Homeless charity’s ‘life-changing’ trip
AGROUP of service users from a homelessness charity have taken part in a ‘lifechanging’ residential trip.
Six service user from
Petrus, a homelessness charity based in Rochdale spent two nights at Trafford Hall in Chester as part of a skills and employability training project.
For many it was the first time they had been away from home, and during the stay took part in activities designed to develop their confidence and recognise their skills in communication, resilience, self-esteem and teamwork.
The trip formed part of the Petrus ‘Project 5’, run alongside Merseyside training provider The Learning Foundry, which supports people who have experienced or who are at risk of homelessness to recognise their potential.
Tracy Greenwood, learning and support worker at Petrus, said: “It has been an amazing experience - truly heart-warming and inspirational. I have laughed so much and cried tears of pride for the participants.
“Together we had a truly fantastic time - something I’ll never forget. Our participants are just a wonderful bunch!”
Fresh off the minibus from Rochdale, the group took a wellbeing walk around the gardens of Trafford Hall before embarking on new experiences that pushed them out of their comfort zone.
A highlight of the trip was a series of workshops delivered by Mancunian poet Mike Garry who led writing exercises to encourage the group to use their voice to tell their personal story.
Nathan, a Project 5 participant and Petrus service user, described the trip as ‘the time of his life’.
He said: “When I started, I felt like I was at the bottom. I’ve come up now. I’m in the middle - I’m not at the top yet. But now I know I’m going to get up to that higher mark with the support of everyone here.
“It seems like we’ve been together for a lot longer. It just seems like we’ve known each other for ages, not that we’ve just started the project. We’ve come together and it’s like a community.”
Fellow Project 5 participant Marvin added: “When we go back to Rochdale, we’re going as different people. We’ve all changed and grown - everyone’s opened up.”
Sharing his experience of working with the group, poet Mike Garry said: “I’ve been working with the Project 5 group to develop their confidence most of all - in themselves and their confidence with language.
“They have been knocked back many times over and their value in society is not what it should be - their selfvalue is low.
“They need to tell the people who’ve let them down why they are important fulcrums of community, beacons of hope, lighthouses of tenderness and care and kindness and fairness. What I got most out of working with Petrus is a sense of brother-and- sisterhood. I’m no different to these individuals and isn’t it lovely to spend time with people like you.”
Sonia Denham, Head of Petrus, said: “It has been a real honour to watch people change and grow during the residential and over the course of Project 5. They have been empowered to understand that their lived experience is their asset, and that they have a valuable place in society. Project 5 is supporting them to take positive steps forward after overcoming negative societal stigma and inequality.
“We look forward to seeing them continue to thrive over the coming months thanks to their new-found self- esteem.
“I’m in awe of them and our visit to Trafford Hall was life-affirming, life-changing and life-enriching - for them and me.”
Project 5 is a project available to adults in and around Rochdale who have experienced homelessness and those who have been affected by negative societal stigma, discrimination or inequality. To support Petrus to continue to deliver services such as Project 5 to vulnerable people in the community, donate online at www.tinyurl.com/ petruscommunity
Six service users from Petrus spent two nights at Trafford Hall in Chester as part of a skills and employability training project.