‘Ha’way the lads’ and ‘have a belta’ as Sunderland celebrates National Mackem Day

Clockwise from top left, athlete Aly Dixon, the Mackem Dictionary, a pink slice and Sunderland footballer Lynden Gooch.

Proud sons and daughters of Sunderland and its businesses have been praising the city on August 12’s unofficial National Mackem Day.

The celebration, now in its fourth year, was launched to mark the publication of the second Mackem Dictionary.

Among those to toast the occasion on social media was Commonwealth Games long-distance runner Aly Dixon, who wrote on Twitter: “I'm proud to be a Mackem.”

She also invited outsiders to become an “honorary Mackem” by supporting her fundraising campaign in aid of the city’s St Benedict’s Hospice.

The hospice itself wrote: “Happy #NationalMackemDay everyone!”

Sunderland Students’ Union offered the following thought: “Happy #NationalMackemDay! Is this quite possibly the best day of the year? We think so..”

Lucas Ward used the occasion to salute Mackems and Sunderland Football Club alike, writing: “Happy #NationalMackemDay to all. We love you SunderlandAFC. Ha'way the lads!”

The club itself simply said on Twitter: “Happy #NationalMackemDay.”

Authors of the Twitter account for the The Beam, the new office development on the former Vaux Breweries site, wrote: “Extra proud of our red and white roots today - have a belta day everyone!”

Hannah Erskine added: “Every day is #NationalMackemDay and well you know it.”

Former Sunderland Echo football writer Graeme Anderson joked: “So, #NationalMackemDay - is this a thing now?

!If it is, it appears to be competing against #NationalGirlfriendsDay and #NationalAllotmentsWeek - or do the three go together?”