Council secures £510,000 to support the city's most vulnerable

The funding will be used to support those shown to be most at risk from COVID-19, who are also often the most hard to reach, to stay safe and help reduce the impact of the virus on them and those around them.

This includes people identified as being most at risk because of their age, ethnic minority background, disability or circumstances. It will also be targeted to provide help for those living in council wards with the highest levels of deprivation, isolated young people and their families, rough sleepers and asylum seekers.

Support will be delivered through a Sunderland Community Champions network which will work with the specific target groups to make sure they have the information, help and support they need.

Councillor Linda Williams, Cabinet Member for Vibrant City at Sunderland City Council, said: "We're delighted to have secured this funding from the Government which will help us to ensure the important messages are known and understood by those who need it most, with the help of those living in their own communities.  This builds on the work we have done throughout the pandemic to support our most vulnerable residents.

"We know from our experience over the last 10 months how brilliant people in Sunderland are when it comes to looking out for each other.

"Very often people prefer to hear things from people they know and trust in their own communities. That's the real strength of projects like this when it comes to getting out key messages about the pandemic and what people can do to protect themselves and others, as well as signposting them to the help and support available."

The Community Champions will enhance the work of the council's recently formed Covid Champions Network where volunteers are signing up to help share key public health messages with their friends, family and community.

More information on both projects and how people can get involved will be shared over the coming weeks.