Club’s £150,000 refurbishment work

The Royal Naval Association Wear Branch in Roker is undergoing a £150,000 refurbishment after winning a grant from the MOD Armed Forces Covenant.

The Royal Naval Association applied for a community grant last year through the Armed Forces Covenant Grant scheme and was awarded the full amount.

Refurbishment works will include new suspended ceilings and LED lighting, a lift from ground floor to 1 st floor, a disabled toilet and refurbishment to the ladies’ toilets. The old heating systems are set to be replaced with more efficient boiler sand radiators, and emergency exit doors and fire doors will also be replaced.

The old balcony which has not been utilised in many years will be repurposed into a games and meeting room. Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council, Councillor Michael Mordey is the City Armed Forces Champion. He visited the Royal Navy Club for a social distanced tour of the premises to hear about the work going ahead.

He said: "This branch of the Royal Naval Association is an important part of the community for those serving, veterans and people with other military affiliations. I am delighted that they have been awarded the funding they need to transform it into a place that can serve more people."

David Staines, chairman of the Roker branch of the Royal Naval Association, said: "I am delighted that we have received this grant, we are now able to carry out some much-needed refurbishment work that will make the club a much more comfortable and accessible space for our members and the wider public to enjoy."