The North East BIC has become the latest organisation to pledge its support to backing Sunderland’s city centre traders.
The leading business support and workspace provider has signed up to become an affiliate member of Sunderland BID.
Set up in 2014, Sunderland BID was founded by a collective of city businesses and business leaders to revitalise and regenerate Sunderland city centre.
Since then, the organisation has injected £6million into enhancing the city centre, through hosting events to increase footfall, securing road and street improvements and supporting city traders.
The BID’s new affiliate programme – launched earlier this year – aims to further build on its success, by allowing businesses from outside of the city centre to support its efforts.
This includes contributing to the BID and supporting its efforts to host events, clean up the city centre and create a more vibrant Sunderland.
Affiliate members are also invited to participate in networking opportunities, volunteering initiatives and have a say on key decisions which are shaping the future of the city.
Paul McEldon OBE, Chief Executive of the North East BIC, said joining the BID ‘made total sense’ due to the organisations ‘shared desire to drive the city forward’.
“As an organisation which was formed to help people in the North East set up and grow their own businesses, it just made total sense for us to join the affiliate programme,” he said.
“Over the course of the last 30 years, we’ve helped thousands of people across the North East to set up, many of whom have gone on to – or continue to – trade from within Sunderland city centre and are directly involved with the BID.
“This desire to drive economic growth and help make Sunderland an even better place to set up and grow a business is something we share with the BID and its partners, so to have the opportunity to shape the future of the city centre is something we’re incredibly excited about playing a key role in.”
The BIC has joined a number of leading companies in signing up to the affiliate programme, including SSE Energy Solutions, Building Design North, MMC Research and Marketing and Penshaw View Training.
Sharon Appleby, Chief Executive of Sunderland BID, said: “We are delighted to welcome the BIC to the affiliate scheme.
“We already work very closely with the team and their clients and this partnership will further improve our ability to continue the work that we do in the BID area.
“The city is at such a key point in its transformation that businesses coming together to support one another just shows what a great place to do business Sunderland really is.”
For more information on the affiliate scheme, visit: https://sunderlandbid.co.uk/
