One of our Learning Mentor volunteers gave us some wonderful news recently about a family that we’ve all been supporting for a while now. Their children attend (or have been to) our Homework Club, GSCE study groups, and were supported by volunteer Learning Mentors. We also supported their parents with advice and casework support, including getting them legal representation over their dire housing situation. It just goes to show the difference we can make with long-term support for a whole family.
“I am writing this to convey some wonderful news of an ex-mentee. The oldest sister in the T. family, S., has come top in her year and gained a first class degree in biomedical science at Middlesex university. As she has been in the country for only about 5 years , this is an astonishing achievement. Their English was basic when they arrived. I currently mentor her younger sister A. and mentored the next two older ones S. and, briefly, Z. If there is any way this news could be conveyed to Sophie (who used to work for our Love to Learn team), I am sure she would love to know. She had SO much to do with this family.
The other wonderful news is that they are about to be re- re-housed. They were made homeless. Towards the end of last year they were rehoused from their 1 bedroom flat in Tooting to a 3 bedroomed one in Wembley. More spacious, but dreadfully long school journeys (the children still go to school in Wandsworth). I met the parents in Tooting to sign one of their children’s passport application, as there are no teachers in her school at the moment (this was during lockdown). They told me they have now been allocated a 3 bedroomed house in Putney. Hugely better journeys for the two sisters at Kingston university, and for the younger ones too. I am so delighted for them.”