Local Heroes Podcast

This week on the Local Heroes Podcast, your increasingly average hosts, Chris and Dan, sit down with Sunderland’s own Tom A. Smith, a 21-year-old already making waves on the UK music scene.
Tom’s story is anything but ordinary.
He started playing live shows at just eight years old, found himself on stage at Glastonbury by the age of ten, and has already clocked up over a thousand gigs. Now signed to Fiction Records, Tom talks us through the whirlwind of festival slots, record deals, and what it feels like to finally be stepping into his own as both a songwriter and a performer.
But this isn’t just about the music. Tom shares how performance, visuals, and identity matter just as much as the songs themselves - drawing inspiration from the likes of Bowie, Talking Heads, and The Cure, while carving out his own style alongside his band (which now even includes his sister Hannah).
We get into the highs and lows of writing music under pressure, the reality of streaming versus live shows, and the power of building a community of fans - including the infamous “Weirdos” WhatsApp group.
We hear about Dave Stewart casually walking on stage mid-set, Robbie Williams leaving a crowd without Candy, the nightmare of being forced to eat a prawn cocktail crisp sandwich live on TV (spoiler: Tom actually hates crisps), and his all-important Greggs order.
This conversation bounces between ambition, identity, and the pure joy of creative freedom.

This week on the Local Heroes Podcast, Chris and Dan sit down with musician, composer and local legend Kathryn Tickell, celebrating 40 years of showcasing the Northumbrian pipes.
The conversation begins with handwriting jitters, block capitals, and autograph chaos (including signing and numbering 1,000 CDs), before opening into Kathryn’s extraordinary journey.
From recording her first cassette in her Granda’s farmhouse kitchen to finding her true instrument in the pipes, Kathryn shares how music, place, and identity have shaped her career. We talk about chaotic folk classes that first sparked her love of traditional music, the resilience earned from gigging the regions working men’s clubs, and her collaborations with Sting on The Soul Cages and Last Ship.
Kathryn explains what makes the Northumbrian pipes unique, why she’s stayed rooted in the North East, and how authenticity and heritage matter more than chasing a “modern” sound. There’s also reflection on the folk revival - from schools and football stands, the enduring power of border ballads and Chris’s long-running dream of finally launching his fictional choir, the Canny Chanters.
And because no Local Heroes chat is complete without food: Kathryn shares her crisp canon, her evolving Greggs order and the life philosophy of always saving “the tasty bite.”
If you love stories about music, heritage, humour, food, and everyday life in the North East, this episode has it all.

In this week’s Local Heroes Podcast, Chris and Dan talk to the Coastal Custodian, whose story began with a simple live stream from the beach at Beadnell and has grown into a movement inspiring tens of thousands.
From the very beginning, there’s been a reluctance to make the work about her — instead, the spotlight has always been kept firmly on the coastline, the wildlife, and the people who make Northumberland so special. What started with sharing sunsets, tides, and quiet moments on the beach has grown into a trusted community of more than 80,000 people.
Alongside her much-loved dog rangers - who have become part of the mission - she spreads messages about caring for the coast, protecting shorebirds, and enjoying Northumberland responsibly.
This episode dives into the joy and humour of the journey too: from falling into sand dunes on live stream, to Sunday lunches with endless gravy boats, to the simple happiness of coffee and her LOVE of cake after a long walk.
But behind the laughter lies a serious commitment - raising funds for the RNLI, supporting local businesses when they need it most, training as a marine medic to help protect seals, and ensuring beaches and countryside remain accessible to everyone.
At its heart, this is a story of authenticity, resilience, and above all a deep love of Beadnell and Northumberland. It’s about how a civic pride, kindness, and a pair of sandy-pawed dog rangers can inspire thousands to care for the places they love + and to shout from the rooftops about the incredible people, places and communities they represent.
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This week on the Local Heroes Podcast, Chris and Dan are joined by the nationally acclaimed North East chef, Kenny Atkinson. In his early days, Kenny wasn’t interested in food - he dreamed of joining the RAF, and later tried a gruelling 3 days with the Marines. But neither was meant to be. Like many growing up in the North East, he was surrounded by allotments, local produce, and the tradition of Sunday lunch.
Those food memories and experiences would come to shape his future. One of Kenny’s first jobs saw him selling fruit and veg at The Grainger Market and working behind a bar, where he fell in love with the buzz and culture of hospitality. His first step into professional kitchens came through the Youth Training Scheme (YTS), and his breakthrough opportunity arrived when he was offered a job at the Vermont Hotel in Newcastle.
From there, his journey took him away from the region where he met his now wife Abbie, before eventually returning to the North East. His career from that point has been defined by hard graft, determination, and a relentless drive for excellence. From early roles at Seaham Hall and Rockliffe Hall, Kenny’s talent soon shone through.
After a career-changing moment when 4.5 million people watched him on the Great British Menu, he went on to open two nationally acclaimed restaurants in Newcastle - House of Tides and Solstice - both awarded Michelin stars, cementing his reputation as one of the UK’s most respected chefs.
In this episode, Kenny opens up about:
- How government taxation is hammering the hospitality industry
- The challenges of retaining staff in today’s climate
- Why mentoring and developing the next generation of chefs has become tougher than ever
- and how his ethos of supporting new and emerging talent remains central, from young chefs to local food producers
This is the Local Heroes Podcast.
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This week on Local Heroes, we meet Leodhais Macpherson, a man who turned unimaginable loss into an extraordinary journey of healing. After losing his brother Conor to suicide, Leodhais set himself the challenge of running 128 marathons in 128 days. Along the way, he battled exhaustion, moments of weakness, endless calorie packing, and midnight deadlines to keep the streak alive. But the miles were never just about running. For Leodhais and his family, this challenge became a much-needed outlet, a way to talk openly about grief, about suicide, and about the slow, difficult process of healing.
In our conversation, he shares the reality behind the journey: the physical toll, the emotional weight, and the unexpected hope that came from opening up. In this episode, Chris also discovers his kindred spirit, someone who has absolutely no issue crossing the curry and ketchup streams in a bid to create new flavours.
This is a story about coping with loss, finding strength in vulnerability, and showing that even in the hardest moments, connection can carry us forward.
This is the Local Heroes Podcast.

From Gordon Ramsey to Gordon the Gopher, the world has been blessed with some very famous Gordons.
This week, Chris and Dan sit down with North Shields sculptor Keith Barrett, the environmental artist behind our podcast mascot and worldly table, Gordon. Named (obviously) after another local legend, Gordon Sumner AKA Sting, this table is no ordinary piece of furniture.
Listen closely and you’ll hear it's story, one that links slavery with sanctuary, history with hope. Keith’s wider work shows the same depth and vision. As an environmental artist, he uses wood and the landscape to create sculptures that feel rooted in their surroundings, yet alive with meaning.
His art isn’t just about materials, it’s about connection. In this episode, Keith talks about the art of letting go, where he finds inspiration, and why Michelangelo’s 'David' still matters to sculptors today. We also dive into the importance of public art, how it shapes communities, invites conversation, and ultimately takes on a life of its own long after the artist has stepped away.

On this week’s Local Heroes Podcast, your average pod hosts, Chris Jewitt and Dan Prince, meet the one and only Michael Dickson of Dicksons Pork Butchers. This is a story rooted in family and tradition, from German heritage and the creation of the legendary Saveloy Dip, to an Italian connection with Sunderland’s Notarianni ice cream family.
It’s also a story of legacy, a teenage Michael, reluctantly inheriting the family business after his father’s passing, carefully re-measuring recipes so nothing would be lost. What began as a burden became the foundation for growth, as Michael and his sister Christine introduced improvements, expanded into new shops, and set the business on course to thrive.
Now, three generations on, Dicksons remains a North East institution, still serving hearty food while evolving for the future. And beyond the butchers’ block, we get to know Michael himself, from his love of mountains and hiking to broken ankles, from handing the baton to the next generation to, yes, what on earth his Greggs order could be. And of course, we have to ask the question, how do you eat your Saveloy?
This is the Local Heroes Podcast. #LocalHeroesPodcast #Dicksons #NorthEastLegend #FamilyBusiness #SaveloyDip #HowDoYouEatYours #MountainsAndMeat #HikingLife #NorthEastFood

In this episode of Local Heroes, we meet James King and Mark Brown, the boys behind Newcastle’s much loved Cantina. They didn’t start as friends. Working long shifts in Newcastle’s bars and restaurants, they often found themselves side by side but not quite in sync.
Over time, the hard graft forged mutual respect and that chemistry deepened when they became the rhythm section in a band. Then came the turning point: a failed music trip to Mexico. The gigs didn’t go to plan, but the food, culture, and late night tacos lit a spark neither of them could ignore. It was the serendipitous moment that would change their future. Back home, they built Cantina the only way they knew how, through hard graft, a slow burn, and the patience and time it takes to get things right. From street food pop-ups and market stalls to the high-risk leap into bricks-and-mortar dining, they navigated the challenge of introducing locals to authentic Mexican flavours.
While much of the menu was plant-based, James and Mark chose not to label it that way. The food had to stand up for itself, win over anyone who walked through the door, and avoid being boxed in as “just for a niche audience.” The big breakthrough came during their Xerox residency, proving Newcastle was ready for what they wanted to serve.
🎧 In this episode:
🤝 From not getting along to running a thriving business together
🥁 How bar work and band gigs shaped their teamwork
🇲🇽 The Mexico “failure” that became a culinary turning point
🧱 Building a restaurant with patience, time, and steady growth
🌱 Why they don't call Cantina “plant-based”
💡 How the Xerox residency showed the city was ready for Cantina
If you love underdog stories, great food, and a dash of rock ’n’ roll spirit, this one’s for you.

Phoebe Lao’s journey takes some beating. Born and raised in Los Angeles to Chinese immigrant parents, she grew up surrounded by bold flavours and deep-rooted food traditions. Her dad brought the fire of Indo-Chinese fusion, while her mum kept Southern China’s rice-based comfort food at the heart of every meal.
Before food became her calling, Phoebe worked as a produce trader in Canada and was chasing a dream of becoming a footballer. That football journey brought her to the UK, right as lockdown hit. With football on pause and life at a standstill, she turned to what she knew: food. Batch cooking chicken noodle soup for friends and flatmates sparked something bigger. That spark became Craving Asian, a Newcastle based street food venture blending heritage, hustle, and a whole lot of flavour. And yes, we get into that iconic MISO COOKIE!
Plus, in true Local Heroes fashion, Chris goes off on another nostalgic rant, this time about his old PE teacher, Mr. Williams, aka ‘Whiplash’.
Consider it gym trauma meets gratitude.
⚽ From goalkeeping to gastronomy
🍜 From lockdown soup to street food innovator
🍪 From miso cookie to cult favourite
📣 From PE nightmares to podcast gold
This is the Local Heroes Podcast.

In this episode of Local Heroes, we sit down with Eileen Ferguson, the Co-Founder of the award-winning Ad Gefrin Distillery in Wooler. For Eileen, the distillery isn’t just a business, it’s a promise kept. Ad Gefrin stands as a testament to her father’s wish: to give something lasting back to the people of Wooler.
Eileen shares how her upbringing on a farm shaped her love of food, family, and place, and how those values carried her through the challenges of building a distillery from the ground up. She talks about the lockdown 'Zoom Dinners' that brought her family together, and the iconic haggis pie that took centre stage. This conversation is full of warmth and honesty, touching on the importance of place in food memories, the strength of family ties, and the legacy she hopes Ad Gefrin will leave behind.
It’s not just about whisky, it’s about people, place, purpose and community. So grab yourself a glass, settledown and enjoy this inspiring conversation with one of the region's true local heroes.