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Major lottery funding enables thousands of Sunderland residents to connect with nature

THOUSANDS of people in disadvantaged areas of Sunderland will be connected with nature thanks to an environmental programme being awarded major lottery funding.

City of Nature Sunderland, a community programme benefiting more than 3,500 local people, is to receive £326,543 over three years from the National Lottery Community Fund.

The announcement was made by Durham Wildlife Trust and the International Community Organisation of Sunderland (ICOS), which are partners in delivering the ambitious project.

Graeme Jobes, Nextdoor Nature Officer at Durham Wildlife Trust, said: “We are thrilled that this very significant funding allows us to bring nature to the heart of Sunderland’s communities, empowering residents to take action for nature and sustainability.

“We are so grateful to players of the National Lottery because, without their support, important community projects like this wouldn’t be possible.”

Five people stand on grass in winter clothing, holding a large ceremonial check from The National Lottery Community Fund. Behind them are leafless trees and a tall metal sculpture. The check is made out to “Durham Wildlife Trust – City of Nature, Sunderland” for £326,543, dated January 2026.

Receiving the City of Nature Sunderland funding: : Lisa Baldini, Durham Wildlife Trust Development Officer (Grants and Trusts); Graeme Jobes, Nextdoor Nature Officer for Durham Wildlife Trust; Michal Chantkowski, Development and Services Manager at ICOS; Daniel Krzyszczak, Engagement and Operations Manager at ICOS; and Emily Routledge, Head of Development and Communications at Durham Wildlife Trust 

 

Michal Chantkowski, Development and Services Manager at ICOS, said: “We are grateful to the National Lottery Community Fund for funding this important project. The funding will enable ICOS to connect diverse communities across Sunderland with nature and inspire them to take positive action. 

“By combining our expertise in inclusion with Durham Wildlife Trust’s environmental knowledge, we can make a real and lasting difference for both people and nature in Sunderland.”

Residents will be able to engage with nature in Sunderland’s most disadvantaged and marginalised communities, with a roving hub, seasonal workshops, and practical environmental activities promoting sustainability, wellbeing, and community empowerment.

Activities will feature nature-based workshops on themes including Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Energy Saving, Winter Wildlife, and Habitat Creation.

Inclusive sessions, tailored to cultural and accessibility needs, will be delivered in community venues, and residents will have the chance to co-design activities as well as have a voice in decisions that affect their local environment.

The programme aligns with Sunderland City Council’s “Nature Towns and Cities, Connecting Through Nature” initiative, ensuring investment in green spaces is matched by investment in people.

“These exciting projects will come together to create a lasting legacy of environmental action and community leadership across Sunderland,” added Mr Jobes.

Notes to editors

About The National Lottery Community Fund

We are the largest non-statutory community funder in the UK – community is at the heart of our purpose, vision and name.

We support activities that create resilient communities that are more inclusive and environmentally sustainable and that will strengthen society and improve lives across the UK.

We’re proud to award money raised by National Lottery players to communities across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and to work closely with government to distribute vital grants and funding from key Government programmes and initiatives.

As well as responding to what communities tell us is important to them, our funding is focused on four key missions, supporting communities to:

1. Come together

2. Be environmentally sustainable

3. Help children and young people thrive

4. Enable people to live healthier lives.

Thanks to the support of National Lottery players, we distribute over £600 million a year through 13,000+ grants and plan to invest over £4 billion of funding into communities by 2030. We’re privileged to be able to work with the smallest of local groups right up to UK-wide charities, enabling people and communities to bring their ambitions to life.

National Lottery players raise over £30 million each week for good causes throughout the UK. Since The National Lottery began in 1994, £49 billion has been raised and more than 690,000 individual grants have been made across the UK - the equivalent of around 240 National Lottery grants in every UK postcode district.

About International Community Organisation of Sunderland (ICOS)

International Community Organisation of Sunderland (ICOS) is a charity that exists to improve the quality of life of BME (Black and Minority Ethnic) people in the North East and to enhance community cohesion and intercultural understanding in the Sunderland area. The charity focuses on those who lack access to information and services to ensure equal access. It has particularly strong links to the Eastern European community, but has also successfully worked with refugees, asylum seekers and BME people born in the UK. Currently, most of the charity’s work is delivered in Sunderland and the surrounding area. 

About Durham Wildlife Trust

Durham Wildlife Trust is a charity that was established in 1971 and operates across the area of the old County Durham, which today includes Darlington, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland. It owns and manages more than 50 nature reserves located between the Tees and the Tyne, providing special places for people, for wildlife and for future generations. From ancient woodland and heathland to meadows, wetlands and more, the Trust looks after some of the North East’s most special places. Today Durham Wildlife Trust continues to acquire new reserves, helping nature to recover across the landscape and bringing wildlife into the heart of our towns and cities.

National Lottery Community Fund logo

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