Your Stories

When my late mother, Veronica, answered an Amber Films advert in the 1980s, she never imagined how much those North Shields singalongs would change her life. From the smoky nights of the New Clarendon pub to cassette recordings capturing forgotten songs, characters, and the warmth of Shields community spirit, this story revisits a lost world. Featuring connections to Amber’s iconic dramas like Shields Stories and In Fading Light, and even a German film crew’s visit, the tapes reveal both laughter and poignancy. As I press play nearly forty years later, voices rise again — reminding us of a time when everyday folk filled local pubs with music, humour, and camaraderie. This is more than history: it’s a community memory waiting to be rediscovered.

Looking for Harmony. A poem by Jeannie Fraser When I first came to choirI made my 13 year old daughter come with meFor protectionChoir was...

John Caffery

By Caroline Oswald Most people are aware that the former Cosalt factory on the Fish Quay has now been transformed into an entertainment venue, housing...

I’m writing this exactly seven months to the day that I had my brain haemorrhage caused by a ruptured aneurysm, as we approach world...

"The building is over 100 years old but when I was born, it wasn’t Preston Hospital it was the Workhouse..." Ian McSally unearths a family...

By Suzanne Coulson Normally, Metro passengers are united only by silent suffering - enduring delays, socially inept teenagers treating the carriage like their personal...

For Mother's Day, I Love North Shields team member Caroline Oswald is sharing an incredible discovery—one that has never been made public before. She...

From humble beginnings as a white elephant stall, Granny’s Attic at St Columba’s Church has become a legendary local event. Packed with everything from vintage treasures to £1 winter coats, it draws crowds eager to bag a bargain. With profits supporting local charities and leftovers donated to St Oswald’s Hospice, it’s thrifty shopping with heart. This year’s sales take place on 26 April, 9 August and 1 November—get there early, the queues can stretch down the street!

By Suzanne Coulson @thesuzycblogspot | Illustration by @katiestewartartist It’s a cold, wintery morning and I’ve sprinted to Percy Main Metro station, hauling my full figure...