Holy Trinity, Sunderland

Holy Trinity Church is currently undergoing an ambitious £4.3 million restoration project to conserve and regenerate this hugely significant Grade I listed building. The project will reconnect the city with its past, and Holy Trinity will be transformed into a new venue for culture, heritage and learning called Seventeen Nineteen, where the stories of Old Sunderland are brought to life through interpretation, events and performances.

See the Seventeen Nineteen microsite here

Work commenced on site in August 2019, the same year that Holy Trinity celebrated its 300th anniversary, and the building will reopen 16th of April 2022. The impact and effects of CV-19 have meant we are delayed on site but local contractor, Historic Property Restoration Ltd HPR and Mosedale Gillatt and our professional team have been pulling out all the stops to keep things moving on.

We have had some positive cases of CV-19, furloughed staff, sub-contractors who have ceased trading and a shortage of suppliers– including plaster and wood. New Government restrictions on travel, keeping safe and social distancing have also impacted the project. In addition, when we started work on site we discovered a small issue with no foundations and an Entablature that was hanging on by a shoelace.

None of this has stopped us though! Working from home, mastering ZOOM and finding new suppliers and sub-contractors has meant we are still progressing, albeit a bit slower than we would like. We are now looking at a deficit of approximately £480,000. We are still fundraising and every donation really helps get a step closer to completion.

The project to save this building and find a sustainable future has been in development since 2013. Working with the local community and a diverse group of partners such as the local authority, the Cultural Spring, Sunderland University, Sunderland Music Education Hub, ATG Creative Learning Team at Sunderland Empire and Sunderland College, we have ensured the future plans for the site are part of the wider cultural and heritage strategy for Sunderland. Hopefully not too long to wait now!

Email [email protected] if you would like to know more about the project, or get in touch directly with our Regeneration Team. To keep up to date with the latest goings-on, please visit our Facebook and Twitter pages

Holy Trinity Regeneration Project Q&A Sept 19.pdf