Hub-A-Vision: Peterborough CFO Activity Hub

Sharon, Contract Performance Manager at CFO shares her day at the Peterborough CFO Activity Hub

Peterborough is a picturesque city with a stunning cathedral and market square, originally built by Saxons, it’s been a lively place for hundreds of years, the Danes have invaded, the abbey has been set on fire, it had one of the first leper houses in Britain and also suffered from outbreaks of plague. It struck in 1574, 1607, 1625 and 1665-67. Lots of the population died but Peterborough always recovered, so somewhat like right now and our battles with covid.

Mary Queen of Scots was buried in Peterborough Cathedral after her execution in 1587, so you can see it's quite steeped in history, and now new history and memories are being made in our CFO Activity Hub.

The CFO Activity Hub is on an old street called Cowgate, It was one of the main routes into the city back in the 12th century, there are no actual cows or gates though. It’s nice to see a place that caters to participants that aren’t tucked away out of sight, it’s a busy little street and the Hub proudly displays the ESF and our CFO logos in large text making it super easy to find.

The Hub was noisy and busy with support workers (SW) and Participants (P)

The Hub looks and feels great, it’s a long building with clear vision right to the back, on the left side is a bank of computers, and several private interview rooms, on the right is the kitchen where you can help yourself to hot drinks, water and biscuits, a snug area, some tables and chairs – all comfy as I sat in most of them, a super cool covered sofa with a roof, and the office area, all open plan and nothing hidden. Art and creative pieces are displayed everywhere from art displays, thank you cards and a rather strange looking work in progress of a huge wire and paper mache “something”, plants, nice bright walls and great lighting.

The main activity area is as you walk. The great smell of coffee was heavy in the air. There is a long table in the middle of the Hub, this was strewn with various household items with raffle numbers on them and the Hub coordinator was sorting through these with a P. I asked what they were doing and a P told me they’d been raising money for charity and they were sorting the prizes.

P was an elderly gentleman, smartly dressed and over the moon, as he’d won some sheets and towels, he explained that the Hub had helped him and he now had his first flat, he didn’t have much so getting sheets and a towel was a big deal.

I could see why he was smiling - if you think about it where do you get sheets and towels if you have no money, have never had your own flat before as you’ve spent almost your whole adult life in prison?

He didn’t think going to the Hub would help, but was talked into it and now wondered how he’d have done without it, he mostly spoke to probation on the phone so having a human conversation he said had been a big help.

Right at the back of the office, a P in his 30s was showing his SW pictures on his phone. He had just got his benefits through and had been food shopping, he needed to make it last, so had been food shopping and was proudly showing his SW what he had cooked the night before, asking “what could I add to this to bulk it out so I could make it last a bit longer”, the SW told him his dinner looked great and suggested cheaper staples like rice and lentils. The P said he’d not thought of that, he wanted to make something that realistically lasts three days and keep him full.

The buzzer went at the door and a young woman came in shivering, she was greeted warmly by other P’s and the SW, she went straight to make a hot drink to warm her hands. "Where you going looking so smart" I heard one of the P’s ask her, she replied “It’s my first shift at work today and I didn’t know what to do so I thought I’d come here”, a SW took her into a side room for a chat, and she left smiling about 20 minutes later.

I went up to the snug area as wanted to see the plants, the P’s had upcycled a pallet and were growing things, quite cleverly they even had plants growing out of an old handbag. Two men were sitting talking, one kept checking his phone battery so I suggested he plug it in. The other P said “I did that” pointing at the plants, I said I was hopeless with indoor plants so he gave me a few tips.

Both P’s said they attended the Hub a few times a week, they live in approved premises both were heavy drinkers, P1 said he knew he could not drink in the Hub or arrive drunk, he’d tried and been told to come back when sober, so he did. He still drank, but not all day, every day, as he used to, which was a start.

Opposite, SW was sitting with a female P, very patiently and slowly explaining how to take part in an arts and crafts activity, she sat quite still, the concentration on her face evident as she took part, well done said the SW, a glimmer of a smile appeared and then head back down concentrating.

So if you’ve read this far, you might still be wondering what the Hubs do.

The very single most important point of what the Hubs do is just being there.

Find your nearest CFO Activity Hub - visit www.co-financing.org/map