Five Wearside stories you might have missed
A new lease of life for a disused church, repairs of a much-loved pier and the start of a year of music - these are just some of the things that made the news this week.
Here are five Wearside stories you might have missed.
Repair work on Roker Pier in Sunderland is now under way.
The Grade II-listed structure was badly damaged by Storm Babet in October 2023.
It has been off limits to the public since 300ft (100m) of railings were washed away and some of the path at the pier head broke off.
The council said the scheme was costing in the region of £236,000 and it was aiming to reopen the site by the end of July.
Find out more about the works here.
Volunteers have been awarded the highest honour their local authority can grant for outstanding services to the community.
Chester-le-Street residents John Adey and Jimmy Carroll were among those given a Chairman's Medal by Durham County Council thanks to their community efforts to commemorate those from the borough who have fought and died in wars.
The pair were instrumental in creating the town's Remembrance memorial and annual parade, offering residents opportunities to reflect and pay their respects.
Also recognised were volunteers from the Open Door Church for their support for vulnerable residents across Willington.
A film festival has returned with its biggest programme yet, according to bosses.
The Sunderland Shorts Film Festival, which is now in its 10th year, will show more than 200 films at venues across the city centre until Sunday.
Festival director Chris Allan said it had seen its most popular year and had received more than 1,100 entries, hundreds more than in 2024.
Read more about it here.
A historic church building could become an adult learning and arts centre.
Sunderland City Council's planning department has approved the change of use of St Mary's Church in South Hylton.
The Grade II-listed structure, which sits on the corner of Wear Street and Church Street, dates to the 1800s and has been vacant for some time.
Read more about the plans here.
Chart-topping indie rockers Franz Ferdinand and acclaimed singer-songwriter Adele Sandé are to kick off a year-long major celebration of music.
The two acts will launch the Sunderland Year of Music 2025-2026 in June.
It will mark Franz Ferdinand's return to Wearside for the first time in more than a decade, while Sunderland-born Sandé - formerly known as Emeli - will be making her stage debut under her real name.
The gigs will kickstart a week of special live events across the city.
Read more about it here.
Follow BBC North East on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
an hour ago
- Forbes
Creedence Clearwater Revival's Music Soars Following John Fogerty's Announcement
Creedence Clearwater Revival's Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits rises across Billboard's rock ... More rankings after John Fogerty reveals re-recorded album plans. Creedence Clearwater Revival CCR 1970 Doug Clifford Tom Fogerty Stu Cook John Fogerty in London, England (Photo by Chris Walter/WireImage) In late May, John Fogerty announced that he is planning to follow in Taylor Swift's footsteps — a move that many musicians may soon replicate — by re-recording older songs to benefit financially from the albums and tunes that helped launch his career. Later this summer, the celebrated songwriter and artist will release a new album titled Legacy: The Creedence Clearwater Revival Years, which will feature reimagined versions of many of that band's most successful smashes. The group doesn't need a reason to rise on the Billboard charts, but this exciting development may have been enough to push its music higher. Chronicle: The 20 Greatest Hits, Creedence Clearwater Revival's hugely successful compilation, appears on three of Billboard's albums-focused rankings this week. It climbs on all of them simultaneously and returns to the top 10 on all but one. The set rises from No. 11 to No. 7 on the Top Rock Albums list, and at the same time, it experiences a similar surge on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums tally, leaping from No. 12 to No. 8. The project has previously peaked at No. 3 and has spent 436 weeks on both rosters throughout its lifetime. Chronicle only fails to crack the top 10 on the Billboard 200. While it remains one of the longest-running successes in the history of that competitive ranking — it's fast approaching 750 weeks — it has only risen as high as No. 18. According to Luminate, during the latest tracking frame, Creedence Clearwater Revival's hits-packed collection shifted 15,700 equivalent units. That's up 8% from the previous period, and that large of an uptick means something exciting connected to the music or the artist – like a new announcement – has taken place. Of that total, 2,200 units are actual sales. It's not unusual for Chronicle to appear on the Billboard charts or even to climb but the group doesn't always score a hit song. This week, Creedence Clearwater Revival's aptly-named revival is in full swing, and the outfit manages one of both. In addition to the album's gains, the rockers also score a hit on the streaming side of the business, as 'Have You Ever Seen the Rain' returns to the Rock Streaming Songs tally at No. 25.
Geek Tyrant
3 hours ago
- Geek Tyrant
New Rumor Claims Bella Ramsey is Being Considered For Major Role in the MCU — GeekTyrant
Bella Ramsey is best known for their roles in the popular franchises Game of Thrones and The Last of Us , and if the rumors are true, there may be another major franchise association in their future. A new rumor has surfaced from industry scooper MyTimeToShine, stating that Ramsey is being eyed for a 'big Marvel role.' No role or project was mentioned, but fans are beginning to theorize about what it could be. Ramsey will next be seen in the teen dramedy Sunny Dancer , alongside Neil Patrick Harris, James Norton and Jessica Gunning, which is currently in production. Ramsey is also in pre-production on the drama/mystery Harmonia , which will also star Carrie Coon, Odessa Young and Lily James. If this Marvel rumor turns out to be true, who could you see Ramsey taking on in the MCU?
Forbes
5 hours ago
- Forbes
Review: Anoushka Shankar's Spellbinding Finale At Brighton Festival Offers Hope For A New Dawn
Anoushka Shankar Chapter III. Photograph by Claire Leach. Claire Leach Anoushka Shankar brought the Brighton Festival to a breathtaking close on 25th May with a performance that was nothing short of transcendental. Taking to the stage with her visionary new live show, Shankar performed her trilogy of mini-albums–Chapter I: Forever, For Now, Chapter II: How Dark it is Before Dawn, and Chapter III: We Return to Light–in one sweeping, emotionally charged arc. It was a spellbinding evening of music, meaning, and deep emotional resonance. The trilogy–composed and released across two years of global touring–formed the core of an ambitious and experimental project. Each chapter informed the next, not only musically but thematically–tracing a full emotional cycle from the fleeting, sun-dappled joy of Chapter I, to the womb-like introspection of Chapter II, and finally, the radiant, redemptive energy of Chapter III. Together, they formed a powerful meditation on grief, healing, and hope. Anoushka Shankar Chapter III. Photograph by Claire Leach Claire Leach Though Shankar had lost her voice–the result, she explained, of an exuberant Yoko Ono-inspired performance earlier in the festival–the lack of dialogue only heightened the power of the music. After a brief, heartfelt greeting, she let her sitar do the talking, while her ensemble of peerless musicians read from notes she had written. In those words, she shared the deeply personal genesis of the trilogy: the sadness of being unable to help a loved one, the heartbreak of watching a world in conflict, and the fragile but persistent hope for a brighter future. Her sitar became a vessel for that hope—looping, bending, and shimmering through textures that ranged from the meditative to the ecstatic. With 30 years of performance behind her, eleven Grammy nominations, and an Honorary Degree in Music from Oxford University, Shankar has long since proved her technical mastery. But this performance revealed something deeper: a spiritual command of her instrument that borders on the mystical. The ensemble matched her every step with breathtaking sensitivity and virtuosity, moving seamlessly from classical ragas to techno-tinged rhythmic pulses. At moments, the music soared into joyous crescendos that had the audience visibly moved; at others, it descended into intimate stillness, allowing space for reflection. Anoushka Shankar Chapter III. Photograph by Credit Claire Leach. Claire Leach In every note, Shankar expanded the language of the sitar–not by abandoning its roots, but by weaving them into a bold, Indo-futurist soundscape that felt both ancient and utterly new. Shankar's entire aura is filled with a luminous inner light, her black bobbed hair framing a Cleopatra-like visage, and her arms so finely in tune with her sitar that it feels like an extension or her being. The climax of the evening–a euphoric final movement brimming with joy and light — felt less like an ending and more like a beginning: a musical invocation of a 'new dawn,' which also served as the thematic heartbeat of the entire Brighton Festival she so masterfully curated. This was not merely a concert. It was a cathartic, soul-stirring experience that reaffirmed the power of music to hold sorrow, transcend boundaries, and illuminate the path forward. Anoushka Shankar has long been a transformative force in contemporary music–but this performance marked a pinnacle. A swansong, perhaps, to this particular chapter–but also a luminous opening to whatever comes next. And after such a performance, we wait for that next chapter with bated breath, and renewed hope.
