This is a very special episode of the Sheffield Digital podcast because Chris sat down with the Sheffield children (and their parents) who have won a place in the finals of the World Educational Robot Contest, which takes place in Shanghai next month.

It’s an incredible achievement for these kids who are the first to represent the UK in the world finals. It’s amazing to hear them talk to so passionately about their work and the project too.

Having won their spot at the finals, they have been busy trying to crowdfund the financial support they need to Shanghai. Thankfully, enough people have given generously and the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) helped get them over the crowdfunding line.

However, a second crowdfunding campaign to get the parents to Shanghai also needed some help. We think it’s such a fantastic achievement and so important to support Sheffield’s talented tech kids that Sheffield Digital contributed to tip that crowdfunding over its threshold.

There is one more thing the children need help with and that’s some design work on a banner and presentation that they can use in Shanghai. We’d love someone from the Sheffield digital community to step in, if possible.

If you’d like to offer your services (for free) then please get in touch. You can email [email protected] and we’ll put you in touch.

As you’ll hear on the podcast, the kids and their parents introduce themselves, but here is a full list of this talented team of young tech stars, including their parents.

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 23.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

In episode 22 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast, Mel and Chris interview Richard Motley, former head of the Cultural Industries Quarter Agency and now director of Integreat Plus, a not-for-profit social enterprise consultancy.

Richard has been involved in place-making for the creative and cultural industry for a long time. He provides a fascinating insight into the history of the CIQ Agency and then how that has since morphed into Integreat Plus, a place-making, economic inclusion and social enterprise agency.

We also learn about Richard's involvement in leading many initiatives over the years, including Sheffield Community Networks, the Digital Media Exchange, and more recently the Sheffield Social Enterprise Exchange.

In part two of the show, Mel and Chris take you through all the usual gubbins, including the latest news and events in Sheffield’s digital sector. That covers our recent partnership with Spaces, Channel 4 heading to Leeds, Startup Weekend, Y Accelerator and KPMG's tech businesses competition.

So what on earth are you waiting for? Find some quiet time and get stuck in. Plus don't forget to subscribe in your podcast app of choice!

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 22.

• Richard Motley | LinkedIn

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

In episode 21 of the Sheffield Digital podcast, we talk to Rachel Boyce, part of the team behind Tickets for Good and Ticket Bank Programme. If you've ever thought about how you can create a digital platform that has a social impact, then you'll get plenty from this conversation.

In part two, we do our usual roundup of Sheffield-based, digital-related news and events. That includes a host of new meetups on the scene, the recent launch of government.shf, Meta Meetup 3, Tech Nation's Rising Stars competition and a whole lot more.

Pop your headphones on and listen away…

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 21.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

In episode 20 of the Sheffield Digital podcast, we interview the ace Jonny Briggs from Sheffield design agency, Field Design. We cover all sorts of topics, including how Field Design got started and has grown, as well as the company's recent work on augmented reality projects. Jonny also shares his plans for a digital design festival in Sheffield, which is something we would wholeheartedly get behind!

In the second half of the show, and sadly without Mel this time around, me and Chris go through a long list of exciting things that are happening in Sheffield at the moment. From the Tech Parks new co-working offer to the upcoming Meta Meetup 3, there is lots going on that we think you should know about. Oh, and there are loads of events to tell you about too!

So, what in the name of all things blimey are you waiting for? Go and get your headphones and get stuck in. And if you're not subscribed already, make sure you do that too so all future episodes land right in your podcast app of choice. What a world we live in.

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 20.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Episode 19 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is ready for you and features an interview with Helen Milner, chief executive of Good Things Foundation.

We start be asking Helen to share a potted history of the organisation, including its recent expansion into Australia and Kenya. She then talk about tackling digital inclusion and the challenges it brings, before moving on to Sheffield’s local digital skills partnership.

We also cover the problem of finding qualified and willing developers in Sheffield, something Helen has written about previously. It’s part of a conversation we all really enjoyed and I’m sure you will too! Big thank you to Helen for giving up her time to speak to us.

As always, in part two of the show (from around 40 minutes) we move on to cover some of the recent news and info from the city’s digital sector, including:

Go and grab your headphones. And don’t forget to subscribe if you want to get these episodes right in your podcast app of choice.

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 19.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Time for episode 18 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast in which we interview Chris Roberts, founder of Nimble Approach, a collective of Lean-Agile specialists.

We loved hearing Chris talk about how he is doing things a little bit differently. From pop-up squads and culture change to focusing (and sticking to) strong values, Nimble Approach has grown quickly and is doing really rather well. If you are thinking of or just starting a business, you will find the conversation really useful.

From about the 14-minute mark, Chris talks about the way Nimble Approach gives its team opportunity to talk about mental health or any other issues they might have. It’s refreshing to hear and again, valuable insight if you are a business owner.

As always, the second half of the show is where we cover recent news and info from the city’s digital sector. That includes:

Go and grab your headphones. And don’t forget to subscribe if you want to get these episodes right in your podcast app of choice.

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 18.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Episode 17 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is ready for you and features an interview with Robin Wood, security consultant, researcher and co-founder of the ever-popular SteelCon.

Mel and Chris spoke to Robin about how SteelCon started, why it’s so successful, and online security in general. It’s a great insight into organising an event at that kind of scale and I think you’ll enjoy it.

As usual, the second half of the show is an update on various news and events from around the city. There seems to be a bit of a buzz in the air at the moment, what with everything that’s going on. We talked about the the British Games Institute coming to Sheffield, the first shfWIT event and plenty more besides.

Go and grab your headphones. And don’t forget to subscribe if you want to get these episodes right in your podcast app of choice.

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 17.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Episode 16 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is out and features a conversation with Emma Cooper, co-curator of Playgrounds, a week-long free exhibition of interactive art for children and families.

Emma has worked in Sheffield’s digital sector for many years, so we also talk to her about all sorts of other topics too. That includes finding a way to describe what we do, the new Sheffield Women in Tech group/meetup, and how children and young people interact with all things digital.

Sadly, Mel was away for the recording, but me and Chris really enjoyed talking to Emma. If you’re part of or have an interest in Sheffield’s digital community, I think you will find plenty to think about and chew over.

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 16.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

In this episode of the Sheffield Digital Podcast, we interview two people who both live and breathe skills and recruitment. Louisa Harrison-Walker is the CEO of Benchmark Recruitment and Chris Hill is the founder of Northcoders, the ‘coding bootcamp for the North’.

This is a substantial and wide-ranging conversation that covers a lot of ground. Louisa shares some of Benchmark’s findings from their ‘hard-to-fill vacancies’ survey, which makes for fascinating listening. And Chris talks about the type of people who develop digital skills through Northcoders.

We also cover the skill shortage in Sheffield, some of the mistakes that employers frequently make, and reasons for us to be optimistic about the future of skills in the city.

Whatever you do in Sheffield’s digital community, I think you’ll find something interesting in this episode. It’s essential listening for employers and anyone else who cares about the city’s digital reputation and economy.

So what are you waiting for? Off you pop to get your headphones.

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 15.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Episode 14 of the Sheffield Digital Podcast is ready for you. It’s a good one, as we interviewed two of the candidates in the upcoming Sheffield City Region mayoral election: Hannah Kitching of the Liberal Democrats and Rob Murphy from The Green Party.

We asked them about their plans for the region and, in particular, what they saw for the digital sector in the future. I think you’ll find it an interesting listen and thank you to those of you who sent us questions beforehand. I hope we covered most of your suggestions.

It’s worth mentioning that we did ask all four candidates from the major parties. Conservative, Ian Walker, couldn’t make the show, but did record a short response to one of our key questions separately. That follows the conversation with Hannah and Rob.

And Labour’s Dan Jarvis declines to come on the podcast, but did take part in a roundtable earlier in the week. Both Chris and Mel were at that meeting and offer their thoughts on what he said in this episode too.

After all that, we go through the usual new and events from around Sheffield’s digital community. In particular, Chris offers more detail on the Urban Connected Communities 5G bid following the interview I did with Mark Gannon.

I hope you enjoy this rather unique episode and, as always, do get in touch to let us know what you think.

Our episodes are typically split into at least two sections, which include an interview and then the latest news updates. You can now easily skip between these sections if you use an app that supports chapters!

Every episode comes with a list of links to all of the various people, companies and topics that we reference. Here is that list for episode 13.

Did I miss something you’re looking for? Just get in touch and let me know.

We’re really keen to get your feedback on the podcast. You can share your thoughts with us on Twitter or on the channel in the Sheffield Digital Slack community.

Thanks again to Alex Mclean – aka Yaxu – for the show’s intro music, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.