Who we are I Foundation of Light

Who We Are

We are the official charity of Sunderland AFC.

Established in 2001 by former Sunderland AFC chairman Sir Bob Murray CBE, Foundation of Light is the official charity of Sunderland AFC.

The cross-section of people the Foundation works with across the North East is unparalleled; working with those aged 18 months to 80, offering something for everyone; with programmes impacting on health, behaviour, attitude, skills, education and much more.

Made up of teachers, health workers, coaches, family learning officers youth workers and support staff the Foundation of Light works with over 23,000 people every year.

Whilst being linked to SAFC, the Foundation are structurally and financially independent from the football club and responsible for fundraising £4million each year to run our life-changing programmes.

The Foundation has strong relationships with key local stakeholders – City Council, University of Sunderland, Northumbria Police, health services – and delivers initiatives based on need as demonstrated by local statistics.

Our Purpose

To involve, educate and inspire people, in and through football, across the communities of Sunderland, South Tyneside and County Durham.

Our Mission

We are here to use the power of football to invest in the communities we serve and to improve the Education, Health, Wellbeing and happiness of people, no matter who they are.

Using our high performance and innovative culture, we work across communities in Sunderland, South Tyneside and County Durham to:

Raise educational attainment; inspiring a love and commitment to lifelong learning.

Increase skills and access to employment opportunities by connecting people to the world of work.

Support individuals and families to live healthier and happier lives, enabling more vibrant and respectful communities.

Provide more opportunities for inclusive sport and play, inspiring participation and achievement.

We are financially independent of Sunderland AFC, raising over £4million each year through donations, grants, contracts and trading activities.

We collaborate with partners such as local authorities, higher education and housing associations, taking a lead role in delivering projects to benefit our communities and tackle some of society's biggest challenges.