Warm and welcome spaces
The cost-of-living crisis is already affecting millions across the UK, with many reporting they will be unable to switch on the heating. Everyone should have a warm and welcoming space to go to in winter. This could be a church, part of a community organisation, a library or a business. Many faith groups across the UK have opened their doors to help.
Creating warm and welcoming spaces
Are you planning to create a warm and welcoming space in your church building (or hall) for the people of your local community to meet during the autumn and winter months? If so, would a small grant help you to do this?
Grants of £250 are available from our Reaching New People (RNP) and Verulam House Trust Fund (VHTF) funds.
The application process is simple:
- Send a brief email to the Mission and Ministry team on mm@stalbans.anglican.org with how and when you would use a £250 grant to help welcome your community into your building during this time
- Provide your church / parish name and bank details: account name; sort code; account number.
All we ask is that you send us some pictures (with any necessary permissions) and possibly a short one paragraph story, so we can share on social media, reflecting how the grant has helped support you to create warm and welcoming spaces.
St Michael’s Woolmer Green have made use of our grant to open a community warm space every Monday afternoon for people in our village. We were offered a space in the village hall where we supplied hot drinks and pastries to anyone in the local area that wanted to drop in. It has become a lovely community and new friendships have been formed over the weeks. The people coming along have commented that the warm space has been a nice opportunity to have some company and meet new people from around the village.
Revd Christie Gilfeather – Assistant Curate: Welwyn team
Seminars at St Michael and All Angels ‘Welcome Cafe’, a designated ‘Warm Space’ in Borehamwood, have benefitted immensely from an FX grant for two fish ‘n chip lunches in December. Each seminar focused on ‘Finding Hope’. Local speakers addressed the themes of ‘Living with visual impairment’ and ‘Finding hope as a refugee’. Each event was attended by over 25 people, with over 30 individuals in total coming over the two weeks. Several spoke of the benefit of ‘getting to know each other’, ‘making me think’, ‘seeing things from a new perspective’, ‘I didn’t know …’. Lunches began with a quiet moment of prayerful gratitude for God’s goodness and for each other. All who came along were members of the local community of Elstree and Borehamwood, including both regulars and newcomers from the church. The value of getting to know each other over a simple meal of fish n’ chips followed by rich fruit cake cannot be overplayed. The need for care, respect and a willingness to learn from each other came through. Everyone helped with clearing up the Hall afterwards.
Revd Louise Collins
In the light of the rocketing price of energy and the cost of living crisis, Holy Trinity was asked if we could provide a warm space for the people of Park Street. After seeking volunteers we opened our Parish Centre on Tuesday afternoons between 2 and 5pm. Free WiFi and refreshments were essential parts of the package. We were able to have two volunteers on each afternoon to provide the refreshments and generally make sure it all went well. The first time we opened we had seven visitors including Joy, the Chairperson for the Residents Association. She took some photos for the Park Street Residents Association magazine. We’ve recently had a visit from a ukulele group – a wonderful occasion with laughter, banter and mischief.
Sue “Its been lovely. I’ve met new friends, I’m new to the village. We spent most of our time laughing!”
Rachel “It’s nice to do something to meet people. I’ve lived in the village since 1973, and have seen people but have now met them here and finally put names to faces.”
John Edwards
More information on creating warm and welcoming spaces
- Warm welcome space – find out where local warm and welcoming spaces are – and register your space
- Safe, warm and welcome – a guide for winter health and well-being from the Royal Voluntary Service
- Acts 435 – financial help for individuals in poverty via churches and charities with warm and welcoming spaces
- Renew Wellbeing – helping churches open spaces of welcome and inclusion to improve mental and emotional wellbeing
- Church Works Commission – bringing together churches and Government to support the vulnerable in our communities and tackle the cost-of-living crisis
- Together Network – a network of Christian charities committed to tackling poverty and transforming communities
- Neighbourly – helping businesses make a positive impact in the community by donating volunteer time, money and surplus products
- Community Libraries Network – sharing ideas, experience and inspiration
- Together – a coalition building kinder, closer and more connected communities
