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The Bishop’s Charity 2025
Light Project Peterborough (LPP) has been announced as the Bishop’s Charity for 2025. Confirmation collections, and any donations received by the Bishops’ Office, or by bishops in the course of their ministry, will go to this very good cause.
The vision of Light Project Peterborough (LPP) 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.’
Active in the city since 2009, Light Project Peterborough has led Winter Night Shelters, Multi-Agency Community Support Teams and Rest Centres during the Covid-19 pandemic. They continue to provide Street Chaplaincy, Emergency Accommodation and Peer Advocacy across Peterborough. Day-time services for the homeless are provided both within the community and through Peterborough’s Homeless Hub, the Garden House. To compliment these projects the charity takes an active lead in bringing together Christian leaders in the city to address social need.
The Garden House offers information, advice and support to rough sleepers in Peterborough in partnership with the City Council housing officers, GPs, employment agencies, alcohol and drug support specialists, mental health teams, the police, hairdressers, chiropodists and art therapists. They are supported by a large team of volunteers. Between April 2023 and March 2024, the Garden House welcomed 820 guests and helped 415 people to move off the streets.
Since 2015, Light Project Peterborough has been active in running and sourcing accommodation in partnership with local churches across denominations and has set up seven individual night shelter units. Each unit caters for one person and contains a single bed, shower, toilet, sink, a window, storage, and radiators. The church provides the location, evening meals and community for the person staying in the unit.
Bishop Debbie said "having visited this project on a few occasions I have been inspired by the work it does to support homeless people in the city. Not only does it provide food and shelter, it works creatively with other agencies to help people move out of homelessness and there are many stories of this happening. I hope that our contribution to the charity will help them in their different work streams."
Steven Pettican, LPP CEO, said: “We are delighted to be chosen as Bishop Debbie’s Charity of the Year. This support will not only provide funds towards our projects but will also shine a wider light on what we do.”
Light Project Peterborough’s vision is purposely broad and reveals their desire to be a truly city focused / city change charity. If you are looking to help a charity in your local parish this year, maybe consider giving Light Project Peterborough your support.
More information on Light Project Peterborough (LPP) can be found here.