Sport & Physical Activity Education & Young People
2025 Free
Foundation of Light

Yearbook 2024-25

Foundation of Light is the official charity of Sunderland AFC, based at the Beacon of Light in Sunderland. The 2024-25 Yearbook showcases the charity's work across sport and play, education and employment, and health and wellbeing, delivered through wide-ranging programmes across Sunderland, South Tyneside and County Durham, using the power of football to empower people to improve their lives.

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About

Sport and play programmes including football development, disability sport and neurological walking football; health and wellbeing provision including mental health support (Game of II Halves); education and employment pathways; Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme; family learning; STEM and esports courses; Wear One community campaign addressing child poverty

Key Metrics

Key Metric 1 Total income £4,910,000 and total expenditure £5,220,000 (year ending 31 August 2024)
Key Metric 2 Over 500,000 people reached across Sunderland, South Tyneside and County Durham since the Foundation's inception
Key Metric 3 Over 33,000 course registrants annually, with more than 100 partner schools and nearly 1,500 people gaining qualifications and employment each year

Key Outcomes

  • Over 750 sessions delivered in 2023-24, with almost 1,500 young people and adults upskilled and nearly 100 jobs secured through the charity's programmes
  • £5 million raised in donor income in 2023-24, enabling sustained delivery of life-enhancing programmes across the North East
  • Partnerships with over 100 local schools, supporting more than 1,400 families through flagship learning programmes and tackling the stark reality that one in three children in Sunderland lives in poverty

Geography

North East

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