Director of London’s VRU, Lib Peck, and Croydon MP, Natasha Irons, visit Tender’s Healthy Friendships workshop

Lib Peck, Director of London’s VRU, and MP for Croydon East, Natasha Irons, experienced Tender’s work up close in a visit to school Forest Academy. They observed activities part of the Inclusive and Nurturing Schools Programme, run by Tender in partnership with Nurtureuk.

During the visit, they watched Year 6 students participate in Tender’s flagship activity ‘House of Friendship’. In small groups, students thought about words to describe healthy and unhealthy friendships and wrote them down on a poster. Students then shared their ideas with their peers. Lib and Natasha also had the opportunity to engage in conversations about friendships with the class.

The Inclusive and Nurturing Schools Programme is commissioned by the London Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), and it is being rolled out in schools in Croydon, Barking and Dagenham, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham and Islington. This dynamic programme aims to keep children safe, supported, and thriving in school, tackle exclusions, and ensure children and young people have healthy relationship behaviours and attitudes.

Our Chief Executive, Susie McDonald, said:

‘We are delighted to be working with Nurtureuk and the Violence Reduction Unit to deliver this programme and support schools in bringing vital healthy relationships education to students. Empowering children and young people with skills and knowledge to build positive connections is critical to preventing abuse and creating an environment where they feel safe to enjoy every step of their education.’

Lib Peck, Director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit, said:

‘We know that children and young people are safer in school where they are supported to develop and to thrive. It’s why tackling all forms of school exclusions and driving up attendance is core to the Violence Reduction Unit’s prevention work.

‘We are really proud of the impact that the Inclusive and Nurturing Schools programme is having across London, working to prevent conflict and learning about the importance of healthy relationships.

‘It was fantastic to see this work in practice at Forest Academy and see young people contribute to important discussions about the importance of friendship and relationships.’

MP for East Croydon, Natasha Irons, said:

‘It was wonderful to see the partnership between Forest Academy, Tender and the Mayor of London’s Violence Reduction Unit in action. The programme run by Tender helps students nurture healthy relationships in all areas of their lives. It was wonderful to see children being given the tools to feel safe and supported, so they can thrive in school and the community more widely.’

Executive Headteacher of Forest Academy, Swabra Lloyd, added that the collaboration with Tender has been transformative in helping them empower their pupils to build healthy relationships, develop emotional resilience, and navigate challenges with confidence:

‘At Forest Academy, we believe that fostering strong connections between school, home, and the wider community is essential to nurturing happy, confident, and resilient children. It is a privilege to work alongside organisations like Tender to create a lasting, positive impact on our community.’

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