Deal will help young to see the light

Sep 3 2009 by Iain Laing, The Journal

THE public and private sectors have teamed up with the Premiership in the fight to help young people in the region.

One North East has ploughed £800,000 into refitting a section of Caterpillar's Peterlee plant to house the “Learning Centre of Light”, Sunderland Football Club Foundation’s community learning facility, which will open in September.

The Centre of Light outgrew its original home in the Stadium of Light in Sunderland and was quick to take up an offer from Caterpillar to occupy part of its Peterlee plant.

Regional development agency One North East and Durham County Council threw their backing behind the £1.9m plan, offering investment to completely re-fit the facility to ensure it is suitable to deliver community-based education and welfare projects.

Dr Colin Herron, of One North East, said: “Like all great innovations, the idea for this centre was born via a spark of inspiration. From a conversation between One North East business and industry director Ian Williams and Caterpillar Peterlee managing director Eric Lepine and some notes scribbled on a napkin, we have been able to create this fantastic facility. It will cater for the surrounding communities in helping primarily young people access training opportunities, encourage enterprise and boost skills – all with a view to helping people find work.”

Caterpillar will play host to the Sunderland AFC Foundation centre for a minimum five years to deliver a range of educational, community, family learning, and welfare and skills-based programmes. These will focus on encouraging enterprise, ambition, the acquisition of new skills and qualifications.

Phil Handley, the new managing director of Caterpillar Peterlee, said: “Given the current state of our economy, we are very appreciative of the significant investment that our regional development partners have made.

“This is a great reflection of the cooperative working environment that exists in the region between the public and private sector.”

Lesley Spuhler, CEO of SAFC Foundation, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for us to really help young people and their families in the heart of Easington, a hot-bed of football.”