New alliance will build on outstanding contribution of the voluntary and community sector during the pandemic

The Sunderland Voluntary Sector Alliance is designed to strengthen the sector and help it to influence how services are delivered in Sunderland, as well as enable the voluntary sector to grow and prosper, supporting voluntary and community groups, to continue to work alongside residents and communities as well as broaden their service offer.

The Alliance has been driven and owned by the Area Voluntary and Community Sector Networks and while it is being initially funded and developed by Sunderland City Council, Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group and Gentoo, it is hoped that more of the city's anchor institutions will come on board as the alliance continues to grow.

Councillor Linda Williams, Sunderland City Council's Cabinet Member for Vibrant City, said: "Voluntary sector partners played an invaluable role in helping us provide support to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities throughout the pandemic. 

"This has included everything from volunteers collecting shopping and prescriptions, and weekly keep in touch calls to virtual coffee mornings and families taking part in virtual fitness sessions from the safety of their own homes.

"The facilities and services they offer and knowledge of the communities they work with means that they have a vital role to play in our communities. This is matched by an understanding of residents needs as well as the ability to provide services, activities and support to meet those needs. 

"The Voluntary Sector Alliance is designed to build on this tremendous work,  by improving support for the sector and expanding their role in a way that will see them working with partner organisations across the city to meet the city's strategic needs. 

"But it will also play a crucial role in helping us make sure we are meeting the needs of our communities by shaping services, activities and interventions to meet those needs as well as providing a central link for those commissioning local services and national funding organisations."

Nigel Wilson, Chief Executive Officer at Gentoo Group, said: "The voluntary sector is at the heart of Wearside and our brilliant communities and we're extremely proud be helping The Voluntary Sector Alliance to build on solid foundations for the voluntary network to thrive even more in Sunderland.

"Whether it's delivering hot meals and tackling loneliness or providing vital emotional support, we know that the voluntary and community sector provides crucial support to the city's residents, especially throughout the pandemic and we look forward to working with these great organisations and groups to create a stronger and better resourced voluntary sector that even more residents can benefit from."

Dr Ian Pattison, Executive GP and Clinical Chair of NHS Sunderland Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said: "We have always worked very closely with the voluntary and community sector when planning health services. The sector plays a crucial role in the delivery of health and wellbeing services in Sunderland and their understanding of resident's and community needs is unrivalled.

"The CCG recognises the importance of social prescribing as a key intervention in supporting people's health and wellbeing and through the Alliance we will be able to further develop this as the voluntary and community sector help inform our decision making to shape services that help reduce inequalities."