Katie Bulmer-Cooke: Sunderland is moving in the right direction

The Wearmouth Bridge is a blaze of light during last year's Tall Ships' Races.

I compared a photograph of me and my husband when we had our first baby to when we had our second child last month and, boy, have we changed a lot, nothing like the celebs and TV personalities, who shared their images online.

It just goes to show that a good make up artist, stylist and a cheeky nip and tuck here and there can make all the difference!

I wonder how we will all look back on our present selfs in another 10 years time?

Will we cringe at the clothes we wear and the hairstyles we sport now?

There seems to be a trend of females changing how they look these days, from lip fillers to over-pencilled eyebrows, and I wonder what we will all think of this trend in 10 years time?

All of the posts got me thinking about how Sunderland has changed in the last 10 years too.

The city centre has changed a lot for certain.

Some areas have vastly improved, such as Sunniside and the area around The Fire Station, which are much easier on the eye and have more venues and activities on offer than ever before.

On the flip side, not every part of the town has improved, as some shops have closed and other areas begin to look dated and tired.

Last week I visited the Civic Centre and it was like stepping back in time.

What was once a modern building now looks old and feels like a ghost town as you walk through it.

It’s not all gloomy though, as over the last 10 years Sunderland feels as though it has a lot more going on, from events such as the Sunderland 10k and half marathon and the transformation of Keel Square at Christmas time to outdoor music and cultural events.

Throwback 10 years and I was partying my heart out in bars like Chase, which is now long gone, and while I wouldn’t have a clue what the ‘route’ is on a night out ‘down the town’ now, there are lots more cool looking bars with unique twists than there ever was back in the day.

A vast amount can change in 10 years, some things improve and some suffer and take a backward step.

We all age, and some weather the years better than others, but one thing is for certain, there is no where else I’d rather call home.

There is no doubt that Sunderland isn’t perfect, but where is?

As a city I think we are on the right track and I can’t wait to see where we are in another 10 years time.