April Spark! Newsletter
Hello everyone, I hope you managed to avoid the recent snow (or had some, depending on your opinion of the white stuff). Personally, I am thankful for the bad weather as it forces me to stay inside to finish my master’s work but between the latest Bridgerton series, my cat’s recent surgery and Moon Knight I am not very hopeful. Zemo, the cat is healing well but I think he is looking forward to being doughnut free.
This month’s newsletter is a busy one, I hope to see you all at some of the online events and next week’s Disabili-tea room 12-1pm on Wednesday 6th April. You can use this link to join the Disabili-tea room or email sparksdn@shu.ac.uk for a calendar invite.
Sheffield Hallam Infertility and Baby Loss Support Group
Established in 2019, this support group is a safe space for staff to talk about their own experiences, and find support from others experiencing infertility, fertility treatment or baby loss. The group meet on the last Wednesday of every month at 12pm (currently online) and would love to welcome new members who would benefit from this support group.
For more information and to join, email Ruth Sowerby: r.sowerby@shu.ac.uk or InfertilityandBabyLossSupportGroup@shu.ac.uk
What Autism is – an exhibition of student work 28th March – 1st April
As part of Autism Acceptance Week the Inclusive Support Team have organised an exhibition of autistic students’ art in the main entrance to Owen building on the topic of “What Autism is”. The exhibition consists of art works and short pieces of writing. If you are at City Campus this week we would really recommend checking it out!
Our next Inclusive Hallam event: Neurodiversity and Me
Our next Inclusive Hallam event will take place on Tuesday 26 April (11-12pm), where we welcome award-winning neurodivergent being, Bea Marshall, to Sheffield Hallam.
Bea will talk about what neurodiversity is and why it is an important part of inclusion and diversity.
Join us to discover how much you already know about neurodiversity (but might not realise) and grow your understanding so you and others can thrive.
Coming Soon: Spark! Event with the Parent and Carer Network
Spark! Members are currently planning a joint event with the Parent & Carer Network to discuss part time working for next month’s Inclusive Hallam Event. We will be discussing the positives and negatives of working part time, the challenges part time staff face and some of the benefits to both individuals and organisations.
If you work part time, particularly to manage your disability, and would like to share your experience please get in touch with by emailing sparksdn@shu.ac.uk.
Contributions to ‘The Changing Campus’ presentation
Committee members Pamela and Nick are going to be delivering a presentation on the 25th of May about the positive and negative impact spaces can have on disabled people in terms of accessibility, including sensory issues, crowding, and the types of spaces. This is to help inform the design of the new buildings and spaces. If any Spark! Members would like to contribute their experiences of the spaces of campus please email sparksdn@shu.ac.uk.
Examples will be anonymised, but we may ask to include the nature of your disability for context.
MS Awareness Week: 25th April – 1st May
MS is unpredictable and different for everybody. Symptoms can come and go and change over time, and it’s difficult to know how your condition might progress. That’s why this #MSAwarenessWeek (from 25 April – 1 May) The MS Society are shining a light on the uncertainty of living with the condition.
To find out more visit the MS Society website.
Young Carer’s Action Day
Following March’s Young Carer’s Action Day, we want to share what support is available for Young Carers or Care Leavers at SHU.
You can also find out more about Young Carer’s Action Day itself.
Call for new committee members
The network needs more committee members in order to help sustain and continue to grow the work we can do. Please email Spark at Sparksdn@shu.ac.uk if you might be interested in joining the committee. We will invite you to the next committee meeting so you can get a feel for what is involved and there is absolutely no pressure if you decide it is not right for you.
Best wishes,
Branwyn (She/Her) and the Spark! Committee