The OBR flash dance in the Peace Gardens attracted over 300 in spite of the rain, and attracted a lot of media coverage, including BBC Look North, Radio Sheffield & Hallam, Sheffield Star, plus this great interview with Maureen Storey on Sheffield Live TV.
OBR Sheffield 2015 was developed by a broad-based planning group of dancers, artists and activists of all genders and we also supported a second event in Rotherham for the first time this year.
The official 2015 website www.onebillionrising.org/ shows events from all over the world – starting in the east in the Antipodes, Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, and through Africa and Europe to the Americas. Eve Ensler’s simple idea – to have a day to focus on the violence and abuse that is directed at women and girls because we are female, as well as to focus on the strength and courage of survivors – has really resonated with people the world over…
This great Sheffield UK clip can be seen, with Cllr Jackie Drayton rousing the crowd for the Break the Chain dance [you’d never know it’s pouring with rain!] plus another film taken where you can see the earlier dance displays and the children in front dancing Break the Chain.
The evening social at Crookes Social Club was also fantastic, thanks to the Free Radicals, the Seamonsters and members of A Mind Apart: Redirection Youth Theatre Group.
We raised a nice round £1k, which will go to support local services, including Eva Women’s Therapy Service
Also check out the Gender Respect schools project website with their teaching ideas – including links to the group poetry writing workshop material and the powerpoints which were developed for use in primary and secondary school assemblies
Not forgetting to read the teachers’ blogs on the right of the page, sharing discussions they have had with their classes on the issue of violence against women and girls, for example Carol’s blog on consent
Last but not least: Anyone who would like to be part of planning the next One Billion Rising Sheffield / South Yorkshire events, please get in touch.
V Day Sheffield Rising 2015 
Leave a comment