Hundreds of kind-hearted Ripley Academy students turn Santa for once homeless Amber Valley Derventio Housing Trust residents

Hundreds of students at Ripley Academy have shown the true spirit of Christmas by buying a huge pile of gifts for once homeless Derventio Housing Trust residents living nearby in Amber Valley.

This is the 14th year that the school in Peasehill, Ripley, has united in the huge gift drive for local people who are living in Derventio Housing Trust properties in Amber Valley.

Derventio Housing Trust provides accommodation to hundreds of people around the UK who would otherwise be homeless.

Students in every school year have contributed a wide range of gifts from useful food and toiletry items to festive treats like chocolate and sweets, all been presented in large boxes wrapped in Christmas paper.

Sixth form students were on hand to load up a van ready to deliver to people living in Derventio Housing Trust homes who may be facing a lonely Christmas away from friends and family with few treats available.

School teachers have been talking to students about homelessness during form time and students have once again enthusiastically responded by contributing gifts to help cheer up residents at Christmas time.

Ripley Academy head of sixth form Eloise Taylor said:

It’s nice to know that these gifts we have clubbed together to contribute will be going to somebody who is having a difficult time.

Maths teacher and form tutor Hollie Broom added:

We hope to show our pupils that if they are in a difficult situation in their life, that there is help out there for them. We really try to promote the value of kindness in school and this gift drive is very appropriate for that.

Some students at the school said they were particularly keen to contribute having been through periods in their lives without a home themselves.

School students heard a talk from Jackie Carpenter, assistant director of strategy for Derventio Housing Trust, who provided a fascinating insight into the complex issue of homelessness which is often hidden in plain sight behind issues such as sofa surfing or spending nights in the car after a relationship breakdown.

According to the latest figures from Crisis, there are 300,000 households in the UK who are currently homeless, while rough sleeping has more than doubled since 2010.

Derventio Housing Trust is currently providing accommodation to 46 people in Amber Valley, where there are far more people on the list for social housing than there are properties available to rent.

Of those that Derventio Housing Trust helps, eight in ten are men and a quarter are under 25 years old. Around 42 per cent have problems with drug and alcohol use, just under a third have learning difficulties and 15 per cent are care leavers.

Jackie told students:

I think what you do for us each year is amazing. It’s a fantastic thing to care about other people and it really makes a big difference to us.

Beth Lockwood, 17, head student at the academy, said:

I think this is a nice thing to do at Christmas – it’s a charitable time of the year.

Derventio Housing Trust is currently running a Christmas appeal so that all its residents around the UK are given a box of festive goodies this year.

Managing director Sarah Hernandez said:

For many people living in supported housing like ours, Christmas is not a celebration but a reminder of what they have lost. Across our housing, people of all ages are working hard to rebuild their lives.

People rebuilding their lives deserve to feel included. A £14 festive gift box filled with seasonal treats will lift spirits, boost wellbeing and help create a sense of connection. Thank you to Spicers of Hythe for providing a generous discount so we can help spread even more Christmas joy.

Each box will make a meaningful difference. Last Christmas, hundreds of people were surprised and delighted to receive a gift box. Our housing and support workers saw a noticeable uplift in mood and engagement, and many residents expressed genuine gratitude that someone had taken the time to think of them. Support from many donors helped make that happen. Let’s hope we can do the same in 2025.

Many thanks to the students at Ripley Academy who have shown what Christmas really means by giving these wonderful boxes filled with goodies annual for the past 14 years – their support is wonderful.

Anyone inspired by the generosity of Ripley Academy students can donate to Derventio Housing Trust’s Christmas appeal, see https://localgiving.org/fundraising/derventiochristmasboxappeal2025