Chester-Le-Street United Girls celebrated their league wins with a surprise trophy parade provided by Go North East, part of Newcastle based Go Ahead Group.
The club’s two under-eights girls teams had been told they were playing a friendly but their coach Glenn Batey surprised them with their own open top bus and the chance to follow in the steps of Newcastle United by parading their silverware through Newcastle. Both of the club’s under-eights girls teams have finished at the top of their league tables, clocking up 40 wins and 296 goals between them.
Team coach Mr Batey said: “The teams have had fantastic seasons, they haven’t lost a single match! I thought their hard work deserved a huge celebration. The parade tonight exceeded all our expectations, it was a surreal experience!”
READ MORE: {}
The bus, usually used for the Toon Tour, Go North East’s open top sightseeing service, took the girls, their parents and coaches to locations including James’ Park and the Quayside to show off their medals and trophies. Some of the parade was broadcast live on ITV Tyne Tees, just like Newcastle United’s Carabao Cup celebrations.
Julie Richardson, from Go North East, had the honour of driving the bus. She said: “It was a pleasure to drive the teams tonight. I loved seeing the positive reaction of the people we passed on the bus – everyone was waving, cheering and tooting their horns.”
Fifty volunteers rolled up their sleeves , donned hi-vis vests and armed themselves with litter pickers to clear 200 bags of litter along the Weardale Railway’s scenic 18-mile line, as part of the 200th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway celebrations. The clean-up, stretching from Bishop Auckland to Stanhope, uncovered everything from abandoned chairs and shopping trolleys to electrical goods and scrap metal – and even an unopened bottle of vintage prosecco.
Among the volunteers were members of the local community, Lanchester Boys’ Brigade and Weardale Railway staff. Frosterley Angling Club, Wear Rivers Trust and Durham Wildlife also attended – key partners given the proximity of the line to the River Wear. At the end of the day, more than a dozen ‘Big Spring Clean’ participants signed up as voluntary litter pickers, taking away key pieces of equipment with them.
Claire Gibbons, general manager at Weardale Railway, said: “The day was an absolute success. The sun was shining, and even more people turned up than we expected. It was heartening to see so many people of all ages come together with such enthusiasm and pride in their community.
Most Read
"Many volunteers were so inspired that they took litter picking kits home with them, kindly donated by Durham County Council’s Civic Pride Team, and several have already asked whether the Big Spring Clean could become an annual event. It’s that kind of passion and commitment that keeps the spirit of the railway, and the communities along its route, alive and thriving.”
Niccy Hallifax, S&DR Bicentenary Festival director, said: “As we mark 200 years since the birth of the modern railway, it’s projects like this that bring the celebrations to life in a truly hands-on way.”
The clean-up is just one part of Weardale Railway’s wider commitment to the S&DR200 celebrations, the 200th anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, which includes planting 200 bulbs at each station and 200 native trees and shrubs along the route.
Colleagues at renewable energy developer OnPath Energy have been lending a hand at a city food poverty charity. The OnPath Energy team voted to adopt the Sunderland Community Soup Kitchen as their English dedicated charity for 2025, with the company pledging to match every £1,000 that the team raises this year, up to a maximum of £5,000.
As part of their support for its work, four OnPath Energy colleagues spent a shift volunteering at the Soup Kitchen’s High Street West headquarters, serving meals and chatting to service users about their lives and the positive impact that the charity has on the local community. More than 60 local volunteers help the Soup Kitchen deliver its services every week, with more members of the OnPath team now signing up to get involved.
Founded in 2019 by CEO Andrea Bell, Sunderland Community Soup Kitchen provides freshly cooked hot meals for up to 100 local people during every shift which are available to anyone in need, whether on a regular basis or just once in a while, for a nominal fee. The soup kitchen receives no statutory funding, and relies entirely on support from local people, regional businesses and grant-giving organisations, as well as on its own fundraising efforts.
It recently opened the new TriBeCa community hub, which is being used by a growing number of local businesses, groups and organisations for their events and activities, while it also raises money through the Funky G vintage clothing store on East Cross Street. Headquartered at Rainton Bridge Business Park, OnPath Energy is one of the 海角视频’s leading onshore renewable energy developers.
Don’t miss
Katie Walvin, who was one of the OnPath Energy volunteers, says: “Spending time in the kitchen gave a great insight into the work that the team does and the positive impact that it has on everyone who comes through the door is very clear to see. Many of them are facing really challenging situations for a range of different reasons, most especially in light of the cost of living crisis, and there’s a real appreciation of the help and support that’s available at the Soup Kitchen whenever they need it.
“We’re already signed up to come back for more volunteering shifts and have a range of fundraising activities taking place which will help us give as much support as we can to the Soup Kitchen’s invaluable work in our home city in the face of ever-growing demand.”
Ashleigh Richardson, assistant to the CEO at Sunderland Community Soup Kitchen, adds: “The local demand for our services keeps growing, so it’s great for us to get the backing of local businesses like OnPath Energy, not only for the practical and financial support they provide, but also for the access to additional expertise and new networks that can really help us carry out our work more effectively.”
Military vs Cancer is inviting the public to commemorate loved ones by embedding their names into this year’s match kits.
The third annual Armed Forces Rugby event returns to Newcastle on Saturday, June 21, following on from last year’s event which raised £48,000 for Military vs Cancer as men’s and women’s teams from the 海角视频 Armed Forces took on select North of England XI teams in matches billed as the largest semi-professional rugby event in the 海角视频. The public is now encouraged to become a part of the day, not only by attending, but by having their names included on the match shirts.
Military vs Cancer became a registered charity in May 2022 but was founded several years earlier by David after losing several family members to cancer. The charity brings together all three military services, businesses and people in industry to help support those who are battling with cancer, aiming to inspire people to live their lives to the fullest.
Mr Bathgate said: “Through the last two years, the military and North East communities have rallied behind the charity, not only supporting our rugby events, but getting on board with our wider fundraising opportunities and doing their bit to raise vital funds.
“So, this year, we wanted to do something different. We’ve organised for up to 750 names to appear on match day kits on June 21. Whether you want to put your own name down, pay tribute to currently serving personnel, or those you might have lost through the years, this is your chance to become immersed in the fabric of our 2025 event.”
Anyone interested in adding a name to the shirts this year can do so by purchasing a reward on the charity’s main website .