The North in Numbers

A tsunami of fly tipping has been sweeping the North, with a spike in cases during the pandemic accelerating a trend that has been creeping up for years. The latest figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs reveal nearly 310,000 incidents of fly-tipping were recorded by councils across the North in 2020/21 - the equivalent of 35 every hour.Annie Gouk investigates this scourge of illegally dumped waste in the latest episode of The North in Numbers, speaking to campaigners, councillors, and volunteers.This podcast is a Laudable production for Reach, and it is presented by Annie Gouk and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. Get in touch via [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this sports special, David Dubas-Fisher is behind the mic, as he looks at the increase in popularity of non-league football in the North, specifically tiers nine and 10 of the English football pyramid.Football clubs in those tiers have a combined attendance of almost 550,000 this season with crowds increasing in recent years - particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic.David speaks to the fans involved in non-league football, including the Northern Football League's Mike Snowdon, Hallam FC's Ian Jones, and West Didsbury and Chorlton's Gray Ellwood, to find out how the pandemic has impacted the game.He also discusses how non-league clubs are supporting their communities, how the 3pm broadcast blackout affects these teams, and why football fans are turning away from professional clubs.This episode of The North in Numbers is presented by David Dubas-Fisher and produced by Daniel J. McLaughlin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s episode is all about the surge in mental health issues seen across the UK in the wake of the pandemic - and the massive strain this is putting on services, with unprecedented demand and huge backlogs.We spoke to some of those who have been affected in the north - including a teenager who saw her eating disorder “blow up” during lockdown, and a young man with bipolar disorder who ended up in hospital after struggling to access treatment for his worsening symptoms - as well as experts from mental health charities, working on the front line.Written and presented by Annie Gouk and produced by Mark Magill.Mental health crisis helplines: www.mind.org.uk/information-support/guides-to-support-and-services/crisis-services/helplines-listening-servicesFind your local Mind: www.mind.org.uk/information-support/local-mindsBeat eating disorders helpline: 0808 801 0677 / [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The North in Numbers podcast tells the human stories behind various statistics for the north of England. In this episode - the first of series three - host Annie Gouk gets to the bottom of levelling up, speaking to policy experts and people working in some of the key areas the strategy targets. 'Levelling Up' was a strategy set out by the Conservative party in their 2019 manifesto and has huge implications for the north.However, recent polling by YouGov reveals that 74% of people don’t actually understand what “levelling up” is - including one in four people who have never even heard of it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the final episode of the series, host Annie Gouk takes a look at the importance of local journalism and why local news has been so vital during the pandemic in particular.Annie is joined by actor and activist Michael Sheen, Jen Williams, the Politics and Investigations Editor for the Manchester Evening News and Dion Jones, Brand Editor of the North Wales Daily Post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices