Ouseburn Trust

12/06/2026

The Cluny Duck Race returns this July!

THE 12TH ANNUAL CLUNY DUCK RACE - DUCKS ON SALE NOW!

We have a total of 350 Ducks available at £5 each – Available ONLY from The Cluny Bar!

Grand champion of the race gets the coveted golden duck trophy!
Prize for best dressed duck as voted for by “The People” on the day!
More prizes to be announced.

100% of all duck sales goes directly to the RSPCA Sunderland Hartlepool and South Tyneside.

Duck Gathering from 11:00am.
Best dressed Duck will be judged at 12:30pm.
The Duck Race will commence at 2:00pm.

MAY THE BEST DUCK WIN!

11/06/2026

Who's excited for The Ouseburn Festival? We sure are!

09/06/2026

Next week our Summer Walks kick off with a walk all about the Quayside Railway, an amazing and innovative railway that carried all manner of goods on the challengingly steep incline between the Quayside and Manors Goods Yard between 1870 and 1969. Walk with guide Steve Corrigall along the route it once took, looking out for where the tracks still tunnel beneath the earth and hearing stories from across the hundred years of the Quayside Railway.

Book now at ouseburntrust.org.uk/ouseburn-summer-walks

05/06/2026

On Wednesday we took a trip to Redhouse for a good old pie and pint with some of our volunteers, just a small thank you for all the hard work they do, leading tours, looking after the green spaces, keeping the archive organised and supporting events.
Fancy joining the team?
Find out more about being an Ouseburn Trust volunteer at ouseburntrust.org.uk/volunteer

04/06/2026

For Volunteers’ Week 2026, we wanted to share some of the memories of Basil McLeod.

Many people will remember Basil as one of the Victoria Tunnel’s longest-serving volunteers. Having used the tunnel himself as an air raid shelter during the Second World War, he played an important role in helping transform it into a heritage attraction, generously sharing both his own experiences and the research he carried out into the history of the area.

Basil had a remarkable gift for storytelling. He could hold a class of schoolchildren spellbound as he described wartime Newcastle through the eyes of a boy their own age, bringing history to life with warmth, humour and extraordinary detail. Generations of visitors benefited from his knowledge, enthusiasm and willingness to share his memories.

We were fortunate to record an oral history interview with Basil before his death in 2022. Our most recent blog is drawn from that conversation, and offers a glimpse into a childhood spent in Shieldfield and the Ouseburn Valley, the experience of war, and a lifetime of connection to this place.

Read the full piece at ouseburntrust.org.uk/remembering-basil

02/06/2026

It's Volunteer Week!

Volunteers play a vital role in everything we do, so we wanted to shine a spotlight on some of the roles that are not always seen or talked about as often. Head to our blog to read the latest instalment in our 'Meet the Volunteers' series, where Admin & Comms officer, Amy interviews our volunteers about what drives them to volunteer, what their favourite parts of volunteering are and what advice they'd offer to those considering volunteering (& more!)

Read the full blog post at ouseburntrust.org.uk/volunteer-week-2026

01/06/2026

A group of volunteers from S&W Group joined us to help clear the pathways in the woods up to City Stadium last week. They spent the morning helping Skills for People in their allotment behind the Cumberland and clearing rubbish on the Byker Link footpath - thanks so much for the hard work guys!

30/05/2026

As the warm weather finally arrives in the Valley, we've been diving into photographs of Ouseburn summers past 🌞
These images come from the Davey Pearson Collection; tens of thousands of photos now living in the Ouseburn Trust archive, documenting life in Ouseburn and Byker (and throughout the North East) through the 80s and 90s.

In our most recent blog, Heritage Programme Manager Emily Toth reflects on the images shared here, and more, and the role archives play in preserving the memories, communities and changing landscapes of the Valley. Read the full piece at ouseburntrust.org.uk/ouseburn-summers-past.

29/05/2026

Our next Ouseburn Brewery Tour is next week- Friday 5 June at 4:30pm 🍻 Join us as we head on an expedition between Ouseburn's breweries and pubs, learning about the history of beer in the area, and the science behind how it's made from local brewers and beer experts. You'll also get a taster at each stop- what a great way to spend a Friday!

Book now at bit.ly/OTbrewery - Brewery Tours take place on the first Friday of every month.

28/05/2026

Ouseburn Summer Walks are back for 2026 🌞 Every Tuesday evening this summer, our brilliant volunteers, staff and partner organisations are taking you on guided walks through the Valley, with themes including pubs and beer houses, radical history, railways, burial grounds, murder mysteries, river wildlife & more!

Find the full lineup and book your spot at ouseburntrust.org.uk/events