Feels like it's been AGES since Betty & Stevie properly caught up. It must be, because apparently Betty "misses Stevie's face". Yeah, right! Betty & Stevie share their experience of receiving the "little prick" - erm, vaccine, and what they're looking forward to as the lockdown lifts. And we want to hear from you - have you received your little prick? What was your experience like? Leave a voicemail message with us on the Speak Up Sunderland website! --- --- --- Speak Up Sunderland is a ...
Apr 11, 2021•10 min•Season 2Ep. 12
How can you capture the mood of a country at war in a documentary? With a uniquely poetical, musical filmmaking style, artist and filmmaker Prof. Esther Johnson was commissioned by 14-18 Now to create " Asunder " - a uniquely moving and vibrant documentary which interweaves narratives from conflict overseas with characters in the North East. " Asunder tells the story of what happened to an English town during the First World War, with almost all of its men abroad fighting and its women and child...
Nov 12, 2020•27 min•Season 2Ep. 11
This is Len Gibson, BEM. He’s reading from his collection of poetry, which he’s compiled over the past hundred years of his life. You heard that right, Len Gibson turned 100 years old on the third of January this year. Len’s regarded as not only a hero to Sunderland, but also a national hero. During the second world war, Len was a member of the 125 Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery. Between 1942, and 1945, Len was held as a Far East Prisoner of War - he was forced by the Japanese Empire to work...
Nov 07, 2020•16 min•Season 2Ep. 10
"Oh my God. OH MY GOD! It's Betty and Stevie!! [Unintelligible.]" From across the pond, living in Traverse City, Michigan, meet Mark Whitley - the self-proclaimed number one fan of Speak Up Sunderland. He's listened to every episode of Speak Up Sunderland. No, but for real, every. Single. Episode. We wanted to surprise him with a video chat. (In fact, everyone was surprised. Betty was still in her dressing gown, bless!) We reflected on some of our “favorite” moments throughout the series, and ju...
Aug 12, 2020•30 min•Season 2Ep. 9
Meet "Wor Vera", a.k.a. singer Deborah Taylor-Smith, who's donating her time and her voice by performing songs from throughout the decades outside care home residents across the North East. As care homes across the country are losing lives to COVID-19, Deb, who's studying BA Performing Arts at the University of Sunderland, is lifting spirits for residents when they're in need of positivity more than ever. "I have to hold back tears. A lot of the places I go to, the care homes, people are living ...
Apr 18, 2020•25 min•Season 2Ep. 8
Our hosts Betty Ball and Stevie B get together for a call after a really intense week. Now with his job as a deep cleaner classifying him as a "key worker", Stevie B shares his experience of deep cleaning tower blocks of COVD-19. It's not all doom and gloom - Betty gets sloshed in the bath, and we learn the etiquette of proper underwear. --- --- --- We want to be your platform if you have anything to share with us - how you're feeling, how you've been affected, or your family, your business, you...
Mar 22, 2020•37 min•Season 2Ep. 7
Happy New Year from Betty and Stevie at Speak Up Sunderland! Together we chat festive memories, play a stupid game, and tell you all about a couple of new projects we're launching next year: A special first listen to a supercut of our first "Ball's Deep" - where we put Betty through her paces - challenging her with intense experiences & awkward situations in the area. Whether that's with hard-as nails-fitness instructors, getting her art on & drawing naked people, or whatever you can thi...
Dec 28, 2019•24 min•Season 2Ep. 6
Meet two of the volunteers who take the calls that help save lives, and hear what it's like on the other end of the phone line at the Sunderland Samaritans. Sandy Shearer and Katie Mitchell share why they're driven to support this important charity, and a bit of behind-the-scenes gossip into the perhaps unexpected humorous phone calls. The Sunderland Samaritans are turning 50 next year, so they’re looking to recruit more and more volunteers, with their “50 for 50” campaign. Head to samaritans.or...
Nov 18, 2019•30 min•Season 2Ep. 5
Red Riding Blood. Witches put to trial. The monsters behind the screen. This is the Speak Up Sunderland Halloween Special. Spooky stories for Halloween, read by 6 members of Spectral Visions Press , a publishing house based at the University of Sunderland who focus on the gothic, horror, and macabre. Joining us live to share stories at the Fire Station in Sunderland were Spectral Visions' two founders: Dr. Alison Younger - Programme Leader, MA English Studies Colin Younger - Senior Lecturer, Eng...
Oct 30, 2019•45 min•Season 2Ep. 4
Work on a £11million new music venue in Sunderland's city centre has just begun, alongside the redeveloped Fire Station. When it opens in 2021, the "Auditorium" promises to be Sunderland's answer to mid-size venues - a 450-seater venue with music and theatre performances around the year. It's part of the MAC Trust's continued plans to develop a cultural quarter in Sunderland. Rebecca Ball, Creative Director of Sunderland Culture, joins hosts Betty Ball and Stevie B to share the latest developmen...
Oct 23, 2019•34 min•Season 2Ep. 3
40 days at sea. 6 metre waves. A diet of 10,000 calories a day. And four men in a rowing boat, battling all kinds of waves, wind and weather to cross the Atlantic. Meet John Adams - he's taking on a fierce competition called the " Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge ". Along with three other crew mates, Derek Spence, John Ford, and Colin Corfield, John will be testing his endurance and his limits. It's all in aid of raising money for the Scots Guards Charity , supporting serving and retired sold...
Oct 05, 2019•27 min•Season 2Ep. 2
Cut the cake, put on a "cheap and nasty tat" foam hat, and celebrate our first birthday with us! ONE YEAR OLD, BABY! Betty, Stevie, and a gathering of local listeners at the Fire Station in Sunderland, reflect back on the first season of the podcast. We share some of the first season highlights, some success stories that have emerged from bringing Sunderland residents together, and our hosts' recent trip across the Atlantic to New York. Speak Up Sunderland is a finalist in the New York Festivals...
Sep 21, 2019•30 min•Season 2Ep. 1
"Every patient is a person, an individual, a human being. And we've got to make sure, no matter what age and how far on they are in their dementia, that they have that dignity right up to the end." June Ainsley works full time with autistic and special needs children. But due to the help she received from a dementia charity here in Sunderland when her mother was admitted to hospital, she now spends her free time organising fundraising campaigns. Whether it's dressing as Elvis and visiting the gu...
May 31, 2019•23 min•Season 1Ep. 24
"We've done something that the BBC have noticed. That's a pretty big statement, isn't it?" - Stevie B "I'm proud to be getting out of this car, and being the voice of Sunderland. Big love to everyone who has been a part." - Betty Ball On Wednesday last week, at 8pm, our friends Betty and Stevie joined The Evening Show on BBC Newcastle . Host Tamsin Robson asked Betty & Stevie about their adventures - what it's been like to create podcasts about Sunderland. This podcast was recorded literally...
May 27, 2019•22 min•Season 1Ep. 23
This episode of the Speak Up Sunderland podcast carries a trigger warning : Our guests talk about attempted suicide, depression, panic attacks, and lived mental health experiences. Another bumper episode, recorded at our last Speak Up Sunderland LIVE event at The Peacock in April; in collaboration of Katie Baggott , founder of the ' S.O.S. Sunderland Opinion and Stories ' website. This episode features: Claire Coulthard , the founder of peer support group Red Balloons , who shared about the impo...
May 18, 2019•44 min•Season 1Ep. 22
This episode of the Speak Up Sunderland podcast carries a trigger warning : We talk about attempted suicide, post traumatic stress, substance abuse, and mental health issues - with people who have lived mental health experience. Local inspiration 18-year-old Paige was commended by the Northumbria Police for her project called 'Notes on the Wear', where she single-handedly attached 40 different messages to Sunderland's Wearmouth bridge last year. The idea; that if she could save even one person f...
Apr 26, 2019•41 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Meet the Sunderland woman who's working to put herself out of a job... Alreeet! We're proud to launch a new project as part of Speak Up Sunderland... It's called "Stars of Sunderland". It's all about highlighting the work of exceptional individuals or organisations in Sunderland that go above and beyond for the community. In this first episode, journalist James Barker who's heading up our "Stars of Sunderland" project introduces the idea at our first LIVE event, and our Betty nominated the first...
Mar 29, 2019•26 min•Season 1Ep. 20
Alreet! We're back, live from the Peacock in Sunderland city centre on Wednesday, with Sunderland-based singer & songwriter Marty Longstaff (a.k.a. The Lake Poets). You may know Marty's song "Shipyards" as the title track on the Netflix documentary series "Sunderland 'Til I Die", detailing a difficult season for the SAFC (Sunderland Association Football Club), produced by Fulwell 73 ... But tonight, in front of a live audience, Marty shared the origins of this beautiful, heart-wrenching song...
Mar 01, 2019•55 min•Season 1Ep. 19
Alreeeet! Welcome to our very first Speak Up Sunderland Live podcast! This is part one. We're so thrilled to have recorded in front of a live audience - huge thanks to our friends at the Peacock in Sunderland city centre. Kate Townsend, the Coordinator of the Sunderland Foodbank Network joined us to share about the hugely important service they provide to at-need residents of Sunderland, and the future plans of their food collections. And a surprise guest to the mic, University of Sunderland stu...
Feb 05, 2019•28 min•Season 1Ep. 18
Alreet! A bit of a hard-hitting episode from the outset this week. Craig Hilton, the Manager of the Salvation Army's Swan Lodge Lifehouse in Sunderland, and Deb Fozzard, Director of the Sunderland Connect Network, joined us in the studio to talk addiction and homelessness in Sunderland. --- --- --- Speak Up Sunderland is a weekly podcast, proudly made in Sunderland and about Sunderland! Our hosts are Betty Ball and Stevie B , with music by Timecrawler 82 , and our producer is Jay Sykes . Follow ...
Jan 11, 2019•45 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Happy Holidays from us at Speak Up Sunderland! As a present for you, we've made an extra-special, bumped stuffed selection box of an episode, for you to enjoy with your "nog negg". Erm... "egg nog"! With special thanks to Sharon Appleby and Natalie Dellow of the Sunderland Bid , for making this episode possible, and for championing businesses in Sunderland. Today, meet the young people's choir from Sunderland College , and Nicola Gallagher who's their Specialist Speech and Language Therapist. Ge...
Dec 23, 2018•32 min•Season 1Ep. 16
We might be biased. We think Sunderland is the best place to live in the UK. But, apparently, we're not alone. According to a recent survey by finance firm OneFamily , Sunderland has been voted the best city to live in the UK if you're under 30 - based on affordability of living, property prices, commuting costs, and satisfaction and "happiness" levels. Not everyone agrees. Talk Radio presenter Mike Graham called our city "ghastly" - despite never being himself. Apparently he couldn't find anyon...
Dec 21, 2018•26 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Today, we bring you the "Cash 4 Calendars" campaign! Speak Up Sunderland host Betty Ball teamed up with Kate Townsend, the Sunderland Foodbank Coordinator, to raise £500 - enough to buy an advent calendar for every kid in Sunderland who depends on the food banks, and would otherwise miss out on the countdown to Christmas. But they smashed the target! At the moment, the total stands at over £1,600, including over 500 advent calendars, for children in Sunderland. As Betty's a Breakfast presenter o...
Nov 29, 2018•29 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Today, we meet the eccentrically down-to-earth Jo Howell - artist behind the #WeArExperimenting project. This Arts Council England project brings experimental photography to Sunderland - a series of workshops about creating photography using household objects such as tin cans and dustbins. #WeArExperimenting finishes with an exhibition - which you can go see (and create some photos in) at Mackie's Corner in Sunderland until December 1st. Follow our journey on Twitter - @SpeakUpSun . Featuring mu...
Nov 17, 2018•23 min•Season 1Ep. 13
Ever heard a guy get laser tattoo removal surgery on a podcast? Didn't think so. (We don't like to play it safe here on Speak Up Sunderland!) Oh yeah. On this week's episode, Betty Ball challenges Stevie B to go under the laser, and get the tattoo of his ex-wife's name removed. This episode is proudly made in partnership with brothers Will and Dan, of 'Supafly Wills Tattooz' in Hetton-Le-Hole. Thanks to their support! And YOU get to vote on what we scar him with for life! Listen to find out how....
Oct 12, 2018•27 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Alreeeet! Welcome to Speak Up Sunderland! Join Betty Ball & Stevie B for this weekly podcast, proudly made both in and about Sunderland! Today, our hosts meet Robyn & Eddie from the band Picnic - based in Sunderland, they're a seven piece jazz / alternative / pop ensemble, and their music is going from strength to strength. Join us as we chat origins, passions, industry realities, the Sunderland vs. Newcastle scene, and what's ahead for these rising stars on Sunderland's music scene. Fol...
Oct 05, 2018•40 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Alreeeet! Welcome to Speak Up Sunderland! Join Betty Ball & Stevie B for this weekly podcast, proudly made both in and about Sunderland! Today, Stevie learns to "SUCK IT IN", shows off his brick, and Betty gets a little too wet in the fountains. Why? Our friends met with Ryan Booth, an emerging photographer based in Sunderland, and travelled to three of the locations we put in Betty's hat last week. Follow our journey on Twitter - @SpeakUpSun . Featuring music by Timecrawler 82 . Produced by...
Sep 26, 2018•33 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Alreeeet! Welcome to Speak Up Sunderland! Join Betty Ball & Jay... I mean Stevie B for this weekly podcast, proudly made both in and about Sunderland! Join us, and let us "envelop" you in the "warm, moist" sounds of this episode as our friends pick 5 locations each in Sunderland, to have their photos taken. This is the first of a two-part episode; next week we'll be meeting with Sunderland-based photographer Ryan Booth, and racing around the city with Ryan's lens. Follow our journey on Twitt...
Sep 19, 2018•22 min•Season 1Ep. 9
Alreeeet! Welcome to Speak Up Sunderland! Join Betty Ball & Stevie B for this weekly podcast, proudly made both in and about Sunderland! A few weeks back, writer Glenda Young got in touch with us over Twitter. She's recently signed a three-book deal with Headline Publishing, and is due to release her debut fiction novel "Belle of the Back Streets' in November. The books are based in Ryhope, where she was born, so Glenda offered to take us on a tour of her village. How could we not jump at th...
Sep 12, 2018•39 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Alreeeet! Welcome to Speak Up Sunderland! Join Betty Ball & Stevie B for this weekly podcast, proudly made both in and about Sunderland! Last week, we visited the opening of the Northern Spire bridge; connecting the two areas of Pallion & Castletown together across the river Wear. After just over three years of construction over the past three years, the bridge was opened to pedestrians on Tuesday August 28th. We met with visitors to the bridge, and two counsellors behind the scenes: Cll...
Sep 05, 2018•27 min•Season 1Ep. 7
