This morning I asked the question…
How can Sheffield lead the world? 🙂
Lots of ideas and perspectives shared - please click on the link to join the discussion! This led me to think about how we can and should feel connected with our city… this really is our collective home, and we should all be involved in shaping our future as a leading city of the world.
What's this got to do with me?
Did you see my live Q&A last night? Click on the link above to catch up with the recording. Love Sheffield is about every one of us realising our power to create a positive difference. You don't need to be a politician, or part of a ‘power clique’ to have value and an important voice! Love Sheffield is about equal connection across the whole of Sheffield, and igniting change in line with our core values of kindness, compassion and creativity. If you’re a human being, we don’t care what you look like, what religion or beliefs you hold - we treat everyone with kindness and respect.
In an ideal world, I would love to have a workshop where we could get enthusiastic friends to share their passionate ideas and energy on the following areas in which we have obvious strengths. What do you think? Would you like to discuss any of these questions in a friendly meeting of minds if we could organise a workshop?
Don’t worry if any of these areas seem strange or alien to you - we have such a diverse range of experience across our 23,400+ network, someone will know something very relevant about each area. All you need is curiosity and a willingness to engage, and you will bring an important perspective.
Sheffield has a rich history of innovation and research, and there are several ways it can continue to lead the world:
1. Focus on core clusters
Sheffield needs to focus on core clusters to spark innovation across sectors, such as advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and healthcare
Question 1 : What are some unique ways we could showcase Sheffield's advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and healthcare sectors to the world?
2. Invest in research
The University of Sheffield is a leading research university with a global reputation for excellence. It has a strong focus on employability and offers a world-class education in a vibrant and welcoming city in the heart of the UK. The University has a rich history of ground-breaking research and is proud of what it has achieved as an institution
Question 2 : How can we leverage the cutting-edge research coming out of the University of Sheffield to establish our city as a hub for global innovation?
3. Leverage its history
Sheffield was one of the first cities of the industrial revolution, which propelled globalization from colonial plunder to one driven primarily by trade and investment. Sheffield can leverage its history to continue to innovate and lead the world
Question 3 : Given Sheffield's important role in the Industrial Revolution, how can we honour this history while innovating for the future? What industries or sectors should we focus on?
4. Emphasize green initiatives
Sheffield is considered to be one of the greenest cities in England and the UK, with more than 250 parks, woodlands, and estimated to contain around 4.5 million trees. Sheffield can continue to emphasize green initiatives to lead the world in sustainability
Question 4 : Sheffield is known for being one of the greenest cities in the UK. How can we take this a step further and become a global leader in sustainability?
Question 5 : Sheffield is a city of trees with a rich green heritage. How can we leverage this to become a leading city in urban greening and reforestation initiatives?
5. Foster a vibrant community
Sheffield is a vibrant city with a strong sense of community. The University of Sheffield features over 330 societies and nearly 60 sports clubs, and the city has a long sporting heritage. Sheffield can continue to foster a vibrant community to attract and retain talent
Question 6 : Sheffield has a strong sense of community and a vibrant social scene. How can we better showcase this to attract more people to our city?
Question 7 : What are some ways we could use our sporting heritage and clubs to promote Sheffield on a global scale?
Question 8 : How could we utilise Sheffield's rich musical heritage to enhance our city's global reputation?
Question 9 : How can we leverage Sheffield's thriving food and drink scene to attract more international visitors?
Question 10 : What initiatives could we implement to support and amplify the work of our local creatives and artists, and promote Sheffield as a cultural hotspot?
Please hit the comments below with your thoughts on any of the questions above. You don't have to be an expert on any of the questions to have something to contribute! What do you think about coming together in person to feel like we care?