Sam Fender surprised his old school, John Spence Community High School in North Shields, by having its pupils sing on his cover of a Rolling Stones classic for the John Lewis Christmas advert. The track also features the Easington Colliery Band, and proceeds from the single will go to the Teenage Cancer Trust and Action for Children.
Simon and Gemma Robins rescued a wartime D-Day launch from the scrap heap in 2021 and are restoring it on the River Dee in Heswall, Wirral. They hope to sail it back to Normandy for the 85th anniversary of the landings, and Gemma has published the diary of a young crew member who served aboard it.
Royal Mail has unveiled its Christmas stamps for this year, a set of five designs showing scenes from the Nativity. The stamps were created by a graphic designer and an illustrator, marking 60 years since the first Christmas special stamp.
A new exhibition at the V&A Dundee will display hundreds of David Bowie items from his personal archive, many never seen in public. The show also explores his many Scottish concerts and the lasting bond with fans there.
