More Ivy House pictures...

When I blogged about the Ivy House gig in aid of Stories for Homes, my pics were OK. Enough to give you a flavour of the night, anyway.

But now, we've got some professional ones! Take a look at these beauties by Richard Denney!

(Have to say, I'm really pleased to see that the photos Richard took of me have avoided any hint of a double chin...)

And if you were wondering why I'm still promoting this whole project...you only had to be watching the BBC documentary 'Tough Young Teachers' which aired earlier this week. Although primarily about the experiences of six newly qualified teachers in their first ever teaching posts, (talk about being thrown in the deep end!) there are several students who come under scrutiny too. One student, having moved to the UK from Brazil, was dropping grades just prior to his GCSE exam; the new teacher told him (and many of his classmates) he needed to pull his socks up.

Then the programme visited the lad at home.

Home was a single room in a hostel, shared with his brother and mother. In a room the size of my lounge were crammed three beds, a wardrobe, a small sink and a 2-ring cooker. The toilet was down the corridor.

The presenter asked the boy 'Where do you do your work?'

He gave a half-smile and gestured to the corner of the room. 'My bed.' There was black mould growing on the walls beside his pillow.

And the teacher wondered why his grades were dropping...

That is why Stories for Homes - and the continuing promotion of it - is so important. It's got to be about more than having a story published.

It's about changing the future for folks who don't have a decent home.