A community interest company supporting older people, vulnerable adults and people with disabilities is set to receive a major funding boost, following a decision by city leaders.
Sunderland City Council’s cabinet of senior councillors, at a meeting this week, backed a £125,000 grant to help provide further training and work-based placements focused on Elemore Country Park.
The grant funding will go to the not-for-profit Bishopwearmouth Co-operative, which is based at Elemore Country Park in Easington Lane with a garden centre and coffee shop.
The community interest company (CIC) is also based at the Bishopwearmouth Nursery in Chester Road, with its own garden centre and tea rooms, and expanded to Elemore Country Park last year.
A key part of its work is how the company encourages and provides work and training opportunities in horticultural, floristry and other gardening services.
All opportunities are for older people, vulnerable adults and people who may have a learning disability, physical disability, or mental health needs.
Sunderland City Council’s cabinet, at a meeting on Thursday 19 September at City Hall, agreed to award £125,000 to support the organisation’s Elemore Green Space Project over the 2024/25 financial year.
This will be used for further training and work-based placements focused on Elemore Country Park and to help offer six full-time placements for day and volunteering opportunities.
Councillor Kelly Chequer, deputy council leader and cabinet member for health, wellbeing and community services, welcomed the support.
She said: “As a council, we are completely committed to supporting everyone in our communities and to reducing inequalities.
“The Bishopwearmouth Co-operative company continues to do great work with vulnerable adults and helping them to move on to greater independence.
“We are very pleased to support the important work the company does, and the funding here will allow it to continue delivering on its objectives of improving the lives of many people.
“Alongside this important work with people, the funding helps support the ongoing investment in Elemore and our communities in the Coalfield area as we bring more improvements to this great new and still improving country park.”
Elemore is following in the footsteps of other similar and successfully reclaimed colliery sites in and around Sunderland such as Hetton Lyons Country Park, Herrington Country Park and Rainton Meadows Nature Reserve.
Sunderland City Council states the sites are all examples of how land once set over to the coal mining industry can become new ecosystems and community assets.
In recent years, the new Elemore Country Park has hosted events and celebrated its second family music festival last month.
Cllr Chequer added: “Elemore is continuing to reinvest in itself and it’s a great example of community and co-operative work that we as a city council with our co-operative values are pleased to support and assist.”
Bishopwearmouth Co-operative was established in 2009 as a landscaping community interest company, and then converted to a co-operative in 2016.
The organisation currently employs 30 staff and has provided over 100 job, training and volunteer opportunities since it was founded.
A cabinet report presented to city leaders this week said the organisation focuses on “reducing inequalities for disabled adults and helping support them to move on to greater independence”, as well as “promoting social inclusion, equality and involvement within their local community”.
Shaun Donnelly, managing director, welcomed the grant funding and said: “This is brilliant news, it will allow Bishopwearmouth to build on its volunteer and day opportunities for vulnerable adults.
“The company continues to go from strength to strength, building up a loyal customer base at the garden centres which include our tearoom and coffee shops; and importantly we continue to provide landscape and gardening services in the local area.
“The grant from the council will allow us to provide day opportunities and training in catering and horticulture, we will also continue to assist the community by working within Elemore Country Park and organising events.
“In addition to the park’s schedule of events, our team will continue working with other partners in the park assisting with tree planting and maintenance.”
A report to cabinet this week added the council grant funding would “contribute to the overall sustainability of the organisation and ensure the continued delivery of the organisation’s objectives”.
