Sunderland Seafront Trust was a not-for-profit organisation that was created in September 2016 by Sunderland Council following the restoration of Roker Pier and Lighthouse. It has been run totally by volunteers for several years. We converted from this trust to Roker Pier Heritage Group CIC in June 2025 as our aims are centred on Roker Pier and Lighthouse whereas the Original Trust aims were more about wider aims for the development Of Sunderland seafront. Our tours of the Pier and Lighthouse normally take place from April to September when the weather is good and the pier is generally open. We are still a not for profit, social enterprise group and have links with Sunderland City Council but are not funded by them. Our only income from tour sales, merchandise sales, income from talks and occasional successful small funding bids. Roker Pier and Lighthouse were built between 1885 and 1903, are grade 2 listed buildings and are a much-loved icon Of Sunderland. We are a group Of volunteers that provide tours Of the pier and lighthouse, taking people through the tunnel that runs under the pier, up to the top of the lighthouse and then return to shore over the top Of the pier. We also give talks about Roker Pier and Lighthouse all year to local groups such as the WI, LJ3A and various history groups, and have visits and events with schools. The pier has always been open to the public, but the tunnel under the pier and the lighthouse itself have never been open to the public ever since it was built, and Our main objective is to now give access via our guided tours so they can enjoy the experience of walking through the tunnel and going up to the top of the lighthouse. We also give them facts about the history of the pier and lighthouse and information about the Sunderland people who were involved in the design and building Of both. Tours, talks and school visits share the same objective which is to share Roker Pier and Lighthouse with the public, get them to understand and take an interest in the heritage Of the Pier and more generally about the heritage of Sunderland. Our organisation benefits the in several ways: 1. Visitors have access to the tunnel and lighthouse which is only available through our tours. 2. At our talks, they are shown and appreciate old photographs of the building of the pier and lighthouse and the seafront which are often part of their own history. 3. If interested groups are not physically able to take our tour, or if school groups are too young, we Offer talks instead so we are as inclusive as possible. 4. We provide volunteer opportunities to the public and then give training to assist them in their chosen role. 5. We hire our base room from a seafront leisure organisation, which helps support them and gives them publicity and increased footfall. 6. Our use of the tunnel and lighthouse identifies any maintenance issues which are passed on to the council, so we help the buildings to their original grade 2 listed standard. 7. Publicity about our tours brings tourists into Sunderland, Often just for our tours but also to enjoy our beautiful coastline. These tourists give huge benefits to hotels, restaurants, coffee shop and other businesses in Roker, Sunderland and the wider North East of England. 8. We are part of the seafront network of businesses which work together to improve the seafront and so help all Of the community. 9. We are part of the Heritage network in Sunderland and work together to support each Other and publicise all heritage organisations to the benefit Of the community, which includes attending events such as Sunderland Heritage Fayre. Roker Pier was closed for repairs Of severe storm damage from Oct 2023 until the beginning of August 2025, Which meant we could not take tours during this time. We did offer lectures open to the general public instead Of tours, which were well attended. During the period of June 25 when we became a CIC to end of Jan 26 which is end of our financial year, we gave 4 talks to roughly 130 people, including 40 school Children. Because of the pier repairs, our tour season did not start until August 2025 rather than April when we would normally start. But we did receive a lot Of publicity in the local press, radio and TV for the opening Of the pier in August, and as demand for tours was so high we extended our tour season to include October, rather than end in September as is usual. During this three-month period we ran 25 tours, with 200 visitors On the tours and involving around ten volunteer guides and five tour volunteers.

Our stakeholders are the visitors that book tours, members of groups that come to talks we give, school groups who attend one Of our events, Adventure Sunderland staff where we rent our base room, Sunderland Council who give us our license to run tours on the Pier and Lighthouse, North East Business and Innovation Centre who support and advise us, Sunderland Heritage group which we are a member of, local volunteer support organisations which we are members of, the wider public who we talk to all the time while we are at the seafront and Of course our volunteers. We take informal feedback from all these stakeholders and act on it when appropriate. In addition, we have regular meetings with Sunderland Council for both sides to give updates and discuss any We also hold regular volunteer meetings where we update them on current activities and ask for their feedback about any part Of our operations. In January 2026 we sent Out a mailshot to former visitors asking for feedback. We asked how they rated the visit, what did they particularly like and what could improved. All gave maximum rating, said they found it interesting and informative, and only 7 replies suggested slight improvements which we have actioned where possible.

No remuneration was received

No transfer of assets other than for full consideration