Magical Mackems

Curry Week celebrations. Did we mention they have an AA Guide of Excellence award too? Yeah, you’re in for a treat with these maestros!

MOTIRAJSUNDERLAND.COM

Akkis

Another independent business starting up in the city centre! We’re so excited to learn that the mastermind behind the award-winning Ashoka Indian Restaurant in Seaham has opened up another delicious curry emporium. Standing tall on Roker Baths Road, Akki’s Indian Takeaway has landed and their friendly team are serving up a delightful blend of Indian-fusion cuisine, from their kitchen straight to your dining table. A great option if you’re wanting to dine-in and huddle around the TV this autumn.

FACEBOOK.COM/ AKKISINDIANTAKEAWAY

Spice Empire

Have a mooch over to Church Lane and get inspired by Spice Empire’s beautiful blend of Asian cuisine. We visited the team during all the Eat Out To Help Out fun, and their creative, contemporary twist on Indian classics went down a treat. Influenced by years of restaurant cooking, the Spice Empire represent a quality take on your regular curry house favourites. Look no further than chef’s insane salmon manchery; tender slice of fresh salmon pan-fried and served with chilli sauce and ginger.

FACEBOOK.COM/ SPICEEMPIRESUNDERLAND Yuvraaj Restaurant

Anyone who has ever walked down Douro Terrace will vouch for this... the smells emanating from Yuvraaj Restaurant could be the closest thing to heaven! Chef Aklak Hussain has been creating delicious, authentic Indian cuisine for over 25 years now. The food is so good in fact, it’s been named Curry House of the Year for a staggering three years running! Yuvraaj has a great, chilled atmosphere - making it a therapeutic spot to wind down, catch up and tuck into your favourite dish with loved ones. Think western-fusion cuisine and plenty of smiling faces, at purse pleasing prices! What's not to love?

YUVRAAJRESTAURANT.CO.UK

£20 PER PITCH 50 MIN SLOT

Alishaan By The Sea 5-A-SIDE

Just a quick mention of this restaurant and it’s met with PITCH HIRE positive oohing and aahing. CALL: 0191 563 4818 Nearly everybody’s favourite Bangladeshi restaurant is Alishaan and it’s not hard to @BEACONOFLIGHT see why. Perhaps it’s their mouth-watering Facebook pics that whet the appetite - or that their chefs have over 60 years cooking experience between them? Either way, the food is Pitches_92mmx120mm_SEP20.indd 1 Go clean with insane, the drink options are heavenly and trust us, it’s a total treat for the tastebuds!

FACEBOOK.COM/ ALISHAANBYTHESEA

Goa Sunderland

Time for another culinary curry trip around Wearside! This time, we’re zooming on over to the seaside on Queen’s Avenue and diving into the wonderful world of Goa. Just a stone’s throw away from Sunderland’s latest leisure hotspot, STACK Seaburn, Goa have been creating gastronomic delights for some time now and they pride themselves on sourcing the finest local ingredients and giving back to the local community. Be sure to taste the delights fresh from their Tandoori clay oven - the shashleek is superb!

Taking the boring out of clean eating since 2019, Flamingo Bar and Café in Seaham is now offering clean meal prep plans and juice cleanse programmes for you at home to help kickstart that diet detox.

Low calorie meal plans

Designed by chefs and a nutritional coach

Multiple plans available

Juice cleanse programmes

Clean meal plans

Endorsed by personal trainers

Get in touch: flamingobarandcafe@gmail.com @flamingoprepandcleanse

17/09/2020 17:11

If this unusual time has taught us anything, it’s that we have a city of inspiring local heroes! This page is dedicated to bigging up the people and places that make us incredibly proud to be Mackems!

Paula Magdwick

We really are blessed to have so many outstanding key workers in our region. We’re once again clapping our hands and shouting from the rooftops as another star from the South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust has just been recognised for her outstanding contribution during the pandemic. Paula Madgwick has been singled out by the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network North East and North Cumbria’s (NIHR CRN NENC), claiming the Outstanding Research Contribution award for her efforts during the pandemic. Paula was brand new to her role reviewing research trials for the Trust when COVID-19 struck, and she found herself faced with having to quickly get to grips with helping to set up vital trials and help patients from across the North East. A highly prestigious award in the medical sector, Paula was commended for her exceptional efforts and skills that benefitted all of us and the local research community. Amazing work!

Putt it in the diary

Time to hit the fairway with the Red Sky Foundation this October. The members of the foundation are inviting golfers to join them on their Inaugural Charity Golf Day, returning to the region on Friday 16 October. Teeing off from Ramside Hall, the Red Sky Foundation are set to host a thrilling day on the course, alongside drinks and dinner, as well as a stellar auction and unmissable live music from special guests.

REDSKYFOUNDATION.COM

A captain’s performance

With the football season already underway, we’re excited to announce that there’s been a major transfer signing of a different kind for the Red Sky Foundation. The foundation has recently announced that England and Manchester City playercoach, Jill Scott MBE, has taken on an ambassador role for this local charity. Filled with inspiring people, The Red Sky Foundation has not only raised thousands to support the incredible work going on over at the Children’s Heart Unit at the Freeman Hospital, but they’ve also helped to fund state-of-the-art machinery for Sunderland Royal Hospital and James Cook Hospital in Teesside in recent years. As a North East native from Sunderland, Jill is doing her bit by supporting campaigns and helping raise awareness for this outstanding charity. Having recently been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s honours list for her contribution to English football, this is a fantastic signing for the Red Sky team.

REDSKYFOUNDATION.COM Saluting Derek

Gamblin

We’re shouting about a motivational Mackem this autumn. Derek Gamblin, an ex-SAS soldier from Sunderland, is hitting the saddle and riding his two wheel machine across two volcanoes for mental health charities in our region. In a bid to raise £2,000 for local charities, Derek Gamblin is undertaking the gruelling Two Volcano Sprint (2VS), a single-stage, unsupported bicycle challenge starting and finishing at iconic Southern Italian volcanoes - Mt. Vesuvio and Mt. Etna. What’s even more incredible, is that Derek is funding all travel and race expenses himself - all while completing the race unaided! Hopefully we can help Derek raise £2,000, which will provide people who are most in need with three months of one-on-one counselling sessions to support them with anxiety and depression. Great work Derek, you truly are a magical Mackem!

Brick for Brad’s Pad: Bradley Lowery Foundation

The Bradley Lowery Foundation continues to touch hearts up and down the country, and we’re so pleased to share that they are inviting businesses both big and small for a chance to write their name into the foundation’s history and create lasting memories for families. The BLF are inviting independents, charities - you name it - to purchase an engraved brick as the house begins work again. A touching sentiment of support and solidarity for families to ejoy once they are able to finish the holiday home. Super Brad’s Pad is coming along nicely following delays caused by the pandemic, and their stunning, five bedroom retreat located in the tranquil surroundings of Scarborough is really beginning to gain momentum. We can’t wait to see Brad’s Pad finished and other families enjoy lasting memories, all thanks to a special little Mackem lad!