Approved Communities and Place projects
Below is a summary of the 11 projects supported under the Communities and Place Investment Priority. The majority of these projects are now closed, with a few continuing delivery in 2026/27.
| Investment Priority 1: Communities and Place | ||
|---|---|---|
| Project Name | Applicant / Delivery Partners | Status |
Sunderland Digital Health Hubs Programme | Sunderland City Council on behalf of health, VCS and multiple local partners | Project ends Sept. 2026 |
Connecting and Catalysing Our Culture, Creativity and Engagement | Sunderland City Council, Sunderland Culture, The Cultural Spring, Minerva Arts and Wellbeing | Project ends Sept. 2026 |
STEF's Community Hub | Sunderland Training & Education Farm Ltd (STEFs) | Project complete |
The Table @ St George's Community Café & Hub | St George's Church, Fatfield | Project complete |
Mowbray Park - How does your Garden Grow! | Sunderland City Council, OASES (Outdoor and Sustainability Education Specialists) | Project complete |
Sunniside Animation and Activation | Sunderland Business Improvement District, Art Café | Project complete |
Strengthening Communities | Sunderland Voluntary Sector Alliance | Project complete |
Cost of Living Support in St Chads, Silksworth and Barnes | Youth Almighty Project | Project complete |
Co-Creating Access to Creativity | Theatre Space North East | Project complete |
Sunderland North Youth & Community Choices | Sunderland Community Action Group, Southwick Neighbourhood Youth Project, Northeast Sports and Community Opportunities. | Project complete |
Expo Sunderland | Siglion Developments LLP, Sunderland City Council | Project ends Sept. 2026 |
Delivery of the projects below will continue until September 2026. For further information on completed projects, please contact [email protected].
Project Name: Sunderland Digital Health Hubs Programme
Delivery Organisation: Sunderland City Council
Delivery Partners: Sunderland City Council on behalf of health, VCS and multiple local partners
In 2025/26, the project will focus on three main workstreams: Strengthen, Establish, and Bespoke.
Strengthen: This involves enhancing five existing Digital Health Hubs (DHHs) by investing in additional mobile digital devices. These devices will facilitate outreach digital sessions in new community buildings, thereby expanding our reach and impact. The Links for Life initiative will continue collaborating with existing providers, encouraging them to reflect on their practices and support successful strategies. Provider network meetings will be maintained to strengthen connections across the system.
Establish: Five new DHHs will be set up in communities with clear needs, ensuring more individuals have access to essential digital health services. Links for Life has successfully created vital connections between VCSE organisations and referrers, such as social prescribers and Adult Social Care. It also promotes collaboration with integrated initiatives in communities of need, like Community Mental Health Hubs, to ensure access to broader community resources.
Bespoke: This initiative targets individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness, including ex-offenders, young people, and women at risk. It provides tailored support and resources, offering personalised assistance from information and signposting to referrals to Link workers who develop individualised plans. The project aims to complement support provided to people in supported accommodation and those at risk of homelessness through both commissioned and non-commissioned housing providers, aligning with the Council's Supported Housing Improvement Plan (SHIP).
Contact:
Nicol McConnell (Digital Health Hubs) - [email protected]
Leah Codner (Links for Life) - [email protected]
Weblink: Links for Life Sunderland | Links for Life Sunderland
Project Name: Connecting and Catalysing Our Culture, Creativity and Engagement
Delivery Organisation: Sunderland City Council
Delivery Partners: Sunderland Culture, The Cultural Spring, Minerva Arts and Wellbeing
This cross-sector partnership project will deliver critical investment into the city's cultural, heritage and creative organisations to maximise the impact of transformational investment in culture led regeneration, enable an excellent city-wide offer, and grow participation in local arts, cultural, heritage and creative activities opening up opportunities across all of our communities.
During 2025/26, partners will deliver a high-quality programme enhancing the cultural offer within the city and its accessibility, increasing engagement and participation levels across the city, opening up cultural and heritage volunteering opportunities, bringing together heritage partners and driving visitors to maximise economic impact.
Contact: Leanne Littlewood - [email protected]
Project Name: Expo Sunderland
Delivery Organisation: Siglion Developments LLP
Delivery Partners: Sunderland City Council
Expo Sunderland will deliver a series of events reflecting the dynamic ambitions, regeneration, and redevelopment of Sunderland City Centre and Riverside Sunderland. The project will continue to build upon the newly established Expo Sunderland brand, raising awareness and knowledge and creating opportunities for businesses and residents to engage in Expo Sunderland and the Riverside Sunderland development.
Contacts:
Marian Chapman - [email protected]
Clair Cogdon - [email protected]
Weblink: https://www.exposunderland.com/
