Light Project Peterborough have been running the Garden House since Oct 2018. As a key charity in the city and a voice for the vulnerable, their vision is to ‘Enable and equip the church and community to heal the broken hearted, set free the oppressed and bring good news to the poor.’
The Garden House is an essential hub for the homeless and sees over one new person coming through their doors every single day. Within the beautiful setting of Peterborough Cathedral grounds, there is a real atmosphere of peace, healing and belief that everybody should have hope for the future.
The charity is serving the city by running a multi-agency approach and hosting other organisations such as the city council, Aspire, CPFT, Reed, and the NHS to ensure people who sadly find themselves on the streets are helped in a co-ordinated and streamlined method.
Since April 2021, 84 new people have presented to us as sleeping on the street with an average of 100 people coming through our doors each month.
In June 2021, we supported 110 people to help them to overcome many serious life challenges and navigate the systems to find accommodation. We provide one to one personal support and with a constant flow of people coming through the doors, the team assist them all in unravelling complex issues to help them progress. Every day there is a smile of joy or tears of healing, but every day something practical is done to help people find new hope.
Light Project Peterborough’s CEO, Steven Pettican says, “We continue to have great support from local councillors and our MP, Paul Bristow. Only recently we were pleased to receive recognition of our important work in the city by Paul speaking of our work in the House of Commons. A real credit to the staff, the partners and the amazing volunteers who so kindly give their time freely every day.”
MP for Peterborough, Paul Bristow, says, “My visit to Light Project Peterborough and witnessing their important work for the city has once again reminded me how our faith communities lead the way in helping those in need, making Peterborough a better place for all. As a Christian charity, Light Project Peterborough is one of the best models of faith communities leading the way to facilitate communities and organisations to work together to meet the need of those who have fallen on hard times. A big thank you to all the staff and the amazing volunteers who show love and care in a practical way every day.”
For more information, to offer support or to sign up to the Light Project Peterborough newsletter for regular updates please go to www.lightprojectpeterborough.org.uk