Help has arrived for foodbank and community hub Mickey’s Place with a welcome donation from housing association Gentoo. During a visit by Gentoo CEO Louise Bassett late in 2023, she found the people running Mickey’s Place in Sulgrave were regularly reaching their storage capacity. This was due to the number of donations they were receiving to help meet the increase in demand for food. During the visit Louise learned how many visitors Mickey’s Place was expecting over the Christmas period. She...
Ex-Sunderland youth team player Rees Greenwood has revealed offers to play in Australia but maintains he has little desire to return to football. The 28-year-old former winger joined Sunderland aged just eight but now looks to have hung up his boots. Greenwood, a two-time England youth international, last played during a stint with non-league club Ryton back in 2022. “Nah, I don’t think I would,” Greenwood responded when asked if he sees himself making a return to football at any level in the...
A Sunderland grandad has said thank you in style to the charity which helped his courageous grandson. Derek Haynes was determined to help Down’s Syndrome North East. They had given so much support to his grandson Marco, now 20 months, who has spent half of his life in hospital. Derek wrote a book about the workers who died while they helped build ships in Sunderland, and he is selling copies at £4.99 each for the charity. He said: “The charity was an easy choice to make as we just can not thank...
Mel Reay says Sunderland are hoping to make early additions to their squad this summer but expects it to be a far quieter off-season this time around. The Black Cats finished second bottom of the Championship in the 2022/23 campaign, leading to a major squad overhaul as the club also transitioned to a hybrid model. That allowed the club to agree professional contracts and therefore recruit players from outside the north east region. It proved to be a transformative move, as Sunderland built a...
Children and staff at Fulwell Junior School are celebrating their sporting success after their netball and football teams won Sunderland schools finals and have now made it through to the regional finals. One of the school’s football teams, which is made up of girls, has made it through to the Jill Scott Cup final after beating St Mary’s Catholic Primary School in the semi-final. Making it to the final is extra-special for the girls as European Championship winner Jill is a former pupil at the...
Launched by independent standards setting organisation, BASIS in 2021 and fully recognised by the Chemical Regulation Division (CRD) as a certificate of competence, the training course and accredited qualification, is specifically developed for professionals who are responsible for the storage of professional use pesticides within the amenity sector. Strengthening the company’s commitment to young professionals in the industry, of those who took the course, 6 included future leaders: Craig...
Football fans are urged to wear their shirts with pride in memory of Bradley Lowery - the little hero who loved the sport. Supporters of all teams are being asked to show they are united in the fight against cancer. Bradley Lowery won the hearts of millions of fans and had a special bond with Jermain Defoe, the Sunderland player who has backed the Foundation through events including soccer camps. The Bradley Lowery Foundation runs a campaign called Cancer Has No Colours which will be held from...
Students on the BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Promotion degree at the University of Sunderland are preparing to host their annual fashion show at Durham Town Hall for the first time. The historic hall has provided the perfect inspiration for the aesthetic theme of the show whilst providing easy access for all visitors, being on the main trainline from London and just off the A1 and A19. The BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Promotion degree at the University of Sunderland was established in 2009 and...
New powers allowing council officers to slap troublesome nuisances with £100 fines are coming into force this week. Dog walkers, drivers, skaters and smokers are among those who risk getting into hot water when the updated Sunderland City Council Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) comes into force on Wednesday, May 1. The new enforcement measures introduced under the renewal of the PSPO, approved by the council's ruling Cabinet in April. First introduced in the city centre in 2017 and...
Haven’t managed to get tickets for Britain’s biggest music festival this year? There’s still a chance to soak up some great live music that weekend, with two nights of local acts on June 28 and 29. First up is Sunderland based singer / songwriter Chris Hair who will make his Pop Recs headline debut on Friday June, 28th, playing songs from his new EP as well as an extensive back catalogue of solo material. Having recently emerged back onto the local scene after a break of several years from...
A skydiving centre has suspended its operations after a man died following a fatal parachute incident at the weekend. Durham Constabulary has confirmed that a man in his 40s died after emergency services were called to South West Industrial Estate in Shotton at about 12.30pm on Saturday, April 27. The SkyHigh Skydiving Peterlee, based at Shotton Airfield, announced on social media that the man was a member of staff who captured customers’ parachute jumps on video. In a statement on Facebook, it...
Roker Hotel’s ballroom has had a major makeover, from its grand chandeliers to new flooring, as part of a £500,000 investment in the venue. New owners, Seaton Hospitality, took over the seafront hotel six months ago and the new look ballroom, which was unveiled at the weekend, is phase one in giving new life to the landmark site. Both the ballroom and its accompanying lounge have been given a full transformation to bring it up to date whilst honouring the heritage of the Victorian room. New...