Foundation of Light

The Foundation of Light are the official charity of Sunderland AFC.

Established in 2001 by former Sunderland AFC chairman Sir Bob Murray CBE, our mission is simple: 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.

Situated in the North-East of England, we are based at the Beacon of Light in Sunderland and operate across the city, South Tyneside and County Durham.

Our vision is to create better opportunities and better lives for our communities.

We use our position as an unparalleled route into traditionally ‘hard to reach’ communities, working across four programme areas – sport and play, world of work, education and health and wellbeing.

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 and 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.