‘I’ve seen hard-pressed mums get advantages from one important house,’ Gordon Brown writes
As temperatures plummet and gas and electricity charges soar, Warm Welcome spaces – places you can go to heat yourself up – are opening all over the country.
Near my home in Fife, you’ll find a local church offering not just a warm hub but hot drinks, food and children’s play facilities. There’s a Salvation Army’s drop-in cafe in Dunfermline.
You’ll find churches, libraries, sports halls and community centres that offer computer access, creches and food. Outside Fife there are thousands across the UK.
As Christmas nears, Warm Welcome – the new charity of which I am privileged to be a founding patron – is stepping up its offer of the warmth of both heating and friendship. In the last few weeks, over 100 spaces have been created. Whether under the name of Warm Hubs, Warm Welcome Centres, Warm Spaces or just Cosy Corners, a Warm Welcome space will soon be available not far from everyone’s doorstep.
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I’ve seen hard-pressed mums enjoy the benefits of a Warm Welcome space allied to a cafe and play spaces for the kids. I have seen the spaces make a huge difference to people’s lives in community centres and places of worship, and I’ve seen sports halls, libraries and galleries opened up to lonely individuals who can meet new friends.
In total, 4,000 Warm Welcome spaces across the country have hosted 4.5 million visits. Nearly two in three citizens are within 30 minutes of one. We hope to announce more within weeks and there is a five-year plan to cover all areas of the UK.
When asked last winter, most guests said without the spaces they would have been at home – alone and cold. They said they had a profound impact, reducing their isolation. That is why Warm Welcome spaces are now year-round meeting places.
A growing coalition – from the worlds of charity, faith, business and government – is working to create more. Everyone has a role to play, as supporters or partners. Together, we can drive out the worst of Britain by bringing out the best in Britain, unlocking the power of the community, and creating a more deeply connected society.
