By a Staff Reporter SHELTER. the national campaign for the homeless, said this week that by Christmas 7.000 previously homeless families, mostly from slums or hopelessly overcrowded conditions, will have been rehoused
by housing associations throughout Britain with money raised by Shelter.
Since March, the number of families rehoused with Shelter money has increased by over 1,000 to a rate of nearly eight families a day. Altogether 4,149 families have already been rehoused, and 3,721 homes are in the pipeline — at least 3,000 of which are expected to be occupied by Christmas.
None of these figures takes into account families living in the 450 short-life properties owned by Shelter-backed housing associations in London. or the 250 families moved out of London to live elsewhere. Nor do they include the many families helped to alternative housisng by the Shelter Housing Aid Centre in London. Des Wilson, Shelter's director, said: "The achievement of the housing associations with which we are working has exceeded our wildest hopes.
"The pace at which we are helping to rehouse families fully justifies every claim we made to the public, and is the achievement of a genuine partnership between Shelter and the housing associations. and also the local authorities.
"In particular, one must pay tribute to the Greater London Council for making available a financial scheme that has boosted our work in London to several times the previous output."
Durham school will cost Elm.
ACATHOLIC comprehensive school in Co. Durham which will cost nearly fl million when completed St. Robert's, New Washington — is due to be opened within the next few weeks. It will eventually take 1,710 pupils. but in the first place it will have 960.
These will be drawn from St. Joseph's, Washington, St.
Cuthbert's, Chester-le-Street. and St. Joseph's, Birtley. The present St. Joseph's School at Washington is to become a primary school. The headmaster of St. Robert's is Mr, P. L. K. Buckle, who will eventually have a staff of about 80.
The first two phases of the new school will cost about f500,000. The third phase, due to be completed next year. will cost a further f200.000, and the final phase, to be completed within the next four years, is estimated to cost another £200,000.