This is our House of Light

As part of Hate Crime Awareness Week, performance poet Tom Calderbank visited the Cherwell Wellbeing Hub and our Witley Road Day Centre.

Tom spent time with groups of service users talking about Hate Crime, and listening to their thoughts on what to do if they are a victim, before drawing together their words and creating an original poem House of Light which he performed at both locations.

Rachel Law, Chief Executive of PossAbilities said “Tom is a remarkable man who left an indelible impression on everybody that he touched during Hate Crime Week. His message was one that we wholeheartedly support ‘Love not Hate’ and it is wonderful to see how he has inspired some of the people we support to try their hand at poetry. He wrote his poem on a papyrus lantern which can be lit up to create a house of light. We can’t wait to install it when we open the Cherwell Green Apartments next year as that will be our little ‘House of Light'”.

This project was supported by a grant from the Rochdale Safer Communities Partnership.

Tom and his PossAbilities Crew can be seen on our Youtube Channel. In the meantime here are the words: –

House of Light

This is not a house of hate

Love resides in every slate

Each brick fired with compassion

Generous kindness is the fashion

If you’re chilled by hatreds ire

Come warm your bones beside our fire

We’ll close our door, keep you safe from harm

Share your troubles, keep your calm

Our windows are eyes, behold the soul

Love NOT hate, that’s our goal

Everybody must play their part

Let this house of light shine in your heart

Tommy Calderbank and the PossAbilities Crew February 2020.