National Lottery funding shows many positives in Sunderland to be proud of

Prior to being involved in this project, I mistakingly assumed that it was only big events like the London Olympics that benefited from National Lottery funding, but I honestly couldn’t have been more wrong!

Furthermore, I also like to think that I’ve got my finger on the Sunderland pulse, so to speak, and have a relatively good idea about positive things that are happening in the city, but I had no idea of the incredible impact National Lottery funding has had on our local community.

The final video in the series saw me and Josh visit Grace House, who received more than £185,000 in National Lottery funding via The Big Lottery Fund to run the One Place Your Space programme.

This project helps to deliver a range of specialist services to support not only children and young people who need a little bit of extra care, but to support their whole family too.

Those involved in the running of the project spoke to us with such incredible passion about the work they do at Grace House and the many success stories that have come out of the sessions and services they provide.

Through support groups and counselling sessions, Grace House provides a space for carers to talk about the physical, mental and practical challenges faced in caring for a disabled child, as well as looking at how these challenges can be addressed.

Quite literally, everyone we met at Grace House was inspiring and were so invested in the One Place Your Space programme, it made me realise just how totally brilliant people in our city are and how fantastic it is that the National Lottery funding can facilitate such projects that benefit so many Wearsiders.

It’s easy to talk about the negative things that go on in Sunderland and be all doom and gloom, but being involved in this video series has shown me that although our city may not be perfect, there are so many things to be extremely proud of … many of which are happening right under our noses, we just don’t always know about them.

At the centre of all the projects we visited were brilliant humans, with big hearts and a passion for our community, and for me that is what makes Sunderland truly great … it’s the people!