Former Gateshead Council Leader Mick Henry was appointed as a freeman of the borough last week. Mick presided over the regeneration of Gateshead Quays as a cultural centre. During his time as Leader, the Millennium Bridge was opened and the Sage (now the Glasshouse) and the Baltic Art Gallery opened. A record to be proud of. The video above is of Mick signing the register of freemen.
David Olusaga, one of Britain's top historians, was appointed a freeman of Gateshead on 4th December. You can view his acceptance speech above. David was raised in Gateshead and he spoke about his memories during his speech.
Embed from Getty ImagesLike the December one before it, the Christmas issue of Fortean Times has an article from the era - the late Eighties and early Nineties - when the concept of 'Satanic Ritual abuse' flourished. Its author, Bob Rickard, is most interested in the way this modern form of witch hunting took on the ideology of the medieval form of the pastime. But I am more interested by the way a humane modern view risked turning supposed child victims into suspects. Rickard writes: Where Lady Butler-Sloss's 1988 inquiry into child abuse recommended that a child's allegations "should always ...
David Olusaga is one of Britain's top historians and he was raised in Gateshead. I am delighted to say that he was appointed as a freeman of the borough on 4th December. In this video he signed the register of freeman in the presence of the mayor.
These youngsters are keeping the spirit of Ukraine alive here in the Liverpool City Region by practising their highly energetic 'Cossack' dancing. I grew tired just watching them There are three types of people who approach me for help as ... Continue reading →
Embed from Getty ImagesThe writer Frank Cottrell-Boyce was once waiting to be seen in an A&E department and asked his Twitter followers to entertain him by sending jokes. This was in the era when The Prawn Joke was the funniest joke a friend and I could conceive of. We had long since passed the stage where we told it to one other: we just had to think of its existence to be convulsed. The Poke website saw the jokes from FCB's followers on Twitter and posted an article with 21 of the best - or maybe that should be the ...
In Sunday's Observer (10th September) columnist Andrew Rawnsley suggests that, if we want to liven up your Christmas party we might try listing the Tory "screw-ups" of the past 13 years in order of seriousness. To start the ball rolling, here is my suggestion: 1. The calling and conduct of the Brexit Referendum. 2. The "Hard Brexit" settlement. 3. The "Austerity " policy in central government spending. 4. Cuts to the financing and powers of local government. 5. Failure to heed the recommendations of the Cygnus Exercise of 2016 on preparedness for a pandemic. 6. The lateness of the lockdowns ...
It was my 60th birthday recently, and David's 66th. So we decided to have a party at Sunniside Social Club. I had a big fear in the morning that few would turn up. In the end, as the video I shot on the day shows (see above) there was a good turnout. The cakes were demolished in minutes!
Bigger stakes, harder choices: general election year It now looks pretty certain that 2024 will be a general election year. Or perhaps I should say that 2024 will have at least one Westminster general election, because if there is a close result... We do, however, know for sure that regardless of what happens with general elections, there is an important round of local elections – and Police and Crime Commissioner contests – in May. It will therefore be an important year in which everyone can play a part in our success, whether it is about winning a target local or ...
The BBC report on a major, public falling out between two senior Labour politicians that may well have greater consequences for the Welsh Government and the wider Welsh Labour Party. The broadcaster tells us that Gower MP, Tonia Antoniazzi has called on Labour's sport minister to consider resigning over how she handled the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) sexism scandal. Tonia has accused Dawn Bowden of a "cynical attempt to rewrite history" in a BBC interview where the minister defended her actions by saying that she did not have details of complaints, even though Antoniazzi said she had passed on details ...
Fraser's weekly ward surgeries take place later today and every Tuesday during school term time. They are as follows : Tuesdays at 5pm prompt - Blackness Library Tuesdays at 5.45pm prompt - Ancrum Road Primary School All residents welcome - no appointment necessary.
