This promotional video for the Tyne & Wear Development Corporation (TWDC), is presented by John Grundy, and records the progress of redevelopment of St Peter's Riverside, Sunderland, home of The Sir Tom Cowie Campus at the University of Sunderland on the north bank of the River Wear. It is named after the adjacent St Peter's Church, Monkwearmouth. The film includes footage of Queen Elizabeth unveiling the sculpture Pathways of Knowledge, created by sculptor in residence Colin...

This promotional video for the Tyne & Wear Development Corporation (TWDC), is presented by John Grundy, and records the progress of redevelopment of St Peter's Riverside, Sunderland, home of The Sir Tom Cowie Campus at the University of Sunderland on the north bank of the River Wear. It is named after the adjacent St Peter's Church, Monkwearmouth. The film includes footage of Queen Elizabeth unveiling the sculpture Pathways of Knowledge, created by sculptor in residence Colin Wilbourn and scenes from the Roker Regatta. Credit: Tyne and Wear Development Corporation logo. Aerial views of the St Peter’s Riverside site. Title: St. Peter’s Sunderland [Title over St Peter’s church] John Grundy stands in front of the church to introduce the programme. Title: Presented by John Grundy. He describes the older parts of the Saxon church, commenting that the old walls are part of the old monastery of St Peter. Aerial views show the St Peter site in relation to the river and the rest of the city of Sunderland, the mouth of the Wear not far from the St Peter’s site, and two concrete piers at the river entrance. General views follow of the facilities in the area including an artist’s impression of the new glass centre, yet to be built. Title: St Peter’s Riverside General view of the old church. Close-ups follow of the church as John Grundy describes when and how it was built. Glaziers from Gaul (France) introduced the first stained glass in Britain which was the beginning of glass making in the area, The film cuts to a modern glassworks where a cylinder of glass is being fashioned. An artist’s impression shows how the old monastery might have looked at the time of Bede. John Grundy talks about the bridging of the river Wear with the two ‘modern’ bridges in the background. The scene changes to show an old painting of Sunderland and its elegant 18th century iron bridge. Other old pictures of Sunderland depict the old industries that were established along the river. Aerial photographs show Sunderland in the 1930s and footage from 1989 shows house clearance from the St Peter’s area and a decline in shipbuilding activity. A sign reads ‘Tyne and Wear Development Corporation’ On camera the chief executive Alistair Balls speaks about St Peter’s past and its redevelopment. The film goes on to show new Sunderland University buildings being built near to the river. A foundation stone is laid for Shepherds the builders. The stone reads ‘This stone was laid by Dr Egon Alfred Klepsch President of the European Parliament 9 July 1993’ The vice chancellor of the university Dr Anne Wright talks to the President as they walk around the site after the stone laying ceremony. Money was made available for the project from the local council and the EEC. Dr Wright speaks on camera to praise the high quality of accommodation being built for students. The new buildings form a backdrop for the interview. Students enter one of the new buildings. More general views follow of the new accommodation buildings next to the river, with quayside cranes in the distance. The Secretary of State for the Environment John Gummer uses a plastering trowel to smooth out some cement on a prepared section of wall, as part of the topping out ceremony at the new campus. Sir Paul Nicholson, chairman of the TWDC, says a few words of thanks and appreciation. Photographers crowd round to record the event. General views follow of sections of the new campus, with students and staff walking across the campus concourses as John Grundy describes the buildings that make up the campus. The main building has won a ‘building of the year’ award in a special university category from the Royal Fine Arts Commission. Views follow of the interior of the building and of some of the architectural models used in the planning stages of the new campus. A student is at work at a desk in one of the new apartments. John Grundy sums up his appreciation of the student blocks, with various views and aspects of the new buildings. A group of women are working at computer terminals, where community members can train on word processing packages. Joe Pattison, chairman of the St Peter’s monitoring group for the Tyne & Wear Development Corporation, is seen walking towards the camera on the quayside. He speaks on camera about the great pride he has in the new developments at St Peter’s. Aerial views follow of some of the new housing developments. Some general views show new housing at North Sands. One of the developments, Chillingham House, provides sheltered accommodation. Title:  St. Peter’s Riverside – 90 Acres TWDC Investment £40M – Private Sector £110M Views follow of a new business centre at North Sands. A notice board in the North Sands Business Centre shows the range of businesses occupying the premises. A representative of Mark Bowling of Frank Haslam Milan building contractors speaks of the firm’s satisfaction with the building and its location. Another view of the centre follows and superimposed footage shows a presenter at Radio Newcastle, which has a reporting team at the centre. He speaks into a microphone at their studio about the anniversary of the venerable Bede. The film cuts to a word processing class, a girl working at a computer. Another company at the business centre which offers this training has also been successful. Ian Chapman from CiA Training Ltd speaks on camera. The film shows staff supervising individuals at computers. Aerial footage follows form 1989, which shows the old North Dock, and some small boats that are moored there. A new marina has been built and in 1993 two full sail training vessels were moored there for the first time. Some young people are shown boarding one of them, the ‘Sir Winston Churchill’, in readiness for the tall ships race. A banner reads ‘Sir Winston Churchill Sponsored by Tyne & Wear Development Corporation’. An aerial view shows the new marina. Martin Marsh project director for the St Peter’s Riverside speaks on camera. He talks about the North Dock marina and its leisure facilities. Aerial views follow of the North Dock facility and marina. John Grundy stands in front of the new marine activities building, as he describes the modernity and ‘nautical feel’ of the building. The whole area is now called North Haven and as the camera passes over the views of the marina, John Grundy outlines the plans for new housing in the area. A photograph shows the monitoring group sitting around a table. Superimposed on this are images of the new plans for North Haven. In the summer sunshine visitors enjoy themselves on a beach. Small dinghies known as Ospreys take part in a race just offshore. The film cuts to the south bank of the Wear and a new building, a port control tower. On another part of the river an 18th century warehouse the Rose Line building undergoes extensive restoration. Next the film shows a road sign ‘Liberty Way’, named in tribute to the cargo carrying wartime ‘Liberty’ ships which were built at Thompson’s yard in Sunderland and also in the US and Canada. Footage is shown of a preserved Liberty Ship, the Jeremiah O’Brien, on a UK visit in 1994. On camera Alistair Balls, the chief executive of the TWDC, speaks of the huge significance of the Nissan factory and its importance to Sunderland and the North East region. The film cuts to a view of a roadside sign which indicates the location of Sunderland Enterprise Park along Wessington Way, which offers access to offices, production units, a retail centre and a nature park. An aerial view shows some of the units available for businesses. The film cuts to the grounds of St Peter’s Church in 1993 as schoolchildren welcome the Queen. They strain over the metal fencing waving flags to try and catch a better view of the Queen as she makes her way past. The Queen shakes hands with various officials and dignitaries. She unveils a sculpture of stone and glass called ‘Pathways of Knowledge’, in recognition of the links between scholarship and the arts supported by the university. The Queen talks to Sir Paul Nicholson, chairman of the TWDC. The Queen also talks to the young sculptor Colin Wilbourn, who made the artwork. Colin Wilbourn is at work on another outdoor sculpture not far from the new marina. He has been involved in the St Peter’s Riverside Sculpture Project (SPRSP) and other sculptures by the artist show quirky subject matters including a section of an old fashioned fireplace, and a comfortable ‘padded’ sofa carved out of stone. The film then shows a display of script in Latin, a quill pen, a wax tablet and stylus and a monk’s habit (referring to the Bede’s manuscripts). John Grundy sits next to a computer near the display. He shows how communication has advanced to the point where, regional artefacts and treasures from earliest times can be viewed via the internet on a computer. He then shows to camera a new video tape that has been produced by the university called the History of Glass on Wearside. The film cuts to a cylinder of glass being formed by two workers at Hartley Woods glass works. Title: The History of Glass at Wearside’ University of Sunderland. The excerpt continues with commentary by Magnus Magnusson. The film fades from the workshop to a view of stained glass. The Durham Cathedral window depicts the Last Supper as though viewed from above. The film goes back to John Grundy’s commentary and an architectural model of the National Glass Centre in the St Peter’s area of Sunderland. Over the image of the model the following text appears: Title: National Glass Centre Investment £13m, 75000+ visitors a year. The film cuts to the marina: Title: Roker Regatta 1995. People gather at the marina at North Haven for a fun run. The mayor sounds a klaxon and the runners start a fun run and a 10 kilometre run. John Grundy interviews a former headmistress who is at the event. Title: Janet Chalmers, Former Head Mistress, Dame Dorothy Primary School She is with one of her young students, Jack, who has been involved with the events at the regatta. She says the St Peter’s developments is benefitting the local community. Alistair Balls, chief executive of the TWDC, chats with some men wearing high visibility waistcoats marked ‘Official’. They are part of Monkwearmouth local history group who are acting as marshals for the day. Views follow of runners making their way along part of the route near the riverside, then running on pavements alongside St Peter’s church, onwards to the Wearmouth Bridge. John Grundy applauds the runners as they cross the finishing line. A close-up shows a glass trophy the winners will receive. The film goes back to the fun runners at the start of the race, fading to a dragon boat race on the Wear as it passes beneath the road and rail bridges. The runners receive their prizes. Credit: The Tyne and Wear Development Corporation wish to thank the following for help in making this video – St Peter’s Church, St Peter’s Monitoring Panel, Monkwearmouth Local History Group, Dame Dorothy Primary School, Sunderland Museum and Art Gallery, University of Sunderland – Information Services, Sunderland City Council, BBC Radio Newcastle (Sunderland), Bede’s World, Jarrow, The British Museum, CiA Training Ltd, Frank Haslam Milan Ltd, Hi Tech Video, Susan Moor, Calligrapher, Real Time Design, Tyne Tees Television. Title: St Peter’s Riverside, Title: TWDC © 1995