what is Coventry Peace House?

We are a housing co-operative and a peace and environment centre in a busy part of multi cultural Coventry. We have been here since January 1999 and combine campaigning on peace and environmental issues with practical projects such as our cycling centre and WorldWise which is a global citizenship project employing two amazing workers, Alan and Andrea. We also have community space which others can use. We hold activity week-ends on he first full weekend of every month when we welcome volunteers - it's a great time to visit. For more information see About Us.

LETS carry on

LETS (Local Exchange and Trading Systems) is basically a barter system where people do jobs for each other or buy things from each other but instead of using money, use an alternative currency which in  Coventry  is called covs. Other LETS schemes call their currency other names.The Peace House wants to encourage more people to get involved with LETs - the more people there are, the more skills we can share! We have regular Lets events here, the next one being the AGM on 24th Janaury at 12 noon followed by lunch and a social sale. Other social events here will take place on the first Sunday of every third month from 2pm to 4pm - ie April 5th, July 5th, October 4th.  Everyone who is interested in LETS is welcome. 


cycle technicians needed!

Riders from the G8 bike ride outside Coventry Cycling CentreRiders from the G8 bike ride outside Coventry Cycling Centre We are looking for keen cyclists who are good at cycle maintenance to help us at Coventry Cycling Centre which is based at the Peace House. People give us bikes they no longer need and we repair them and sell them on cheaply to local people. We have a great team of 5 volunteers but we need more! At the moment we are open most Tuesdays and every other Saturday morning, but we would like to be open longer. We have a good supply of donated bikes - they just need your expert hands! Please contact Penny on 02476 664616 if you are interested in joining the team.

thank you especially Bishop Ullathorne

Thank you to everybody who has given so generously to the refugees we know who have very little. Thank you especially to Bishop Ullathorne School who delivered a box of goodies from every class in the school. Thank you also to all those who delivered 'carriers of hope' and to anyone who has given food, clothes, toiletries and toys to make life better for those who have come here in search of safety. Separated from their families and worried about their future it is very comforting for them to know that people here do care about them. 

 

 


our campaign on statelessness

On June 18th we launched a book called 'Statelessness. the quiet torture of belonging nowhere ' In Britain there are hundreds of thousands of people who are denied basic human rights and have been told to go back to their country but are unable to do so. They are criminalised by the system with many serving increasingly long prison sentences for working illegally to survive. Globally there are 15 million stateless people. For more information and to join the campaign go to www.stateless.org.uk. Copies of the book are available from the Peace House for £5 or £3 depending on income. 

space for new members - and 4 week'holiday scheme'

We have space for some new people to live here at the Peace House. If you would like to live in a small, active community, get in touch and we can arrange a visit. We are now offering a 4 week 'holiday' here for £50 per week inclusive of food so you can try out communal living. As a member we prefer you to work part time in paid employment in the local community so you have enough money to pay the rent (which is low) and enough energy to get involved in the peace and environmental projects we run here. It's a great place to live and inspiring people to live with from all over the world. We take it in turns to cook, we have a big back garden, two wood burners and no television. See more about membership in the side menu - there is even a poem to entice you!


I Came Here For Safety

The reality of detention and destitution for asylym seekers

You can read and print the whole book online for free (Acrobat required). Please share this with your friends and family!

‘Destitution: The state of being extremely poor and lacking the means to provide for oneself....’
- Oxford English Dictionary

Read the book now! (PDF, 2MB)

Preface

This book was published in Refugee Week June 2006. The current asylum climate is therefore of that time but many of the issues are much more lasting than the latest Immigration Act.