Welcoming new faces to the Dying Homeless Project team
Many of you who have kept up with MoH over the past few weeks will have seen news about our new space in Finsbury Park. But other things have been going on behind the scenes related to the Dying Homeless Project, a project which sits at the heart of MoH and has been ongoing for the past several years.
Changes are afoot, firstly our brilliant coordinator Miranda who has worked tirelessly, thoughtfully and diligently will shortly be going on maternity leave. Since Miranda joined the team, the project has developed a national network through the coalition, hosted regular death cafes and connected the project in with bereaved families and policy-makers alike. We have worked with her to publish yearly summaries to hold decision makers to account and most importantly we have developed our online memorial space to remember people in our community who have died whilst homeless. We are very grateful for all Miranda’s work and looking forward to welcoming a new arrival to MoH community when Miranda’s baby is born in the not-too-distant future. Miranda says:
“It's been an honour to work with you all on the Dying Homeless Project over the last 3 years; this group has been such a source of inspiration, comfort and support, and I am very grateful to you all for the energy you put into supporting the Museum of Homelessness. I am now taking a break to have a baby next month, but will be leaving the project in the brilliantly capable hands of Gill, Del and James. I wish you all the best for your ongoing work upholding people's rights and dignity over this coming winter, and will be following the project from afar! Sending warm wishes to you all, Miranda.”
Moving forward next year – 2023/2024
To ensure the project maintains momentum in her absence, MoH is delighted to be able to share news that the excellent Gill Taylor will lead the project in 2023/24. Gill and a small team will continue our work to memorialise and honour those who die whilst homeless and to document the national picture of this tragic loss of life in order to bring about meaningful change. We are also delighted to welcome James Vale and Delwyn Jayne Wussah as well. James is a housing data analyst who will support Gill to produce the 2023 findings next year. Del is a post-production coordinator, bodywork practitioner and mental health specialist. Del will support the team with coordination and communications over the coming months.
The changes in the team and the wider development of MoH will mean some small-scale changes with the project. Currently, MoH is bedding into its new space in Finsbury Park so as we settle in to our new home and settle in the new Dying Homeless Project team, we won’t be hosting coalition meetings or death cafes in the short term. We are very grateful for the support of coalition members over the last few years and we are thinking about the best ways to keep people involved with the project. If you have thoughts please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We will of course produce the 2023 investigation in the spring of next year as we do each year, and will also be working on ways we can continue to develop the project, based on Gill’s extensive experience, skills and knowledge.
You can reach Gill on gill@museumofhomelessness.org
More about our new team
Gill (she/they) has lived experience of homelessness and twenty years’ experience working in the homeless sector for various organisations. They are currently working as an independent researcher and practice improvement specialist with a focus on safeguarding, preventing and learning from deaths and tackling health inequality.
James (he/him) currently works as a specialist housing analyst for a London local authority, focussing on homelessness (of all types) as well as vulnerable adults at the intersection of housing, health, and adult social care. He has done this since late 2019, after leaving an academic career in solid-state physics for a role with more direct impact for local communities. Of particular personal interest to him is highlighting how certain communities are adversely affected by homelessness and other types of multiple disadvantages combining both data- and person-led approaches.
Del (she/ they/ them) is currently working as a post production coordinator in the Film and HETV industry. In addition to this, they are a dedicated somatic bodywork practitioner, and they're actively training in mental health first aid, deepening their knowledge and commitment to holistic well-being in both the film industry and local communities. With a career spanning education and special educational needs, they transitioned into Film and HETV, alongside a bodywork practice, continuing their work in supporting individuals and communities in their path towards physical and emotional well-being.