New chairs to guide plans for £40m resident led improvements

Hendon, Docks and the East End alongside Thorney Close, Plains Farm and Springwell were selected to form part of the national Pride in Place programme in September 2025 with each receiving £20m over ten years to support communities and deliver long term improvements.

Neighbourhood boards will oversee engagement with residents and businesses in each area, setting priorities and allocating funds and the new chairs are keen to encourage applications from those with an interest in either area and a drive to have a lasting positive impact, with a commitment to a majority of board members either living or working in the area.

Chair for Hendon, Docks and the East End, Debra Walker, Chief Executive of IRIS learning trust and a former headteacher with 40 years of experience, said: "Having worked as part of this community for 15years, I've seen first-hand the passion and potential of Hendon, Docks and the East End and the people here, and I feel excited about the opportunity to bring together the voice of our residents so we can build on our strengths and support positive change."

Andrea Walters, Deputy Vice Chancellor at the University of Sunderland has been appointed chair for Thorney Close, Plains Farm and Springwell having spent most of her career working in Sunderland and now leads the university's work on civic engagement. Andrea said: "Pride in Place represents a fantastic opportunity to put power and influence directly into the hands of residents in support of sustainable regeneration, I'm looking forward to working with representatives from across Thorney Close, Plains Farm and Springwell to ensure we deliver meaningful improvement that is shaped by the community itself."

Next steps will see Neighbourhood Boards being set up to put local people at the heart of shaping their area's future. These will involve board members working together to create a long-term Regeneration Plan, in partnership with the council, reflecting community priorities and identifying opportunities for investment.

The boards will bring together residents, community organisations, businesses and public partners. Led by newly appointed chairs Andrea Walters, in Thorney Close, Plains Farm and Springwell and chair Debra Walker in Hendon, Docks and the East End, each board will champion its neighbourhood, make decisions about where funding is allocated, involve the wider community, and set out a shared vision for the next decade and beyond. 

Pride in Place is a UK Government funded programme aimed at putting power into the hands of local people so that they can decide how to regenerate their local area. Through The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), it gives communities control of a total £20m each over 10 years, to be spent on projects that will make a difference to the area.

The funding could support the delivery of investment and improvement in community services, such as regeneration, education, health and employment.

Expressions of interest for joining the boards can be submitted online by Sunday 31 May 2026 at:  Pride in Place - Sunderland City Council 

Applications will be shortlisted by the Chairs, with support from Sunderland City Council as an accountable body and the local MP.

The development of the two new Pride in Place boards follows that of the Washington Pride in Place Board which was set up last year, under Phase 1 of the Pride in Place programme, to develop and steer forward a 10-Year Vision for Washington after the town was awarded £20m by the Government to be invested in the area over 10 years.