The Warm Welcome campaign aims to provide free, warm spaces for people to go to during the winter months to help them cope with the high costs of living. There are currently 3,679 generous spaces across the UK, including community centers, libraries, hairdressers, and local government buildings.
The campaign is designed to help people get through the cold winter months and make sure that communities have places where people can go to stay warm and dry.
The Warm Welcome Campaign
A survey conducted by the campaign found that nearly half of all Warm Welcome spaces are located in churches (1,785 out of 3,679). The survey also found that 61% of churches are opening their warm areas more frequently than in previous years, and 13% offer additional generous spaces beyond their regular services on Christmas Day.
Sim Dendy, a senior leader at Freedom Church in Romsey, which is participating in the Warm Welcome campaign, talks about why the church wanted to be involved in the campaign and how it is helping to do more than keep people warm.
In an interview with Christian Today, Sim Dendy discussed the impact of the cost of living crisis on the local community. Dendy stated that the problem is affecting everyone somehow, with people having to make conscious decisions about spending and cutting back on specific items or downgrading to cheaper versions. He also mentioned that some people plan to refrain from drinking alcohol during the holiday due to the high costs. Dendy highlighted the widespread nature of the crisis and how it impacts people at all income levels.
Dendy also described the range of people using the Warm Welcome spaces. Dendy mentioned that the demographics of the people using the rooms could vary depending on the location, with some rooms attracting more children and others attracting older individuals.
He also noted that a wide range of activities is being offered at the Warm Welcome spaces, including cooking, arts and crafts, music, and quilting, bringing people of different generations and denominations together. Dendy emphasizes that the cost of living crisis is affecting people of all income levels and that his concern is that people will be surprised by the high energy bills they receive after the holiday season. He also mentioned that a milder winter would benefit communities across the country.
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Warm Welcome Spaces Provide More Than Just Warmth: They Foster Connection and Community
The Warm Welcome campaign provided basic meals, such as soup and bread rolls, to people who came to their spaces for warmth. According to an article in BTW News, sim Dendy reported that donations to the food bank from the local community had been generous and that the response to the national Warm Welcome campaign from charities, agencies, and local authorities had been outstanding. Dendy also mentioned that the Freedom Centre, a community space run by the church, had been organizing Christmas hamper-making events, where 41 families could choose items such as biscuits, chutneys, chocolate, toys, and Lego to include in their hampers. Local organizations and companies donated all the things, and Dendy noted that people had been very generous despite the ongoing national crisis.
Dendy also emphasized that the church had no hesitation in joining the campaign because they believed it was the right thing to do and were called to love their neighbors, even if it came at a cost. He also highlighted the campaign's positive impact on the community, stating that it helped rebuild a sense of belonging and community lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dendy noted that the campaign brought together a wide range of organizations and had an incredible response, with over 3,500 centers open across the country and 70,000 people coming to the spaces weekly. He also emphasized the importance of community, such as eating together, in fostering a sense of belonging and connection.
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