Spark News
A rocking Shrek tribute band is bringing Ogrepalooza to Sunderland. Performing at The Point on Friday, October 9, band The Ogretones will be running through all the hit songs from the Shrek film soundtracks. Lead singer and guitarist Andy Pennick explained that the idea came to him while playing in a function band: “I was […]
The Gateshead International Film Festival (GIFF) has been announced for July 2027. The inaugural event has been conceived of by a North East based film company called ANBOC Ltd, with the programme being curated by a panel of northern and international filmmakers. One of those creatives is Steve Wraith, an actor and writer from Newcastle. […]
Pop Recs; part coffee shop, part music venue in Sunderland, is being taken over by Rock N Roll Retro Vintage on Sunday 11 October for a vintage market showcasing ten small businesses. Pop Recs, located on High Street West in Sunderland, next door to Sonny’s cafe which is perfect for a coffee and a treat […]
Sunderland have started their first European campaign in over 50 years without having a front of shirt sponsor. Reports have circled throughout this issue suggesting an incredibly lucrative deal with ‘VisitGhana’ had been signed and would become The Black Cat’s patron for their shirt this season. However, after Sunderland CEO Tom Burwell left his position […]
An American ‘soccer’ coach has been sacked after grabbing a female referee and telling her “Don’t forget, this is a man’s game” – only months after a Durham University (DU) study found sexism and misogyny is an ongoing problem in football. The dismissal of Federico Higauin as coach for the US soccer (football) team Columbus […]
This week, Prime Minister Andy Burnham has fleshed out his plans to reform social care at the Labour Party conference. At almost the same time, Sunderland City Council’s Health and Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee was reviewing innovative plans to reform elderly adult social care services. Reflecting on international trends of access to treatment and care, Ryan […]
November 4th, 2025, is not just the day my dad died; it is an endless car ride back home and the first time I enter the house without my dad there to greet me. I always thought it was a given that my dad would walk me down the aisle and meet his grandchildren. “News […]
Today is the deadline by which Manchester City must appeal the Premier League’s devastating verdict of guilt over financial cheating allegations. A two-year inquiry by a PL ‘independent commission’ declared the club guilty of all 115 charges of financial ‘cheating’ against it. The charges span nine seasons between 2009 and 2018 during which the club bought […]
Longsands Beach, Tynemouth – one of five North East beaches awarded a Blue Flag in 2026. North East beaches affected by the Port of Tyne plastic nurdle spill are likely to miss out on next year’s Blue Flag Awards. Keep Britain Tidy (KBT), the organisation which administers the awards in the UK, have said […]
Ex-Sunderland manager and Manchester United captain Roy Keane has blasted his Manchester rivals for “cheating”, after City were found guilty of well over 1oo charges of breaking Premier League financial rules. Only yesterday (Tuesday September 29), City were accused by the PL’s independent investigating commission of creating ‘sham’ contracts with their commercial partners – […]
