Sheffield communities shake off ‘hard to reach’ label in new documentary series

Sheffield Community Contact Tracers, or SCCT, was set up by a group of retired doctors last March with the initial aim of setting up a contact tracing service for those infected with Covid-19.

It has since expanded its services and has launched a docu-series Seldom Heard Communities, to share the voices of under-represented communities in the city.

Tom Heller, a retired doctor who is leading the project, said: “We’ve learned from our contacts within ‘hard to reach’ communities that these people aren't hard to reach at all. They just want to be heard. They are in fact ‘seldom heard’, this is what inspired the name for this series.”

The first episode of the docuseries - premiering on March 16 - is entitled Tick Boxes.

The episode focuses on Sheffield’s Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and Refugee communities, and the hardships they have faced throughout the pandemic.

It has been reported that individuals from BAMER backgrounds had a death rate up to three times higher than their white counterparts.

Tick Boxes will investigate some of the reasons behind this statistic and the work that some members of the community have been doing to fight back.

Staff and volunteers at ISRAAC - Somali Community Association; SADACCA - Sheffield and District African Carribean Community Association; and Hadfield Institute, along with other BAMER organisations feature in the episode.

There are plans to make further episodes with other “seldom heard communities”, such as students and those experiencing mental health struggles.

As well as sharing the voices of underrepresented communities through the docuseries, SCCT also offers training sessions, teaching communities about coronavirus and how to keep safe, and provides support to the vaccine programme.

The premiere of Tick Boxes will take place on Zoom and will be followed by a Q&A discussion led by SCCT and community leaders in Sheffield.

Those on the panel include Adam Yusuf - Chair of ISRAAC; Abdul Shaif - Chair of Hadfield Institute; Olivier Tsemo - Chief Executive of SADACCA; and Hawa Yatera - Chair of United Women Affiliation.

To register, visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/144983129443

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.