Derventio Housing Trust

11/06/2026

The Power of Peer Mentoring

“I just wanted to take a moment to thank you for everything you taught me during the Peer Mentoring course. Your guidance, patience, and encouragement made a real difference to me.

I’m really proud to share that I’ve now passed my Level 2 Certificate in Understanding Mental Health First Aid & Mental Health Advocacy in the Workplace courses, and it was the foundation you helped me build that made this possible. I’m continuing to grow my learning portfolio, and your support has played a big part in that journey.

Thank you again for believing in me and inspiring me to develop the confidence to keep moving forward.”

Developed by our Senior Learning Mentor, Joe Michael, the

Peer Mentoring Programme is a 10-week course covering:

✅ The role of a Mentor
✅ Professional boundaries
✅ Empathic listening and communication
✅ Confidentiality
✅ Safeguarding
✅ Reporting and recording incidents
✅ Contributing to the development of the latest version of the
Peer Mentoring Programme

🏡 At the heart of everything we do is providing housing and support for people who are homeless or struggling with their housing situation. Our Peer Mentoring Programme is just one of the many ways we work alongside people living in our accommodation to build confidence, develop skills, and achieve their goals.

👏 Congratulations, Leo, on your fantastic achievement and commitment to continued learning. We're proud to have been part of your journey and look forward to seeing what you accomplish next!

🔗 For more information about our services and the support

we provide, visit:
https://derventiohousing.com/services/supported-housing/

10/06/2026

Kindness & Donating: Creating Positive Change 💙🤝

Giving and showing kindness to others doesn’t just benefit the people receiving it, this can also have a powerful positive impact on the people giving.💛

Acts of kindness and donating help people focus on what truly matters and the causes they care deeply about.
Many donors become more informed, compassionate, and connected to the communities and charities they support.

Research also shows that people who give to others are often happier and feel a greater sense of purpose.😊

Imagine how much better every individual, community, and nation could be if more people chose kindness, generosity, and compassion.

A small act of kindness can make a big difference. 💙

Here is the link to our Local Giving page, where donating any amount would make a big difference by helping provide residents with the vital support they need.

Derventio Housing Trust provides housing and support for people who are facing homelessness and complex challenges.

08/06/2026

📢 Open Day – Revised Date!

Come and join us at our Open Day on the new date of 15th July, from 11:00am to 3:00pm.

📍 Growing Lives
1 Grenville Drive
Ilkeston
DE7 8HT

We look forward to welcoming you and sharing with you what Growing Lives is all about.
Growing Recovery in Derbyshire Growing Lives

💜🌱 Growing Lives Open Day 🌱💜

Growing Lives (Derventio Housing Trust) invites YOU join them in just over a months time at their Open Day, offering the chance to explore the project, meet staff and participants, take part in activities and find out how Growing Lives supports wellbeing, confidence and skills development!

📅 NOW 15th JULY!
📍 1 Grenville Drive, Ilkeston DE7 8HT
🎉 Free and open to all

🌐 Full story: www.growingrecoveryinderbyshire.co.uk/news/derventio-housing-trust-growing-lives-open-day/

Growing Lives supports people in drug or alcohol recovery. For more information or to find out about support:
🌐www.growingrecoveryinderbyshire.co.uk/project/growing-lives-derventio-housing-trust/
📞 01159 443 865 📱 07714 791 098
📧 [email protected]

08/06/2026

🎉 Well Done Neil! 🎉

Congratulations to Neil on achieving his second certificate this year this time in Emergency First Aid at Work! 👏

Neil earned this qualification through his ongoing volunteer work with the Wellies Project, an organisation that provides outdoor therapeutic activities to support people experiencing poor mental health across the Derbyshire and Staffordshire areas.

This is a fantastic achievement and a true reflection of Neil’s ongoing commitment to developing his skills and supporting others through his volunteer work with The Wellies Project.

05/06/2026

This recent story from Derbyshire Live highlights the potential dangers of charging electrical devices, with firefighters from Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service who were called to a fire at property in Sawley.

The blaze was found to have been caused by a remote-control car being left on charge.

Thankfully no one was injured, although the property sustained significant damage.

In July last year a resident living in a Derventio Housing Trust property in Swindon caused a serious fire after plugging in an e-scooter to charge which then burst into flames.

The fire quickly took control and residents had to flee for safety. Fortunately, no-one was hurt.

In response to this we have launched a hard-hitting safety video warning residents of the dangers of electric scooters and e-bikes. Having secured a grant from Electrical Safety First we commissioned Derbyshire behaviour change marketing company MacMartin who worked with AVIT Media on the shoot.

Electric scooters and e-bikes are fitted with lithium-ion batteries which can explode, causing fires which quickly fill a room with thick, toxic smoke and are hard to extinguish.

Derventio will be showing the film to all residents across five UK counties, totalling around 1200 people a year and it will form part of its onboarding procedure for people who are coming to live in one of its properties for the first time.

The car had been left unattended whilst charging

04/06/2026

This week we’re celebrating Volunteers Week. Running from Monday 1 June to Sunday 7 June 2026 this is an annual UK-wide campaign to recognise the contributions of volunteers.

Launched in 1984, this initiative has been running for over 40 years, providing organisations and communities a platform to thank current and past volunteers for their invaluable efforts.

Volunteering makes an invaluable contribution; in 2004 it added £4.6 billion in productivity gains to the UK economy.

At Derventio Housing Trust, we would like to take this opportunity to thank our volunteer board members who go above and beyond to help us achieve our mission to offer safe and secure accommodation and support to help people grow their independent living skills, keep their home and reduce the risk of facing homelessness again.

For more information on the value of volunteering and how you can get involved please visit
https://volunteersweek.org/about

Find out more about the campaign, who's involved in the planning and development, plus more.

03/06/2026

🚲🌍 World Bicycle Day 🌍🚲

World Bicycle Day is a celebration of the bicycle - a simple, affordable, reliable, and environmentally friendly form of transport.

At Growing Lives, we run weekly bicycle workshop sessions every Thursday 🔧 , where participants restore broken and unwanted bikes and bike parts back into fully working bicycles.

Not only do participants learn valuable practical skills 🛠️, but they also experience a real sense of achievement and independence by keeping and using the bikes they restore themselves.

Many use their bikes as transport to and from Growing Lives, while also benefiting from exercise and helping the environment through greener travel.

Through these workshops, participants build confidence, develop new skills, and make a positive impact on both their wellbeing and the environment. 🚴

02/06/2026

It was fantastic to be part of

Staff and participants from our Growing Lives site enjoyed a walk along the beautiful Erewash Canal and viaduct, taking in the scenery while staying active together.

We're also proud to have contributed to the success of the month, joining the 577 people who took part in walks throughout May and helping complete one of the 36 organised walks that took place across Erewash.

Erewash Borough Council

01/06/2026

Growing Lives participants and staff recently enjoyed a 4.5-mile walk as part of Erewash Walking Month. 🚶

The route followed the beautiful Nottingham and Erewash Canal, giving everyone the chance to enjoy nature, stay active, and spend time together. 💚

29/05/2026

More Than Just a Place to Stay 🏠

At Derventio Housing Trust, we don’t just provide accommodation - we support residents with guidance and help them access the services they need as they work towards their goal of independent living.

Recently, a resident shared their thanks after moving on to independent accommodation.

During their time with us, we were able to provide practical support, including food bank referrals and help them access essential services.

Stories like this highlight the difference we can make for residents at Derventio Housing Trust. 💛