The Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, a leading charity dedicated to fostering philanthropy and growing charitable giving will later this month be proudly sponsoring the Technology and Cyber Zone at STEMFest Sunderland.

The Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, a leading charity dedicated to fostering philanthropy and growing charitable giving, empowers individuals and businesses to support crucial causes throughout the North East. By combining deep local knowledge with the generosity of donors, they help fund impactful charities and community organisations that create lasting change. Later this month, they will proudly sponsor the Technology and Cyber Zone at STEMFest Sunderland.

This event, coordinated by the STEM Hub, delivered by RTC North, aims to encourage and inspire young people from local schools in the STEM subjects. Held in partnership with the Foundation of Light, STEMFest will take place from 8th to 10th October at the iconic Beacon of Light in Sunderland. The lively three-day festival will welcome students aged 9-13, who will have the opportunity to explore a series of engaging STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) themed zones, focused on the region’s growing sectors, including Space, Cyber and Technology, E-Sports, Energy, and Manufacturing.

John Hollingsworth, Chief Philanthropy Officer at the Community Foundation, said:

“We are delighted to support STEMFest Sunderland through our North East Roots Fund, which is powered by donations from our region’s passionate expats. We are finding that many people who live outside the region not only retain a strong connection to the place but also want the best for our communities. In particular, members of our diaspora want to support better pathways to opportunity for young people in the North East, and STEMFest is a brilliant example of what can be done to make that happen.”

With over 3,000 students expected to attend, the event aims to bridge the gap between education and industry, fostering connections and providing inspiration that will shape the future STEM workforce. Businesses in the North East's STEM sectors are invited to participate in this event, designed to inspire and encourage young people to explore careers in these fields.

Claire Willis, Team Leader at the STEM Hub comments: “We are thrilled to welcome the Community Foundation again as a sponsor for STEMFest. Events like this would not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors, and we are deeply thankful to the Community Foundation for their ongoing support and all of our other sponsors for their invaluable support of our work with schools across the North East region.”