PLANS are under way to build up to 200 houses near the old town hall in Middlehaven and to bring thousands of jobs to Teesside. With this comes a plethora of new roads that need naming. A few terraced houses began construction in central Middlehaven this spring, giving a […]
Community
Public library sign-ups dip as digitisation on the books for libraries
THE number of people signing up for library memberships in the North East has fallen, according to the latest local authority figures. According to data from Freedom of Information (FOI) requests, in the Sunderland Council area 4,215 people signed up for a library membership in 2016, compared with 3,088 […]
Petition launched to save Houghton-le-Spring Barclays Bank
A PETITION has been launched to save a Houghton-le-Spring bank set for closure. Donna Thomas, who is secretary of the town’s residents group, set up the petition after Barclays announced it would be closing its Newbottle Street branch on July 2. Among its reasons for closing the store, the banking […]
Demand for North East allotments soars throughout pandemic as gardening enthusiasts seek solace in lockdown
ALLOTMENT waiting lists have tripled in some areas of the North East with “massive demand” for “safe havens” during the pandemic. Over 3.5 times as many green-fingered enthusiasts in Darlington have applied to the waiting lists of three allotment sites in 2021 (274) compared to 2018 (76). The highest average […]
“My experience would’ve been completely different if I wasn’t trans” – Charity trustee shares his story of discrimination when accessing homeless services
FAZ Bukhari was just 24 when he first became homeless in 2016 and turned to his local authority for help. However, instead of being greeted with a safe space, he told SR News that he experienced misgendering and discrimination. “I got called to the front and I almost felt criminalised […]
Newcastle allotment holders devastated after greenhouses smashed and sheds broken into
DEVASTATED allotment holders in Newcastle are “shocked” and “heartbroken” after vandals broke into sheds and smashed greenhouses. Many of the members of Greenwater Pool Allotments group in Jesmond Vale have carefully tended to their plots for many years, but this recent act of vandalism is the worst they have seen. […]
LGBTQ+ cinema: how a lack of representation is taking a toll on the community
Representation of the LGBTQ+ community in film and tv is gradually improving but it still needs work. What effect does this have on the community and how can we strive for a better future? Courtney Mackel reports. Everybody knows somebody who identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community – so […]
What teachers do and nobody knows about it: journey into one of the most deprived areas of the North East
SINCE the beginning of the pandemic we have heard about the struggle of home schooling parents and how difficult is to teach. But what about what teachers did during those days and still do today? SR News reportage from Walker. FOOD parcels delivered door to door. Phone calls to pupils […]
Fast food staff tell of abuse at hands of anti-social lockdown customers
THE coronavirus pandemic has brought the world to a standstill for the better part of a year, but one area of business which has been able to keep its doors open to the public is the fast food industry. However, frustrated staff in one Sunderland outlet, who have worked tirelessly over […]
Visitation in Care Homes a huge relief for families across the North East
PRIME Minister Boris Johnson’s roadmap out of lockdown has been a welcome relief for people in care homes as they can now, for the first time since the start of the pandemic, have visits from one other person. One of those finally able to visit a loved one again after […]