This week I hosted a screening of ‘The Great North: A Run, A River, A Region’ in Parliament which celebrates the legacy of the Great North Run.
I was joined by Sir Brendan Foster CBE, who started the run and spoke to open the screening before our guests watched what is a sensational love-letter to our area. The film tells the story of our loss from the heavy industrialised days of ship building and coal mining and tracks the impact this had on our sense of identity and community.
The Great North Run is an institution, and everyone in South Shields has done it at least once or knows someone who has. Because it isn’t just a run, it’s a celebration of our region, our history, our culture, our future, and our people.
I was delighted to host this event for the run alongside FilmNova (who produced the film), Sir Brendan, and my colleague Paul Howell MP; with many thanks to the Speaker’s House for facilitating us.