Blog

Rollie and Hamish unload their invisible backpacks once again and have all bases loaded on this weeks The Toolbox. First they have a chat with MA Mental Health Nursing student Eddie about an upcoming mental health awareness event at the University of Sunderland. Rollie then chats with the Head of the University of Sunderland Psychology […]

Rollie & Hamish unload the invisible backpack and catch up on their new years resolutions. Rollie talks to Professor Scott Wilkes, a practicing GP and Head of the University of Sunderland Medical School to ask questions about testosterone. What is it? Does it only exist to tell men to shag it or fight it? Can […]

Saddle up and get your talking boots on as Rollie & Hamish unpack their invisible backpacks with two top queers, Jay Sykes & Kosti Tsapanidis, who share their experiences of coming out and also how their younger selves navigated their identities in a heteronormative society. Jay is an audio producer whose work has been played […]

Rollie unloads the invisible backpack this week with Sam Clark of Lights, Camera, Action! The movie show on Spark. The lads talk about depictions of mental health on screen and how it’s improved over the years.

Rising influencer Rory Gissing has proven that fitness can positively affect a person’s mental health. However, if it’s not kept at a steady balance, it can also cause a person to spiral, with calorie obsessions and body dysmorphia. Today on Word on Wearside, join Tyler, Luke, and Scarlett will be discussing the fine balance of […]

Over the last few months, we have seen footballers on social media sharing about their mental health; from Man City’s Kyle Walker opening up on Twitter (now X), to Kevin Scott, as announced by Knotts County, of his struggles with mental health. On today’s episode of Word on Wearside, Cam meets ex-professional footballer JJ O’Donnell, […]

Please be aware that this episode contains frequent reference to abuse, sexual abuse, child sexual abuse, rape, and murder. Listener discretion is advised, and listeners who are particularly affected by these topics are advised to take precaution. Eric and Lyle Menendez were just two young men aged 18 and 21, who killed their parents in […]

Three Sunderland-based business owners break down what different generations mean to them – you’ll hear from Jonathan Pickup of Jonathan Pickup Hair, Mandy Brown of Harrison & Brown Furniture, and Neil of Flowers by Jennifer. The team behind this episode: Simon Forster Word on Wearside is a Spark Sunderland podcast, produced by journalism students at the University […]

Joe and Rob discuss the importance of homegrown talent to Sunderland and the wider area; why should clubs prioritise training their own academy players from the ground up, rather than rely on transfer purchases, and who are some of the most inspiring recent examples of homegrown talent from the North East? The team behind this […]

Representation is important as it helps people feel less alone, by letting them know there’s a community of others like them. Unfortunately, the history behind queer representation in the media is a short one – historically LBGT characters have often been stereotypical, or received cruel fates. On today’s episode of Word on Wearside, join Nisha […]