Wear 25: Coral Kelly recognised for dedication on and off the football pitch
Foundation of Light has recognised Coral Kelly as one of our Wear 25 winners for her dedication and hard work, both on and off the football pitch.
Round-Up: 2025 at the Foundation of Light kicks off with action-packed January
As we welcomed in the New Year, Foundation of Light’s work supporting Sunderland and the wider region continued as usual.
International Day of Education
We celebrated International Day of Education on Friday 24 January by spotlighting our work in schools through the Premier League Primary Stars and Inspires programmes.
The celebrations included spotlighting the Primary Stars and Inspires teams and sharing the stats of another successful year of Foundation of Light delivery in schools.
Patron Duchess of Edinburgh turns 60
Foundation of Light Royal Patron, Sophie Duchess of Edinburgh, celebrated her 60th birthday on 20 January.
To mark her birthday, we looked back at her connection to the Sunderland AFC’s official charity and her work with us so far.
Foundation strikes up cost-saving partnership
Foundation of Light made significant strides in reducing energy costs thanks to a new partnership with Troo, a leading business energy consultancy.
This collaboration will protect the Foundation and our Beacon of Light home against future price increases and rises in energy costs.
Sunderland named Music City
Sunderland’s inclusion in the Music Cities Network was confirmed in January and the Beacon of Light welcomed the announcement.
The Beacon has provided a platform for emerging talents while also hosting major names such as Emeli Sandé and The Overtones, and is looking forward to playing a part in Sunderland’s development as a music city.
Elsewhere in January
Foundation of Light launched new stop smoking workshops to help fans Kick the Habit, featuring 45 minutes of discussion and support, followed by health and fitness activities. For more information: Click Here
We launched our February half-term holiday courses, offering inclusive and safe activity for children of all ages and abilities. More info: Click Here
Kepier Academy students headed to St George’s Park to compete in the next stage of the EFL Girls Cup after winning their regional tournament. The girls finished in fourth place, just missing out on penalties to Middlesbrough in the semi-final.
Win Mascot Place with Wear Winners
Foundation of Light and Sunderland AFC have come together to launch Wear Winners, a brand-new prize platform giving supporters the chance to win unforgettable experiences while supporting life-changing work across the North East.
Dan Ballard named as Sunderland AFC’s 2025/26 PFA Community Champion
Sunderland AFC defender Dan Ballard has been named as PFA Community Champion for his work with the Foundation of Light across the 2025-26 season.