Beacon of Light

Beacon of Light
Beacon of Light
	Location within Tyne and Wear
General information
Status	Completed
Type	Sports & Education Centre
Location	Stadium Park, Sunderland
Country	United Kingdom
Coordinates	54°54′58.68″N 1°23′25.44″W / 54.9163000°N 1.3904000°W
Construction started	5 October 2016
Completed	May 2018
Opened	14 September 2018
Cost	£19 million GBP
Owner	Foundation of Light
Height
Roof	26 metres (85 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	6
Floor area	11,140 m2 (119,900 sq ft)
Lifts/elevators	2
Design and construction
Architect(s)	FaulknerBrowns
Structural engineer	s h e d
Main contractor	Tolent Construction

The Beacon of Light is a sports, community and education facility, in Sunderland. The £19m^[1] facility was commissioned by the Foundation of Light, and became the headquarters of the charity when it opened in September 2018. The beacon is in Stadium Park, alongside the Sunderland Aquatic Centre and the North Stand of the Stadium of Light.

History

The Foundation of Light opened an education facility, The Centre of Light, within the Stadium of Light in 2004.^[2] The classrooms were a huge success, so much so that the Foundation outgrew them. This prompted Foundation chief executive Lesley Spuhler to look to commission a bigger venue.^[3]

The Beacon was given approval to begin construction in October 2015, and received financial support from the Tom Cowie Foundation, and Foundation of Light trustees Peter Vardy and Bob Murray.^[4] Further investors included the North East Local Enterprise Partnership,^[5] Arriva,^[6] and Tombola.^[7]

The Beacon was designed to provide both indoor and outdoor sporting facilities and spaces for both adult and school-level education. It can also support events and exhibitions, with a 2,084 Square metre exhibition space supporting a maximum capacity of 3,425.^[8] It is expected to serve up to 300,000 people per year.^[3]

Construction was complete in May 2018.^[9] The Beacon was opened in phases, with people able to use the football facilities from June 2018.^[10] It officially opened on 14 September 2018.

Facilities

Outdoor

6 outdoor Five-a-side football pitches with 3G turf
Outdoor sports courts

Indoor


Level 0	12 Badminton courts 3 indoor courts for netball, Basketball and futsal
Level 1	Entrance & Cafe Sir Tom Cowie Education Zone The Vardy Heath and Wellbeing Zone, which will incorporate a Jamie Oliver cookery school ^[11]
Level 2	Foundation of Light Work Space Arriva 'World of Work' Zone ^[6]
Level 3	Beacon of Light School, a Free school with a capacity of 80 children.^[12]
Level 4	Tombola Football Barn, including a 7-a-side football 4G pitch and the venue for Saturday FC.
Level 5	Rooftop viewing gallery

The Beacon is designed in a cube shape with a luminous roof which lights up at night.^[13]

References

^ "Take a glimpse at the Beacon of Light". Sunderland Association Football Club. 23 March 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
^ https://www.pressreader.com/uk/sunderland-echo/20141105/281745562668180. Retrieved 7 November 2018 – via PressReader. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
^ ^a ^b Ford, Coreena (17 May 2015). "Business Interview: Lesley Spuhler, chief executive of the Foundation of Light". journallive. Archived from the original on 8 November 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
^ "Beacon of Light will get Seven Figures Sum from Famous Families". Sunderland Echo.
^ "North East LEP backs Beacon to create jobs". Foundation of Light. Archived from the original on 8 November 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
^ ^a ^b "£500,000 Arriva investment is just the ticket for Beacon of Light". Retrieved 7 November 2018.
^ "Top of the shop - Beacon of Light lands £500,000 tombola donation". Retrieved 9 November 2018.
^ Sunderland City Council. "Beacon of Light - Design and Access Statement" (PDF).
^ "Pride as Beacon is Handed Over". Sunderland Echo.
^ "Opening date announced for Beacon of Light pitches + win a month of games worth £180". Retrieved 7 November 2018.
^ Thompson, Craig (1 June 2016). "Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver brings food revolution to Sunderland". nechronicle. Retrieved 7 November 2018.
^ "Beacon of Light School - GOV.UK". get-information-schools.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
^ "Top of the shop - Beacon of Light lands £500,000 tombola donation". Sunderland Echo. Jonston Press.

[1] "Take a glimpse at the Beacon of Light". Sunderland Association Football Club. 23 March 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2018.

[2] ttps://www.pressreader.com/uk/sunderland-echo/20141105/281745562668180. Retrieved 7 November 2018 – via PressReader. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

[:0-3] Ford, Coreena (17 May 2015). "Business Interview: Lesley Spuhler, chief executive of the Foundation of Light". journallive. Archived from the original on 8 November 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2018.

[4] "Beacon of Light will get Seven Figures Sum from Famous Families". Sunderland Echo.

[5] "North East LEP backs Beacon to create jobs". Foundation of Light. Archived from the original on 8 November 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2018.

[:1-6] "£500,000 Arriva investment is just the ticket for Beacon of Light". Retrieved 7 November 2018.

[7] "Top of the shop - Beacon of Light lands £500,000 tombola donation". Retrieved 9 November 2018.

[8] Sunderland City Council. "Beacon of Light - Design and Access Statement" (PDF).

[9] "Pride as Beacon is Handed Over". Sunderland Echo.

[10] "Opening date announced for Beacon of Light pitches + win a month of games worth £180". Retrieved 7 November 2018.

[11] Thompson, Craig (1 June 2016). "Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver brings food revolution to Sunderland". nechronicle. Retrieved 7 November 2018.

[12] "Beacon of Light School - GOV.UK". get-information-schools.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 November 2018.

[13] "Top of the shop - Beacon of Light lands £500,000 tombola donation". Sunderland Echo. Jonston Press.

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v t e Sunderland Association Football Club
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Rivalries	League record by opponent Tyne–Wear derby Tees–Wear derby Friendship Trophy Sunderland Albion
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Category:Sunderland A.F.C. Portal:Association football Commons:Sunderland A.F.C.

v t e City of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear
Settlements	Sunderland Washington Houghton-le-Spring Hetton-le-Hole Springwell Village
Education	Academy 360 Argyle House School Biddick Academy Castle View Enterprise Academy Christ's College Farringdon Community Academy Hetton Academy Kepier School Monkwearmouth Academy Oxclose Community Academy Red House Academy St Aidan's Catholic Academy St Anthony's Girls' Catholic Academy St Robert of Newminster Catholic School Sandhill View Academy Southmoor Academy Sunderland College Thornhill Academy University of Sunderland Venerable Bede Church of England Academy Washington Academy
Places of interest	Barnes Park Donnison School City Hall Sunderland Museum and Winter Gardens Stadium of Light Penshaw Monument Herrington Country Park Mowbray Park National Glass Centre Roker Park Sunderland Empire Theatre St Peter's Church, Monkwearmouth Sunderland International Airshow Washington Old Hall Monkwearmouth Station Sunderland Aquatic Centre The Bridges WWT Washington Keel Square Northern Spire Bridge Beacon of Light
Economy	Doxford International Business Park Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK The Bridges Sunniside The Galleries Vaux Site
Local media	Sunderland Echo Sun FM Spark Sunderland Sunderland Global Media
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Sport	Sunderland A.F.C. Sunderland A.F.C. Women