Bishop Debbie Sellin, alongside Peterborough Citizens UK, visited us last week to support the campaign to improve housing in Peterborough. 

Jeanie Everitt (Yr8), Daniela Gomes (Yr10) and Reya Khawaja (Yr9) gave powerful testimonies using the experiences of some of our students. 

Rick Carrol worked with Light Project Peterborough back in 2021 to establish a system with Peterborough City Council so they would inform schools across Peterborough when students were moved into hotels or hostels. Sadly, current research has revealed shocking statistics: over the last 2 years there is an average in any one week of 444 children living in hostels or hotels in our city, yet only 3.6% of their schools have been informed. 

In his first week of being homeless, a TDA student was given a detention for being late, not completing homework, and a negative for not having a tie. He needed our support, but we didn't know of his plight. One of our families lived in a hotel for 5 months with 4 children under 11 and no laundry or kitchen facilities. 

We are meeting with Peterborough City Council next week and will be asking as part of the homelessness support programme they commit to - 

1. Notify schools across Peterborough when children become homeless

2. Guarantee free school meals for homeless children

3. Provide additional transport support to keep children in school

Bishop Debbie, soon to be a Lord Spiritual, has pledged to take our stories to Parliament, saying: "Housing insecurity profoundly impacts education and family life. I’m committed to driving meaningful change."