We're serving up afternoon tea in a real Sunderland hidden gem
At the heart of the East End, there’s a hidden gem of a heritage centre that’s a real lesson in philanthropy.
A woman way ahead of her time, Elizabeth Donnison recognised the importance of women’s education and left £1500 in her will to fund a school which would provide a free education for female pupils from poor families in Sunderland.
Opened in 1798 in the shadow of the old workhouse in the East End, The Donnison School would go on to educate thousands of girls, 36 at a time, aged five to 15, until its closure in the early 1900s.
The Grade II-listed building, which also comprises a schoolmistress’ cottage which was added by Elizabeth Woodcock in 1827, was given a whole new lease of life by charity Living History North East who purchased the building for £2,400 in 2001 and spent the next six years raising the £600,000 needed to repair the buildings and put them back at the heart of the community.
Today, it’s open to the public on select days a week and hosts numerous community and history events - including speciality afternoon teas.
With a range of sandwiches, scones and sweet treats from The Bread Basket in Ryhope, the afternoon teas are a great chance to experience the school and immerse yourself in its history at its on site tea rooms.
A dedicated band of volunteers keep the school alive and they’ve just announced the next dates for afternoon teas, all served from 12.30pm
They are:
Wednesday 22 April
Saturday 16 May
Wednesday 17 June
Saturday 11 July
Wednesday 15 July
Priced £15 per person, the afternoon teas are served on vintage china with a pot of tea in a range of flavours.
You can book the afternoon teas via Tel: 0191 565 4835 / 07443 653838 or Email: [email protected]
Appeal for new roof
The old school is a valuable heritage asset, but it’s desperately in need of a new roof to help it continue its work.
The roof is 19 years old and has been damaged numerous times over the years, due to lead thefts, and with so many leaks and heat loss, it’s now been decided that it’s best to find the £12,000 needed for a new roof.
So far, the team has managed to raise more than £2,000.
Janette Hilton, Living History project volunteer, said: “We got the keys to the building, which was on the at risk register at the time, in 2001 and it took us another six years to secure funding for the restoration.
“During that time all we could do was try to make it water tight. As soon as we put the new roof on, pretty much from day one, the lead was nicked and it’s now all gone.
“So many people have been on the roof, whether it’s been to steal lead or to fix it, and the last repair cost us £4,000, so it’s time for a new one.”
Donations to the roof appeal can be made via the campaign page:https://vcas.enthuse.com/cf/friends-of-donnison-school-heritage-education-cent