Spark News
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Auburn Langley brought Sunderland’s Literary and Philosophical Society back to life in 2025, after over 150 years. In a city that’s constantly changing, she discusses the society’s continuing journey. “I think we all have got out of the habit of going to things in person,” says Auburn Langley, founder of Sunderland’s revived ‘Lit and Phil’. […]
Record rainfall may not affect Premier League clubs with pristine pitches, but it could prove fatal for grassroots teams faced with week-upon-week without a single game. Saturday afternoon. Thousands of football fans get prepared to hit the pubs and make their way to support their team. Whilst for many this is a standard Saturday, in […]
Sunderland won music city status in January 2025. Since then, BBC Radio One’s Big Weekend has been announced to take place in Herrington Park in May. Many outside of the city would not expect Sunderland to be a music city status due to its industrial past. Sunderland’s music industry has grown of the past two […]
An old car showroom in Sunderland is being transformed into a high-tech esports arena. The port city is on the way to becoming an international hub for the esports community as the arena gives the local gaming scene a proper home. Graduate intern at National Esports Performance Campus, Louis Skilton said: “It’s kind of in […]
In a city built on football, Newcastle’s rugby union club is on the cusp of a new era under new owners, Red Bull. But with the local obsession with the round ball game bring the first failure for the famous sporting branded franchise? Executive Director of Rugby Development at the RFU Steve Grainger, gives his take on […]
Music City launched the campaigns like the Year of Music to highlight young musicians. With Music City’s strategies to amplify and progress their careers, Erin reports on the local talents that are being lifted out of deprivation and into stardom. Unless you were deep in the Sunderland music scene, no one could have expected the […]
Twenty-five years ago, a new voice for the Northeast flickered into life. The Foundation of Light was launched with a mission that went far beyond football. Built alongside Sunderland AFC, the charity set out to harness that unifying power of the club to tackle some of the region’s biggest social challenges – from education and […]
Associated with toilet habits and vegetables, dietary fibre hasn’t had the most glamorous rise to fame compared to its popular nutrient counterparts, like the explosive protein-madness of 2025. Recently, fibre has taken over our feeds, with hashtags like “#fibre-maxxing” dominating trends. But with overwhelming amounts of wellness and health information available at the tap […]
In a world where reading is more available than ever with access to thousands of books at our fingertips through reading apps, physical books in every charity shop and ‘BookTok’ taking over For You Pages, why are fewer young people reading for pleasure and what changes are being made to reignite the spark for the […]
Aura Stephenson investigates how the community is reacting and coming together with the closure of the National Glass Centre looming The National Glass Centre is a community space that holds beautiful art and glass work, a cafe with river views and glass blowing demonstrations to be emersed in Sunderland’s heritage. Everything is very bright and modern with areas filled with guests taking part in workshops or having coffee and cake. Currently, there […]
