#Not1: Peterborough charity launches winter campaign to get all rough sleepers off city’s streets

A charity in Peterborough has launched a project to get all of the city’s rough sleepers off the streets this winter.
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Light Project Peterborough runs the Garden House in the Cathedral Precincts which provides vital support and shelter for rough sleepers.

The charity has been working at full pelt during the coronavirus pandemic to support the city’s rough sleepers after the Government ordered local authorities to get all people off the streets.

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And with temperatures dropping Light Project Peterborough is running a #not1campaign to make sure nobody has to sleep rough this winter, or beyond.

Lauren from Light Project Peterborough backing the #not1 campaignLauren from Light Project Peterborough backing the #not1 campaign
Lauren from Light Project Peterborough backing the #not1 campaign

The charity’s chief executive Steven Pettican said: “During the pandemic the go-to statistic from the Government is 15,000 rough sleepers have been taken off the streets. Why can’t we just keep doing that? We could do it then so why does it have to stop?

“We want to do everything to get people off the streets. We’re open from 10am, Monday to Friday. We want to do everything we can to encourage people not to sleep on the streets another night.

“That person has potential. Let’s encourage them to get support. As soon as they get down to us we will do our upmost to support them.”

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At the Garden House rough sleepers are offered housing, health and employment support, help accessing accommodation and, naturally, friendship.

Nicola from Light Project PeterboroughNicola from Light Project Peterborough
Nicola from Light Project Peterborough

During the pandemic Light Project Peterborough has staffing and providing meals, clothes and other comforts for rough sleepers placed in hotels as an emergency..

Steven added: “The pandemic hasn’t changed things. Previously at the Garden House we would see one new rough sleeper per day. During the pandemic and ongoing we still see high numbers of new people coming through every week.

“But the pandemic has changed things. There’s a pressure on us at Light Project Peterborough to deal with people who are more worried, more vulnerable, who have had relationship breakdowns. People have lost jobs, they are depressed - we’ve got to deal with that to try and help them defuse those challenges and help them get back on track.

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“We’re under pressure and the team are getting stuck in. We’re looking for encouragement and support to keep going this winter.

Julie from Light Project PeterboroughJulie from Light Project Peterborough
Julie from Light Project Peterborough

“We’re cooking on juice but we’re still here and helping people off the streets. There’s sill a great need and we’re still moving people through to accommodation. As part of that we believe that not one person should have to sleep on the streets.”

To support the #not1campaign, people are being asked to donate to Light Project Peterborough’s JustGiving page (https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/not1) to make sure it can keep running the Garden House, as well as signposting rough sleepers to the Garden House get help and promoting the campaign on social media.

“We want everyone in Peterborough to say ‘not one’,” Steven added.

“Any pound which comes in will enable us to keep going.”