Rewarding skills was high on the agenda in Sunderland as the players got out and about in the community and met those making a difference in the north-east:

  • Dean Whitehead handed out certificates to those who had successfully completed a Community Education programme organised by Pennywell Neighbourhood Project.

  • Craig Gordon and Roy O'Donovan acted as the dummy patients for young people undertaking the St John Ambulance Young First Aider Award.

  • At Houghton Kepier School Ian Harte and Anthony Stokes met with Year 9 pupils at the school to discuss teamwork and cooperation skills and help them design stickers for a brand new reward scheme.

  • Nyron Nosworthy attended a workshop for SAFC Foundation's Football First scheme, where the charity is working with youngsters that have been identified by the Behavioural Education Support team as needing help with social inclusion issues. The children were there to learn about issues of racism, bullying and stereotyping.

    For further information on the club's every day community work please click here

    While the Creating Chances Launch was attended by Niall Quinn, here follows a breakdown of Sunderland's Creating Chances beneficiaries:

    PLACES FOR PLAYERS WINNERS

    Each of the following received a £2,000 donation and a player appearance:

    Houghton Kepier School - Ian Harte and Anthony Stokes
    Pennywell Neighbourhood Centre - Dean Whitehead
    St Johns Ambulance - Craig Gordon and Roy O'Donovan

    CLUB COMMUNITY PROGRAMMES HIGHLIGHTED

    The following received a £2,000 donation and player appearances:

    Football First - Nyron Nosworthy
    Family Learning - Danny Collins
    Soccer Centre - Jamie Chandler and Peter Hartley

    CLUB CHARITIES HIGHLIGHTED

    The following received a £2,000 donation and player appearances:

    Prince's Trust Event - Niall Quinn
    Launch of Just for Kids charity zipwire

    PROMOTIONAL

    The following promotion work to support Creating Chances was undertaken:

    Match of the Day Magazine - Kieran Richardson

    Sunderland PLACES FOR PLAYERS RUNNERS UP

    Each of the following received a £2,000 donation:

    ADDvance
    Alzheimers Society
    Barnados
    Cancer Research
    Care in Durham
    East Durham Trust
    Education Business Connections
    Friends of St Benedicts
    Grange Park Primary School
    Marfans Syndrome
    McMillan Nurses
    The Salvation Army
    SNUG
    South Tyneside Football Trust
    SPYRAL
    St Cuthberts Care
    St Johns School for the Deaf
    Sunderland Samba FC
    Sunningdale School
    Trimdon Grange Community Centre

    Sunderland 'YOUR SHOT' COMPETITION WINNER

    Robin Earle, aged 36 from Kent, won the Sunderland Your Shot Experience and was able to:

  • Have a tour of the Academy of Light - Sunderland's training ground - on the morning of the match
  • Receive four complimentary tickets for Sunderland v Blackburn Rovers
  • Take a behind the scenes tour of the Stadium of Light on arrival
  • Meet Century Radio's official commentary team Simon Crabtree and Gary Rowell who then interviewed him
  • Have his photograph taken with his favourite Sunderland player
  • Meet Sunderland Chairman Niall Quinn in the boardroom
  • Watch the teams warm up from the dug out
  • See the players' line up in the tunnel before kick off
  • Watch Roy Keane's post-match press conference

    You can return to the Creating Chances index by clicking here