Historic Derby saw North East unite for purpose beyond football

Sunderland AFC completed a special victory in a Derby Day which proved to be about much more than on-field rivalry.

While the Black Cats faced the Magpies for the first time in eight years in league competition, the official charities of the North East rivals united behind a greater cause.

The matchday was dedicated to the Together Through Sport campaign which saw the five main sporting foundations in the region come together to tackle child poverty, including Foundation of Light, Newcastle United Foundation, Durham Cricket Foundation, Eagles Community Foundation, and Newcastle Rugby Foundation.

This collaboration, alongside North East Sport and North East Housing partnership, is aiming to create free places on holiday programmes and free sports sessions in schools, ensuring no child is left on the sidelines.

Statistics show that right now in the North East, one in four children miss out on sport simply because their families can’t afford it, which highlights exactly why this campaign matters.

Foundation of Light Chief Executive, Lesley Spuhler, explained: “Children everywhere deserve the chance to feel what sport can truly offer - confidence, belonging, and the kind of opportunities that can transform their lives…”

On a Wear-Tyne Derby dedicated to tackling child poverty, the campaign was highlighted by:

Sonny’s Derby Day surprise

Nine-year-old Sunderland AFC supporter, Sonny Nunn, rarely gets the chance to attend the Stadium of Light despite his love for the club.

As his heroes lined up against their rivals, Sonny was given the chance to walk out with them as mascot. Sonny took to the pitch alongside captain Granit Xhaka, wearing a Together Through Sport warm-up shirt.

Matchday Moments

Together Through Sport was showcased throughout Derby Day on the warm-up shirts worn by Samson and Delilah and pitch-side ball assistants.

The campaign logo was also flown on the player entrance flags ahead of kick-off with text-to-donate messaging also included on the big screen and digital pitch-side boards.

The matchday programme shone the spotlight on the Together Through Sport initiative with a piece on the launch event at the Beacon of Light and an explainer on why we are part of this initiative.

Get Involved

We are tackling the stark statistics that show:

• 1 in 3 children in the North East are growing up in poverty.
• 1 in 4 kids miss out on sport because families can’t afford it.
• Only 1 in 2 kids get the activity they need each day.
• 1 in 4 children leave primary school with poor health.
• 1 in 3 families struggle to afford healthy meals.

Your donations will help provide:

• Free Places on holiday courses
• Free sports sessions in schools

Supporters can help make a difference by texting TOGETHERFIVE to 70085 to donate £5 or online via JustGiving: Click Here