This Is The North

Welcome to 'This Is The North' Podcast, your source of transformative conversations. An intentional challenge to the systems holding back the North of England. Hosted by Alison Dunn, an award-winning charity chief executive and former solicitor. This podcast is supported by the Society Matters Foundation and is dedicated to curating and sharing knowledge, powering the change we need for a more equal and inclusive society.In this episode, Alison sits down with Ray Laidlaw, founding drummer of Lindisfarne, the band whose songs became anthems of the Northeast. In 1971, their album Fog on the Tyne became the biggest-selling record in the UK. Success brought tours across Germany, Scandinavia, Australia, and America. But it also brought tension about what came next. Ray's story reveals the complexity at the heart of Lindisfarne's journey, the creative process that made their music work and how, in 1973, they split, not through acrimony, but through different priorities and how they would ultimately be brought back together. But this conversation isn't just about rock and roll. It's about what Ray helped build after the tours: Sunday for Sammy, named for Sammy Johnson, a working-class lad from Gateshead and actor who sadly died aged just 49 whilst training for the Great North Run. What started as a one-off tribute in 1999 is now a variety show that sells 6,000 tickets at the Utilita Arena. Since 2006, Ray has produced every show, keeping ticket prices affordable because, as he says, "we've always seen it as a working-class people's show." The charity has also given away over £700,000, not in massive grants, but in the amounts that actually matter: bus fare to London auditions, a decent bow for a cello, three months' rent to finish writing a play. Ray and Alison discuss why the show nearly died, how the first tribute brought Auf Wiedersehen Pet's Dennis, Oz, and Neville to the stage for the first time ever (and convinced the BBC to bring the series back), and what it means to create what Oscar Wilde called "the nightly miracle". They explore how a grant to finish one play about Category D villages created a touring circuit that didn't exist before, why working-class kids face impossible barriers, and what happened when Lindisfarne returned to Newcastle City Hall in 1976 after splitting up.Timestamps:00:45 Introducing Ray Laidlaw03:52 The Rise of Lindisfarne: From Blues Covers to Anthems05:39 Touring the World10:12 Band Breakups, Reunions, and Staying Friends13:09 Sunday for Sammy: From Tribute to Movement17:08 Why the Arts Need Support More Than Ever17:38 Success Stories: Rosie Ramsey, Emily Hoyle, Jason Cook22:33 The Ripple Effect24:23 The Bottom Rung of the Ladder28:05 Advice for Young PerformersAfter five decades in music, Ray's conviction remains clear: resilience, kindness, and community matter more than fame. When the bottom rung of the ladder is missing, someone has to build it back. Sunday for Sammy returns February 15th, 2026. Tickets available here.Host: Alison DunnGuest: Ray LaidlawThis podcast is produced by Purpose Made.

Welcome to 'This Is The North' Podcast, your source of transformative conversations. An intentional challenge to the systems holding back the North of England. Hosted by Alison Dunn, an award-winning charity chief executive and former solicitor. This podcast is supported by the Society Matters Foundation and is dedicated to curating and sharing knowledge, powering the change we need for a more equal and inclusive society.In this episode, Alison sits down with Juliet Sanders, founder and CEO of Feeding Families, a charity born from a single act of kindness in 2016 that has grown into a regional lifeline feeding tens of thousands across the Northeast.It started with two unwanted sofas. When Juliet delivered them to a house in Gateshead, what she found stopped her in her tracks: five children under seven, no furniture, and a mother who wrapped empty boxes for Christmas because she had nothing to give them. "We came out of the house and thought, what do we do? We can't just walk away."When Juliet posted on social media asking if anyone needed help, 200 people responded within an hour. Crucially, it wasn't just people asking for help, it was people saying "If I knew who to help, I would help." She thought maybe they could support 50 families that first Christmas. They supported 719.Today, Feeding Families works with 366 partner organisations, providing food, toiletries, and culturally appropriate provisions to families who fall through every other safety net. A Newcastle school discovered children weren't attending because they couldn't maintain basic hygiene. When Feeding Families provided soap and deodorant, attendance improved.Juliet opens up about her own challenging experiences, living on a bag of pasta, surviving domestic violence, and discovering ten siblings she never knew existed through Ancestry. "When you've been in really difficult situations, there's nothing really left to fear."They explore systemic issues driving food insecurity, including the two-child benefit cap, and why many struggling families are actually in work. Juliet articulates her vision for policy changes but is brutally honest about the limits of charity: "I can only put a sticking plaster on a gaping wound."As Juliet prepares to retire, she reflects on founder syndrome with remarkable self-awareness: "The work matters more than ego."Timestamps: 00:00 A Chance Encounter Sparks a Movement01:18 Introducing Juliet Sanders and Feeding Families01:55 The Birth of Feeding Families06:24 The First Christmas Miracle07:44 Scaling Up: From One Family to Thousands10:01 Challenges and Changes in the Northeast13:24 The Unique Model of Feeding Families17:03 Addressing Cultural Needs and Inclusivity20:49 Juliet's Personal Journey: Adoption and Family24:54 A Tragic Loss and a New Hope25:18 Reuniting with Siblings26:54 Discovering More Family31:03 Leading an Organisation37:00 A Unique Qualification39:04 Challenges and Resilience41:49 Addressing Food Insecurity47:59 A Call to ActionHost: Alison DunnGuest: Juliet SandersThis podcast is produced by Purpose Made.How You Can Help: Visit feedingfamilies.org.uk

Welcome to the 'This Is The North' Podcast, your source of transformative conversations. An intentional challenge to the systems holding back the North of England. Hosted by Alison Dunn, an award-winning charity chief executive and former solicitor. This podcast is supported by the Society Matters Foundation and is dedicated to curating and sharing knowledge, powering the change we need for a more equal and inclusive society.In this episode, Alison sits down with Jimmy McLaughlin OBE on the fifth anniversary of his podcast 'Jimmy's Jobs of the Future' - a show that went from stay-at-home dad project to interviewing prime ministers about the question Westminster struggles to answer: where are all these new jobs actually coming from?When Jimmy worked at Number 10, he'd get calls at 10 to 8 in the morning. Debenhams collapsing. Wilkinson's going under. Ten thousand jobs gone. He'd brief Theresa May, who kept asking: "We're at record employment. You only tell me about losses. Where's the growth?" The answer was one or two people hired every week by companies like Gym Shark in Birmingham or Double 11 in Middlesbrough. Businesses creating seven out of every eight jobs in Britain but never making announcements because they're too busy building.Five years and millions of listeners later, Jimmy walked back into Number 10 to interview Sir Keir Starmer. Same building. Same question. Different answer: nearly a million young people under 25 now aren't in education or work.Jimmy and Alison discuss why businesses won't hire graduates this year, how AI might devastate middle-class professionals while skilled trades see wages double, and why we're asking 16-year-olds to choose careers before they're ready. They explore the Northern golden triangle, what devolution delivers, and what five years taught Jimmy about why work matters not just for income, but for dignity, purpose, and possibility.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to Jimmy McLaughlin 00:40 The Genesis of Jimmy's Jobs of the Future 01:45 Insights from Number 10 03:02 Highlighting Northern Companies 10:44 Impact of AI on Jobs 18:44 Opportunities and Challenges in the North 22:56 Collaborating in Politics 23:49 The Future of Education and Jobs 26:44 AI and Social Inequality 32:11 Challenges for the Younger Generation 35:58 Podcasting Insights and Evolution 42:37 Reflections and MotivationsAfter five years and millions of listeners, Jimmy's conviction remains clear: work isn't just about income. It's about dignity, purpose, and possibility. A million young people need not just jobs, but futures.Host: Alison Dunn Guest: Jimmy McLaughlin OBE This podcast is produced by Purpose Made.

Welcome to the 'This Is The North' Podcast, your source of transformative conversations. An intentional challenge to the systems holding back the North of England. Hosted by Alison Dunn, an award-winning charity chief executive and former solicitor. This podcast is supported by the Society Matters Foundation and is dedicated to curating and sharing knowledge, powering the change we need for a more equal and inclusive society.In this episode, Alison sits down with Sir Andy Street, a Conservative who spent seven years proving something Westminster insists is impossible: that cross-party collaboration actually works. Street never had a Conservative majority on his board. Fourteen Conservative MPs, fourteen Labour MPs, and for seven years every single financial decision was taken cross-party. When his own government tried to cancel HS2, he held a press conference outside then-PM Rishi Sunak's hotel and led the 10 o'clock news. Region first, party second.From being rejected by Birmingham City Council and Marks & Spencer to spending 30 years rising to CEO of John Lewis, Street's path wasn't conventional. He joined John Lewis because they hired "mavericks." He became mayor because it was "an executive job rooted in a place."Street speaks candidly about "the Rubicon moment", fiscal devolution, holding taxes locally and what he learnt from those seven years. Now chairing Birmingham Rep, he draws parallels with the North: "Newcastle has its proud tradition. You had shipbuilding, coal mining. We didn't. But the stories are basically the same. You need to understand your past to be able to plan your future."Timestamps:00:00 Introduction01:23 Sir Andy Street's Early Career and Aspirations02:15 Joining and Growing within John Lewis02:46 The Mutual Model of John Lewis03:33 Challenges and Successes in Retail07:11 Transition from Retail to Politics09:43 The Role and Impact of a Mayor11:25 HS2 and Infrastructure Challenges16:53 Reflections on Mayoral Achievements18:23 Integrity in Leadership19:21 Challenges of National Collaboration20:37 The Evolution of Devolution21:57 Fiscal Devolution and Political Regrets23:12 Conservative Party Conference Insights31:05 The Role of Arts and Culture35:05 Future Prospects and Personal Reflections36:40 Advice for the Next GenerationIn an era when frustration is rising and voices offering complaints without solutions are gaining ground, Street's story reminds us what leadership should look like. Values-led leaders who put people and place before party, who understand that serious problems require serious answers, and who refuse to compromise their integrity for political convenience. Seven years proved what's possible when leaders refuse to compromise their values. The question now is whether we're ready to demand that kind of leadership everywhere.Host: Alison DunnGuest: Sir Andy StreetThis podcast is produced by  Purpose Made.

Welcome to the 'This Is The North' Podcast, your source of transformative conversations. An intentional challenge to the systems holding back the North of England. Hosted by Alison Dunn, an award-winning charity chief executive and former solicitor. This podcast is supported by the Society Matters Foundation and is dedicated to curating and sharing knowledge, powering the change we need for a more equal and inclusive society.In this episode, Alison speaks with Dr. Mark Deeks — a North East musician whose work spans atmospheric doom metal, community choirs, and wellbeing retreats. Mark shares his personal journey through loss, including the heartbreak of losing his daughter Laurie at 20 weeks, and how music became both a memorial and a tool for survival. At 3am one morning, a star chart in Lori’s name became a melody — hidden on his album as Only Three Shall Know, but known at home as Laurie’s Theme.From early influences and teaching experiences to founding Sing United, which has raised over £48,000 for Northern causes, Deeks shows how music works as connection, healing, and community. He challenges clichés about “soothing” genres, champions intentional playlists as mental health interventions, and explains why place — from colliery sites to Holy Island — can shape the way we heal.Timestamps00:00 A Heartbreaking Beginning01:19 Meet Dr. Mark Deeks: Musician and Healer01:53 Early Musical Influences03:37 The Impact of Teaching and Online Lessons08:11 Music as a Tool for Wellbeing11:32 The Power of Community Singing15:22 Exploring Diverse Musical Styles21:09 Personal Loss and Musical Tribute (Laurie’s Theme)29:08 Future Projects and Final ReflectionsDeeks reminds us that grief isn’t just private sorrow, it’s a public health crisis often left unspoken, especially for men. His story is proof that the North already holds the tools we need: community, creativity, and the courage to listen.Host: Alison DunnGuest: Dr. Mark DeeksThis podcast is produced by Purpose Made.

Welcome to the 'This Is The North' Podcast, your source of transformative conversations. An intentional challenge to the systems holding back the North of England. Hosted by Alison Dunn, an award-winning charity chief executive and former solicitor. This podcast is supported by the Society Matters Foundation and is dedicated to curating and sharing knowledge, powering the change we need for a more equal and inclusive society.In this episode, Alison speaks with Eileen Ferguson, co-founder of Ad Gefrin, Northumberland's first whiskey distillery, who turned a derelict family transport depot into a £4million+ cultural destination that employs 60 people in a town where young adults typically plan their escape.Ferguson's story begins with her great-grandmother, widowed at 36 with three children already buried and pregnant with her sixth. Standing at the graveside with no inheritance or support, she started taking in washing, then bought a corn mill, then owned the farm. Four generations later, Ferguson faced a similar choice with the family's abandoned depot: sell it for housing or build something that could regenerate Wooler.The numbers reveal what traditional rural development misses. During public consultation, 4,000 people walked through the doors —double Wooler's population—because someone finally asked what they wanted. One hundred percent community support. Not for a distillery, but for what a distillery made possible: five interconnected businesses including tourism, hospitality, retail, and a museum celebrating the Anglo-Saxon palace that once stood nearby.Timestamps: 00:00 A Legacy of Resilience 02:30 Introducing Eileen Ferguson and Ad Gefrin04:29 Transforming a Family Site 07:47 The Importance of People and Community 11:48 Community Response and Impact 16:42 Environmental Considerations 18:28 Challenges and Achievements 24:46 Future Vision and LegacyFerguson accidentally proved that rural areas don't need saving, they need someone who refuses to accept that they deserve less. When a place has been "forgotten by successive governments," the choice is simple: wait for systems to save you, or build the system you need.Host: Alison DunnGuest: Eileen FergusonThis podcast is produced by Purpose Made.