They are the scene for fundraising events, sports competitions, and a chance to meet up with friends.
And because they are so popular, we searched the Sunderland Echo archives to find these 15 reminders of times gone by.
We have photos from 1976 onward and they show everything from music nights to Christmas meals.
Take a look and see if they ring any bells.
And if they do, why not get in touch and tell us more.
We have photos from 1976 onward and they show everything from music nights to Christmas meals.
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