Member Article

Coalfields dig deep to support Sunderland Home Grown CIC

Thanks to almost £10,000 in funding from the Coalfields Community Investment Programme, delivered by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, Sunderland Home Grown CIC will launch a programme of activity for vulnerable people within the local community.

With a total fund of £9,622, Sunderland Home Grown CIC will engage with people that have disabilities and those whose circumstances are adversely affected by issues such as welfare reform, health issues, unemployment, poverty and lack of opportunity.

The organisation, which operates as a commercial nursery and garden centre, will deliver a programme in Thompson Park where local residents will maintain areas that are currently underdeveloped.

Gary Hillery, Horticulture Project Manager at Sunderland Home Grown CIC, comments: “Sunderland Home Grown CIC is firmly committed to supporting all members of the community of all abilities. But it can be quite a challenge to provide a safe and engaging environment that is suited to the more vulnerable adults in our area.

“With Coalfields funding we are now able to extend our range of services with this new programme which will offer these people a space to work to the best of their ability whilst completing a meaningful task at Thompson Park.”

Chief Executive of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, Gary Ellis, comments: “It goes without saying that life can be a struggle in the UK’s former mining communities, with low employment rates and high levels of deprivation, which is why it is so important that all residents are offered the support they need.

“As an organisation our strategy is to improve the employment, skills and health and wellbeing of the residents within these coalfield communities. Providing Sunderland Home Grown CIC with this funding not only allows us to address and resolve these issues, but it also extends our reach to the most vulnerable members of the community, which will have a lasting impact for years to come.”

Delivered by the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, the Coalfields Community Investment Programme supports organisations and programmes of activity that meet with three key criteria; to address skills, employment or health and wellbeing.

The Coalfields Regeneration Trust was established in 1999 and is the only organisation dedicated to supporting former mining neighbourhoods.

Over the years more than 2m people have benefited from support delivered by the organisation. More than 25,500 people have been supported into work, 5,500 jobs have been created or safeguarded, 1.3m people have received the necessary support to help improve their skills and gain qualifications and over 250,000 people have participated in activities that have improve their health.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Nick Hill .