Walk for peace in response to increase in violence on Sheffield streets

Sharrow-based group Mums United have organised the ‘solidarity walk’ in response to the recent increase in violence on Sheffield’s streets.

The walk will be the second event in less than a year.

The first walk took place last May in response to a spate of shootings, stabbings and anti-social behaviour in the area.

However, this time, organiser Sahira Irshad of Mums United says they want to bring the whole city together under one umbrella to fight youth violence, gang culture and county lines drug dealing.

She said: “We want everybody to come together irrespective of their postcode. We are all facing the same issues whether you are in Sharrow, Arbourthorne, Meersbrook or Spital Hill.

“January is not even finished yet and we have had half a dozen stabbings and shootings. We need to come together and say we are not going to accept it.”

2020 started off in the worst possible way in Sheffield with the news that 18-year-old Isaiah Usen-Satchell had been fatally stabbed in the early hours of New Year’s Day in Norfolk Park.

Then, on Sunday, January 12, a 12-year-old boy was accidentally shot in Arbourthorne and just last week a man was shot in broad daylight last week near to where Mums United are based on Bramall Lane.

Sahira says the recent upsurge in violence proves the problems haven’t gone away, and that they needed to hold another event to build on the success of last May’s march.

“Last year was great - we had around 100 people there,” said Sahira.

“This year we want it to be even bigger. This time we have people coming from all over the city including a group from Arbourthorne.”

The Walk For Peace will take place on Saturday, February 29 from 3.30pm-5.30pm and is being supported by an array of organisations and groups in the city including South Yorkshire Police, Sheffield Wednesday Football Club and the De Hood Gym.

Marchers will begin at Mount Pleasant park before walking to Common Ground community centre for a curry.