• Contact
  • About
  • Authors
DONATE
NEWSLETTER SIGN UP
  • Login
North East Bylines
  • Home
  • News
    • All
    • Brexit
    • Education
    • Environment
    • European News
    • Health
    • Politics
    • Science
    • UK News
    • World News
    Set her free placards

    “There is still time to stop this flight”: protest against forced deportations of women at 10.30pm tonight

    Steve Bray and police officer

    “They might as well have called it the Steve Bray law”: huge support for Mr Stop Brexit

    Police speak to Steve Bray

    Noisy protest warning and now a court summons for Mr Stop Brexit

    maths mind

    The mathematics of human behaviour: how my new model can spot liars and counter disinformation

    woman on boat

    Where have all the EU citizens gone, long time passing…?

    to seek asylum is not a crime

    Momentous week ahead for women trapped in detention in County Durham

    RMT official picket

    Rail strikes: is class solidarity back?

    Curfew bracelets

    Curfew bracelets

    Sign saying welcome refugees

    World refugee day 2022

    Trending Tags

    • Ukraine
  • Culture
    • All
    • Animation
    • Books
    • Illustrations & More
    • Music
    • Performance
    • Poetry
    • Social Media
    • Theatre
    • TV & Radio
    Arial performer

    South Tyneside’s parade set to be the most colourful yet

    Rich and poor

    They want this

    doctorbird

    Doctorbird (Jamaica 1998)

    Curfew bracelets

    Curfew bracelets

  • Lifestyle
    • All
    • Fashion
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Fitness
    gymnast

    Culture of fear in British gymnastics uncovered by the Whyte Review

    Kennedy and Rhind

    Kennedy and Rhind: more time to enjoy a North East favourite

    Hoppings

    The Hoppings is back in Newcastle!

    Chi Onwurah MP

    Chi backs watchdog for fast fashion industry

    High Force waterfall

    Feeling the full force of Teesdale at the High Force Hotel

    A group of swimmers stand in the sea at sunrise.

    Interview with cold water swimmer Sarah Rowland

    Meat feast pizza

    Bella Italia launches new menu

    Ukrainian necklace

    Ukrainian Cultural Heritage: jewellery, accessories and some morale boosting art

    Leek and mushroom bake

    Leek and mushroom bake

    Trending Tags

    • Business
      • All
      • Economy
      • Rural
      • Technology
      • Trade
      • Voluntary Sector
      Friends Action North East

      Friends Action North East: supporting people’s lives

      Söke

      Reflections on Söke and lessons to learn

      Visitors in the former Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland

      Seventeen Nineteen: Hidden Stories in Sunderland church

      Refugee week

      Sing up for refugee week in Newcastle!

      Lachlan and Ryan

      Top sports stars step in to help male suicide charity

      Older person enjoying TikTok

      Go glammas! How older people are turning to TikTok to dispel myths about ageing

      A group of volunteers in high vis jackets, with their backs to the camera, operate a table giving out food distributions.

      Charity helps feed communities amidst the cost of living crisis

      young people talking

      Counselling support for young refugees in the North East

      Russia and China flags with two people shaking hands

      Russia’s quasi-colonial dependence on China

      Trending Tags

      • Region
        • All
        • Co. Durham
        • North East
        • Northumberland
        • Teesside
        • Tyneside
        • Wearside
        Arial performer

        South Tyneside’s parade set to be the most colourful yet

        RMT official picket

        Rail strikes: is class solidarity back?

        Visitors in the former Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland

        Seventeen Nineteen: Hidden Stories in Sunderland church

        Nigel Todd

        Nigel Todd remembered: a socialist legacy

        Three boys stand in front of a man. All three of them are stood in front of a fire engine.

        Firefighting Uncle helping to raise £260,000 for nephew with rare cancer

        Kennedy and Rhind

        Kennedy and Rhind: more time to enjoy a North East favourite

        Campaigning for Samuel in Loftus Market Place, 1906 - "More Boots - less Beer."

        Opposition to the first immigration bill

        dead fish

        Defra on the defensive over toxic dumping in Tees Bay

        Secret Garden

        The Secret Garden at Hexham Abbey Gardens

        Trending Tags

        • Opinion
          Titanic coming out of Southampton

          The 110th anniversary of the Titanic’s departure

          There is an England

          There is an England

          Prime Minister Boris Johnson signs the Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union"

          The parody of disinformation: Boris Johnson on Ukraine and Brexit

          Boris Johnson’s comments on Ukraine and Brexit are an insult

          TV Agency staff jumping in the air

          The TV Agency celebrates 10th anniversary with global success

          North East of County Dublin

          North East of England and North East of County Dublin: Compare and contrast

          North Sea oil rig

          Copping out of COP: Ukraine, fossil fuels and nuclear fusion

          Placard with Boris Johnson as a clown

          Dictators, media and mobility: erosion of identity, sustenance and safety

          close up on a child's eye

          Racism and misogyny where there should have been safeguarding and security

        No Result
        View All Result
        • Home
        • News
          • All
          • Brexit
          • Education
          • Environment
          • European News
          • Health
          • Politics
          • Science
          • UK News
          • World News
          Set her free placards

          “There is still time to stop this flight”: protest against forced deportations of women at 10.30pm tonight

          Steve Bray and police officer

          “They might as well have called it the Steve Bray law”: huge support for Mr Stop Brexit

          Police speak to Steve Bray

          Noisy protest warning and now a court summons for Mr Stop Brexit

          maths mind

          The mathematics of human behaviour: how my new model can spot liars and counter disinformation

          woman on boat

          Where have all the EU citizens gone, long time passing…?

          to seek asylum is not a crime

          Momentous week ahead for women trapped in detention in County Durham

          RMT official picket

          Rail strikes: is class solidarity back?

          Curfew bracelets

          Curfew bracelets

          Sign saying welcome refugees

          World refugee day 2022

          Trending Tags

          • Ukraine
        • Culture
          • All
          • Animation
          • Books
          • Illustrations & More
          • Music
          • Performance
          • Poetry
          • Social Media
          • Theatre
          • TV & Radio
          Arial performer

          South Tyneside’s parade set to be the most colourful yet

          Rich and poor

          They want this

          doctorbird

          Doctorbird (Jamaica 1998)

          Curfew bracelets

          Curfew bracelets

        • Lifestyle
          • All
          • Fashion
          • Food & Drink
          • Health & Fitness
          gymnast

          Culture of fear in British gymnastics uncovered by the Whyte Review

          Kennedy and Rhind

          Kennedy and Rhind: more time to enjoy a North East favourite

          Hoppings

          The Hoppings is back in Newcastle!

          Chi Onwurah MP

          Chi backs watchdog for fast fashion industry

          High Force waterfall

          Feeling the full force of Teesdale at the High Force Hotel

          A group of swimmers stand in the sea at sunrise.

          Interview with cold water swimmer Sarah Rowland

          Meat feast pizza

          Bella Italia launches new menu

          Ukrainian necklace

          Ukrainian Cultural Heritage: jewellery, accessories and some morale boosting art

          Leek and mushroom bake

          Leek and mushroom bake

          Trending Tags

          • Business
            • All
            • Economy
            • Rural
            • Technology
            • Trade
            • Voluntary Sector
            Friends Action North East

            Friends Action North East: supporting people’s lives

            Söke

            Reflections on Söke and lessons to learn

            Visitors in the former Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland

            Seventeen Nineteen: Hidden Stories in Sunderland church

            Refugee week

            Sing up for refugee week in Newcastle!

            Lachlan and Ryan

            Top sports stars step in to help male suicide charity

            Older person enjoying TikTok

            Go glammas! How older people are turning to TikTok to dispel myths about ageing

            A group of volunteers in high vis jackets, with their backs to the camera, operate a table giving out food distributions.

            Charity helps feed communities amidst the cost of living crisis

            young people talking

            Counselling support for young refugees in the North East

            Russia and China flags with two people shaking hands

            Russia’s quasi-colonial dependence on China

            Trending Tags

            • Region
              • All
              • Co. Durham
              • North East
              • Northumberland
              • Teesside
              • Tyneside
              • Wearside
              Arial performer

              South Tyneside’s parade set to be the most colourful yet

              RMT official picket

              Rail strikes: is class solidarity back?

              Visitors in the former Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland

              Seventeen Nineteen: Hidden Stories in Sunderland church

              Nigel Todd

              Nigel Todd remembered: a socialist legacy

              Three boys stand in front of a man. All three of them are stood in front of a fire engine.

              Firefighting Uncle helping to raise £260,000 for nephew with rare cancer

              Kennedy and Rhind

              Kennedy and Rhind: more time to enjoy a North East favourite

              Campaigning for Samuel in Loftus Market Place, 1906 - "More Boots - less Beer."

              Opposition to the first immigration bill

              dead fish

              Defra on the defensive over toxic dumping in Tees Bay

              Secret Garden

              The Secret Garden at Hexham Abbey Gardens

              Trending Tags

              • Opinion
                Titanic coming out of Southampton

                The 110th anniversary of the Titanic’s departure

                There is an England

                There is an England

                Prime Minister Boris Johnson signs the Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union"

                The parody of disinformation: Boris Johnson on Ukraine and Brexit

                Boris Johnson’s comments on Ukraine and Brexit are an insult

                TV Agency staff jumping in the air

                The TV Agency celebrates 10th anniversary with global success

                North East of County Dublin

                North East of England and North East of County Dublin: Compare and contrast

                North Sea oil rig

                Copping out of COP: Ukraine, fossil fuels and nuclear fusion

                Placard with Boris Johnson as a clown

                Dictators, media and mobility: erosion of identity, sustenance and safety

                close up on a child's eye

                Racism and misogyny where there should have been safeguarding and security

              No Result
              View All Result
              North East Bylines
              No Result
              View All Result
              Home Culture Books

              On the up!

              A review of the online magazine, Up!, by four women. It's worth Taking a break to adjust our view of the world.

              Judi Sutherland with Lyndsey Dickinson, Christina Mueller-Stewart and Nicola TiptonbyJudi Sutherland with Lyndsey Dickinson, Christina Mueller-Stewart and Nicola Tipton
              24-05-2022 10:31
              in Books, Culture, Poetry, World
              The front cover of Up! online magazine

              The front cover of Up! online magazine screenshot

              Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
              ADVERTISEMENT

              Cullercoats couple Harry and Bridget Gallagher started their online magazine Up! during the worst of the pandemic. They felt that in the midst of the very real doom and gloom, there should be a place where good things can be celebrated. The May 2022 edition focuses on health and wellness, a very necessary concern as many people have struggled with both their physical and mental health during the last few years.

              Harry is a well-known poet, and there is always a good selection of poetry in the pages of Up! This month, in a poem called ‘If these are the end times’  Yorkshire poet Mark Connors reflects on a recent holiday at Ardnamurchan in the north of Scotland, describing ‘these ancient soaked hills, / the sideways rain and loud cloud / obscuring Eigg, Rum and Muck / for now,’ which may be a realistic view of the local weather, although not an especially uplifting one; but then he speaks about ‘the overwhelming promise of tomorrow / when the forecast is good.’

              Gerda Pickin’s poem Momentum, uses a cycling metaphor. After a long and exhausting climb, she encourages us:

              Easy does it,
              free-wheel from here.
              Who knows where momentum
              might carry you.
              

              which of course is a metaphor for post-pandemic life.

              Also in the magazine, Rob Wylie describes the boost to mental health to be gained from singing together, which has led to the regular community singing night ‘Mariners and Marras’ in North Shields; Joanne Hare talks about the benefits of yoga, and Harry interviews Marissa Magee about the wonderful work done by the Maggie’s cancer centre at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle.

              Judi Sutherland

              Lyndsey Dickinson reflects on three poems

              Where the wild flowers bloom

              I loved the gentle rhythm of this poem. It has the ability to rake us out of our own frantic lives for a few seconds and transports us to a more peaceful, calmer place.

              The Pause Inbetween

              A beautiful description of an apricot sunset! The poem was a timely reminder to slow down and appreciate the here and now by focussing on life’s simple pleasures.

              Menopause is Liver and Onions

              I loved the comparison of the Menopause being like a greedy wolf that sneaks up on us. I think this poem will resonate with many women, and I love the author’s notion that this stage in a woman’s life is an agent of change and inspiration, not just the scary and inevitable part of life that all women will go through.

              Thoughts from Christina Mueller-Stewart

              The May issue of Up! has touched me in lots of different ways. Many of us have been confronted with ill health in the last two years. Even those who had been previously lucky enough to escape illness and disability, were confronted with the fragility and mortality of human life, that of our loved ones and friends, and also our own. The pandemic has taken a huge toll on our physical and mental wellbeing and is an event that has seared itself into our collective consciousness. But where there is sickness, change and uncertainty, there is also strength, resilience and hope. Reading through the pages of Up! has shown me that others also feel weak and afraid at times and that this ok, life is still good, even when it is not perfect. UP! spreads positivity without diminishing our journeys of suffering and change, which make us who we are and give us the ability to reach out to others. Contributions of articles and poetry of those who have been there, worn the t-shirt and have endured, give this issue a genuine feel without any sugar-coating. 

              And from Nicola Tipton

              What a truly uplifting publication Up! is. I have just had my first taste of it, thanks to a friend. So much to feel good about and so much practical advice. I love the little touches too, like the quotes at the end of the articles. Food for thought.

              As someone who dabbles with writing poetry, I was particularly drawn to the poems. Writing has always been therapeutic for me. It has been particularly important for me at times of stress, and when I have had mental health issues. I wrote loads after suffering bereavement and during lockdown. Now, I am in a ‘happier place’ I still continue to write. I recommend it.

              I was particularly drawn to Mike Connors’ ‘If these are the end times’, especially the last four lines:

              I'll sip my single malt and wait
               for my lover to rise pink from her bath
               and join me in the conservatory 
              to see what the night sky has in store for us.
              

              Also, the last lines In Helen Marshall’s ‘The Pause Inbetween’ resonated:

              But right here, right now 
              With the soft sand under my feet
               And the song of the sea birds in my ears
               As I breathe 
              As I swim 
              As I stroll
              I am alive 
              I am content 
              I am free 
              

              My favourite poem, however was Samantha Turner’s ‘So What’. A joyous song.  Live, love and laugh whatever your age. Make love and live in the moment.

              So what ? 
              We are no longer young. 
              We are ageing and a little grey, 
              Our bones crack and our bodies ache. 
              So what?
              Let' s paddle in the sea anyway 
              Let' s have a go on the swings.
               Let' s get tipsy on gin and dance in the garden like we used to!
              Let' s kiss like teenagers and feel skin against skin.
              We are still here, we are alive! 
              And I for one think that is wonderful! 
              

              All three poets urge us to live in the moment and take pleasure in what we have. Life is short. Life is precious. Carpe Diem!

              And a final word on Up! from Judi Sutherland

              With a backdrop of huge and global events that can leave us powerless and despairing, it’s good to focus on some of the smaller and more local things that we can do to improve our sense of well-being. It’s worth taking a break with this online magazine to adjust our view of the world.


              You can find the May issue and past issues of Up! on their facebook page.

              ADVERTISEMENT
              Previous Post

              Spanish flu: the mother of all pandemics

              Next Post

              Three Tall Women at the People’s Theatre

              Judi Sutherland with Lyndsey Dickinson, Christina Mueller-Stewart and Nicola Tipton

              Judi Sutherland with Lyndsey Dickinson, Christina Mueller-Stewart and Nicola Tipton

              Related Posts

              Arial performer
              Culture

              South Tyneside’s parade set to be the most colourful yet

              byNorth East Bylines
              June 29, 2022
              Rich and poor
              Poetry

              They want this

              byJoanne Oliver
              June 27, 2022
              doctorbird
              Poetry

              Doctorbird (Jamaica 1998)

              bySuzanne Fairless-Aitken
              June 25, 2022
              Curfew bracelets
              Illustrations & More

              Curfew bracelets

              bySuzy Varty
              June 24, 2022
              Söke
              Culture

              Reflections on Söke and lessons to learn

              byBill Corcoran
              June 23, 2022
              Next Post
              Three Tall Women

              Three Tall Women at the People's Theatre

              Want to support us?

              Can you help North East Bylines to grow and become more sustainable with a regular donation, no matter how small?  

              DONATE

              Sign up to our newsletter

              If you would like to receive the North East Bylines regular newsletter, straight talking direct to your inbox, click the button below.

              NEWSLETTER

              LATEST

              Arial performer

              South Tyneside’s parade set to be the most colourful yet

              June 29, 2022
              Set her free placards

              “There is still time to stop this flight”: protest against forced deportations of women at 10.30pm tonight

              June 29, 2022
              Steve Bray and police officer

              “They might as well have called it the Steve Bray law”: huge support for Mr Stop Brexit

              June 28, 2022
              Police speak to Steve Bray

              Noisy protest warning and now a court summons for Mr Stop Brexit

              June 28, 2022
              maths mind

              The mathematics of human behaviour: how my new model can spot liars and counter disinformation

              June 27, 2022
              Rich and poor

              They want this

              June 27, 2022

              MOST READ

              Arial performer

              South Tyneside’s parade set to be the most colourful yet

              June 29, 2022
              Set her free placards

              “There is still time to stop this flight”: protest against forced deportations of women at 10.30pm tonight

              June 29, 2022
              Steve Bray and police officer

              “They might as well have called it the Steve Bray law”: huge support for Mr Stop Brexit

              June 28, 2022
              Police speak to Steve Bray

              Noisy protest warning and now a court summons for Mr Stop Brexit

              June 28, 2022

              BROWSE BY TAGS

              Audio Beach Brexit Business castle leazes climate activism Co. Durham cost of living crisis Culture defra democracy ducklings Economy Education Environment fire and rescue firefighter Food & Drink food poverty Health Health & Care Home Affairs just stop oil Lifestyle Local Lockdown Northumberland Peace Performance Politics rescue Science Social Media Teesside TV & Radio Tynemouth Tyneside Ukraine volunteer Wearside

              North East Bylines is a regional online newspaper that supports citizen journalism. Our aim is to publish well-written, fact-based articles and opinion pieces on subjects that are of interest to people in the North East and beyond.

              Learn more about us

              No Result
              View All Result
              • Contact
              • About
              • Letters
              • Donate
              • Privacy
              • Bylines network
              • Shop

              © 2022 North East Bylines. Citizen Journalism | Local & Internationalist

              No Result
              View All Result
              • Home
              • News
                • Brexit
                • Education
                • Environment
                • UK News
                • Transport
                • World News
              • Politics
              • Opinion
              • Lifestyle
                • Culture
                • Music
                • Poetry
              • Business
                • Economy
                • Technology
                • Trade
              • Donate
              • Newsletter sign up
              • Boriiis Cartoons
              • Authors

              © 2022 North East Bylines. Citizen Journalism | Local & Internationalist

              Welcome Back!

              Login to your account below

              Forgotten Password?

              Retrieve your password

              Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

              Log In