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Sheffield BID lights up the city centre this Christmas

Picture: Andy Brown
This Christmas the BID is lighting up the city centre with two huge festive light installations.

A five metre Santa Claus, who has appeared on Barker’s Pool, and a three metre Brearley Bear, who is calling The Moor home, are a first for the city centre and it is hoped they will attract thousands of visitors during the festive season.

The light installations form part of the Sheffield Christmas Trail, a brand new attraction for 2018 which started on 24 November and will see families follow a magical trail through the city centre in search of the items on Brearley Bear’s lost Christmas list.

On 18 November Sheffield BID helped to light up the skies above the city centre by funding the spectacular laser show which amazed crowds during the Christmas Lights Switch On. The surprise 15-minute light show delighted thousands of families who welcomed Christmas to the city centre.

Santa Claus and Brearley Bear will be lit up as part of the Sheffield Christmas Trail from 24 November – 24 December. Families can find out more about the trail by visiting www.sheffieldchristmastrail.com or by following @BrearleyBear on Twitter.
Visit sheffieldchristmastrail.com

 
Santa’s Post Office continues success

Santa’s Post Office has moved to a bigger unit at 15 Barker’s Pool after proving to be a huge success during its debut in 2017 when it was visited by 15,000 people.

Once inside this free and fully immersive festive experience, children and their families will find beautifully decorated Christmas trees surrounded by presents, cosy looking fireplaces, sleighs and even a pair of reindeer. Children are provided with everything they need to write and decorate their letter to Santa Claus, before they post it into the magical post box, which transports their letter straight to Lapland. Parents are asked to stay with their children throughout but Santa has sent some elves from Lapland to help in his post office.

As well as providing a free experience for families, the BID hopes Santa’s Post office will increase footfall and spend in the city centre in the run up to Christmas by attracting more visitors.

Santa’s Post Office is open from 10am – 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays, and 4pm – 7pm on Thursdays until 16 December. From 17 – 24 December Santa’s Post Office will be open from 10am – 4pm daily (7pm Thursday).

Picture: Andy Brown

Sheffield Gift Card prepares for busiest time of year

As we approach the festive season orders for the Sheffield Gift Card are increasing and the BID is preparing stores for an influx of customers using the cards after Christmas.

Redeemable in more than 85 shops, salons, theatres, cinemas and cultural attractions in the city centre, the Sheffield Gift Card is the ideal gift for friends, family and staff this Christmas.

Cards can be bought for individuals online at www.sheffieldgiftcard.co.uk or if you’re interested in purchasing the Sheffield Gift Card for staff or would like to offer it as part of a corporate reward scheme please email corporate@sheffieldgiftcard.co.uk.

If you require further information on the process of accepting the Gift Card, please contact enquiries@sheffieldbid.com.
Find out more about Sheffield Gift Card

Opening late this Christmas? Let us know!


Now we’re in the midst of Christmas shopping season the BID’s Alive After Five team has been collating a guide to late opening in the city centre during the festive season.

If you are yet to submit your Christmas opening hours, please email them to social@sheffafter5.com.

 See the full list of Christmas opening hours.
 
Tell us your Christmas opening hours

Keep in touch with Sheffield BID


Throughout the year we need to contact our levy payers about events, campaigns and initiatives they may benefit from or want to get involved in. We also contact our levy payers about free training and advice from partners including South Yorkshire Police and Sheffield City Council.

If you have recently had any staff changes, think someone in your organisation may benefit from receiving our updates to levy payers, or you only receive these monthly bulletins and do not receive levy payer communications, please email enquiries@sheffieldbid.com and request to be added to our levy payer list.

 

National Video Game Museum opens


The National Video Game Museum has now opened in the former Co-op Castle House in Castlegate, the historic heart of Sheffield.

The museum has relocated from Nottingham and features hundreds of playable videogames, as well as information on the history and development of games. The museum also showcases some of the rich history of videogaming that has been created in Sheffield.
 
Watch: National VideoGame Museum opens in Sheffield

Help Us Help this Christmas

Help Us Help, Sheffield’s diverting giving scheme, spent a week at Sheffield Christmas Market raising awareness of the work being done to help those who are homeless, vulnerable or beg on the city’s streets.

The Help Us Help team was raising awareness of how people can help by donating time, essential items or money to the campaign, which will then be allocated to organisations who help vulnerable people across the city. The team were also distributing the Help Us Help newspaper explaining their work, and collecting pledges of support from businesses and the public.

Help Us Help was also giving out shopping lists of essential items needed at this time of year, including food and toiletries. Donations are still being accepted at a number of drop off points around the city centre.

Watch the Help Us Help video
Get involved in the Master Cutler’s Challenge
 
The Master Cutler’s Challenge returns for the 12th time in 2019, with businesses, groups and individuals all being encouraged to take part to raise money for St Luke’s and Rotherham Hospice.

Teams are being asked to transform an initial £50 investment provided by the Master Cutler into as much cash as possible for the hospices.

The challenge will officially launch on 7 February at Cutler’s Hall. To find out more about getting involved, head to https://mastercutler19.rotherhamhospice.org.uk/.
New employment initiative launched

Sheffield City Council has officially launched Talent Sheffield, a new employment initiative seeking to maximise the opportunities for local residents to secure employment with growing businesses in the city. 

The initiative offers a free service which links businesses with jobseekers which supports all levels of business. Large-scale inward investors; new developers working on major construction projects or smaller, local businesses that have vacancies to fill can use Talent Sheffield services.

Talent Sheffield was responsible for establishing a partnership approach to the recent investment from Clipper Logistics Plc / PrettyLittleThing.com. 

Working with key organisations across the city has meant that a sizeable proportion of the 1,100+ people that have secured employment at the facility, came through Talent Sheffield.

To find out more about Talent Sheffield contact anne.brennan@sheffield.gov.uk.
Counter Terrorism Policing launches winter campaign

With the festive rush about to get underway, Counter Terrorism Policing has launched its biggest-ever winter advertising campaign to the public, as part of ACT: Action Counters Terrorism.

Businesses are being encouraged to sign up to ACT Awareness, an online training scheme designed to help industry better understand, and mitigate against, current terrorist methodology.

Counter Terrorism Policing are also asking businesses to think about their contingency plans this Christmas by drawing up a ‘Sixty Second Security’ plan. Designed to be a quick checklist which can improve staff reactions in the event of an emergency, it requires businesses to ensure all their staff know the answers to simple questions about how to react in the event of an incident.

Specialist advice for companies operating in crowded places, such as major events, sport stadia, visitor attractions, bars, theatres and shopping centres, is available on the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) website along with CT Policing’s new ACT Awareness e-Learning tool.
See more information here.

Coming up

Santa's Post Office - Barker's Pool - 17 November - 24 December
Christmas Markets - Fargate, Peace Gardens - 15 November - 24 December
Sleigh Bar - Fargate - 15 November - 24 December
Santa's Grotto -15 November - 24 December
Thor's Tipi Bar - Peace Gardens - 22 November - 31 December
Sheffield Christmas Trail - 24 November - 24 December

Sheffield BID's levy payer services
There are a number of free services available to our levy payers. 
BID Buddies

Our team of BID Buddies have distinctive bowler hats to help them stand out on the streets. They act as a street concierge, providing welcome, wayfinding and reassurance to visitors. Email bidbuddies@sheffieldbid.com.
 
Clean Team

BID Levy Payers can report graffiti at any time to the BID and our Clean Team will be on hand to respond to enquiries. Email cleanteam@sheffieldbid.com to report.

 
BID Street Rangers

The BID’s Street Rangers undertake an early morning cleaning service for Levy Payers affected by the waste and mess left by rough sleepers and late night revellers. Email streetrangers@sheffieldbid.com.


 
BID Police Sergeant

As part of our Safer theme, Sheffield BID collaborates with South Yorkshire Police to deliver a new safety partnership which includes a dedicated police resource for the BID area. BID Levy Payers can raise concerns directly with Sergeant Matthew Burdett by emailing police@sheffieldbid.com. 
 
Solomon Dashboard
 
The Solomon dashboard features vital information about the BID and Sheffield city centre, exclusive offers and deals available only to levy payers and other features to help aid your business, Solomon is your new go-to platform for communicating with Sheffield BID. Email enquiries@sheffieldbid.com if you would like a login.
Copyright © 2018 Sheffield City Centre BID Ltd, All rights reserved.


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