The Bunker's fundraising to futureproof Sunderland music institution - and how YOU can help

Behind an inconspicuous doorway on Stockton Road, The Bunker lives up to its name: a warren of 17 studios and recording rooms.

From national icons like The Clash and Billy Bragg to the city’s biggest names in music, such as Leatherface, Field Music, Futureheads and Frankie & Heartstrings, all have walked its narrow corridors lined with guitars, punk paraphernalia and pictures from the hub’s decades of heritage in the city.

It’s 42 years since The Sunderland Musicians Collective moved their Bunker into its current Stockton Road premises where it’s still going strong, teaching more than 250 people each week, aged from four to 82.

It brings the joy of music to all: the unemployed, those with mental health issues, those suffering with social, emotional or financial hardship issues and those just wanting to learn a new skill.

And the community interest company needs YOUR help to futureproof it for decades to come.

Its three Victorian rooves are in desperate need of repair, with water leaking into the studios and bands often juggling practice with moving buckets around the room.

The cost for each roof is £30,000, with a Crowdfunder launched for the first of the three rooves which would make the building weatherproof, dry, warm and comfortable.

MD at The Bunker, Kenny Sanger, said: “Although The Bunker has changed over the years since it was formed by The Sunderland Musicians Collective, its ethos has stayed the same: that people of all ages can come in from the community and access music.

“The Bunker building is loved by so many, warts and all. But I think there’s still a stigma that it’s just for teenagers when it’s not.”

Thousands of people from across the community use The Bunker each month, from young people who are home schooled using it as part of their education to pensioners’ singing groups and working musicians, with all performing at one of the quarterly Bunker gigs held at locations around the city.

Those sessions are delivered seven days a week, from 9am to 10pm, by a dedicated team of 20 staff and 15 volunteers.

The Bunker, the longest-running collective of its type in the country, has been in the site since 1982, but the building has a long, colourful history that predates that, all the way back to 1890.

Built as a bicycle factory, hence its long, thin corridor which would lead to workshops, it went on to house the well-known Milburn's Bakery which closed in the 1970s.

Although the rooves have been patched over over the years, the originals have never been fully replaced, hence their desperate need for modernisation.

Kenny said: “With any social enterprise, those who can afford the services subsidise those who can’t, which means we can give free or discounted sessions away. But it means there’s no reserves for big improvements like this.

“We really need to plan for the next 20, 30, 40 years and the way we can do that is to not throw money away every year on mending stuff, but to actually replace the rooves.

“We’ve had offers in the past to move, but we feel that the way the city is developing this building is the place for us to be. Plus, there’s so much history and heritage here.

“The feedback to the fundraiser so far has been so positive, people we didn’t even know have become regular donors which is amazing.

“People who come through the doors always seem to love it, its down to earthness and the customer service they get. We are so lucky to have such a good team.

“Thanks to all the lessons we do, which have evolved over the years, we have more people using The Bunker now than ever before - and we want to keep doing that for another 40 years.”

How you can help

As well as replacing rooves, the Crowdfunder project will support the building’s sustainability, with energy efficiency improvements including solar panels, insulation and low energy fittings.

It will also help to make one of the flat rooves a useable space for events and gigs, while also adding skylights to allow more natural light into the building. There’s a number of ways you can help The Bunker with its crowdfunder, from buying some merchandise for £20 to buying someone a music lesson for £25 or by buying a personalised brick for its wall from £250.

To see the options or just to make a straight donation visit crowdfunder.co.uk