What happens when a fisherman swaps the North Sea for a mission to preserve his hometowns heritage? In this lovely conversation, Terry McDermott, chair of the North Shields Fishermen’s Heritage Project, takes Chris and Dan from diesel-scented decks and 40-foot waves to statues, school trips and a living legacy on the North Shields Fish Quay.

He recalls the 800 Years of North Shields celebration - 300 schoolchildren singing on the quay, 30 boats parading the Tyne, tugboats spraying arcs of water under the Lord-Lieutenant’s command - gathering people, honouring workers, and keeping stories alive. Founded in 2015 by Terry and the late Henry Howard, the project began with a child’s question: “Where’s the statue for fishermen, Grandad?” From cold calls to potential funders to learning how to do things “by the book,” Terry shares a fundraising journey built on passion and persistence.

Fishing runs in his family - his Granda worked the boats, and so did he. He’s lost friends to the sea and speaks candidly about the danger, laughter and loyalty that defined life on deck. Dyslexia shaped his path too; school failed him, but the sea - and later, community work - gave him the purpose that drives him today. We explore the creation of the “Fisherman” and “Herring Girl” statues and the untold history of the women who followed the herring down the coast, gutting fish for pennies and singing through exhaustion.

For Terry, it’s not nostalgia - it’s education. He wants children to grasp the industry’s reality: trawl models in classrooms, trips to working quays and fisheries, and memories that last a lifetime. North Shields Fish Quay is changing - from fishing to food vendors, trawlers to taverns- but Terry welcomes progress as long as its roots stay visible.

The project now preserves memory through a hand-turned Book of Remembrance and the Key Master’s Diaries, soon to be digitised for schools.

And yes, there’s time for the usual Local Heroes banter: haddock over cod, curry with chips, vinegar on mushy peas, and a toast to the Low Lights Tavern, where the North Shields community still thrives.

This episode is a warm, salt-soaked love letter to people, place, hard work and purpose - and a masterclass in turning community passion into lasting impact.

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This week on the Local Heroes Podcast, Chris and Dan welcome David Hall, a proud North Easterner and former MasterChef contestant, for a raw, funny, and deeply human conversation about food, the fading spotlight, and finding yourself again. From the smell of Bovril on cold match days at St James’ Park, the conversation is a heartfelt tour through growing up in the North East - its rivalries, humour, and unbeatable sense of community.

David reflects on his time in the MasterChef kitchen, where his love for regional dishes like panackelty and leek pudding won the heart of the judges at the same time as meeting the harsh realities of TV production. He lifts the lid on the emotional toll of the experience, how it shaped his mental health, and what he’s learned since about resilience and recovery. Chris also admits that David was the person who first ignited his own career in food and his commitment to celebrating the local, whilst David goes on to deliver a masterclass in North East food heritage, tracing the origins of Be-Ro - the classic home-baking brand born in Newcastle — and revealing the story behind the original pink slice, a true staple of regional baking.

There’s plenty of banter too - from David’s admiration for the late, great Keith Floyd, whose chaotic charm shaped his approach to cooking, to Dan’s less-than-glowing views on Jamie Oliver and the modern TV food machine. Together, they explore how authenticity has been lost in contemporary media - and how men, especially in the North, are learning to talk more openly about struggle, pride, and purpose.

With stories of cold-water dips, and rediscovering joy through cooking, this is a moving, funny, and unfiltered conversation about what it truly means to be a Local Hero.

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This week on the Local Heroes Podcast, Chris and Dan sit down with Laura Pidcock - political powerhouse, awesome activist, and all-round good human. Born and raised in Northumberland, Laura’s North East roots run through everything she does, grounding her politics in honesty, fairness, and fierce compassion.

As the former Labour MP for the historic heartland of North West Durham, she brought her community’s voice to Parliament with unapologetic conviction, never shying away from calling out injustice or standing up for those too often ignored. In this episode, she reflects on her whirlwind years in Westminster during the chaos of Brexit, the cost of sticking to her principles, and what it really takes to hold your ground in a system that would rather you stayed quiet. Laura talks openly about the disconnect between Parliament and the people it’s meant to serve - how power protects itself, how working-class voices are too often silenced, and why real politics happens far from the cameras. Yet her optimism, humour, and humanity shine through.

With warmth and clarity, she shares how her North East upbringing taught her the strength of solidarity and the value of speaking plainly. For Laura, politics isn’t about ambition; it’s about community, dignity, and the belief that change begins when ordinary people act together. Since leaving Parliament, she’s channelled that same fire into RISE, the grassroots movement she helped build to reconnect politics with real life. Laura talks about moving beyond Westminster and rediscovering power in local action - through tenants’ unions, mutual aid, and collective organising. It’s a passionate, hopeful vision rooted in the belief that no one is coming to save us - but together, we can help each other.

This conversation is a reminder that true politics, at its best, is about community, courage, compassion and absolutely refusing to give up on people. And, of course, it wouldn’t be Local Heroes without a few food-related rabbit holes and a dash of Local Heroes anarchy.

Chris, Dan, and Laura wander from politics to pescetarianism, swapping stories about North East life, family wisdom, and why Laura believes Greggs are great business.

Funny, fiery, and full of heart - this conversation captures everything Local Heroes stands for: real people, real places, and the kind of honest chaos that makes life, and politics, worth talking about.

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This week, Chris and Dan are joined by Chris Nicholas, founder of The Ice Guys - a men’s mental health community built on banter, bad jokes, and cold water therapy - almost in that order. What started as a few lads taking a dip for a laugh has turned into something genuinely life-changing.

Chris opens up about the ups and downs of sobriety, and laughs about how, in the past, he’d find himself halfway through a Twitter row wondering why he’d even started - these days, he just walks away (usually to the sea).

He also shares his ethical vegan struggle of living with meat-eating cats - a moral dilemma that could test even the Dalai Lama.

It’s a brilliantly funny, down-to-earth chat about finding balance, ditching ego, and remembering that community doesn’t have to be complicated. "We just wanted to make a space where good people can do good things.” So pour yourself a hot brew, wrap up warm, and enjoy this openhearted dive into what happens when humour, honesty, and a bit of freezing water brings people together.

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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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