A new bus station – to replace one described as "Dickensian" – will be incorporated in a £20million shopping centre redevelopment.

Building work on a new retail park at Washington Galleries is well under way and a string of retailers are lined up to move in.

The 95,000ft retail park is due to open late 2008 and will house big brand names such as Next, Arcadia, New Look, Clarks, Peacocks, Pets at Home, Brantano, Home Bargains and Texstyle World. The overall development will also include a KFC and a Pizza Hut.

The Galleries is owned by Prudential Assurance and the new development will complement the existing retail park that includes Matalan, Au Naturale and Aldi.

Galleries manager Juliette Coard said: "We are delighted to welcome these exciting brands to The Galleries. This new development will significantly improve Washington as a shopping and leisure destination and will provide our customers with even more choice. We particularly targeted the quality fashion brands which will improve the overall appeal of Washington as a retail centre."

There will also be enhanced public access to the retail park from the existing centre, as well as improved transport routes and additional free car parking spaces.

The investment also includes a newly designed bus station which will be completed to coincide with the opening of the new retail park.

Three years ago, Coun David Wood, chairman of the Tyne and Wear Passenger Authority, wrote to Prudential to protest about the state of the bus station, which he described as "Dickensia.".

The new station has been designed in association with Nexus with the aim of meeting the current and foreseeabl e requirements of The Galleries and the town centre.

It is hoped the new station will provide a durable, attractive, high-quality environment for passengers.

With more than 1,100 buses travelling to The Galleries each day, the fully enclosed, contemporary bus station holds six stands and includes lifts and escalators enabling easy access to the shopping centre.

Ms Coard said: "We are all very excited about the construction of this new high-quality bus station.

"It is something that has been recognised and acknowledged as a main issue to our customers and we are delighted that we will soon have a purpose-built facility.

"Almost one third of our valued customers use our bus station, so it is essential that we provide them with a first-class facility."

The Galleries, which was officially opened in 1974 by Princess Anne, attracted more than 13million shoppers last year.

What is your View of Development

Washington Church of Christ, City of Sunderland Family, Adult & Community Learning Courses
Offering Courses including Spanish for Fun, Family History and Basic Food Hygiene plus many more running until July. If interested contact Suzanne Wilson or Elaine Harbron on (0191) 416 1300

We have moved

Tel 0191 5655144
Steve Barna Manager- steve@svsyf.org.uk
Keyfund - keyfund@svsyf.org.uk
Amanda Gerry Project Officer - amanda@svsyf.org.uk

Sunderland CVS AGM Event
Sunderland CVS would like to invite you to have a market stall at their AGM/Funding event on 23/09/08 at The Place in Sunniside, Sunderland. This will enable people attending the event the opportunity to browse and receive information about your organisation. It is also a good opportunity for networking. Anyone interested should contact Mary Pattinson

SUNDERLAND CENTRE FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICE
Riverview House, West Wear Street, Sunderland, SR1 1XD

Telephone: 0191 565 1566 Fax: 0191 568 0740 Email:mary.pattinson@sunderlandcvs.co.uk
Website:www.sunderlandcvs.co.uk

A letter from Cannon Stephen Taylor and Cllr Dave Allan

As you may be aware, Sunderland achieved Fairtrade City Status in October 2007. This fantastic achievement was the result of partners across the city coming together to show their support for the initiative.

Fairtrade means guaranteeing that producers in developing countries receive a fair price for the goods that they produce or, if they are workers, that they enjoy decent wages and working conditions. It means they are paid a price that reflects the true costs of production and allows for investment in their communities or in their businesses. With a fair price for their produce they can not only feed their families, but also look to the future and invest in such basic necessities as safe water supplies, sanitation, healthcare and education.

Becoming a Fairtrade City is not only a major step in helping others less fortunate than ourselves, but in the long term, helps the City’s own economic future as countries become able to buy goods from overseas themselves.

Now that we have achieved Fairtrade status, the work does not stop here, and we are keen to ensure that there is ongoing commitment to Fairtrade across the city. Sunderland’s Fairtrade steering group would like to see Fairtrade integrated into the regular activities of all of our partners, as part of a wider ethical approach to the way we operate.

Where appropriate, it is hoped that you would have a Fairtrade presence at all events, and Fairtrade resources available for staff and visitors to use. This could range from having a Fairtrade display at ‘one-off’ events, to having Fairtrade tea and coffee options available at meetings.

The Sunderland Partnership team has a range of resources available for you to use, such as posters, display boards and lists of suppliers. Please feel free to contact them if you feel they can be of assistance on 0191 561 1614, or email sunderland.partnership@sunderland.gov.uk.

Yours sincerely,

Stephen Taylor and Cllr Dave Allan
Chair of the Sunderland Partnership Cabinet Member with Resources Portfolio

New Pool

Built next door to the Stadium of Light, it is the only one of its kind between Leeds and Edinburgh. It features the region's first 10 lane, 50m pool as well as a spectacular diving pool with five metre, three metre and one metre platforms. The centre also has two Wellness exercise studios, a split-level Wellness centre, a cardio-cycle zone, kinesis zone and free-weights zone for everyone to enjoy.

Newcastle Community Green Festival
7 & 8 June - Newcastle Community Green Festival 2008
The North East’s largest environmental and music festival. Attended by up to 10,000 people. The Festival offers a unique mix of music, arts, health and environmental activities and will take place in Leazes Park.

Healthy, Wealthy and Wise
23 June - Healthy, Wealthy and Wise - Your chance to debate with Putnam and Blears!

Professor Robert Putnam, Professor of Public Policy at Harvard University debates the value of social capital with Rt. Hon Hazel Blears, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. The conference is chaired by Kate Adie in the Great Hall of the Discovery Museum in Newcastle.

The Basics of Social Enterprise
Have you heard about social enterprise? Could social enterprise help your organisation become more financially sustainable?

These two free events are aimed at voluntary and community sector organisations, charities, developing social enterprises and individuals based in Sunderland’s East End and Hendon. Sadly, everywhere grants are drying up and organisations have to look to be more sustainable. This is your opportunity to find out more about combining social benefits with enterprise and mixed income models.

SES (formerly Social Enterprise Sunderland) and partners have designed these events to:

· Explain social enterprise.

· Give examples.

· Look at ways to help people and organisations take ideas forward.

To book your place please send your details to Charlotte at charlotte@ses.coop or 0191 565 0476. Please mention any special needs or dietary requirements at the time of booking.

Funded by Sunderland New Deal for Communities, Visit www.socialenterprisetyneside.org.uk for the latest news and events.

TRAINING

Sunderland CVS Workforce Development Training Programme - May – August 2008

Courses to be held are:

• First Aid Appointed Person
• Food Safety – Level II
• Training The Trainer
• Successful Marketing
• Project Planning
• Presentation Skills
• Volunteer Recruitment & Retention
• Community Development Principles

If you are interested and would like to book a place, or if you simply require additional information please contact Rob Charlton on (0191) 565 1566

Communities, Crime and Justice

Date: 29 May
Time: 10am to 1.30pm
Place: Bridge Training and Education Project, Grasmere Terrace, Washington
Cost: free

Learn more about what happens in your neighbourhood from policing, sentencing and work with young people and offenders. Book now on 0191 417 2445

SmartJustice Photography Competition - SmartJustice, which campaigns for more alternatives to custody, has launched a competition for groups working in the mental health and addictions fields.

During the course of 2008, SmartJustice will be campaigning to change the way that offenders with these issues are dealt with. Instead of a conventional campaign launch "event", SmartJustice North-East has decided to hold a photography competition for local groups that are working in the field of drugs, drink and mental health.

There are two separate themes to the competition: "Fresh Start" and "Breaking the Cycle". Individual photographers are free to interpret these themes as they wish. Cash prizes of up to £200 will be awarded to the groups whose members take the winning photographs.

Should you require any further information, or if your group wishes to take part, please call Yvonne Collins 0191 384 8241 or e-mail yvonne.collins@smartjustice.org
Deadline for entries: 25 July 2008

For more information please look at their website (link below) or get in touch with the BURA Awards Team on 020 7539 4030 or by emailing yvonne.collins@smartjustice.org.

Deadline: 6 June 2008

New Deal for Communities funding 2008-09 (England)
Communities Minister Baroness Andrews has announced that £230 million has been allocated among the New Deal for Communities Partnerships for spending in 2008-09. This will take the NDC programme into the final years of the Government-approved 10 year delivery plans. The money will be paid through established neighbourhood partnerships to help boost job opportunities, raise educational achievements and reduce levels of crime.

For more information, including a breakdown of how the funding has been allocated among the 39 New Deal for Communities partnerships, see: www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/743404