Acting students give homeless charity a helping hand after being moved by poverty research

Students behind a play examining the impact of poverty on families were so moved by their research that they’ve taken action to support a homeless charity.

University of Northampton Acting students Fiona Moreland-Belle, Abi Cameron, Harry Oliver, Katie Glenn and Amber King wrote Trapped Under Class for their final year dissertation. The play, which they performed at April’s Flash Theatre Festival, in Northampton, focuses on a family which becomes progressively poorer over the course of a year – read a review.

In order to understand the issues around family poverty, and in particular the damaging effect the Government’s Universal Credit benefits system is having on some, the students visited Northampton’s homelessness charity, the Hope Centre.

As a result, they’ve arranged for a Hope Centre donations basket to be installed in the café at the University’s Innovation Centre, which is open to the public and located in Green Street, opposite Northampton’s railway station.

Abi said: “The Hope Centre is an incredible place. It helps so many people affected by poverty – it’s a real lifeline for them.

“As soon as we found out about the Hope Centre’s work, we were determined to try and help and the collection basket is a simple, but effective, way to support the charity.”

Hope CEO, Robin Burgess, said: “Hope worked closely with the Acting students, to give guidance on the theme and approach for their play about poverty.

“We were overwhelmed by the quality of their production, in the performance itself, but also in the way they had listened and absorbed our advice into the play, which was intelligent, compassionate, funny and moving, taking a constructive, mature approach and demonstrating real understanding.”

If anyone wants to order their own Hope collection basket they can do so by emailing fundraising@northamptonhopecentre.org.uk or calling 0845 5199371.

Pictured from left are Fiona Moreland-Belle, Abi Cameron, Harry Oliver, Katie Glenn and Amber King.