Roberta Redecke joined Sunderland BID at 2016, starting as an intern and learning about every aspect of the organisation and its work.
Since that time, she has risen through the ranks and is now Marketing and Events Manager, with responsibility for a whole range of initiatives aimed at increasing dwell time and footfall in Sunderland city centre.
The BID is responsible for a range of large scale events which fall under Roberta’s remit. This includes the annual Sunderland Food and Drink Festival, the twice yearly Sunderland Restaurant Week and the Halloween entertainment.
At the same time, Roberta also supports the seasonal programmes which include Christmas, Easter and summer entertainment and regular markets.
Building good relationships with businesses across the city centre is a key part of her role, which includes encouraging them to get involved with events or giving support and advice if they are planning their own particular event.
Business engagement is key to the BID’s success and with that in mind, Roberta oversees many of the communication channels to ensure that people are both informed and engaged.
This includes a regular e-bulletin, a printed newsletter for levy payers, active social media channels and liaising with the BID’s consultants to ensure widespread positive messaging.
At the same time, Roberta plays an active part in the city’s Collaborative Comms Group, where representatives from key stakeholders across Sunderland meet regularly to ensure that there is a “joined up thinking” approach to promoting the city and its many attributes.
