Million-pound delight for Beacon of Light project

Northern Rock Foundation has committed the seven-figure sum to the capital development of the building next to the Stadium of Light.

The Beacon of Light will be a new building for the Foundation of Light, housing education and training facilities with an indoor football pitch above. It will be the first of its kind in the country.

It aims to provide an environment where up to 300,000 people a year can meet socially, learn and take part in courses to gain skills and qualifications.

The cash pledge will be marked by the naming of a family/community area, housing an informal community library and access to IT equipment, after the Northern Rock Foundation.

Chairman of Northern Rock Foundation, Alastair Balls, said: “The foundation gave the Foundation of Light one of their very first grants and so we are very pleased to be able to make a pledge to this impressive project.

“The Beacon of Light will fulfil the foundation’s ambitions to make a long-term impact on the employment and life chances of young people in disadvantaged areas.”

Lesley Spuhler, CEO of the Foundation of Light, said: “The Beacon will fuse together sport, education, the world of work and health and wellbeing like no other place in the UK, and give us an important platform to expand our pioneering programmes and to extend our reach.”