want the attention I was attracting to have an impact on the kids at school, so I decided to take a sabbatical and deal

with the attention, and then maybe go back.” More than a decade later, Joanne is still on that sabbatical. In the last ten years she’s written a further eight novels, the latest of which is blueeyedboy, a dark psychological thriller set in the world of the internet, a book of short stories and co-authored two cookery books with chef Fran Warde. She is currently finalising the first draft of Runelight, the sequel to 2007’s Runemarks, and is working on a screen play of her 2007 novel The Lollipop Shoes. With such dedication to her writing career, it’s difficult to imagine how Joanne could have ever fitted it in around a full-time teaching job, as well as bringing up her daughter. “People find the time to do the things they want to do,” she says. “I could just as easily ask AUTUMN 2010

AUTUMN 2010

FEATURE Joanne Harris Touring is a courtesy to all the people who keep me on the shelf - it takes a lot more than just an author to make a book. There are booksellers, sales reps, editors, publicists and all those people who buy it. people how they find time to watch TV or paint their toe nails. I’ve just always loved the process of writing – it wasn’t because I thought I was going to make it big and get famous, it was a secret activity for me and I did it because I liked it. I’ve always been interested in people and their lives and motivations, and for me that’s what it’s about – exploring characters and finding the story that everyone’s got in them.” Although she harboured no burning desire to become a world-renowned author, Joanne’s childhood in Stairfoot bore all the seeds of her future career in teaching and the subjects of the novels to come. The only child of a French mother and English father, both of whom were teachers and passionate readers, Joanne’s childhood home was crammed with books. Holidays were spent in France with a grandmother who was passionate about food and cooking, subjects which feature heavily in some of Joanne’s novels. “My French grandmother had a book with handwritten recipes from all over the place, from different members of the family” says Joanne, who went on to base her fifth novel, Five Quarters of the Orange, on a hand-written recipe book passed through generations. “Most families have a special recipe handed down – my English grandmother in Barnsley also had a lot of wartime recipes I never knew anyone else to make. She had flourless cakes, sugarless buns, really imaginative things that were actually very good!” When she wasn’t learning the intricacies of Gallic and Yorkshire cuisine, Joanne absorbed herself in the many books which adorned her home. “We had a house full of books, and if your parents read then you also read,” says Joanne. “I read things that probably were considered adult books, people like Ray Bradbury, H. Rider Haggard, Edgar Allan Poe, Robert Louis Stevenson. “I also read a lot at school, and I remember being in the infant

school and being sent to the junior library because I’d read all the books in the library! The teachers were very supportive, they knew how I loved to read.” Yet despite this obvious love of the written word, Joanne’s modest ambition was to follow in the footsteps of her parents and become a teacher. “Growing up in Barnsley was a wonderful environment, but it wasn’t the sort of environment where you announced you were going to grow up to do unusual things,” remembers Joanne. “It was pretty well understood I was always going to become a teacher – when a teacher marries another teacher and they talk about teaching all the time then it’s almost expected that the

A signed copy of joanne’s new book page 30

child will do the same.” And after reading Modern and Medieval Languages at St Catherine’s College, Cambridge, Joanne did begin to teach, first for a brief spell in Dewsbury and then onto Leeds Grammar School. Ten years on from taking that extended sabbatical, Joanne’s writing is no longer squeezed in around a school day. Through her love of the written word and sheer hard work, Joanne has forged a career as a fullyfledged author, with millions of loyal fans around the world. The uncertainty of whether writing would be a sustainable career is long gone, but Joanne is working harder than ever, with international reading tours, and speeches at workshops and conferences to fit in around writing novels. For Joanne, there are too many people to whom she attributes her success to be able to shut herself away and become an enigmatic author who rarely graces the public with her presence.

“I’m really not interested in being an enigma,” she says. “I don’t feel that people who hide away from the world are helping themselves creatively; they either have issues around other people or are arrogant enough to believe they don’t need to meet their audience or readers. As far as I’m concerned, touring is a courtesy to all the people who keep me on the shelf because it takes a lot more than just an author to make a book. There are booksellers, sales reps, editors, publicists and all those people who bother to buy the book. If you pretend you did it yourself and don’t owe those people anything at all then that actually makes you a bit of a git.” So, rather than resting on her laurels, Joanne makes a huge effort to accept as many invitations as she possibly can, whether it’s a reading in a local primary school or a book-signing tour in Australia. “There is sometimes a sense that you can’t turn people down,” admits Joanne. “If people want me to write books then I know that there’s a certain amount of time that I’ll spend on the road. For me, actually going and meeting the people who read my books is how I find out how they’ve been received. Too many reviewers will write their reviews based on a press release or the blurb on the book – it’s only by actually meeting the people who really read my books that I can get proper feedback.” For Joanne, the writing, touring and requests for tips from students and budding authors are all tempered with the stability of her home life and support of family and friends. “I’m very lucky in that I live in a village where everyone knows me, and I never get approached in the supermarket or anything like that,” she says. “The people who actually read my books are very polite and not at all intrusive, and if I do get asked for advice then I’m very happy to pass on the nuts and bolts of the writing industry. Family life is very important to me, and fortunately I have a husband who’s able to stay at home and hold the fort and my parents help out. I always limit my time away to no more than a week if I’m in Europe, or two weeks if I’m in the US or Australia.” And although Joanne could have settled in any of the fifty-odd countries she sells her books in, she remains in Yorkshire, just a stone’s throw from her hometown. “I live here,” she shrugs. “My family’s here, my friends are here, I like it here. The great thing about being a writer is to you don’t need to be anywhere in particular to do it, and I’m very happy where I am.” Visit Joanne’s official website at joanne-harris.co.uk Turn to page 30 for your chance to win a signed copy of Joanne’s new book, blueeyedboy! AUTUMN 2010

Text your stopâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s YourNext Your NextBus Next Bus number

T0 : 64422 for live! bus times to your mobile Each text costs a maximum of 12p, plus your standard network rate.

travelsouthyorkshire.com/go8 Traveline 01709 51 51 51

FEATURE

OUT OF OFFICE So the summer holidays are already a distant memory and the tan has all but faded. At least the daily bus ride to the office lets us avoid the congested morning motorway, the stop-start drudge of the rat run and the pricey panic of town centre parking, so we can relax and enjoy the journey before we arrive back at the grindstone. But with an action-packed autumn ahead, Go! clocks off and realises that the bus, the tram and the train aren’t just for the commute...

here’s a packed calendar of events for the whole family in South Yorkshire this autumn, and South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) has a huge range of services that will make it easy and economical to see and do them all. With the UK’s biggest comedy festival, Grin Up North, throughout Sheffield in October, the Fright Night Halloween spectacular, After Dark in November (Sheffield’s largest outdoor event attracting 20,000 people each year), and the huge party surrounding the annual switch-on of Christmas lights in Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley, there are more reasons than ever to head out for the evening or weekend to enjoy what’s on offer. And to make sure the tens of thousands of people descending on city and town centres can enjoy the events on offer without worrying about designated drivers or finding an expensive parking space, SYPTE has made it easier than ever to leave the car at home. “During this time of year, traders and venues stage a lot of promotions to encourage people to shop and enjoy leisure time late into the evening,” says Debbie Owen, Travel Manager at SYPTE. “From September onwards, there’s a huge focus on Christmas shopping and the closer we get, the later the shops stay open. Add to that all the other events surrounding Halloween, Bonfire Night and people simply enjoying a night at the cinema or theatre,

AUTUMN 2010

and night-times and weekends in towns and city centres become even more active than usual. That’s why we have a range of services particularly geared towards leisure time to take the hassle out of getting in and out of town at night.” For the 55,000 students who call Sheffield their home throughout term time, the 19-21 TravelMaster gives them the opportunity to venture out of the city centre and explore the beauty of South Yorkshire. With unlimited travel throughout Sheffield, Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham, the opportunities for socialising throughout South Yorkshire and exploring the regions are opened up, without the need for opening the purse or wallet. And to help them find their way about, SYPTE’s personal travel planning service provides the best and most economical way to get to your regular destinations. Not just for work, school or college, the travel planning service is there to help you plan your journey whatever time of the day or night. So if you

AUTUMN 2010

take advantage of special offers at the cinema and treat the family to a regular Wednesday evening film, a travel plan will give you your own personal timetable for the best bus, train or tram to get you to the film in plenty of time to stock up on popcorn. And as well as giving you detailed information on routes and travel options, the personal travel plan gives advice on the tickets that work out cheapest. If you are a commuter, you already know you can save money with TravelMaster Direct by direct debit, just £86.90 a month for all-inclusive travel on buses, trains and trams, so why not use it at night as well for even bigger savings? Don’t limit yourself to using your money-saving ticket on the daily commute then undo all the good work by taking a taxi into town for a night out with the girls. Take advantage of the late-night services on offer and travel home for free – you can put that £10 taxi fare towards your next night out. Of course, safety is a major concern when travelling at night, whether you’re alone or with a group of friends. But thanks to the ongoing commitment of SYPTE to eradicate anti-social behaviour on public transport and

We have a range of services particularly geared towards leisure time to take the hassle out of getting in and out of town at night. in interchanges, it’s safer than ever before to use our public transport networks. All trams and the majority of buses in South Yorkshire have CCTV both on the vehicles and facing out towards the streets and stations and interchanges are well-lit, clean and regularly inspected. The YourNextBus service will tell you exactly when your service is due just by texting the unique eight-digit number on every bus stop in South Yorkshire to 64422. You’ll receive an instant text message back telling you when your service will arrive, so there’s no need to end your night out waiting around at cold shelters. And in the very rare situation that your service is not running on time, you have the information you need at your fingertips in order to make other arrangements. As well as taking the uncertainty out of getting to and from your destination, public transport gives you the freedom to relax and unwind without worrying about whether that glass of wine you had with dinner has put you over the limit. And with Christmas just around the corner, staying in town to relax over a

FEATURE

few drinks with friends after an exhausting shopping trip can be much more enjoyable than hurrying back to the car, and the special Christmas bus and tram services will make sure you’re home and dry in no time at all. And the money you save by not paying a premium for parking in expensive venue car parks or privately-managed city centre spaces can go towards another present – perhaps for yourself! Of course, for some people travelling into town at night by public transport simply isn’t an option. Perhaps you live in a remote village, or your bus timetable doesn’t fit in with curtain-up time at the theatre. Even so, there’s no need to negotiate one-way systems in towns and city

centres or worry about parking spaces. Park and Ride offers a speedy, economical compromise to those who can’t, or simply don’t want to, use public transport for the whole of the journey. With services from most of the sites across South Yorkshire running every 10 minutes, as well as free monitored car parks, it’s the perfect compromise. And, when towns and city centres are teaming with thousands of people for special events, it’s the only way to guarantee getting into town in time for the fun, instead of missing it because you’re stuck in a stationary queue of traffic. “We’re working harder than ever to ensure that our services are the most convenient and economical ways to get around South Yorkshire

for everyone,” says Debbie. “Whether you’re a car owner or not, public transport in South Yorkshire provides a service that will ensure your evening or weekend activities can be enjoyed without the worry of how you’re going to get home.” For more information on public transport in South Yorkshire, call 01709 51 51 51 or visit travelsouthyorkshire.com

ticket

Unlimited travel for the whole day by local bus, train or tram Buy your ticket from

• a bus driver or tram conductor • your local rail station ticket office • a Travel South Yorkshire Information Centre

5.80

= hj

ust

ONE

ou like sy

ny times a ma

Ride as

Head out for the day with a South Yorkshire Daytripper ONE t

ick

Use anytime at the weekend or a bank holiday, or after 0930 during the week on local train services. Daytripper not for you? Ask about other day tickets.

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AUTUMN 2010

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 November 2010. Winners will be drawn before 31 December 2010 and notified before 21 January 2011. 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 3

QUIZ 4

2. Where can you see a £1 theatre performance of What I Heard About The World?

9 8

6 9

8 9

4. How many people are expected to attend this year’s Fright Night? 5. At what age did James Toseland first start playing the piano?

9 C

3 6

3. How much does a TravelMaster Direct cost per month by direct debit?

1. In what year were Rotherham’s Imperial Buildings built?

7 D

Crack the puzzle to reveal the digits in the white squares. Four lucky winners will receive a limited-edition Go! mug and 28 days’ free travel on South Yorkshire’s buses, trains and trams.

The answers to these questions are in the magazine somewhere - get them right and you could win the following prize bundle: • 3 months’ free travel on South Yorkshire’s buses, trains and trams • A motorcycle helmet signed by James Toseland • A signed copy of Joanne Harris’ latest novel, blueeyedboy

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

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QUIZ 1. 2.

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TICKET HUNT Briefly describe where the ticket appears: Page no.

AUTUMN 2010

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:

• 3 months’ free travel on South Yorkshire’s buse s, trains and trams • A table for 10 at Toby Foster’s Last Laugh Comedy Club

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 £920!*

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AUTUMN 2010

reader survey 1. How often do you usually use the following kinds of transport? Bus

Train

Tram

5 or more days a week

Car

(driver) (passenger)

5. Thinking about the content of this magazine, which of the following features did you… Read

Cycle

Find most informative?

Enjoy the most?

Enjoy the least?

News What’s on

3-4 days a week

Profile James Toseland

1-2 days a week

Don’t make me laugh

Once a fortnight

Grand day out... on a budget

About once a month

Out of office Top of the class

Less than once a month

Last stop Roaring success

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

3. Do you feel that you are now better informed about public transport in South Yorkshire? Yes

6. Are there any particular features that you’d like to see in future editions of Go! Magazine?

7. In what ways do you think the magazine could be improved?

Why? (please give reasons for your answer)

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)

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LAST STOP ROAR

ROARING SUCCESS A former Edwardian market in Rotherham is being transformed into a bustling arts hub. And, according to Karen Sherwood, chief executive of arts organisation Rotherham Open Arts Renaissance, the area can more than match neighbouring Sheffield for creative talentâ&#x20AC;Ś

AUTUMN 2010

LAST STOP ROAR he Imperial Buildings, on the corner of West Gate and Ship Hill, have been completely renovated in a joint venture between Rotherham Council and a private developer. The impressive Grade II listed building, which was purpose-built in 1907 to house the town’s market and features an elegant glass atrium in the centre of the structure, is also home to retail units and apartments. But, says Karen, it’s the arts hub that has already started to create a buzz that will put Rotherham firmly on the arts map. “Rotherham Open Arts Renaissance [ROAR], with financial support from Arts Council England, has developed a mini artistic hub where artists can work, show and sell to the general public, and because of Rotherham Council’s town centre vitality grants we’re able to offer units at a subsidised rent,” she explains. “The atrium space is also available for hire so that people can exhibit work, demonstrate, or provide workshops – any creative activity they want. We have an artist who wants to stage a film night and we’ve also been granted a licence to stage plays and music. We want the whole of the hub to start buzzing.” And to make sure that happens, ROAR is offering the atrium space for free for a limited period, along with marketing and promotion services. “We want to make the Imperial Buildings Arts Hub sustainable in the long-term and create an environment that will let artists promote their work,” declares Karen. As well as the atrium space, which is available to rent by the day or night, ROAR leases five individual units within the Imperial Buildings which can be hired by artists for as little as three months. “We know that if an artist embarks on a business venture they don’t necessarily want to commit to a lengthy rental contract,” explains Karen. “Offering them a unit in a specialist arts centre with subsidised rent and a three-month contract will give them the opportunity to test the water, and if it doesn’t work out then they’re not tied to a lengthy and expensive contract.” For those who do decide to take the plunge, a major part of ROAR’s offering is a ‘signposting’ service, where artists of any ilk can come for advice. “As an organisation, ROAR was set up to support artists across all art forms – visual arts, music, performing arts, creative writing, circus and others,” says Karen. ”But because I, as the current CEO have run a gallery for 20 years, we are currently able to offer help particularly to the visual arts so if that’s your area, then we can help you directly. But we certainly won’t exclude anyone who comes to us for help, so where we can’t offer direct advice we can refer you to the people who can. So for example, if a filmmaker came to us we’d refer them to the South Yorkshire Film Network, or if you’re a musician then we’ll send you to the relevant organisations as well as finding out as much info as we possibly can.” Established in 2005 by a small group of professional artists, ROAR’s aim has always been 34

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MASTERPIECE: A local artist puts the finishing touches to her latest work.

to provide support for artists living or working in Rotherham, as well as creating a viable working arts community in the town. The recent move to the Imperial Buildings from their original headquarters in the local community building the Unity Centre has enabled ROAR to expand that service and create a specialised working environment, meeting place and exhibition space for people in the arts. “There’s still a huge amount to be done,” admits Karen. “But establishing a mini arts hub in the Imperial Buildings is the first step towards building an independent, sustainable arts centre in Rotherham. It will help to establish the credibility of ROAR and the people we’re working with. It doesn’t happen overnight, but in our visitor book in Imperial we’ve got 26 pages of comments from people – artists and art fans – saying thank goodness, it’s about time we had something like this in Rotherham.” That support has been translated into increased membership of ROAR, which has swelled from just 15 members to a current mailing list of over 750. Coming on board less than two years ago as a result of an organisational development grant from the Arts Council, Karen and her small team are letting the units in the building and the central atrium space, as well as providing the free marketing and promotion to artists taking space in the building, instigating, writing and distributing a regular advice and information newsletter to ROAR members, seeking out and applying for funding and being on hand to provide one-on-one, face-to-face advice to any artist who asks for it. And the reason ROAR approached Karen was because she’d made such a success of her own gallery, the Cupola Gallery in Sheffield, which she still manages. “It’s a challenge,” she admits. “But I’m driven by the knowledge that there’s such a huge amount of creative talent in Rotherham and there really is no need for people to leave in order to express it.” A priority for Karen and ROAR is to establish a regular series of networking events, where people

can share experience, expertise and meet others with complementary skills. “It’s really important that the networks cross over, so creative writers can meet film makers, textile designers can meet clothes designers, and so on,” stresses Karen. “We’ve got the space to do it and we’re currently working on a programme that will see events happening monthly or bi-monthly.” In order for ROAR’s plans to come to fruition, it’s in the process of becoming a registered charity so it can apply for a wider range of funding. “Unless we’re registered as a charity, there’s no way we can raise the amount of money we need,” explains Karen. “As a not-for-profit organisation we can go to the council and apply for bits of funding from various pots, but to be eligible for the money that will enable us to expand, take on the staff we need to provide the services that artists are telling us they so desperately need, then we need to be a registered charity.” In the meantime, ROAR welcomes the help of volunteers who share its vision in creating the first significant arts community in Rotherham. “Anyone who has a practical bone in their body is most welcome to apply!” says Karen. “Support with events, promotion, practical help – anything that will help us to ensure that the Imperial Buildings and the work we’re doing to create a visual arts community in Rotherham is a success. “It’s not a cultural desert – there is a huge arts community out there but it has no visibility. We have all this talent migrating to Sheffield, and it really doesn’t need to. If you’re a creative person, Rotherham is the place you should be. We have a fantastic opportunity to make an enormous difference – we want you!” To find out more about Rotherham Open Arts Renaisssance, visit rotherhamroar.org Imperial Buildings Bus

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